Recommend a new bench vise

[gsganzer]

I broke my 6" Northern Tool Chinese made bench vise yesterday, so I'm looking for a replacement. I've always considered the Wilton Tradesman to be the gold standard of vises, but at $600, it isn't cheap.

Any recommendations for a similar vise, without breaking the bank? Or buy once, cry once?

 

[jyoutz]

I broke my 6" Northern Tool Chinese made bench vise yesterday, so I'm looking for a replacement. I've always considered the Wilton Tradesman to be the gold standard of vises, but at $600, it isn't cheap.

Any recommendations for a similar vise, without breaking the bank? Or buy once, cry once?

My old Sears Craftsman vice is still perfect after 30+ years. Maybe see if you can find one of those on eBay or somewhere?

 

[jyoutz]

Wilton 11106 Bench Vise, Jaw Width 6-Inch, Jaw Opening 6-Inch 19907111061 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Wilton 11106 Bench Vise, Jaw Width 6-Inch, Jaw Opening 6-Inch at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Locoweed]

I bought one of these & I like it better than the Wilton I paid much more for.

Forward Round Bench Vise, 4-1/2" Jaw Width, 4-1/2" Max Jaw Opening, 3-1/2" Throat Depth, 360° Swivel Base Ductile Iron Industrial Vice (1745A)

360° Rotation Base and Big Anvil A 360° rotating bench vise offers greater ease and flexibility in the workshop. It lets you position workpieces quickly from any angle, making it simpler to reach them and reducing the need to move around the workbench. Large anvil designed to take a beating...

forwardvise.com

 

[Rockbadchild]

I have this one, its ok... I haven't gave her hell yet. I also once had the one jyoutz shared I wasn't too much of a fan of it because it didn't matter how tight you tighter the rotation screws it kept turning... I much rather a fix one, although the one I now have (as illustrated below) gets pretty ridged once tight but I would still rather a fix one.

 

[jyoutz]

There are dozens of both new and used vices on eBay. The OP should take a look.

 

[Harry in Ky]

I broke my 6" Northern Tool Chinese made bench vise yesterday, so I'm looking for a replacement. I've always considered the Wilton Tradesman to be the gold standard of vises, but at $600, it isn't cheap.

Any recommendations for a similar vise, without breaking the bank? Or buy once, cry once?

Nothing "new" is really worth having if you plan to use it, not just look at it. No matter what the description says, everything out there today is just cheap cast iron with shiny paint. Look around for something old. Yes, Wilton would be a top choice, but hard to find at a decent price. There are always plenty of others to choose from as well in the $200 - $250 range. Columbian or Chas Parker units are pretty common in that price range. They're heavy, and they don't break.

 

[Tinhack]

I have several vises, and each one has a purpose. Small ones, big ones and special ones. The one that typically gets the hardest and most abuse is and old Bridgeport milling vise. It's over on a work bench and I use it to form, bend and hammer metal. It came attached to my mill when I bought it, but I replaced it with a Kurt vise. Another bench has a large import vise for general duties--It's closer to the rest of my tools. The bench also sports two smaller vises and a Dremel drill press. You just can't have too many "vices".

 

[SPYDERLK]

I broke my 6" Northern Tool Chinese made bench vise yesterday, so I'm looking for a replacement. I've always considered the Wilton Tradesman to be the gold standard of vises, but at $600, it isn't cheap.
Any recommendations for a similar vise, without breaking the bank? Or buy once, cry once?

I have the 880-D2 (8")Yost. Used it since 2016. Good hard reversible jaws and reversible movement. I like the large flat work surface presented when the jaws are closed.

Amazon.com

 

[rScotty]

Nothing "new" is really worth having if you plan to use it, not just look at it. No matter what the description says, everything out there today is just cheap cast iron with shiny paint. Look around for something old. Yes, Wilton would be a top choice, but hard to find at a decent price. There are always plenty of others to choose from as well in the $200 - $250 range. Columbian or Chas Parker units are pretty common in that price range. They're heavy, and they don't break.

My workshop has several older Wilton & Columbian vises. The milling machine sports a Kurt.
The keywords seems to be "older" and US made. Most of the hand tools I enjoy usingwere from the post WWII era when makers competed on quality more than on price. There were some really excellent hand tools made back then. Used tool stores have them, and Ebay.