Bench Mounted Vice

Bobalos

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I broke my vice (again) & need to replace it.  I use it all of the time & was hoping to run out this weekend & pick one up (Im in San Diego, if that matters).  Im looking for a bench mounted vice with 6" or so Jaws.  rotating would be nice, but a few years ago I broke that part of mine & I welded it solid & have not really missed it that much. 

Does anyone have recommendations on a good quality vice, that is readily available? 

thanks

Bob

 
I think something got into the screw mechanism and boogered up the threads. 

And the rear support is now missing.  Not sure where it went.  LOL 

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I broke 2, this time I went with a Harbor frt model so when I break it I won't care as much. Seems like I spent about $75.00

 
Wilton makes a great vice but understand the difference in price between a wilton and an import of most brands excluding the good German or Japanese brands will make your jaw drop. You can try finding a used wilton or snap-on but prices have jumped up in the last few years. 

 
I found a couple of old ones on Craigslist and offer up, they look like WW2 models and they want $400.  

 
Wilton Was bought out some years ago by a Swiss conglomerate who also owns jet tooling and so on. 

 
I have a 4.5” Wilton machinist vise, it’s awesome, pricey but it’s smooth and cinches you straight and evenly

 
Well, I was at Napa picking up some stuff and they had Wilton vices yhere in stock.  Not the one I really wanted and I'm sure I could have found it cheaper, but....  it was there and I didn't have to do anything but put it on the counter, so.... 

this is the China, flavor, hopefully it lasts longer than 20 minutes.   It's already finished 3 projects.  It's good not to have to pull the jaw back up to get it to sit square.  LOL 

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I have a chinese made wilton small machinist vice for my drill press that has been a good little vice. Just for kicks, I started looking through amazon and my jaw dropped when I saw what they wanted for this beauty. Wilton 8" Tradesman vice.

 
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I’ll contribute a bit

My pops got me this for the 35th bday not sure where he got it, but seems pretty legit to me and works well. 

Columbian 606M3 

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Bought this one in 2019 it has been solid.  Made in USA.    What's whacked is I paid $278 from amazon in 2019 and it is now $490!!!

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https://www.amazon.com/Yost-Vises-55C-Tradesman-Industrial/dp/B000KA79D6/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Yost+Vises+55C+5.5"&qid=1630944089&s=industrial&sr=1-4


Yost Vises 55C 5.5"

 
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 Wilton or Snapon (Made by Wilton). Not cheap, but I have never seen one break.

I have a Bluepoint one in my garage That you can have for 50.00. Never used but has a couple scratches on it. PM me if interested 

 
I wanted to buy a vice for my new workbench about 12 years ago and started looking. The stuff in big box stores was junk. I couldn't understand how such a low tech tool seemed to come in 2 qualities, either cheap import junk or made in the USA overpriced high end. As I was talking to my Dad, he offered me my grandpas old craftsman bench vice that was sitting in the dirt on the ground in the barn. The vice was crusty but worked smoothly. It's a light duty 6" vice, useful for sharpening lawnmower blades or sprinkler valves. It's roughly 40 years old and I built a simple base out of cherry so I can move the vice from bench to table. The clamps shown were replaced with sturdy C clamps. I've had it powder coated and have used the heck out of it. I could use a heavier duty vice and so could Grandpa. He bent both the handle and swivel lock on this one but it has proven useful and I really like that it belonged to him and was passed down to me. 

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