Im looking into buying a vise. For those once in a blue moon projects are the 40.00 ones worth it?
Bench Vise
- Thread starter ARB1977
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Yes, especially if you don't have anything now.
Are you looking at an anvil-like bench vise, or a woodworking vise?
Are you looking at an anvil-like bench vise, or a woodworking vise?
Just a thought, I bought mine at an estate sale, i wish i could remember if i paid five or ten dollars for it.
I would shop around for a good vice at a yard sale. the new import vices are JUNK. they will just serve to pizz you off down the road.
be seated when you price new USA made vices. There NOT cheep
This is where a garage sale, etc. can really come in handy. Are you looking for a 'mechanic' or machinist vice? Look for a hardware store going out of business as well.
I would not get one of the $40 new vices.
I would not get one of the $40 new vices.
Buy Wilton, or save till you can. If it says Snap-On it's actually built by Wilton. If it says Matco it's actually made by Wilton. If it says Hein-Warner,,,,it's probably made by wilton.
Message coming thru?
Bob
Message coming thru?
Bob
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How are the "lower end" Wiltons? I've been looking at their Utility Vices, usually available at about 50% off (~$150 for the 6 inch) at MCM etc.
Ed
Ed
I have a 6" Wilton, bought at Northern Tools several years back for around $60-ish(?). I'm happy with it, except for the fact that I dripped brake fluid when bench bleeding a master cylinder, and removed all the paint.
Kestas
Staff member
We're hard on bench vises in our lab. We embrittle metal hockey pucks, hold them in the vise, and break them with a hammer. Sometimes the vise breaks. The last time I bought one for the lab, I had a choice of vises from $40 to $300. I decided to go with the $40 vise and treat it as a consumable item. It's been going strong for years already.
That's surprising, I've broken cheap vises by tightening the swivel lock too much. Even $300 is cheap for a good vise.
On the last cheap vice that I broke, it snapped off right in my hand when I was assembling a U-Joint. This was with one hand cranking on it, not two. The threaded shaft just broke off like it was made of lead.
I've been at some of those tool sales and I actually had a salesman there tell me that they were good for cracking peanuts and nothing more.
I've been at some of those tool sales and I actually had a salesman there tell me that they were good for cracking peanuts and nothing more.
Craig's list is your friend. Get an older Wilton and find a friend with a milling machine to make you a new set of jaws if necessary. Harbor Freight vices are a mixed bag IMHO. If you don't have to really wrench on them you'd probably be alright, but I wouldn't advise that you put yourself in a situation where you could possibly get injured (think cheater pipe and rusted stuff).
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