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Bench vise advice / suggestions
- Thread starter Aaron_W
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2017
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- 552
Had one of these at the shop I worked at. It was mounted to a steel table used for disassembly of equipment. Owner said he bought it in the '70"s I think. Stopped by there the other day for some material and the vise is STILL there. They are tough puppies.
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2016
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- 3,285
I'd love to find an older vice in my price range, and if I found the right one I might stretch that a bit. Logging and agriculture goes back to the 1860s around here so I know they are out there it is just finding one. There are also a lot of people around here that just collect old tools because they are cool so I'll have to stay on my toes.
I've been somewhat spoiled with having quality vintage vises to work with. I worked for the US Forest Service and National Park Service and most of my stations dated back to the 1930s, with vises that were probably of similar age. I do appreciate the difference between a new vise and one that has been around.
I'll be patient until I have a pressing need, and hope something nice turns up locally.
How big of an issue is rust? I've seen a few that were pretty rusty, to the point I wasn't sure they would work based on the photos. I've noticed the ones priced around $100 didn't last long so maybe not as much of an issue as I thought?
I just ran across this one, it is an hour away, I like the price and I think would meet my needs. I've never really used the swivel on a bench vise much so not having one wouldn't bug me. Looks like American Scale went out of business in the 1960s so it is at least 50 years old.
4.5" American Scale No 54
I didn't think about v blocks, that could work. I usually used a piece of busted fire hose in the pipe clap to protect the work.
Odd that the guy in Napa didn't show up for me. I usually look at most of California north of San Francisco and East to I-5. I'm starting to see a few pop up in Santa Rosa which is only an hour. Usually it seems like the best ones are Sacramento or Redding which isn't out of the question, but is quite a haul, pretty much a full day of driving round trip.
That was kind of my thought. A vise is something of a commitment, as even a cheap vise will last a while. I'd prefer to buy once, so I don't end up with a cheap vise taking up space down the road. What I would really like to avoid is buying a moderately priced vise ($200+) because I think an older vise would be better but after spending that much money I'd feel bad replacing it.
I've been somewhat spoiled with having quality vintage vises to work with. I worked for the US Forest Service and National Park Service and most of my stations dated back to the 1930s, with vises that were probably of similar age. I do appreciate the difference between a new vise and one that has been around.
I'll be patient until I have a pressing need, and hope something nice turns up locally.
How big of an issue is rust? I've seen a few that were pretty rusty, to the point I wasn't sure they would work based on the photos. I've noticed the ones priced around $100 didn't last long so maybe not as much of an issue as I thought?
I just ran across this one, it is an hour away, I like the price and I think would meet my needs. I've never really used the swivel on a bench vise much so not having one wouldn't bug me. Looks like American Scale went out of business in the 1960s so it is at least 50 years old.
4.5" American Scale No 54
I didn't think about v blocks, that could work. I usually used a piece of busted fire hose in the pipe clap to protect the work.
Odd that the guy in Napa didn't show up for me. I usually look at most of California north of San Francisco and East to I-5. I'm starting to see a few pop up in Santa Rosa which is only an hour. Usually it seems like the best ones are Sacramento or Redding which isn't out of the question, but is quite a haul, pretty much a full day of driving round trip.
That was kind of my thought. A vise is something of a commitment, as even a cheap vise will last a while. I'd prefer to buy once, so I don't end up with a cheap vise taking up space down the road. What I would really like to avoid is buying a moderately priced vise ($200+) because I think an older vise would be better but after spending that much money I'd feel bad replacing it.
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- Joined
- Dec 20, 2012
- Messages
- 9,422
I don't let a little thing like rust stop me if the vise itself is sound. This is what my Parker vise looked like when I picked it up for $50.00 from a CL seller:
After an electrolytic bath and a bit of paint, I had this:
Best vise I've used. I have two Wilton bullet vises and this Parker is the one I prefer to use. These old Parkers were made from really good cast steel and then machined where it counts. You can clamp a dollar bill anywhere across the jaws and it holds the same at any point. Yet, it only takes 1/8th turn on the handle to solidly lock a work piece tight enough to work on, and it releases just as quickly.
The jaws are what is called a T-type - very heavy metal behind the jaws so they can take a load. The lead screw is fully protected so no swarf can get to it. The handle has a spring inside the head to keep it from dropping down and pinching your hand - really appreciate this feature.
Smooth, precise and a joy to use.
So rust? Nah, I don't worry about rust.
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- Joined
- Dec 20, 2012
- Messages
- 9,422
Not sure where Ukiah is but there is a pretty nice Parker 954a in Sacramento: https://sacramento.craigslist.org/tls/d/chas-parker-954-machinists/6453723050.html
Should be a 4" vise. Hard to tell but the jaws look like they close tight. This is a bench mount, no swivel. In the first pic, there is a pink line on the lower beam - probably paint but make sure its not a crack if you go see it. Looks like a pretty nice vise for $115.00. I would go see it if its not too far from you.
Should be a 4" vise. Hard to tell but the jaws look like they close tight. This is a bench mount, no swivel. In the first pic, there is a pink line on the lower beam - probably paint but make sure its not a crack if you go see it. Looks like a pretty nice vise for $115.00. I would go see it if its not too far from you.
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- Feb 2, 2017
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- Joined
- Feb 2, 2013
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a bench vise is an indispensable tool.
take your time and find a good one if you can.
i made the mistake of buying a 6" HF rotating head piece of junk.
it failed on the first test of strength at an inopportune time.
luckily my neighbor gave me his old bench vise. it has been bolted to my bench for almost 10 years.
the vise is about to be replaced with a very nice 4" Wilton swivel vise, graciously given to me by fellow member and friend @bfd
your vise is waiting, you just haven't found it yet
take your time and find a good one if you can.
i made the mistake of buying a 6" HF rotating head piece of junk.
it failed on the first test of strength at an inopportune time.
luckily my neighbor gave me his old bench vise. it has been bolted to my bench for almost 10 years.
the vise is about to be replaced with a very nice 4" Wilton swivel vise, graciously given to me by fellow member and friend @bfd
your vise is waiting, you just haven't found it yet
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2015
- Messages
- 12,226
I started looking too and the first thing I noticed is that the HF ones are of poorer quality than just about everything out there. Best bang for buck was
Yost 455 and 465. Chinese yes, but good value.
Home Depot has a Wen 4" drill press vise for 12$, I ordered one, I'll let you know when it gets here.
Mark S.
Yost 455 and 465. Chinese yes, but good value.
Home Depot has a Wen 4" drill press vise for 12$, I ordered one, I'll let you know when it gets here.
Mark S.
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2016
- Messages
- 3,285
Oh yeah, going to events around here I know we have a lot of tool collectors, chainsaws, hit or miss engines, logging tools. Several large running steam engines.
Good and bad though, good because the stuff is out there, bad because there are collectors that jump on the good stuff as soon as it becomes available. Somewhere there is probably a vise collection just waiting for me to find it.
If the guy gets back to me I'm going to go have a look at that American Scale vise in Santa Rosa I linked to above. Maybe kind of dumb, but I like the look of it. Well used but looks intact, and cared for but not restored. It has character. If I find something better down the road, I can probably resell it and get most of my money back.
I found a site with info on bench vises and looked it up. It has a jaw width of 4.5", opens to 9" and weighs 66lbs. There are companies that sell replacement jaws for it if I need them.
I found a little about the company. They don't seem to have the reputation of Parker or Wilton, but it sounds like the company made quality tools.
Good and bad though, good because the stuff is out there, bad because there are collectors that jump on the good stuff as soon as it becomes available. Somewhere there is probably a vise collection just waiting for me to find it.
If the guy gets back to me I'm going to go have a look at that American Scale vise in Santa Rosa I linked to above. Maybe kind of dumb, but I like the look of it. Well used but looks intact, and cared for but not restored. It has character. If I find something better down the road, I can probably resell it and get most of my money back.
I found a site with info on bench vises and looked it up. It has a jaw width of 4.5", opens to 9" and weighs 66lbs. There are companies that sell replacement jaws for it if I need them.
I found a little about the company. They don't seem to have the reputation of Parker or Wilton, but it sounds like the company made quality tools.
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