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.

 

[WranglerX]

Stay away from cast iron vices... The material is brittle, go with a cast steel vice....

 

[rScotty]

Stay away from cast iron vices... The material is brittle, go with a cast steel vice....

How do you tell one from the other?

 

[gsganzer]

Stay away from cast iron vices... The material is brittle, go with a cast steel vice....

Agree. The choices are cast iron (brittle and cheap), ductile iron (2x stronger than cast iron, but mid-price) and steel (most expensive).

 

[gsganzer]

I'm looking at these Olsa forged steel vices. 90,000 psi strength. They seem to be a moderately priced vise. I'll see what's also available locally, but by the time you add your time and miles, probably just as cheap to order one of these.

My original was a swivel head, but like some others have said, they never seem to hold a part secure enough if you really need to get hammering on it. I really only use the swivel function for positioning parts for welding, so I think I'll just get a swivel base and not the swivel head style. I can always come up with a way to position a part for welding.

Olsa Forged Steel Vise

 

[BukitCase]

I have the 4" version of this Capri (available in 6" or 7" - forged steel, made in Taiwan. Haven't used it a lot yet, but so far I'm impressed...

Amazon.com

Steve

 

[scootr]

Plus 1 on the old Craftsman. It's my oldest vice. I've had it for 35 yrs and I used to beat hell out of it in my youth.
Found an old Wilton in a yard sale... by them used, good ones don't wear out and many have replaceable jaws.
I keep one with smooth jaws for certain work.

 

[Oscar1]

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?

Fireball tool has a 5” vise 160.00. I bought one 2 years ago it’s a great vise.

 

[ruffdog]

There are plenty of vintage vises on CL near me like Wilton, Columbian, Craftman etc. and many are <$100.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I'm thinking older is better (with a vise ) that green 6" Craftsman 5183 my Grandfather bought I'm thinking in '50s and we all have beat the snot out of it with a sledgehammer & had very long cheater bars on it...it works great and opens 9". The red Craftsman 6" & 4" I'm thinking from late '70s aren't that good.
I use copper bent like 2" angle iron if I need soft jaws.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Throat depth may be important to you.