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Fri Mar 05, 2021 4:51 pm

mark tucker wrote: I will build a vice befor I will pay what morons are charging for them nowdays... but I have plenty of them any way. I think the one I paid about $30 or less for now would sell for about $300, and I bought it new.
I seen probably more busted and welded up "good old american vices" than the china shit....I have seen a few of those that were broke in half too. Im not sure why some people get so stupid and drive the prices up for everybody else.

Ya if I was you I’d stay up on the porch where it’s safe man.

Fri Mar 05, 2021 4:53 pm

Another old one, Athol, Athol Mass, made in USA. Estate sale, $25. Second hand, the only way to get a good vise inexpensively
I just use a large C clamp to keep it at end of the bench. Too often i need a lot of space around it so im constantly moving it.

Sun Mar 07, 2021 9:58 am

I went through the whole vice thing... trying to find an old, nice American or German one. Couldn’t find one that was reasonably priced or close enough to make it worth my while.

I have an old craftsman one that is 4 inch, it’s actually cracked but still usable so I just mounted it to my wooden work bench. I went ahead and bought a harbor freight one to mount to my steel table... for what I do, it should be fine.

My SIL has a small Wilton vice in her basement that was left there by the previous owner....I’m patiently waiting for the moment to swoop in on it and have a deal with her for it. Her husband is not a handyman at all... so it shouldn’t be a problem.

I think you just gotta be in the right place/time to score one of those old, quality monsters that have lived in an old shop for 50 years.

My buddies dad moved from his old house to a condo and was cleaning out the barn.... two old giant vices and a big anvil.... he gave them away. My buddy took one vice and let the other and the anvil go to someone else.

I’ll have to get a pic the next time I’m in his shop.... it’s the heaviest, largest bench vice I’ve ever seen.

Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:42 am

Check this out https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79320

Sun Mar 07, 2021 10:06 pm

My son in law has a huge post mounted vice in his ranch shop. It was left behind by the property PO.
As I understand things. The PO built trailers in the shop when not tending to the health of the trees on the property.

I actually think it is a Holland vice. The handle ball ends are close to 2" in diameter and very heavy.

I have used this vice to repair broker sledge hammer handles, rake handles and axe handles.

I'll see if he can get a pic and model number off the vice and update the thread once I have the info.

Mon Mar 08, 2021 5:10 am

My biggest vice is outside , used to fix wells , dawn to dusk, you can pretty much whack anything off once it’s held tight .

Mon Mar 08, 2021 7:45 am

I used to have some vices too but I think I’ve aged out of all night drinking and chasing women, I’m fast asleep by 11 pm now.

Tue Mar 09, 2021 5:40 pm

Zundfolge1432 wrote: I used to have some vices too but I think I’ve aged out of all night drinking and chasing women, I’m fast asleep by 11 pm now. dam light weights. :wink:

Tue Mar 09, 2021 6:25 pm

Zundfolge1432 wrote: I used to have some vices too but I think I’ve aged out of all night drinking and chasing women, I’m fast asleep by 11 pm now.

I turn my clocks off after 830 pm to save electricity

Wed Mar 10, 2021 7:38 pm

Abscate wrote: Zundfolge1432 wrote: I used to have some vices too but I think I’ve aged out of all night drinking and chasing women, I’m fast asleep by 11 pm now.

I turn my clocks off after 830 pm to save electricity

Save gas, drive in reverse!

Wed Mar 10, 2021 7:55 pm

I have four vises. One Chinese made bolted to my crusty bench. That one came from Harbor Freight at least 20 years ago.

One partially broken Columbia that stays outside on the welding bench. That one came from a scrap pile at a friend's fabrication shop.

The third is a decent old Wilton that I got about a year ago that will take the place of the Chinese vice when that bench gets rebuilt.

The Wilton was purchased from the living estate of a friend's father. It is barely used, and I just made some copper jaws for it out of scraps.

Oh, and the fourth vise is a woodworkers vise mounted to my detail work bench. I don't use it much for wood working, but it is handy for holding odd stuff like broom handles, carburetors and such for repairs.

Mon Mar 15, 2021 10:23 pm

Growing up, I spent lots of time in our garage with my Dad. He had an old vise and complained about it for years. Because if that, I decided when I was about 30 that I’d get a good vise and be happy for the rest of my life. I got a 5 inch Snap on vise which is made by Wilton. So now that I’m 63, I actually have two vises, both Snap On, and both are Wilton bullet vises. These aren’t cheap by any means but can be found on Craigslist for around $400 or new for about $650.

Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:54 am

Vice in a vise: Heirloom Wilton, and a customer's filthy mess of a 30/31. Bleg.

Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:15 am

Welcome back &Dan.

Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:18 am

cdennisg wrote: Welcome back &Dan.

Hey man! How's tricks?

Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:29 am

&Dan wrote: cdennisg wrote: Welcome back &Dan.

Hey man! How's tricks?

She's fine. She likes my vise.

Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:37 am

cdennisg wrote:
She's fine. She likes my vise.

"Hold me, squeeze me, never let me go."-Wilton Combo, "Song Of The Vises"

Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:56 pm

Also keep an eye out for yard sales. A friend of mine picked up a nearly new Craftsman vice with 8 inch jaws for less than 50 bucks at one 2 summers ago. Craig's list is also a good place to shop for tools, as divorce cases cause great deals to be found.

Wed Mar 17, 2021 3:37 pm

good idea , ill keep an eye on the local gossip column and see who is splitting up.

Wed May 05, 2021 7:32 am

Thanks all, I was looking at the vises at HomeDepot/Amazon then saw this thread; did a little more reading and decided to stalk Wiltons for a bit (craigslist / ebay / facebook marketplace).
Finally found one I liked and got to in time, wasn't a stellar deal (def not $45) but I'm okay with it.

As I picked it up -

If you haven't seen one of these apart they're pretty neat, here it is pre-cleanup.
All together it's 37lbs.
Jaw screws were mangled and a retainer screw missing so those were replaced, otherwise it came apart and went back together easily.

Date code March 1946, in decent shape for 75 years old.

Slide and jaws cleaned up well with naval jelly, slider operates smoothly once lubed (syth moly-grease for the screw, Boeshield T-9 for everything else).

Looks to have one prior repaint in black. Decided to just clean it up and lube it for now.
Plus, I think I've been hanging around here too long as I almost like it's patina.