Well, craigslist has been kind of dry in my area but I want a decent vise. What about the Wilton 21500? I know it's imported, but it looks like it might be better than just a HF or HD special. What do you think?
Calling mjozefow (Vise Advice)
- Thread starter jeffk14
- Start date
I'm not the guy your looking for and my opinion doesn't hold nearly as much weight as his... however.... I have had good luck buying old USA iron at garage sales and flea markets. I would wait and look for an older american one before pulling the trigger too fast on import - just my 2 cents
mjozefow
Well-known member
I'd avoid Chinese imports for vises. I'd watch eBay for the lesser known brands such as Athol,Prentiss, or Yost. If you go that route, get into an auction if reasonable, the BIN's are often ridiculous. Depending on your time-line I may able to hook you up with a sweet vise of about that size for a bit less money.
OR...buy the import, don't open the box and keep the receipt. A beautiful USA made vise will pop up right after the payment clears! Its Murphy's law!
OR...buy the import, don't open the box and keep the receipt. A beautiful USA made vise will pop up right after the payment clears! Its Murphy's law!
ZRX61
Well-known member
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/for/1911356545.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/for/1970338995.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/tls/1964945506.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/tls/1924790066.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/tls/1921013108.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/tls/1901979701.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/for/1970338995.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/tls/1964945506.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/tls/1924790066.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/tls/1921013108.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/tls/1901979701.html
mjozefow
Well-known member
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/for/1970338995.html
My choice of the above. Snag that bad boy and clean it up properly.
ZRX is a CL master.
My choice of the above. Snag that bad boy and clean it up properly.
ZRX is a CL master.
Lookin4'67Galaxieconv
Well-known member
I've seen some of those vises for awhile, but hadn't seen the Wilton before.
ZRX61
Well-known member
This one has potential:
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/for/1911356545.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/for/1911356545.html
I saw that one. Looks like it has a lot of potential, but I really want a 6" vise.
I don't mind old, but that thing is OOOOLD! Looks like they dredged that thing up from the titanic!
DavidB
Well-known member
I'd love to have that Prentiss if I was closer. You should highly consider it unless it is cracked. It'd be a good vise.
That's a nice vise for someone interested in something that is somewhat collectible and who's into vintage vises. I'm not interested in anything but a good, larger vise that I can moderately abuse and won't break on me though. That Prentiss is a bit small, does not swivel and doesn't have an anvil surface on the back.
The Wilton 21500 that I linked to in the OP has all the features that I'm looking for, but I AM reluctant to pay $200 for a Chinese vise.
There was an older 5" CMan (I may consider going as small as 5") on CL a few weeks ago that I let slip away. Guess I'll just have to keep my eyes open.
mjozefow
Well-known member
At this point a Wilton 1745 isn't going to cost THAT much more. And it will be way better.
Oh yeah, those are the real deal and are very nice. Only thing is, I'd want the 1765 (6-inch) model and that jumps the price up quite a bit.At this point a Wilton 1745 isn't going to cost THAT much more. And it will be way better.
FoMoCoPower
Well-known member
I`m confused,you don`t want an old,strongly built vise,that will outlast you....because it is possibly collectible. But you are considering purchasing a new,cheaply made vise,that you are clearly worried about the quality of.
Who cares how old it is,or if it "might" be collectible to someone. I am sure it would want to be used for what it was made for,the old one`s aren`t still around because they broke easily.
mjozefow
Well-known member
I'd save up a bit more cash if you are set on a new vise, and buy a vise that you want for a lifetime. If you take care of a good USA made Wilton, you will pass it on to your kids. The sting of low quality bites long after the higher price has been forgotten.
Think about it this way, even $400-$500 for a really nice Wilton/Milwaukee/Yost is peanuts in the long run. It will easily last 50 years, and then it will STILL be worth more than a cheapo vise 50 years from now. $10/yr for such a useful item is a good buy in my book.
Last edited:
Yes. Yes you are.
Steer clear of those ooooooold vises. New vises are complicated, highly tuned, precision instruments of squeezing technology compared with those patented in 1912. SO much has changed in squeezing technology in the 100 years since that Prentiss was cast. That Bulldog is obsolete, LONG obsolete. In fact, the only thing it's good for is holding the door open and it may fail at that.
Last edited:
Nothing against the old vises just because they're old. Sorry if I gave that impression. It's just that the examples given were either the wrong size or didn't have swivel capability or an anvil surface behind the fixed jaw.Steer clear of those ooooooold vises. New vises are are complicated, highly tuned, precision instruments of squeezing technology compared with those patented in 1912. SO much has changed in squeezing technology in the 100 years since that Prentiss was cast. The only thing it's good for is holding the door open and it may fail at that.
If an old 6 inch, swivel vise with an anvil shows up and is in decent shape, I'll consider it.
I'm not "into" old vises and I have no desire to refurbish one so I can stand around and polish on it. For those who like to do these things, that's fine. It's just not my cup of tea.
As for my original question about the Wilton 21500 vise, there have been many threads here on GJ on how Chinese quality of goods varies widely, depending on what specs an importer/retailer requires and is willing to pay for. I'm thinking that maybe, just maybe the 21XXX series from Wilton might fill a niche as a quality, durable, usable tool somewhere between the uber-expensive Tradesman series and the HF/Lowes/HD/Northern junk.
mjozefow
Well-known member
It very well may be a good vise. And in honesty I can't say with 100% authority it will be good or bad quality. The pattern remains though, that it is very easy to hide casting imperfections until it is too late. I have not seen very many Chinese made products that are good "because reputation depends on it".
I don't think anyone realized you needed a 6" vise with an anvil until later. That changes things. I'd still bite the bullet and buy a 1765 or wait for a fairly new one to pop up on eBay.
You are trying to get a good new vise at a good price, and it is hard to do. I got my 1780 for $200 in beautiful shape. I got a C2 for $120 bucks that had never been used, it just sat on a shelf. If you want those kinds of deals you will have to vigilant.
Last edited:
Yeah, I should have been more clear about what I was looking for in the OP. Thanks for the help and yes, I'll need to be vigilant (and lucky) to find what I'm looking for on the cheap.
That's the 1780 in your avatar, right? I believe that's what we have at work. IIRC, it was over $600 (new) about 15 years ago. It's a BEAST though.
The Wilton machinist vises have taller jaws, giving more clamping area than the mechanics series. Wider jaw openings as well. Overall, a heavier duty, higher quality vise.
I'd put a Wilton 4-1/2" 450S Machinist up against a Wilton 6" 756 Mechanics any day:
- 4-1/2" Wilton machinist 450S: 4.5"x1.25" jaws, (5.625 sq.inches of clamping area), 7.5" jaw opening, 4" inches of throat depth. 72 pounds.
- 6" Wilton mechanic's 756/21500AC: 6"x1" jaws (6 sq.inches of clamping area), with 5.75" opening, 4.125" inches throat depth. 64 pounds.
Bottom line?
I'd take a used Wilton 4.5" Machinist over a new 6" Mechanics pretty much any day!
Last edited:
Well now I hadn't thought about that. Thanks for the info.
mjozefow
Well-known member
Same goes with the C series vises. My C2 is about the same size as my 1780. I'd guess a few pounds heavier, but a narrower jaw.
Here is the 1780 holding the C2:
