Craftsman Professional Bench Vise

[The Ratchet Man]

I've come to the conclusion that these vises are still being marketed, but sold in-store only. Every Sears store in my area has at least one (boxed) on the shelf, but were out of stock around the holidays. Both OSH's in my area also have stock. For those who are still looking for one, skipping the Sears website and checking in-store is their best bet.

I'm thinking the same thing. I went to my closest Sears to check if they had any of those vises on clearence from the other thread. They've never had a Pro vise in stock or even a spot on the shelf for one. When I went in today there was one on the shelf in the newer style but it had no price tag. I asked one of the employees why it didn't have a price tag (just in case it was on clearence too ) and she said it was a new item they just started carrying.

I bet the free shipping on the website was eating them alive. It's not cheap to ship something that heavy.

 

[tedsters]

Picked one of these up today, $99+tax. Haven't had a chance to open it up & get it mounted yet though.

how do you like the vise

 

[Dustysa4]

3 at one of my local Sears in Austin, TX. Sticker $135.

 

[foodgroup]

Btw, it looks like the vise is back on the Sears website:

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-4-1-2-inch-bench-vise/p-00951888000P

 

[David Paul]

Thanks Foodgroup.......vise ordered

 

[kythri]

Thanks Foodgroup.......vise ordered

Let us know if the rear end is rounded at the top, or totally square.

 

[David Paul]

Will do

 

[LG63]

Looks like the Craftsman "square back" vise has a big brother in this Woodward Fab vise.
Woodward Vise

Inspired by the Wilton 1765??

 

[kythri]

Interesting! Curious now if there is/was a round-back version...

 

[Tellingthem]

You might want to check on your local Sears ads. I just picked up one from my Sears for $74.88 off the ad.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I was at my Sears Hardware today, noticed they had exactly one in stock at the online price. Probably going to wait until I see them on sale in an ad or maybe closer to christmas. Would make a good present for my BIL, he only like Craftsman stuff...

 

[David Paul]

Let us know if the rear end is rounded at the top, or totally square.

Vise arrived today. Not bad for free delivery. It is the square back "new style". Looks good and is heavy. Looks like it will handle anything I will throw at it. Will mount it up tomorrow.

 

[Audiocrazy28]

I have a squared back one I bought beginning of this year. So far so good.

 

[RodJ]

I owe this forum multiple debts of gratitude, so time to provide something back.

8/10/14 Square back Craftsman Professional bought in Austin today. Last one on the shelf - found it hiding underneath a stack of other regular CMan vises. $139 price tag but $117 OTD with tax... after 10% off for "online" purchase and I think another 5% for being a Sears card holder. Maybe a couple bucks of Sears points (I think the guy gave me some- he was real nice and I was nice back). Well worth it.

Things I like:
Square back has a bigger anvil area and, IMHO, the square body adds reinforcement to the screw if you're pounding on it.

Double screws with teeth to hold the swivel base tight.

Square jaws lock up evenly with a slight SLIGHT gap at the bottom.

Less than a quarter turn and the jaws are moving.

I now have a decent vise with pipe clamps.

Things that "could be" better but really don't make any difference to me:
Slight amount of slack in the jaws when reversing the travel between open and closed.

Paint is hilarious. At first sight it looks fine, but even light taps with a small pin hammer will knock it off.

If I look real close some minor casting flaws that have nothing to do with function.

Pictures to follow.

 

[RodJ]

Unboxing... here's what you get when you get home...

A box


A vise


Ductile iron can take a beating :


Details...


Price out the door


Rust never sleeps unless there's a lot of grease and Saran wrap


Pull my finger. If you can(!)

 

[RodJ]

Close ups of various parts...

It's a Square Back

Jaws...

More JAWS...

The nether regions...

More nethers...

Handle...

It don't get mo' nethuh' than dis, mon cher!

 

[oldldh]

According to one of the reviews, apparently replacement jaws are NOT available through Sears...

Inconvenient, that...

However---contact GJ member Kevin Scott at---

www.wiltonviseparts.net

www.benchvisejaws.com

The Craftsman Pro Vise is/was a copy of the Wilton 1745 Tradesman...

 

[LG63]

I owe this forum multiple debts of gratitude, so time to provide something back.

8/10/14 Square back Craftsman Professional bought in Austin today. Last one on the shelf - found it hiding underneath a stack of other regular CMan vises. $139 price tag but $117 OTD with tax... after 10% off for "online" purchase and I think another 5% for being a Sears card holder. Maybe a couple bucks of Sears points (I think the guy gave me some- he was real nice and I was nice back). Well worth it.

Things I like:
Square back has a bigger anvil area and, IMHO, the square body adds reinforcement to the screw if you're pounding on it.

Double screws with teeth to hold the swivel base tight.

Square jaws lock up evenly with a slight SLIGHT gap at the bottom.

Less than a quarter turn and the jaws are moving.

I now have a decent vise with pipe clamps.

Things that "could be" better but really don't make any difference to me:
Slight amount of slack in the jaws when reversing the travel between open and closed.

Paint is hilarious. At first sight it looks fine, but even light taps with a small pin hammer will knock it off.

If I look real close some minor casting flaws that have nothing to do with function.

Pictures to follow.

Great write up and pix. Thanks for documenting the square back. The paint wasn't that great on the original version, I guess they kept the same process.

 

[RodJ]

Call me an optimist but thinking through it, I think replacement jaws are probably a non-issue. How hard would it be to drill holes in a piece of bar stock, countersink, and slap 'em in?

I admit I've not tried it, but the old ones would make a good fixture to align and drill holes in a slab of brass, aluminum or steel.

 

[LG63]

Call me an optimist but thinking through it, I think replacement jaws are probably a non-issue. How hard would it be to drill holes in a piece of bar stock, countersink, and slap 'em in?

I admit I've not tried it, but the old ones would make a good fixture to align and drill holes in a slab of brass, aluminum or steel.

I know it's non-issue for me because I'll never wear out the originals. I have to wonder how many people actually wear out jaws on a home use vise. I suppose some may get drilled accidentally.

 

[RodJ]

I know it's non-issue for me because I'll never wear out the originals. I have to wonder how many people actually wear out jaws on a home use vise. I suppose some may get drilled accidentally.

Um, not having ever been able to wear out vise jaws, I didn't feel I was qualified to comment. But honestly, that's my real thought. Seriously, I'd like to see a pair of worn out jaws and a photo of the man or woman who did it.

A person might want some softer jaws like aluminum or brass. Those would be even easier to make at home. Isn't this why we have these damm vises, garages and all those tools we say we NEED? So we can make stuff, right????

 

[Leadberry]

Was anyone ever able to do a lead screw diameter comparison between the new and old vise versions?

 

[chicane]

I've got this vise, it's rock solid and have no complaints.

 

[DFFECHSWU]

Hello, first time poster here. I was looking for a bench vise for my house and the Craftsman Professional 51888 seemed to fit my needs and came highly rated in this forum and in others even though it's not made in the USA. It's clear that Sears no longer makes this model, but I came across a seller on eBay if you're interested. This is his second posting so he may have more for sale after this as well. The seller is Cripe Distributing and he's selling them for $100 + $40 shipping. If the link doesn't work, just search for his name and 51888 on eBay.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/332011269711

 

[JUNK-MAN]

Could someone please post a link and a price on one of these and also how do these hold up to heavy use? I beat on my vise frequently and even though its an old Wilton its just not taking it. Years ago I had a craftsman but after it broke I've just had little ones and hated them. I'm looking to go back to a large vise and this or its Wilton equivalent look pretty good for what I need.

 

[DFFECHSWU]

I can't comment on how well they hold up to heavy use. Here's another link to the same ad. The one I posted was from my mobile phone, so it may not have worked. He's selling them for $100 + $40 shipping. From my 'research' they originally sold from anywhere between $90 to $120 depending on sales, etc.. I think this is a good deal (for me), not great since the shipping charge gets added. Lastly, this was the only USA based sales ad for new vises I found. There are a few others overseas, but that would be cost prohibitive to even think of it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Craftsman-51888-Professional-Heavy-Duty-4-1-2-Bench-Vise-/332011269711

 

[tjpavlov]

Cripe is great. Call and mention garage journal and I bet they will give you a discount.

 

[DFFECHSWU]

For any of those interested in, the design is the one with the rounded back. I've read elsewhere that they switched to a square design somewhere down the road. It's probably a little larger than what I'll ever need, but I'm happy with it. Cripe Distributing has more listed for sale, so they must be metering them out.

 

[DFFECHSWU]

Oops, late at night. Meant to say square-ish design. Cripe appears to have batches of both styles, so it's a crapshoot as to what they'll ship.

 

[Cope]

Oops, late at night. Meant to say square-ish design. Cripe appears to have batches of both styles, so it's a crapshoot as to what they'll ship.

Just got mine and it's square design also. NBD to me at this price.

 

[pendragon1998]

Um, not having ever been able to wear out vise jaws, I didn't feel I was qualified to comment. But honestly, that's my real thought. Seriously, I'd like to see a pair of worn out jaws and a photo of the man or woman who did it.

A person might want some softer jaws like aluminum or brass. Those would be even easier to make at home. Isn't this why we have these damm vises, garages and all those tools we say we NEED? So we can make stuff, right????

Replacement jaws on the cman pro are easy to make. Flat bar stock, two through holes, and two clearance holes for the screw heads. I make jaw pads out of plywood for medium term use.

 

[Cope]

Had time to mount my vise this morning. I was pleasantly surprised when I cleaned it up. There was no cosmoline on the painted surfaces, and almost no metal filings inside.

 

[Cope]

Replacement jaws on the cman pro are easy to make. Flat bar stock, two through holes, and two clearance holes for the screw heads. I make jaw pads out of plywood for medium term use.

It would be nice to have a set of less aggressive jaws similar to those on a machinist vise.

 

[jl4c]

more info.

photo #4: rear cap removed, showing the backside of the screw assembly. Two pins hold this assembly in place, and the sheer strength of these two pins have to take the force applied by the jaws.

I realize this post is old and the OP hasn't been online for a while, but I couldn't let this go... Those two pins do NOT take the force applied by the jaws--the bullet itself does. If you have disassembled a Wilton Tradesman before you'll see that those pins are simply locator/retention pins.

 

[LG63]

Maybe old news, but it looks like this vise has been reincarnated as a WESTWARD 10D691 - Westward is Grainger's house brand.

 

[andre_22]

has anyone see any vises on deal already for black friday?