Fireball Compact Hardtail Vise

[slomaro3.4]

I'm Vise shopping and the 6.5" compact hardtail from Fireball is on my radar, seems like a decent price compared to Wilton and some other new offerings. That being said I'm thinking it might just be too much vise for my workbench (8'x2' made of hemlock and pictured below). Any thoughts? Should I just keep an eye for an old Wilton on marketplace?

 

[Rinspeed]

Just my opinion but I would look for an old Reed before paying the premium for a Wilton.

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

I have been looking for an old vise for a hot minute now... they are all welded back together trash for big money here in Dallas. Honestly if you need a vise its easier to order one on the internet and have it rather then searching FBM waiting for a deal.

How hard you are trying to push the vise determines if the bench can handle it. I would doubt your doing crazy welding blacksmith work on that table but you never know.

 

[slomaro3.4]

Just my opinion but I would look for an old Reed before paying the premium for a Wilton.

I'll have to add them to my notifications for FB marketplace. Seems like folks around Pittsburgh are asking a premium for old vises that are at least in decent shape. I dig the look of the wilton bullet, but I'm not sure that warrants a premium.

I have been looking for an old vise for a hot minute now... they are all welded back together trash for big money here in Dallas. Honestly if you need a vise its easier to order one on the internet and have it rather then searching FBM waiting for a deal.

How hard you are trying to push the vise determines if the bench can handle it. I would doubt your doing crazy welding blacksmith work on that table but you never know.

Seems similar in my area. Lots of cracks on old vises. I really just do light automotive work and have gotten by the last ~15 years without a vise so I think anything will be an upgrade. $475 just seemed like a decent price for what is probably a super nice one.

 

[Rinspeed]

I'll have to add them to my notifications for FB marketplace. Seems like folks around Pittsburgh are asking a premium for old vises that are at least in decent shape. I dig the look of the wilton bullet, but I'm not sure that warrants a premium.

Last two Reeds I bought were both 106s and bought on marketplace, first one guy had no clue what it was and didn't even have it listed as a Reed. I paid $150 and it had no repairs or major damage. Second one was very, very clean, guy knew exactly what it was but had it listed for two months at $325. I told him I would do $250 and he agreed. I missed a Reed 105 three weeks ago waiting for a couple more pics. It sold for $85 and looked pretty clean. You need to be patient and be ready to pounce when a deal comes around.



https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:e143a5ce-8b5b-4e82-9b1b-9d0cb0f6486d

 

[Shiftless]

I really just do light automotive work and have gotten by the last ~15 years without a vise

You need to be patient and be ready to pounce when a deal comes around.

I can’t imagine “getting by” doing any kind of work in a shop for 15 years without having a bench vise.

 

[paulsomlo]

Here are some possibilities:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:62f0f7df-ad98-4c21-8dd8-86e90a1a3745

https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:62f0f7df-ad98-4c21-8dd8-86e90a1a3745

It's hard to tell from the picture, but the 2nd one resembles a Wilton Cadet. If your wanting something light weight, you might look at some of the forged vises on the market - the better ones are Heuer, Ridgid F series, etc.. If you're not adverse to import, here's an option at $43.98: https://yostvises.com/products/yost-model-adi-4-4-inch-austempered-ductile-iron-bench-vise

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

The availability of these vises is area dependent. In Dallas its easier to find a post vise then a vintage machinest vise for obvious reasons.

 

[strength_and_power]

Somebody here posted about a vise on sale from Eastwood and the general consensus was it was a decent vice at a decent price. It was far less than $475 and it seems like a nice piece.

 

[slomaro3.4]

I can’t imagine “getting by” doing any kind of work in a shop for 15 years without having a bench vise.

In reality I've just moved too much. My workbench for a long time has been a folding plastic table. It's never been ideal so I'm over the moon to have a small space to do my thing.

Here are some possibilities:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2087765055347106/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp:62f0f7df-ad98-4c21-8dd8-86e90a1a3745

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/874169461903010/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp:62f0f7df-ad98-4c21-8dd8-86e90a1a3745

It's hard to tell from the picture, but the 2nd one resembles a Wilton Cadet. If your wanting something light weight, you might look at some of the forged vises on the market - the better ones are Heuer, Ridgid F series, etc.. If you're not adverse to import, here's an option at $43.98: https://yostvises.com/products/yost-model-adi-4-4-inch-austempered-ductile-iron-bench-vise

Appreciate this, every time I search vise on marketplace it's a bit overwhelming.

 

[slomaro3.4]

Somebody here posted about a vise on sale from Eastwood and the general consensus was it was a decent vice at a decent price. It was far less than $475 and it seems like a nice piece.

I'll have to hunt down the post. The Doyle from HF also seems to have favorable reviews and I can probably find a super coupon for it.

 

[bwringer]

To actually address the question: Yes, the Fireball is a damn nice vise.

The price is high, but fair for the quality you get. It's not US-made, but it is designed and sold by a small business in the US and an extremely robust design.

That said, it's a metal working vise and limited in what it can do. Personally, I prefer the versatility of a "multipurpose" vise for assorted mechanicking, and the chinese cheapo on my workbench has served me just fine for nearly three decades. For the money you're spending, I'd have a look at the major brands. You can get a DAMN nice Wilton MP vise that can do a lot more.

The "jUSSt bUy usuUUUSsssed!" BS is completely unrealistic. You've got **** ta do besides haunt Facebook for months, and all the old vises out there are extremely overpriced and broken, thanks to all the hoarders. (Same with anvils... untold tons of useful iron are out there sitting idle until they get scrapped by baffled heirs after the estate sale.)

 

[bwringer]

I'll have to hunt down the post. The Doyle from HF also seems to have favorable reviews and I can probably find a super coupon for it.

Yah, the Doyle MP vise is fantastic quality for the money. That's exactly what I'd get tomorrow if my ancient Chinese cheapie broke.

 

[strength_and_power]

I'll have to hunt down the post. The Doyle from HF also seems to have favorable reviews and I can probably find a super coupon for it.

Yost was the brand.

 

[strength_and_power]

To actually address the question: Yes, the Fireball is a damn nice vise.

The price is high, but fair for the quality you get. It's not US-made, but it is designed and sold by a small business in the US and an extremely robust design.

That said, it's a metal working vise and limited in what it can do. Personally, I prefer the versatility of a "multipurpose" vise for assorted mechanicking, and the chinese cheapo on my workbench has served me just fine for nearly three decades. For the money you're spending, I'd have a look at the major brands. You can get a DAMN nice Wilton MP vise that can do a lot more.

The "jUSSt bUy usuUUUSsssed!" BS is completely unrealistic. You've got **** ta do besides haunt Facebook for months, and all the old vises out there are extremely overpriced and broken, thanks to all the hoarders. (Same with anvils... untold tons of useful iron are out there sitting idle until they get scrapped by baffled heirs after the estate sale.)

I’d suggest splitting down the middle. Buy a decent import vise from whoever has the best deal, most convenient, you like the color, whatever. Take the leftover money and pick up some Fireball squares or their combo square, something where quality counts.

 

[slomaro3.4]

Yah, the Doyle MP vise is fantastic quality for the money. That's exactly what I'd get tomorrow if my ancient Chinese cheapie broke.

The more reviews I read the more convinced I am.

 

[Mr_B]

Doyle 6" is like 200 bucks, if you can get a coupon/deal on it they decent enough but I much prefer spending my money on proper old quality vise but if you can't find anything and need one pretty quick then the Doyle do the job at fairly sensible coin .
I never had much trouble finding old vises but indeed you going need be good at hunting the online sources and local estate/yard sales and react fast when do find something .

 

[Steve_P]

A new Yost ADI or Doyle are solid bets and get excellent reviews here from those that have them. I have several ADIs and they're fantastic; they use a gib to adjust the slide so it's a tight setup. I've looked at the Doyle in the store and they are very nice.

The reality is that today's import vises are much nicer quality than what was available 30 years ago, and there is no magic in a 50-year-old US vise unless you want a restoration project. I used a POS HF vise on my welding table for 20+ years, beat the **** out of it, and it survived just fine.

Project farm and probably TTC have several vise tests worth watching; the reality is that even an $80 Chinese vise today is stupid strong. What you typically get for higher prices is nicer machining and less slop.

Edit:
5" is a nice size for general home use

Amazon.com

 

[milkovich]

The Fireball vise is only 90 lbs. A vintage Columbian 6 inch vise is going to be well over 100. I'd also be willing to bet that like other high end hobbyist tools (Lie Nielsen, Bridge City, Lee Valley Tucker Vise, HNT Gordon, etc) If Fireball ever discontinues the compact hardtail, you'll have a rare and desirable piece. A vise is also something where you'll have it the rest of your life and it's worth it to treat yourself a little on the front side.

 

[jayemm]

Over in the Hot Deals forum there's a Yost 5.5" for $115 in Amazon deals thread. Only 5 left as of a few minutes ago.

 

[RoninB4]

-Vise shopping is area dependent and how rough you intend to be with it. There's also several older brands worthy of owning. There is a difference between newer/older vises and it's not about magic either. Not all cast iron is the same regardless of what anyone says. Newer ones can be made from inferior quality castings and are merely vise-shaped-objects that fracture under stress, not all but the less expensive ones seem to be. Older vises that have survived are often made from a more ductile/malleable cast iron.

-A quick check of the Pittsburgh area seems to have many choices available. If a 4" Craftsman will suit you needs they can be had for under $100. Here's an antique Reed (#205) that may not be photogenic/shiny but its probably a solid vise for $250 listed in Allison Park . I see no need to drop $475 on a garage duty vise but that's up to you and how shiny you want it to be.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

 

[woody 73]

Funny story, I sometimes look at wanted to buy ads on CL and some man was looking to buy a vise, you know the kind, he wanted a 2000lbs vise for $5.00 dollars. So, I emailed him that I had a very small but good quality vise that was a very well-made copy of an older Wilton vise. I think it was either made in China or Japan, and I am leaning more on Japan, again it is all unmarked, but in great shape. I was only asking about $75. 00 dollars. Well, the man comes back with a I would never touch it with a 10-foot pole, it was only worth $20.00 dollars on a good day.

That might be the case but in my many years of looking, I sure would love to see more of those $20.00 dollar vise specials.

 

[M635_Guy]

I can’t imagine “getting by” doing any kind of work in a shop for 15 years without having a bench vise.

User avatar checks out

 

[M635_Guy]

If I needed a beefy mf'er vise to do some heavy work, I'd absolutely grab the Fireball Compact vise. Definitely a lifetime-grade piece of equipment.

That's a hell of a workbench, so I doubt the vise would overwhelm it, but I guess it depends on what you're doing.

 

[woody 73]

Mine looks like this one but smaller and unmarked, more like 3 inches, but this one has a much higher price point. They are out their op just keep looking. PS: The fireball vise looks very well made.

Vintage WILTON BULLET Bench Vise 4" Jaws With SWIVEL BASE Anvil - tools - by owner - sale - craigslist

Vintage WILTON BULLET Bench Vise 4" Jaws with SWIVEL BASE works fine no damage Made in the United States by Wilton, wieghs 60 lbs and 17 inches long Call 9 37 97 2 15 95 ddl

dayton.craigslist.org

 

[slomaro3.4]

-Vise shopping is area dependent and how rough you intend to be with it. There's also several older brands worthy of owning. There is a difference between newer/older vises and it's not about magic either. Not all cast iron is the same regardless of what anyone says. Newer ones can be made from inferior quality castings and are merely vise-shaped-objects that fracture under stress, not all but the less expensive ones seem to be. Older vises that have survived are often made from a more ductile/malleable cast iron.

-A quick check of the Pittsburgh area seems to have many choices available. If a 4" Craftsman will suit you needs they can be had for under $100. Here's an antique Reed (#205) that may not be photogenic/shiny but its probably a solid vise for $250 listed in Allison Park . I see no need to drop $475 on a garage duty vise but that's up to you and how shiny you want it to be.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

Appreciate the assistance I'll have to see if I can pin one down this week! To be honest I'm just trying to unpeel the onion of vises a bit. Lots of options, but I'm not an expert and I don't want to drop $200 on something that's just old and not old and good. Might have to see if I can snag that reed.

 

[RoninB4]

Appreciate the assistance I'll have to see if I can pin one down this week! To be honest I'm just trying to unpeel the onion of vises a bit. Lots of options, but I'm not an expert and I don't want to drop $200 on something that's just old and not old and good. Might have to see if I can snag that reed.

-Might do you well to research vise brands a bit before buying. The Reed is likely a heavier/expensive vise than need be for average garage/automotive work. I just threw it out there because it was the first one I spotted in a quick search. There's also a Columbian on the same FB Marketplace going for less. Another thing to be wary of is the more recent tendency among flippers to make it look pretty and charge a higher price for cosmetic enhancement. Paint can hide many a defect/repair and it's an all too common trick by the speculators. I'd prefer to see unpainted surfaces where cracks/repairs aren't hidden. If I want to shine/paint it that's my choice after inspecting it. Do what suits you.

 

[T45]

Wilton's are really nice, and worth getting if one comes your way, but not the only option. The Wilton 4.5 machinist is like 70 lbs and won't overwhelm your bench, but is probably about as heavy as any kind of home shop really needs. The 4.0 was sort of the default wilton for many home gamers before they exploded in price like 15-20 years ago. The Compact fireball to me looks alot like a 4.5 wilton machinist vise in its scale, so its big, but its like maybe 5-10lbs over a 450, but still in the realm of reasonable in a variety of settings. Its not like some rediculous thing that only belongs in a shipyard or whatever.

 

[d.mcfarland]

I'll have to add them to my notifications for FB marketplace. Seems like folks around Pittsburgh are asking a premium for old vises that are at least in decent shape.

How much are you looking to spend?

 

[slomaro3.4]

How much are you looking to spend?

I'd throw a couple hundred at a nice used one maybe a few hundred for something really nice. The fireball is really the only one I was eyeballing at that price point and that's mostly from social media marketing.

 

[Nessism]

I think that Fireball looks awesome! I'd buy one if I didn't already have three other vices!

We had tons of old vises where I used to work. At least 30 of them. Old Wiltons's, Morgans, Reeds, Altho's, etc. Looking at many of these, operating them, etc, honestly, most scream OLD hardware. Things like chattering when closing, tons of backlash in the main screw, rough feeling mechanism. My Harbor Freight 6" Doyle can hold its own and more. The best of the old, in my opinion, are the Wiltons. Used Wiltons are going for stupid money, though. I think most anyone with enough energy can restore an old vice, and that brings DYI'ers out of the woodwork, driving up prices. Thus the Doyle...

 

[Shiftless]

Looking at many of these, operating them, etc, honestly, most scream OLD hardware. Things like chattering when closing, tons of backlash in the main screw, rough feeling mechanism.

Most of those problems with neglected old vises are easily fixed by adjustment, cleaning and lubrication.
Some old vises are just worn out and too difficult to bring up to like new standards unless you are a dedicated machinist with lots of spare time. If you see something worn out or broken, don’t buy it.

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

The "jUSSt bUy usuUUUSsssed!" BS is completely unrealistic. You've got **** ta do besides haunt Facebook for months, and all the old vises out there are extremely overpriced and broken, thanks to all the hoarders. (Same with anvils... untold tons of useful iron are out there sitting idle until they get scrapped by baffled heirs after the estate sale.)

With vises and anvil its the same BS.... its the "they dont make um like they use to" mentality! Which is true because manufacturing processes and materials have advanced significantly in the past 150 years.....

When I see those massive collections this is what I think of.

 

[RoninB4]

With vises and anvil its the same BS.... its the "they dont make um like they use to" mentality! Which is true because manufacturing processes and materials have advanced significantly in the past 150 years.....

-Yep, everything manufactured in the last few decades sure is made better isn't it?

When I see those massive collections this is what I think of.

-When I see postings like this I think it's

 

[liliysdad]

I’ve bought and sold four Wiltons, a Reed, and two Rock Islands in the last year. None of them required any particular effort to find other than keeping my eyes open. There isn’t a one of them I would have passed over for an imported vise


To each their own, but if my only option was to buy new, I’d drop the coin on the Fireball in a heartbeat. Luckily, however, that’s not the only real option.

 

[terrapinwheeler]

How about this? USA made.

KB6 | Kvise

14" JAW OPENING 6" JAW WIDTH 4" JAW DEPTH 8" BOLT PATTERN - 5/8 BOLTS JAW MATERIAL: 4140 STEEL - HARDENED TO 50 ROCKWELL LEAD SCREW 1" x 8 TPI REPLACEABLE SEAL TO KEEP OUT CONTAMINATES 6x6 ANVIL - AR400 STEEL FEATURING DUAL THRUST BEARINGS FOR OPTIMAL OPERATION ALL INNER WORKING PARTS ARE EASILY...

www.kvise.com

 

[slomaro3.4]

I’ve bought and sold four Wiltons, a Reed, and two Rock Islands in the last year. None of them required any particular effort to find other than keeping my eyes open. There isn’t a one of them I would have passed over for an imported vise


To each their own, but if my only option was to buy new, I’d drop the coin on the Fireball in a heartbeat. Luckily, however, that’s not the only real option.

True I'm not really in a huge rush. I dig the look of the Wilton bullet so I may try to go that route because why not. Just need to make time to drive out and pick one up. Seems like as long as they're functioning a wire wheel and paint will make them look pretty fresh.

 

[slomaro3.4]

How about this? USA made.

KB6 | Kvise

14" JAW OPENING 6" JAW WIDTH 4" JAW DEPTH 8" BOLT PATTERN - 5/8 BOLTS JAW MATERIAL: 4140 STEEL - HARDENED TO 50 ROCKWELL LEAD SCREW 1" x 8 TPI REPLACEABLE SEAL TO KEEP OUT CONTAMINATES 6x6 ANVIL - AR400 STEEL FEATURING DUAL THRUST BEARINGS FOR OPTIMAL OPERATION ALL INNER WORKING PARTS ARE EASILY...

www.kvise.com

It's more than double the fireball I was looking at

 

[slomaro3.4]

A new Yost ADI or Doyle are solid bets and get excellent reviews here from those that have them. I have several ADIs and they're fantastic; they use a gib to adjust the slide so it's a tight setup. I've looked at the Doyle in the store and they are very nice.

The reality is that today's import vises are much nicer quality than what was available 30 years ago, and there is no magic in a 50-year-old US vise unless you want a restoration project. I used a POS HF vise on my welding table for 20+ years, beat the **** out of it, and it survived just fine.

Project farm and probably TTC have several vise tests worth watching; the reality is that even an $80 Chinese vise today is stupid strong. What you typically get for higher prices is nicer machining and less slop.

Edit:
5" is a nice size for general home use

Amazon.com

I don't know how I missed this

 

[Nessism]

I wouldn't be happy with a casting like this after paying $500 for a vice.