Harbor Freight Bench Vise opinions

[Mainiac Mat]

I've gotten a couple more from cleaning out a few shops and watching FB marketplace. The point in this essay I wrote, is if you're patient there are deals to be had if you keep your eyes open.

I've been following FB Market Place and Craig's List. People want $3-400 for old Wilton Bullet vises, and all were an hour or more away.

 

[Mr_B]

Forgot to add... they're having a sale on Inside Track Club membership. $5 for a year.

Did you get membership and better price on vise ?
Be real fair deal with likes of 15-20% off ... (could get 20% coupon usable on Doyle vise range in the past .

 

[1982fxr]

Forgot to add... they're having a sale on Inside Track Club membership. $5 for a year.

I don't know what you get with that, but if it's useful that deal should probably have its own thread...

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I use one of those rotating Doyle vises as my welding vise. For years I used a vintage vise but even being careful it was hard Service. With copper jaws, a strap connecting the dynamic and static jaws, and a tab for the ground clamp it works great. The rotating feature and opposed pipe jaws are very convenient. It has a receiver type mount so I use it on several benches as needed. I have no complaints and if I end up killing it someday it's no big deal. Ed.

 

[bobg03]

My needs are somewhat light duty and I replaced a 6.5" central machine vise w/a 4.5"

The table my larger one was on went away and I mounted the new smaller one to the top of my Milwaukee 52" cart.

 

[Steve_P]

Looked at 6.5" Doyle and 4.5" Doyle.... build quality is very good. Heads and shoulders above any China vise I've ever seen before. The mechanism is not at all sloppy... not milling machine vise tight, but very good for a bench vise, and the action is smooth and aligns perfectly when closed.

I decided the 6.5" was too big for my general use basement shop, so I came home with the 4.5" for $129.99 out the door (love tax free NH). Close inspection at home with magnent and pick reveals no hidden casting defects. Shipping grease where it should be, and none where it shouldn't. Quick clean up and location marked on bench. Picking up hardware to mount it today.

This is nothing like the other HF vises they have on the shelf. They are clearly marketing this a premium product.

I'll follow up with more after I beat on it some.

Does the Doyle have a geared base?

 

[Steve_P]

I've been following FB Market Place and Craig's List. People want $3-400 for old Wilton Bullet vises, and all were an hour or more away.

Yep. BTDT. People here in the rust belt post like they have mint Wiltons falling out of the trees for a dollar a pound. Of course, when they actually do find one, they want to flip it for 5X as much as they paid, or a new premium vise price. I'm in TN and 10-15 years ago looked for months for something used like a Wilton and it was just beat to **** junk for $300+.

 

[Steve_P]

my ADI-6 weighs about 30 lbs. It was a bit of WTF? when I picked up the box from a porch, I expected a lot more. it replaced a 4" yost forged steel vise which the ADI vises replaced in the line up, and which weighs just about the same. the 6" fsv is heavy! I've threaded a bunch of 1.5" pipe, and it holds it fine with only a touch of gronk on the handle. There;s a reason they make crankshafts from this material. Its lag bolted to a 300 lb bench, so the mass isn't really missed. I've looked

Yep. GJ is still going by the "mass rules" equation where a 100lb vise, even if it was made from lead, is superior to a 30 lb vise machined from 4140. It's not 1980 anymore, things have changed, and you can't use the same old rules; but most will.

I have an ADI-5 and 6. My only criticism is they don't have a proper handle. The stupid rubber retaining collars are BS on a premium vise. OTOH, the gib adjustment feature is nice to tighten it up. Yes, it doesn't matter in reality, but it's nice; this is what you're paying for when you buy a premium vise- fit and finish.

 

[liliysdad]

Yep. BTDT. People here in the rust belt post like they have mint Wiltons falling out of the trees for a dollar a pound. Of course, when they actually do find one, they want to flip it for 5X as much as they paid, or a new premium vise price. I'm in TN and 10-15 years ago looked for months for something used like a Wilton and it was just beat to **** junk for $300+.

Oklahoma here.

I buy them for 50-100 and sell them for 250-400. It’s a pretty easy flip. If I am feeling industrious, I clean them up and throw some paint on, and they get snapped up in the antique store with a quickness. Really any American vise sells like hotcakes with minimal effort.

There are folks like me who don’t mind waiting in line at estate sales, dogging in mast garages and sheds, and watching the classifieds. Then there are folks who just want what they want without the work. Sadly, many of the latter thinks the former should sell things for what they have for them.

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Does the Doyle have a geared base?

yes

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Yep. BTDT. People here in the rust belt post like they have mint Wiltons falling out of the trees for a dollar a pound. Of course, when they actually do find one, they want to flip it for 5X as much as they paid, or a new premium vise price. I'm in TN and 10-15 years ago looked for months for something used like a Wilton and it was just beat to **** junk for $300+.

There's a guy up here in the Boston north shore area who purchased a whole cache of NIB old inventory Wiltons at an auction. He has posted the pics on Market Place with a price of $100. But if you call him to discuss, he actually wants $400-500 for the smallest ones and gets all pissy if you ask what he has for $100. I'm sure they are great vises and a good deal... but the false advertising and attitude was enough to make me abandon my efforts to score a good used vise. I want a vise for <$200 ... not a restoration project.

 

[SirchP]

Harbor Freight has great stuff for light to medium duty. Be aware! I own this very vice you are considering. Their bench vices have removable jaw plates (as do all vices) but HF does not sell replacements! I searched for comparable plates but could not find any that would fit without modification such as redrilling holes. The plates also seem to be not very strong. I checked the product description of every vice they listed and ALL boast that the plates are replaceable in the event of damage or wear. But HF does not provide replacements. If anyone knows who may have be manufacturing these vices for HF, perhaps the original manufacturers can supply replacement jaw plates.

 

[four.cycle]

this guy can get you fixed up

 

[IRQVET]

What about an older Craftsman, got this one for $100 and its got 5.5 inch jaws. Built very solid.

 

[zendriver]

Harbor Freight has great stuff for light to medium duty. Be aware! I own this very vice you are considering. Their bench vices have removable jaw plates (as do all vices) but HF does not sell replacements! I searched for comparable plates but could not find any that would fit without modification such as redrilling holes. The plates also seem to be not very strong. I checked the product description of every vice they listed and ALL boast that the plates are replaceable in the event of damage or wear. But HF does not provide replacements. If anyone knows who may have be manufacturing these vices for HF, perhaps the original manufacturers can supply replacement jaw plates.

No one makes anything generic that might fit?

 

[SirchP]

No one makes anything generic that might fit?

Not that I could find. I suppose I could make something DIY out of scrap steel but that isn't the point. HF states on every Product Specifications for their vices that the jaw plates are replaceable, and yet does not supply the parts. To tell the rest of the story, I called HF and complained that their ad was misleading. They are sending me a replacement vise for free.

 

[seber]

I have a five inch ADI. Very nice vice but not perfect. The rotating base does just that, even when clamped hard. Also, it is not as precise as I would like in spite of the adjustment screws. On the other hand, my Wilton machinist vise while very precise and stable, offers far less clamping force. Either one can be used as an anvil.