Help Me Choose - Toolbox Vise

[Obie]

So I have a Mac Tech 1000A toolbox at work. I like using my toolboxes as a mobile workbench too, and there's already been about fifty times in the month or so that I've had it where I really, really, really wish I had a wooden top and a vise on it. The wooden top I've been waiting on since I bought it, damn Mac shipping!

Anyways, I've been looking at the Yost 45C

and the Yost 650.

The 45c is American Made, 65,000psi Ductile Iron, 360 degree rotation, 4.5" jaws, 4.5" throat depth, 4.5" opening, and holds up to 2.5" pipe. Its (shipping) dimensions are about 16"x8"x13" and it weighs 44lbs.

The 650 is most likely chinese, 30,000psi gray iron, 360 rotation, sealed screw, 5" jaws, 3.75" throat depth, 3.25" opening (main site is wrong, specs are in the owners manual), and holds up to 2.5" pipe. Its (shipping) dimensions are 16"x10"x11" and it weighs 53lbs.

I actually own a Yost 206 machinists vise that I use at home that I've been nothing but happy with, so I'd like another one. I know some will recommend a Wilton, or even the nice Craftsman Pro 4.5" vise (already have one at home, love it) but I just want to know which of these two, or another Yost vise, will work better.

I'm leaning heavily towards the 45C, but I like the lower profile of the 650. I'm worried that the 45C will take up a larger bench profile. The 650 looks nice, but I'm kinda iffy about the fact that it's imported.

This vise will see mostly light work, and occasionally some medium load work. It'll mostly be for holding work pieces while drilling, tapping, filing, soft metal bending, etc. I don't trust a toolbox mounted vise for truly heavy work, and the shop has about 5 other classic American iron Wiltons, Morgans, Reeds, and Parkers for that. Yes, I have some very nice vises at work!

Does anyone out there on GJ have any experiences with these two vises that can help?

Also, if anyone knows the best way to mount a vise to a toolbox that will keep it stable, I'm interested in new ideas. I was thinking 1/4" plate underneath the top of the box, then the 1.5" maple butcher block top, then some 1/8" plate on top of that, then the vise itself. And the bossman already said it's cool to use the grade 8s we keep in stock to mount it (Lawson Tuff-Torques) so those will probably never need replaced.

 

[Outlawmws]

I'd vote for the 45C or something similar without the pipe jaws (unless thats a feature you really need) for lower profile.

I've seen to many of the press fit U channel vises come loose to have any faith in them, no matter whose name in on them...

Lastly do you need a anvil feature? or is that just a distraction from what you use it for?

 

[Obie]

Pipe jaws are a necessity, yeah. The anvil not so much, as I'm not going to be beating this like a blue headed stepchild. I still would like to have a small one, for light punching and tapping.

 

[Outlawmws]

Then I would have to say the pipe jaws in the 45C are much more substantial than what I see on the 650.

Seems to me the 45 has everything you want except the lower profile. Higher strength, less likely to break, good pipe jaws and for 2 sizes of pipe as well, and the small anvil area is not a negative for you.

The only thing the 650 has going for it is the lower profile.

 

[dwm]

I vote for neither; 865-DI.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Pipe jaws are a must!!! Make sure you mount this over the rigid (non-swivel) casters, otherwise you'll be fighting the box moving when you apply leverage to something in the vise.

TheGrooveking

 

[Obie]

The 865 looks nice, but that thing is massive! And good point on the mounting location GrooveKing. I'll have to either mount it on the right side or switch the casters. I usually have my vises mounted on the left hand side of the bench. I think I will go with the 45C, I just don't trust gray iron to hold up for a lifetime.

 

[Obie]

Before I pull the trigger on this, does anyone know of a USA made vise similar to the 650? If I can find a nice USA one like that, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat. The low profile would be perfect.

 

[bl00]

Milwaukee/Morgan

or see them here

 

[Obie]

I vote for neither; 865-DI.

dwm, you and Yost must think alike. They recommended the 865-DI as well.

 

[Obie]

Well, I thought long and hard about size, weight, casting strength, and price. I changed my mind and decided on the Craftsman Pro 4.5" vise. $110.73 final price with free shipping. I get my wooden top on Saturday, and the vise will be delivered between Monday and Wednesday, so I'll put some pictures up once everything is done. This will be my second Craftsman Pro vise. I was very happy with the first, so I think this will be on there for quite some time.