HF Doyle 4 1/2 vs Wilton 1745

[abone]

Has anyone had the opportunity to directly compare the Harbor Freight Doyle 4 1/2 vise to the Wilton 1745?
I see the 1745 is now manufactured in Taiwan and the HF of course comes from China.
I’ve found a new surplus Wilton at a very good price but it’s still almost $200 more (for a surplus model).
I like the bullet design from an aesthetic point of view, and the Wilton brand name, but the reviews on the HF vise are really good.
Was wondering if anyone has had their hands on both.
DIY’r, classic car restoration, small shop type repairs.
Thanks

 

[Rabid Badger]

My recommendation is neither. For around $180 you can get a 5" Yost ADI or a 5" Fireball Tool forged steel vise, either of which will outperform the Wilton and the Doyle.

The Yost has the edge in overall strength. The Fireball vise has better fit and finish, and for an extra $15 you can get a set of machined aluminum soft jaws.

Amazon.com

Forged Bench Vise

90,000 PSI tensile strength forged steel Black Oxide finish on the jaws and other hardware Replaceable flat jaws and pipe jaws Adjustable, machined guide rail ensures smooth action 360 Degree Swiveling Base 4 Mounting Holes with 4" x 6" center for mounting on welding tables. Holes are 0.650...

fireballtool.com

 

[Hammer1963]

I have several types of Wilton vises and the Bullets and Tradesman are well designed and built vises, and I must say, the the quality of the Doyle vise is somewhat surprising, but then again, Harbor Freight has introduced some very well made tool lines in recent years.

No one really knows how they will hold up over 50 years, but that's something most of us won't need to worry about. I say go for it. If I didn't already own a ridiculous amount of bench vises, I'd be buying a Doyle tomorrow just to try it.

 

[Steve_P]

I'm a fan of the Yost ADI vises; they're really nice for the $, strong, excellent quality, geared base, etc. But, the Doyle is also tough to ignore at the current price. As you said, the Tradesman has that classic design that's just so visually appealing, and they've certainly stood the test of time; but in today's market, you are paying a large premium for the Wilton name IMO. But if you really want the Wilton, then you'll forget about the extra $ over time.

IMO, a geared base is a necessity for a swivel vise, so I'd look for this no matter what you choose. Unless something has changed, the forged vises like the Capri, Fireball.... don't have a geared base.

There are multiple vise destruction videos on youtube, so you should watch them to see how different ones compare.

The bottom line is that there are a lot of really nice import vises available today and as long as you're willing to spend ~$150, it'd be tough to get a bad one, and they're all going to be strong enough for all but the most insane abuse.

 

[jayemm]

What about something like this Yost vise. Even has real pipe jaws instead of the worthless cast in one's. Price is great too at $107.23 current sale price. Shipping weight of 44 lbs so not a lightweight and 65,000 psi ductile iron, not lower strength cast iron.

Amazon.com

 

[abone]

Thanks for the replies and good suggestions. I should have mentioned I already have a Record #4 but find I need a small anvil for shaping and forming small brackets and such.
When I restored the Record I had to patch up the slide because it was used as a anvil by a previous owner so don’t want to go down that route.
So I have it in my OCD brain I “need” another vice with the anvil component.
I really liked the Craftsmanship Professional but they are long gone; the Doyle looks pretty much identical; and then this morning I came across a new old stock Wilton 1745 for a helluva price.

 

[Rabid Badger]

Thanks for the replies and good suggestions. I should have mentioned I already have a Record #4 but find I need a small anvil for shaping and forming small brackets and such.
When I restored the Record I had to patch up the slide because it was used as a anvil by a previous owner so don’t want to go down that route.
So I have it in my OCD brain I “need” another vice with the anvil component.
I really liked the Craftsmanship Professional but they are long gone; the Doyle looks pretty much identical; and then this morning I came across a new old stock Wilton 1745 for a helluva price.

It sounds like you should be shopping for an anvil.

Even the HF cheapie anvils will be superior to any vise for that purpose.

 

[abone]

It sounds like you should be shopping for an anvil.

Even the HF cheapie anvils will be superior to any vise for that purpose.

My anvil needs are minimal but I know you are correct!
I got new vise on the brain syndrome unfortunately. Maybe it’ll subside.

 

[AJHD]

I did a "review" of the vise after I bought it for anyone interested;

New vice from hf.

Check this hf doyle vice out. Makes me think of a wilton. Im sure its not that nice but im pretty impressed

www.garagejournal.com

I'm sure it's mentioned in the thread, but I took it apart, cleaned it out and replaced the lube with red grease.

 

[Shiftless]

My anvil needs are minimal but I know you are correct!
I got new vise on the brain syndrome unfortunately. Maybe it’ll subside.

A lot of us who don’t consider themselves blacksmiths find that a short length of train rail makes a good enough anvil. Unlike the cast iron “anvil shaped objects”, railroad track is NEVER going to crack by one of us pounding on it with any hammer that is commonly used by even the youngest and strongest of the GJ clan.

Most of us vise aficionados advise to never pound on a vise even if the back part looks kinda like an anvil. Flatten a piece of sheet metal with an 8 ounce hammer?…maybe.

 

[Wamsutta]

 

[Nessism]

Did you buy the Wilton? I found, what I assume to be, the vice in question, and it's out of stock.

Regarding the Doyle, I recently bought the 6", and it's a very nice piece. I'd wait for a coupon, for further savings. That's what I did anyway.

 

[abone]

Did you buy the Wilton? I found, what I assume to be, the vice in question, and it's out of stock.

Regarding the Doyle, I recently bought the 6", and it's a very nice piece. I'd wait for a coupon, for further savings. That's what I did anyway.

Not yet but it still shows in stock at my end.
The Doyle 6 1/2 looks awesome but I wondered if it was a bit too big for my needs. I need to see it.
I’m a HF member so I think I get the $30 off deal for $199 on that model. The 4 1/2 is $129.

 

[Nessism]

Not yet but it still shows in stock at my end.
The Doyle 6 1/2 looks awesome but I wondered if it was a bit too big for my needs. I need to see it.
I’m a HF member so I think I get the $30 off deal for $199 on that model. The 4 1/2 is $129.

Try putting the Wilton in your cart...

 

[abone]

Not yet but it still shows in stock at my end.
The Doyle 6 1/2 looks awesome but I wondered if it was a bit too big for my needs. I need to see it.
I’m a HF member so I think I get the $30 off deal for $199 on that model. The 4 1/2 is $129.

You’re correct….I wondered if that the price was too good to be true.
They show the 1755 for $375 but once I added to my cart it reverted to full price. I started my first thread for nothing!

 

[Nessism]

You’re correct….I wondered if that the price was too good to be true.
They show the 1755 for $375 but once I added to my cart it reverted to full price. I started my first thread for nothing!

It's not, for nothing.

Two competing options are the Yost 45C, for $107.25 vs. the Doyle 4.5" at $129 (less possible coupon.)

Flip a coin?

I kind of like the enclosed screw on the Doyle's.

I think you can't loose either way.

 

[abone]

It's not, for nothing.

Two competing options are the Yost 45C, for $107.25 vs. the Doyle 4.5" at $129 (less possible coupon.)

Flip a coin?

I kind of like the enclosed screw on the Doyle's.

I think you can't loose either way.

Thanks for this, appreciate the positive feedback.
You have the 6” Doyle. Mind me asking what you paid and the type of work you do with it?
I’m wondering if the 4 1/2 Doyle isn’t much of a step up, if any, from my Record #4. Maybe I’m better off going bigger.

 

[Nessism]

Thanks for this, appreciate the positive feedback.
You have the 6” Doyle. Mind me asking what you paid and the type of work you do with it?
I’m wondering if the 4 1/2 Doyle isn’t much of a step up, if any, from my Record #4. Maybe I’m better off going bigger.

I paid $172.49 after coupon (plus tax, of course). I just received it and haven't used it yet. I was looking for a big heavy used vice, not out of outright need, but because I was looking for a useful project. Unfortunately, prices in my area are just stupid for old vices, plus most are beat to ****. The Doyle's weren't even on my radar, but after becoming aware of them, and reviewing the specs, they struck me as a nobrainer.

Just my opinion, but since you already have that Record #4, I'd go bigger with the Doyle, assuming you have a proper bench to bolt it to.

 

[abone]

I paid $172.49 after coupon (plus tax, of course). I just received it and haven't used it yet. I was looking for a big heavy used vice, not out of outright need, but because I was looking for a useful project. Unfortunately, prices in my area are just stupid for old vices, plus most are beat to ****. The Doyle's weren't even on my radar, but after becoming aware of them, and reviewing the specs, they struck me as a nobrainer.

Just my opinion, but since you already have that Record #4, I'd go bigger with the Doyle, assuming you have a proper bench to bolt it to.

I’m in the Vancouver BC area and prices are high here for older stuff, but there isn’t much available other than Records. Records #’s 5 and 6 can be had for $150-$200 CAD. A #5 would probably be a big enough upgrade but I kinda wanted something different.

My workbench is pretty good. I built it and it’s solid with a shelf I place all the heavy tools so it’s heavy, but it is all wood. No metal top.
The Doyle 6 would be upper limits for sure though.

Thanks for the help!

 

[abone]

Following up on this thread, I saw a FB Marketplace ad for a Craftsman 391.5181 on the weekend. Price was fair so went to have a look. Other than surface rust and cobwebs it appeared almost unused. A couple dings on the anvil portion is all. I made an offer, he accepted so away I went.
Although it weighs within 4 -5 lbs of my Record 4 it seems so much smaller. The slide and swivel have considerably less mass.
Anyway, a quick restoration and it looks pretty decent.
There is movement in the slide however. I shimmed the nut up with some pieces of pop can I cut which helped a bit but compared to my Record, which has zero play, the slide still has play side to side.
Is this just the way these things are built, or is there more I can do to tighten it up?

 

[Steve_P]

I have an old Cman that is similar to yours- maybe the same; I'll have to go look at the numbers. Mine is 1970s or earlier, USA, was my dad's; which is the only reason I still have it. The dynamic slide is sloppy AF. A Yost ADI is like a Rolex mechanism in comparison .

It's NOT a bad vise, it's just how it was made with the formed slide. But yeah, if you appreciate machining tolerances and quality, that isn't the vise for you. Saying that, the handle on mine is slightly bent, as it the hold down clamp; nothing is broken; so it's strong enough.

 

[i4ni]

I'd look around for a short piece of railroad track, maybe post a Wanted ad on craigslist or Face book. You'll want a dedicated something to beat on rather than abusing a vise. Might sound silly to some but I dont like beating on my Anvil either when there are other sacrificial things to beat the hell out of like a hunk of rail road track. Anvils are expensive and are for forging hot metal, at least in my shop.

 

[abone]

I'd look around for a short piece of railroad track, maybe post a Wanted ad on craigslist or Face book. You'll want a dedicated something to beat on rather than abusing a vise. Might sound silly to some but I dont like beating on my Anvil either when there are other sacrificial things to beat the hell out of like a hunk of rail road track. Anvils are expensive and are for forging hot metal, at least in my shop.

I’ve seen some on FB, $20 a foot or something like that.
My anvil needs are very light duty. Making or repairing light duty brackets for my 65 Mustang restoration but a piece of railroad track would come in handy.
There was some old railroad tracks near where I live but I think they’re gone now.
Thanks

 

[Steve_P]

There are some good generic Chinese anvils on Ebay and Amazon. I bought a no name 60? lb one that is quite nice for $150? I didn't need anything that big, but it was documented as Rc 50+ in the reviews, and it is.

Mine looks like this. I did some sanding on the horn, etc, but overall for the $ it's surprisingly nice. I found it for less $ on ebay when I bought it.

https://www.amazon.com/Happybuy-Blacksmith-Equipment-Jewelers-Metalsmith/dp/B075YSCQ4Q/?tag=atomicindus08-20