How many vises do you own? 2018

[Outlawmws]

So I'm seeing most people have ten or less, with a surprising three people claiming Zero! How does one work without that "third hand"?

I guess that number is even more surprising to me. I had a vise in the 5th or 6th grade in my room for model building... (My desk top had to have one of those pads of paper for homework as the top was just beat to death and covered with paint... It was workbench more than desk...)

 

[Shiftless]

Outlaw:
Thanks for sharing that tidbit of information
“I had a vise in the 5th or 6th grade”

To paraphrase a popular saying... “a guy never forgets his first VISE”

For me I can vaguely remember using the vise my dad had on the workbench in the basement. That vise was passed down from his father in law, my grandfather, when HE passed away. I was probably around 10.
Too bad I lack a time machine to go back and grab that old vise for my modest little collection.
I know it wasn’t a bullet...but I remember that it wasn’t an exposed screw model.

 

[Outlawmws]

Nope you never do! I broke that vise over-tightening it too! replaced it a year or so ago in a trade

 

[DFB]

So I'm seeing most people have ten or less, with a surprising three people claiming Zero! How does one work without that "third hand"?

Guessing they don't?




Thinking THAT could be a whole 'nuther discussion

 

[Shiftless]

As of now 9.25 % of us have over 25 vises. This is just about the same as 3 years ago when a slightly smaller percentage (8%) had over 30 vises.
No significant changes over the 3 years in what I would call the “collector” category (over 25 vises). Unless somebody can come up with a logical reason that somebody would need to own over 25 vises, I’ll put those fellas and gals in the “collector” category.

I suppose somebody with a business that employed lots of mechanics or machinists might have a huge shop or factory with 25+ vises in daily use, but I bet that is rare or nonexistent on GJ.

8.5% of the 2018 respondents have either none or just one
10.2 % of the 2015 respondents had either none or just one

Some might be interested in knowing that the percentage of people owning over 25 is roughly the same as those owning zero or one....Draw your own conclusions on that factoid!
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[drivesitfar]

Shift: I would say even though some of the members have maybe 10 vises set up on their benches and mills and lathes the 25+ guys are probably somewhat collectors.

ALL: I still haven't posted a # cause i really haven't a clue, but I let one leave the nest last night so there's one less to add to my total. a 34 year old college grad is setting up a woodshop/machine shop in his gramps barn and now he's got an old Reed 206 that needed a little love to use as is or spiff up if he wants to. it was starting to get too heavy to move around for me if you can imagine that.

I'm back to counting!!

 

[Shiftless]

Happy New Year!

Once you entered a number in this poll you can’t change it. But since this is the new year now, did anybody get another vise from Santa or did anyone give one away as a present?

Post a pic on this thread if you feel like it.

Not many new additions to the poll since before Xmas. If you are sobering up today from New Year’s Eve celebrations go ahead and count your blessings and count your vises and enter a number if you have yet to do so.

Thanks!

 

[jhermann]

I came up with 5:
Workmate 200
Workmate WM-125
Workmate bench top 79-202, type 2
Larin 4" bench vise
and a little 2" I was given as a toy when a kid. It still comes in handy, and is
clamped to my work bench.

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: as i'm getting organized i'm starting to find a few more vises of all types. here's a few that showed up as i'm moving out of my shop. not sure i'll ever get an accurate count, but it's fun looking around to see what I have laying around.

here's hoping all of you have a great 2019 and maybe you'll find that vise (vice) you've been looking for.

 

[turbowoodworker]

I voted before I read the rules, duh.

So now instead of three, I actually can count twelve. I had originally only counted my Tradesman, a Colombian 44 and a Prentiss 512. Adding three Workmates, a clamp on, an old Erie pipe vise, the front vise and Veritas twin screw on my work bench, a couple of DP vises, a Record WW vise, I got to twelve.

Good thing you did not include VISEgrips!

 

[drivesitfar]

Turbo: yep there are a few vises aren't there? if they allowed vise grips and/or pliers I wouldn't have to count vises and just post over 200 just on those. I can't say i've ever passed on a good deal on either a good pair of USA made pliers or vise grips so i have more than a few.

workmates was a stretch, but to some guys with very small garages it might be their only vise.

ALL: for those of you reading this thread that are pretty handy, kind and just don't own a vise to use in your garage you might post and let some of us know that cause some of us have more than a few. you can either get one outright gifted to you if you are lucky and live close to one of us or maybe come over and change our brakes or bearings in our trailer's hub or just mow the lawn and walk/drive home with a decent vise.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Drives, how many times do I have to mow your lawn for one of those biggies?

 

[drivesitfar]

Turbo: i'm sure we could work something out even though i've only got 700 sq ft of lawn. if you could just show up and replace the divots my hungry raccoons are making i'd probably send you home smiling.

I've also got a few 90 pound blocks to move into my backyard if you need a little exercise to warm up before carrying a big un home.

cheers

 

[turbowoodworker]

I think I’m busy that day, Drives. Catch ya next week.

 

[12vx2]

I had not counted post, grinding, specialty machine vices. 32+

 

[BeardedOne]

These are the ones I've picked up since Sept of 2017 when I officially started looking for various kinds of vises.

I have 2 on my bench that are my users and have been good deals or gifts from family.

This one has no manufacture marking information I can find, but it was at an antique mall for sale for $45 about a year and a half ago and I decided it would be a cool piece to have just to play around with. I am eventually going to clean up the top of it and get my company logo engraved on it.

The handful of vises I've given away recently were to my FIL and BIL. My BIL works on cars a little bit as a hobby and my FIL has a nice Wilton but didn't have a drill press vise so I gave him one of mine.

There are still a few more I'd like to procure in the future, and when the time is right, I hope to be in the right place to get them.

 

[Outlawmws]

B one, better pics of the antique mall one?

 

[gman007]

As of now 9.25 % of us have over 25 vises. This is just about the same as 3 years ago when a slightly smaller percentage (8%) had over 30 vises.
No significant changes over the 3 years in what I would call the “collector” category (over 25 vises). Unless somebody can come up with a logical reason that somebody would need to own over 25 vises, I’ll put those fellas and gals in the “collector” category.

I suppose somebody with a business that employed lots of mechanics or machinists might have a huge shop or factory with 25+ vises in daily use, but I bet that is rare or nonexistent on GJ.

8.5% of the 2018 respondents have either none or just one
10.2 % of the 2015 respondents had either none or just one

Some might be interested in knowing that the percentage of people owning over 25 is roughly the same as those owning zero or one....Draw your own conclusions on that factoid!
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Shift
I am not sure about your “collector” categorization specially when it comes to a home user! To me any home user who has more than say 8-9 (may be a couple of bench vises, couple of drill press, and couple of woodworking vises) is collecting as there is no practical reason to have any more than that.

To be honest most home users can easily get by with one 3-4” bench vise, a drill press vise (assuming they even have a drill press) and one or two woodworking vises (again assuming they do any kind of woodworking). Having even 10-15 let alone 25 vises for home user from my experience is excessive (from a practical standpoint) and hence falls into collector category.

 

[kenc184]

Shift
I am not sure about your “collector” categorization specially when it comes to a home user! To me any home user who has more than say 8-9 (may be a couple of bench vises, couple of drill press, and couple of woodworking vises) is collecting as there is no practical reason to have any more than that.

To be honest most home users can easily get by with one 3-4” bench vise, a drill press vise (assuming they even have a drill press) and one or two woodworking vises (again assuming they do any kind of woodworking). Having even 10-15 let alone 25 vises for home user from my experience is excessive (from a practical standpoint) and hence falls into collector category.

gman: they need 4, don't forget the handsaw sharpening vise.

 

[Shiftless]

007:
I agree with you. Except for a guy running a huge shop who just might have 25 of all types combined, I think the collector category would most likely be considered at maybe 10 or maybe even fewer.
One could debate the dividing lines between user, collector, accumulator, hoarder, etc.

I have purchased more than one vise from fellows who had them in long term storage out in their back yards. No matter how many they had at the time, I doubt that anyone would put those guys in the “collector” category.

As of now, about 2/3 of the respondents have fewer than 11 vises.
So does that imply that a third of the respondents are collectors? I guess so!
That’s why it’s harder than ever to get good deals on the online auction site.

No, I won’t mention which auctions I have current bids.
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[chrisnazzy]

007:
One could debate the dividing lines between user, collector, accumulator, hoarder, etc.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[Shiftless]

 

[Outlawmws]

Gman while I don't completely disagree, its really dependent on the individual home user. I can go way past your scenario as I do many, many, many, disparate things. I have and use vises for what you describe as the basics, but I also more that what you think adequate in those category's as I do more. An example: wood working:

Workmates alone, my "basics" are 2 that match, one really big one with the jaw that swings vertical, one dedicated for bench tools one that is the hobby vise. that's 5 and I haven't' even got to the bench versions.

Then there are specialty vises like the Pana-vise "collection" two different types for printed circuit cards, one that is more like a conventional vise but is smaller that a Wilton baby bullet and swivels like a power arm,

Gun smith vises: three there, one for rifles (missed that one in the count), two with different jaws for working on parts.

Post vise for black smith work

Standard and swiveling mill vises, (3)

Pipe vises - 2 one on a portable stand, one bench

Hand vise

Different sizes of DP vises from tiny to large, plus angle version of the same one that swivels and pivots... so at 7 or 8 needed there alone...

That's at least 25!

And I have not touched the conventional vises and all the places they are needed besides the bench. (welding, couple of varieties for the inside workbench and more delicate work...)

 

[finn]

I voted 8, but a hanging chad or three brings the recount to 11.

Forgot the chainsaw bar vice, pipe vice, and blacksmith post vice.

I will probably come up with a couple more as I think about it a little longer.

 

[FMC1959]

Shift
I am not sure about your “collector” categorization specially when it comes to a home user! To me any home user who has more than say 8-9 (may be a couple of bench vises, couple of drill press, and couple of woodworking vises) is collecting as there is no practical reason to have any more than that.

To be honest most home users can easily get by with one 3-4” bench vise, a drill press vise (assuming they even have a drill press) and one or two woodworking vises (again assuming they do any kind of woodworking). Having even 10-15 let alone 25 vises for home user from my experience is excessive (from a practical standpoint) and hence falls into collector category.

These are the key words, most home owners/users are not GJ members (and Gman, this is not aimed at you, just a general view on today's society). If I go down my street, most people, even more so the younger ones, barely have a hammer and maybe 3 screwdrivers. Then some have the $69 case that has 234 "all you can eat" tools.

In the real word (outside GJ), social media, console and online gaming, Netflix, HULU and all the TV they can watch; most people do not have the time or care to fix things or craft things.

Call me cynical but GJ is a humongous forum with tons of activity and members. Yet we are not even 1% of the population. I carry a ton of tools in my SUV, not for fear of it breaking down, but because anytime I am at a friend or family members place and I want to help them with something, they have next to nothing in the way of tools to get anything done.

So having stated the above [rant], for those of us who look at a vise and don't see a hunk of iron, but something beautiful, we collect and use them. Forget workmates and the rest, strictly bench type vises, I probably have in the 55-60 range. But I have at least a dozen mounted and in use, in my workshop, my 2 sheds, my basement where I work on my slot car hobby, and my wife's craft room. I have so many vises, I just mount one anywhere it can be useful.

But that's me and others on this thread. Others collect cars, stamps, coins, matchboxes, sports cards or memorabilia, movies, specific antiques or antiques in general. I think there are few people that don't collect something. And probably just about all of these people that collect something, and have a bit of pride in what they collect, will at some point here from someone they show their collection to......"but what are you going to do with all these ______"...fill in the blank.

May we all enjoy our vices of collecting things, be it vises or whatever else

 

[dr_clyde]

I have 8 I think. Its possible I may have forgotten about a few.

Wilton baby bullet
Wilton 400N
Wilton 300N
Wilton 1765 Tradesman

Some weird polish vise I got from my grandpa

A cheap craftsman vise I have at home that came with my house

2 Kurt 6" mill vises

Cardinal 6" speedvise drill press vise.

I plan to get one or two new vises this year for my shop. Looking really hard at either a Wilton C2 or a Wilton 600N.

 

[Loydski29]

Hi all, I was finally able to get a pic of most of the vises I own. There’s another 10 or so I still need to gather up.

Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Maui]

I did not tender a vote in this survey but am confident that I have over 50 vises at the moment, 14 of which have been completely restored or are in the process of being restored. When my niece (who is thirty something) and her son were over visiting this past summer it surprised me to see the look on her face as I showed here one of the vises that I had finished restoring. She said that it was beautiful, and meant it. I didn't expect that.

Maui