How many vises do you own? 2020 edition

[may0naise]

I just have 4. Normal bench vise (Yost), rotating head bench vise(Chinese made Colombian), small portable clamp on vise(Irwin), and wood working vise(Irwin). I guess a 5th if you count the Jawhorse.

 

[My Old Tools]

A dozen or so Emmerts, one Wilton bullet, milling, shaper, shoulder and tail on the bench. Do clamps count? I have hundreds of those.

 

[Shiftless]

Thanks for the interesting updates fellas.

M.O.T.
Having a dozen Emmerts and hundreds of clamps is certainly notable.
Any drool worthy photos of those turtle backs or bat wing handle clamps?

 

[Shiftless]

As of now, 20 of the respondents have over 25 vises. (Out of 160 responses so far)

In 2018 there were 29 in that category. But that was out of 265 responses.

 

[My Old Tools]

Thanks for the interesting updates fellas.

M.O.T.
Having a dozen Emmerts and hundreds of clamps is certainly notable.
Any drool worthy photos of those turtle backs or bat wing handle clamps?

No batwing handle clamps, tons of Jorgy I-beams and ponys. I'll go shoot a pic of a pile of Emmerts in a bit.

 

[sanddan]

Only 5 so far. Three bench vises and 2 machinist vises for the mill. I don't really have a place to put any others.

 

[My Old Tools]

a few pics

 

[Cyclotronguy]

TOO DAMN MANY, and all actively in use and it's only me
Wilton C0 (x2)
Wilton C2
Wilton 600
Wilton 800
Wilton wood workers (x 3)
Dawn 150 offset
Yost sheet metal
Swivel jaw Milwaukee
Kurt milling machine (x3)
Brown & Sharpe universal X2
Taft Peirce sine vise
Cincinnati all angle (x2) for T&C grinder
Rochleau all angle tool makers
Reed 810 (i think) chain vise
and some drill press vises

 

[Boilerhouse]

7 total - 3 bench, 2 woodworking, i milling machine, 1 drill press

 

[Shiftless]

Cyclotronguy:
Thanks for posting your detailed list. You say you have “too damn many” but based on your list, they are all great quality vises and if they are all in use, I’d say you don’t have too many.

M.O.T.:
Your pile of vises is certainly impressive.
I found 3 batwings in my small group of clamps.

 

[Shiftless]

Polling is stalled at 175 entries.
If you are reading this and haven’t entered your number, please do so. Lots of GJ members encouraged me to run this poll so I don’t want to disappoint them with polling numbers so far below previous polls.

Since guys like pictures, here is the seller’s pic of a Craftsman I just bought home a couple of hours ago. I plan a custom 2 tone paint job.
And those are vintage Wilton 4 inch copper jaw covers the seller included in the sale. Those are going on one of my Wilton 400s.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Polling is stalled at 175 entries.

But we now have a sixth guy over 100. Let's get crackin' on those inventories, 100+ Clubbers!

 

[pelletman]

If you know how many vises you have, you don't have many vises

 

[r_olson_06]

Use to have 5 but sold 2. Still have 2 leg vises one belonged to my great great great grandpa. Also have a swivel jaws.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[GETRIDAONE]

I have attached a list as I added vises to my collection. I still look at FB marketplace and CL but don't buy much anymore. I don't go to estate sales unless they are very close to home.
The total is about 170 with maybe 5 or 6 models with doubles. I apologize for the handwritten list, I started a spreadsheet but never updated it.

 

[Shiftless]

But we now have a sixth guy over 100. Let's get crackin' on those inventories, 100+ Clubbers!

And now we have 8 in the 100+ category.

 

[CallumRD1]

I have attached a list as I added vises to my collection. I still look at FB marketplace and CL but don't buy much anymore. I don't go to estate sales unless they are very close to home.
The total is about 170 with maybe 5 or 6 models with doubles. I apologize for the handwritten list, I started a spreadsheet but never updated it.

Can you provide some photos of your collection?

 

[GETRIDAONE]

This is most of them.

 

[KMScott]

Get that is a awesome collection you have. Looks like more then 200 vises. One day on my way to SC I'll stop by so I can see your collection. I know you work on them, cleaning and doing a top notch restoration. Can you keep up. Are these mostly picked up in Georgia? I'll be close and have not looked very close yet. Kevin

 

[Shiftless]

Get:
Nice collection! You have more than I do. Here are 2 pics showing most of mine.
I’m at 101

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Kevin you are welcome anytime you get close to Atlanta. I bought a few of the collection from Ebay but most came from within 125 mles of home.

Shift, I like the Wilton wall along with the rest on those nice display shelves. I have another shelf with about 30 open screw homeowner type vises and 30 clamp ons.

 

[ScootinSam]

Some very impressive collections


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[RTM]

Lets see, I stopped at 25, and I laid my hands on all of them today, except one.

6 Bench Vises, from Reed, Desmond Simplex, Columbian, Sears, FPU and Versa Vise. Only the Reed 203-1/2 is permanently mounted, the Sears is set up to drop into the Reed or a Workmate.
4 Woodworking Vises, 2 Lee Valley wood faced on my main WW bench, a Record 52-1/2 on a buried bench and an marked wooden face and screw one, not mounted.
3 saw sharpening vises, one Lodi Mfg (very long) and two 9-1/2"
2 machinist vises, one Shop Fox, and a tilting one on a PowR-Arm
1 Panavise knock off clamp on (Circuit Board?)
1 Articulating rotating clamp on
4 clamp on, one MF, one marked B1 and B C, from 2-1/2" down to 1"
2 Hand Vises, one newer Japan made, one older unmarked
1 Engravers Ball
1 - Stanley Corner or Inline vise - the only one I couldn't find today


Not included in my total
4 Workmates with Cast Aluminum H
1 Workmate Tall w tubing Frame
1 - Vise screw awaiting a project
1 or 2 watch vise
~10 pin vises

1 Sjoberg and 1 Toles quick release on another WW bench covered outside, forgot about it, not in the total.

There may be more, but dang if I know where I hid them.

 

[Shiftless]

Thanks, Get.
I have relatives and friends in Atlanta. But I’ve been there in the Summer. IMHO, Other seasons are more suitable for visiting.

The poll just logged its 200th entry. Thanks guys!

 

[tool_scrounge]

Get:
Nice collection! You have more than I do. Here are 2 pics showing most of mine.
I’m at 101

So what is this vise?

 

[Shiftless]

So what is this vise?

Glad you asked...

That is a Columbian 505 1/2

I bought it from a guy who told me it had been sitting in his back yard for maybe 30 years. He said he got it from a guy who salvaged stuff from the old Kaiser shipyards in Richmond CA. Kaiser was a major ship builder during WWII.
Since I only paid $35 for it, I don’t have any reason to think his story was B.S.

So if the story is right, this vise built Liberty ships that did a large part in winning the war.

I did minimal work to this vise. I cleaned off the dirt and got it loosened up so it would open and close OK.

Here is a better pic so everybody can admire the “patina”. Aka “rust”
I chose to honor its service to our country by leaving it alone and simply giving it a warm and dry place to sit out its retirement years.

There is the only Liberty ship remaining that was built at the Kaiser ship yards. It has been restored. Here is a picture. My vise probably held some random part that went into this ship.

 

[RedVise]

66ish... might have missed one. As the pandemic has given me first a furlough and now a layoff, the garage is a lot cleaner and I hope to clean up the clamp on display a little.

Here's some pics, it's a little cluttered but entertains me.

Brian

 

[RedVise]

66ish... might have missed one. As the pandemic has given me first a furlough and now a layoff, the garage is a lot cleaner and I hope to clean up the clamp on display a little.

Here's some pics, it's a little cluttered but entertains me.

Brian

Edit: went back and read a little more and see I forgot the hand held vises.
So add 3 or 4.

 

[Shiftless]

The weekend is upon us once again.

If you haven’t posted the number of vises you own using the poll, please do so.

If you’ve already entered, how about just telling a story about your most interesting vise purchase or sale?

Or maybe a photo of your favorite vise? Not vice! (Unless you’re an Englishman)

Maybe your ugliest vise if you’re so inclined.

Here is the ugliest one I ever bought. It’s a Reed with a big crack accidentally doused in house paint.

 

[Maui]

I am searching for a good USA vise at garage/estate sale prices. I have two China Vises (something like 3.5" and 2") that came with the house on a workbench in the basement. I am building my workshop in the garage and need a good USA Vise. Ideally 4-5" Jaw.

I know Craftsmans had various Vise manufacturers over the years. Reed, Rock Island, Wilton, Columbian.

Are these models always from the listed manufacturer?
Craftsman (Reed) No. 506-51800 Bench Vise: REED
Craftsman 518-51810 columbian made 5": COLUMBIAN
Craftsman 5163 4.5" rock island made: ROCK ISLAND

I have been told Craftsman from Reed and Rock Island without Anvils are Ductile. With Anvil I guess they are Cast Iron.

I can pickup a restore condition Morgan Chicago 140 or Reed 203 1/2 for $150; or a nice condition(no restore needed) Columbian D5(5.5" jaw) for $50. Not Estate/Garage sale prices. The Reed is probably the best quality (but smallest), then Morgan, then Columbian. Much better price than most restore condition vises in my area. I am happy to restore if I find a rusty one!!!

Talked to an old friend yseterday. He recently bought a Craftsman USA vise at a flea market for $5 then sold it for $20.

The Craftsman 5163 is a beautiful vise. I have one that I restored from the mid 1930s. It came out nice.

After a relatively quick count I have over 101 vises total.

Maui

 

[Shiftless]

Poll closes in about 2 1/2 weeks.
Thanks to everyone who has responded so far. If you’re one of the ones who hasn’t yet counted up your vises, please do it and get your tally registered.

It’s interesting that the number of responding GJ members who have zero or one vise is almost exactly the number of members who have over 25.

What can we conclude from that???


.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That vise ownership is like a 3rd World country? (No middle class.)

 

[NUTTSGT]

One in the garage on the bench, a second one on a stand. The third is a woodworking one on the other side of the garage. The fourth is in the car trailer.

 

[Shiftless]

That vise ownership is like a 3rd World country? (No middle class.)

Actually almost 60% of the respondents have between 2 and 10 vises. That’s a perfectly reasonable number and clearly an adequate number of vises for just about anybody’s shop

This thread has had over 2300 page views so far and only 27 ( 1.2 %) admit to having over 25 vises.

A couple of years ago I had ten. Now I’m at 101. Maybe there is a 12 step program...?

I saved a few of them from certain death after being tossed out into a dumpster.
.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Actually almost 60% of the respondents have between 2 and 10 vises. That’s a perfectly reasonable number and clearly an adequate number of vises for just about anybody’s shop.

In that case, it's extremely American, the largest middle class on the planet!

 

[Kandyman]

I have 7 clutches right now. Some are big. A couple of medium ones. The rest are small and manual types of strubcina. I can post a photo.

 

[Shiftless]

Most of you have already entered their totals by now, but just reminding all members that you only have 10 more days to count up your vises and enter your number in the poll. As of now, we have 227 entries.

 

[Shiftless]

Only a week to go. 235 entries as of now.

 

[Shiftless]

It’s interesting to me to note that just like the last time I ran this poll back in 2018, the number of GJ members who have over 150 vises is just about the same as those who say they have no vises at all.

Last time there were 10 who said they have over 100 vises. Now there are 9 in that category.

 

[Kandyman]

For example, a couple of little snaps that I have. They're really old but good.