Modern Vices - How do you rate them?

[T45]

Has anyone here done a head-to-head review or side by side testing of the modern USA production vises from Wilton, Yost, Morgan etc and compared them?

Wilton seems to have the name/look/resale value part of the market cornered. But what is it about the other vises like yost and morgan that keep them still in business ?

(at not-cheap-tier pricing)

It seems that athol/starret declined a bit before they bit the dust. Just wondering how the other are holding up.

 

[T45]

Decent looking vise...

 

[crab]

There are very good vices being made now. They aren't cheap, 6 or 7 hundred for a good 4 inch. It is usually a lot cheaper to find an old vice in decent condition.

 

[bluebolt]

Morgan and Yost have the government vise market cornered from what I understand.

 

[WittHay]

Good thread T45. I was wondering, What choices are there for new 5" to 6" vises, besides Wilton? preferably not made in China.

I found one picture of a new Morgan

 

[T45]

Good thread T45. I was wondering, What choices are there for new 5" to 6" vises, besides Wilton? preferably not made in China.

I found one picture of a new Morgan

Her's another, a New 5" from a thread on Morgan's

^^ Nice looking handles as well

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208185

 

[General Geoff]

I wonder if you can still get a 5" Morgan for $350 factory-direct? I bet a lot of people here would happily buy at that price!

 

[PureLeaf]

Morgan and Yost have the government vise market cornered from what I understand.

Everything I've ever seen on military bases was Wilton.

 

[Local]

I hear yost makes a better now.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0025QI65I/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Local]

Her's another, a New 5" from a thread on Morgan's

^^ Nice looking handles as well

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208185

She is a beauty

 

[Tennessee Cattleman]

I have 2 industrial grade Yost machinist vises and like them very well. Bought the first one used, bought the last one new, both made in the U.S.A. I have never owned a Wilton Bullet vise, but just from observation when using the Wilton, seems they would work well in dusty and dirty conditions since they are sealed, however seems to be more people posting pictures of broken Wiltons than Yosts on this forum. Never have had the opportunity to use a Morgan. If I was buying a new one for the shop, it would be a Yost, real good vise for the money.

 

[meatsis]

I have 2 industrial grade Yost machinist vises and like them very well. Bought the first one used, bought the last one new, both made in the U.S.A. I have never owned a Wilton Bullet vise, but just from observation when using the Wilton, seems they would work well in dusty and dirty conditions since they are sealed, however seems to be more people posting pictures of broken Wiltons than Yosts on this forum. Never have had the opportunity to use a Morgan. If I was buying a new one for the shop, it would be a Yost, real good vise for the money.

I agree with you 100%. But be careful what you say about Wiltons around here. Theres quite a few guys that take it very personal

 

[T45]

I have 2 industrial grade Yost machinist vises and like them very well. Bought the first one used, bought the last one new, both made in the U.S.A. I have never owned a Wilton Bullet vise, but just from observation when using the Wilton, seems they would work well in dusty and dirty conditions since they are sealed, however seems to be more people posting pictures of broken Wiltons than Yosts on this forum. Never have had the opportunity to use a Morgan. If I was buying a new one for the shop, it would be a Yost, real good vise for the money.

What size vises did you choose for your shop? The Yost models look to have deeper throat depth vs the morgans or wilton.


..... And any pics

 

[Super Sport]

What size vises did you choose for your shop? The Yost models look to have deeper throat depth vs the morgans or wilton.

The throat depth on the Yost models turns me off a little bit as I feel like one bolted to my workbench would have the jaws sitting at an uncomfortable height.

On a purpose-built stand or something it wouldn't matter of course, but I'd like one on my bench. I live pretty close to where Yost is located and may be moving to the same city they're in, so I think it would be pretty cool to have one of their USA-made models with the city name on it.

 

[Tennessee Cattleman]

The vise I bought used is a Yost 104 and the new one I bought last fall is a 103. Both are mounted to steel workbenchs with the 103's workbench mounted on wheels and used as a welding table. Yost vises seen to be built big for their size.

 

[kwoswalt99]

I found one picture of a new Morgan

That's an old picture, the modern ones have t-jaws.

 

[bluebolt]

Everything I've ever seen on military bases was Wilton.

What service? I was an aircraft crewchief in the Air Force and don't recall seeing a Wilton.

 

[jrobb316]

That's my pic of a new Morgan Milwaukee I bought. I asked them when I was down at the plant, they sell a lot to foreign governments and industry. Some to the US govt as well but that didn't seem like the main part of their business. They are a small operation these days with the Chinese garbage flooding the market. There is a pic of a pallet of new 6 and 8"ers. I asked who buys the 8" ers and ships seem to be number one buyer.

 

[Roberts210]

Here's how I rate Chinese vises:
The action starts at the 50 second mark:

 

[exmaxima1]

That's my pic of a new Morgan Milwaukee I bought.

I just picked up a very old Morgan Chicago 140, and that pic has convinced me to paint it BLUE.

 

[T45]

I just picked up a very old Morgan Chicago 140, and that pic has convinced me to paint it BLUE.

I like the Morgan blue color the most of all the OEM-blue paints...

 

[ddawg16]

I thought you meant the other 'vices'.....like watching **** on the internet.....

 

[bobcatdan]

Morgan is a very good company in my book. I called them looking for jaw insets for my old Chicago Morgan 6". Said they had them and shipped them right out. Fit perfectly. Weren't cheap, I think $70 for the pair, but I'm happy. I should state, I didn't expect them to be $20 or anything like that.

 

[bagged89s10]

I would rate Morgan Milwaukee the highest, then Wilton, then yost last. Wilton just does a better job of marketing in my opinion and that's why many rate then the best.

 

[Local]

Where can you buy a Morgan online?

 

[General Geoff]

http://www.gshields.com/brands/Morgan.html


Probably the cheapest would be to call Milwaukee Tool & Equipment directly and order through them. 414-645-0200

 

[FMC1959]

I bought a Yost 33c a few years ago, new from mile-x
http://www.mile-x.com/yost-33c-5-combination-bench-vise-made-in-the-usa/

I spoke with someone at Mile-x and they recommended Yost over Wilton, stating Wilton was more hype and not as good. Maybe they had better profit or kickbacks with Host, or maybe just his honest opinion, I don't know.

I like my 33C very much, super tough and stout; I consider it to be equal or better than older US vises I have from the early 1900's

Of course you can find some great deals on old USA vises. Another option if you prefer new, look on eBay. You can sometimes find NOS at great prices. There was NOS Starrett 926 a while back for about $750 in the box. That was easily more than double when they were on the market. Also some Columbian 204 1\2 for $350 shipped, a few weeks ago some saw them for about $450 shipped. All great prices as they were much more when sold originally. All these cases, it wasn't just one, the vendor had many for sale

 

[WittHay]

That's an old picture, the modern ones have t-jaws.

Thanks, I not a vise expert. I got that picture from a industrial store website in Everett, WA after doing a quick google search on new Morgan's

A local tool store just started selling Wilton, and I am trying to compare Yost and Morgan to Wilton. Looking for a new vise, to be attached to a service truck.

 

[jrobb316]

Never owned a Wilton, probably never will. Morgans are out in the wild, of course since picking up the new one I came across and bought another Morgan Milwaukee 150 and a Morgan Chicago 150, so I had 3 of them. I have since sold the other 2 and still have the new one. Never seen a Morgan in a retail shop. Morgans prices do include shipping, best price will most certainly be factory direct. It's my home team so that's why I went that way, plus they're great quality.

 

[mh82]

Luckily I bought an Russian vice one year ago from flea market for 15€. It is built like an tank and not Chinese crappy cast made Iron. The vice is many decades old but really strong and sturdy. Must add an picture from it later.