Time for a new bench vise

[Nemo6]

I'm looking for good 6" bench vise with about a $250 limit.
Swivel base is important, pipe jaws are a definite plus.
A quick look thru Amazon showed a Wilton:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004XPVO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AUEUXQQV6YS3R

Anything else I should look at around this price range ?

 

[72highboy]

Where are you located? I'll be the first to suggest searching Craigslist for a good old American vise. $250 can buy you a whole lot of good vintage metal

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[General Geoff]

If you want new, I recommend a Yost FSV-6.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DMDO9AE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I have the 5" version and it's strong as hell.

 

[JTHulkster]

I have the Yost FSV-6 (from Amazon). I took it apart, cleaned it, and lubricated everything when it came to the house. Vintage metal would be nice, but everyone and their brother is looking for vintage. I quickly got tired looking, and this Yost model has good specs.

 

[Tennessee Cattleman]

Generally you get what you pay for with bench vises. The USA made Yost is a very good vise for the money. The Yost 104 Machinist is more vise than most 6" import vises for around $300 new, but you will lose the swivel base and pipe jaws at that price. Good high quality vises are scarce on Craigslist in my area, however there are plenty nice used Craftsman import vises with swivel bases and pipe jaws for $50-$80.

 

[1982fxr]

I'm looking for good 6" bench vise with about a $250 limit.
Swivel base is important, pipe jaws are a definite plus.
A quick look thru Amazon showed a Wilton:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004XPVO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AUEUXQQV6YS3R

Anything else I should look at around this price range ?

That vise doesn't have a very good rep.

Never seen one in person though

 

[Engine]

Yost Vises 750-DI 5" Heavy-Duty Multi-Jaw Rotating Combination Pipe and Bench Vise with 360-Degree Swivel Base and Head.

Not made in USA

$189.99 & FREE Shipping

Only a 5 incher but this one is well worth the price.

I've had this vise for a couple of years with no problems with it.

 

[CNGsaves]

OP . . . if you have no vise now, seriously doubt you "need" a 6" vise.

Here is an extremely nice 5" vise that will last you a lifetime for
$332 with free shipping from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001VXW490/?tag=atomicindus08-20

If you want to get budget back into $250 range, then Ridgid 4.5" vise F-45.

 

[G-ManBart]

This exact topic/question is why I wrote an article on bench vise sizing.
http://mivise.com/bench-vise-size-considerations/

I kept having people say "hey, I'm looking for a 6" vise....etc" and they honestly don't really know what they want or need. That means they either spend too much money, or don't get what they really want/need.

A 6" jaw vise that weighs 44lbs isn't that much vise. In contrast, a "little" 3.5" Wilton 350S machinist vise weighs 48lbs.

I've been to many fabrication and machine shops and they almost always seem to have 4.5" and 5" jaw vises like a Wilton 450S/500S or equivalent from another brand. Most hobbyists aren't doing heavier work than fabrication shops, so I don't see the need for wide jaws.

The 6" Wilton linked above would be about the size of the third vise from the left here...an older 9350 with 3.5" jaws. The lineup is 2", 3", 3.5", 4", 4.5", 5" and 6" all machinist models.



Lastly, the Yost USA models are pretty decent for the money. I have one and it's been handy to have around.

 

[FigureItOut]

I have the 6" version of the Ridgid CNGsaves linked to. I got mine nearly new for $60 but at new pricing buying to today I'd go for the Yost FSV-6 over the Ridgid. I like my Ridgid, don't get me wrong, but I do not care for the jaws being non-replaceable. It also has a pretty weak hold on the swivel base. With a work piece held horizontally in the jaws, I can far too easily turn the vise even with the swivel hold-downs screwed down tight.

The jaws do have a remarkable grip though. They are extremely sharp and very precise. This can be great when gripping non-square items, but it WILL leave marks with even light force.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

[General Geoff]

A 6" jaw vise that weighs 44lbs isn't that much vise.

That FSV-6, despite being pretty light for its jaw width, will take the pepsi challenge with a 200lb gorilla any day.

Even the FSV-5, which I have hitch mounted on my truck, has withstood massive forces while holding a manual tire changer stationary with zero issues. I can't imagine ever putting more force on a vise than I did that day.

 

[visedog]

I'm looking for good 6" bench vise with about a $250 limit.
Swivel base is important, pipe jaws are a definite plus.
A quick look thru Amazon showed a Wilton:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004XPVO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AUEUXQQV6YS3R

There's too much T in the jaws for my taste.

And it is too light (42 lb) for a 6" vise.

 

[G-ManBart]

That FSV-6, despite being pretty light for its jaw width, will take the pepsi challenge with a 200lb gorilla any day.

I'm not sure why folks keep trying to make this argument about the forged steel vises. I'm not saying they are bad vises, but they aren't the equal of ductile iron vises of the same jaw size from the same manufacturer.

That FSV-6 is small, very light (42lbs), and inexpensive for a 6" jaw vise at $256.

Yost's 34C is their top tier combination vise with a 6" jaw. It's 165lbs and sells for $1,303 on Amazon.

You really can't compare the two models in any way other than they have the same jaw width....which means very little. There is a reason one of them costs five times as much and weighs four times as much...it's simply a better vise.

Again, I own a Yost Multi-Purpose Reversible vise from their "Professional Grade" lineup, so I don't have anything against mid-level vises.

 

[Trey T]

Look into Craftsman Pro vise on ebay that looks and perform like the highest rated GJ vise, the Wilton bullet, for under $150.

I settled for the Craftsman Pro vise.

I had this Palmgren bullet style but quickly sold it because it was too big for my need, but it's a good alternative vise to Wilton bullet.

 

[exmaxima1]

I'm not sure why folks keep trying to make this argument about the forged steel vises. I'm not saying they are bad vises, but they aren't the equal of ductile iron vises of the same jaw size from the same manufacturer.....
You really can't compare the two models in any way other than they have the same jaw width....which means very little. There is a reason one of them costs five times as much and weighs four times as much...it's simply a better vise.

I have numerous Reed, Wilton, Paramo (UK), and Columbian vises, as well as the Ridgid F50 forged vise----that Ridgid is a real gem and smooth as silk. It may only be 40-something lbs, but it handles the same tasks as my >100 lb Paramo No.6, except for one: I would never use any of my cast iron vises as an anvil, while I have no issues beating/flattening on the Ridgid.
When I eventually retire, and sell off most of my tools, the Ridgid will stay with me. It's easy to handle (I actually remove mine from the bench when necessary), precision built, and a good choice for the average hobbyist.
It's worth noting that the Ridgid employs some additional features not common to most vises: rolled double-lead screw (like found in CNC ball-screws), slack adjustment, and lots of work clearance around the jaws. And don't worry about the non-replaceable jaws, as they are guaranteed for life.

 

[G-ManBart]

I have numerous Reed, Wilton, Paramo (UK), and Columbian vises, as well as the Ridgid F50 forged vise----that Ridgid is a real gem and smooth as silk. It may only be 40-something lbs, but it handles the same tasks as my >100 lb Paramo No.6, except for one: I would never use any of my cast iron vises as an anvil, while I have no issues beating/flattening on the Ridgid.
When I eventually retire, and sell off most of my tools, the Ridgid will stay with me. It's easy to handle (I actually remove mine from the bench when necessary), precision built, and a good choice for the average hobbyist.
It's worth noting that the Ridgid employs some additional features not common to most vises: rolled double-lead screw (like found in CNC ball-screws), slack adjustment, and lots of work clearance around the jaws. And don't worry about the non-replaceable jaws, as they are guaranteed for life.

Your premise is anecdotal. You haven't broken it, so it has to be as good as the larger vise used for the same tasks.

All that means is you're not using either one to their maximum capability.

Put the two through a torture test, see which breaks first and you'll be able to state whether they are the equal of one another.

If the smaller, lighter, less expensive vises were truly the equal of the bigger, heavier, more expensive vises, companies wouldn't still be selling the bigger, heavier, more expensive models.

A Paramo No. 6 is actually a pretty small 6" vise as well. They run around 85lbs on a fixed base, and 100lbs on a swivel as I recall...nowhere near the weight of the Yost 34C I mentioned above. The Wilton 600N I posted above is 135lbs, and on a swivel goes up to 155lbs.

 

[General Geoff]

Put the two through a torture test, see which breaks first and you'll be able to state whether they are the equal of one another.

If the smaller, lighter, less expensive vises were truly the equal of the bigger, heavier, more expensive vises, companies wouldn't still be selling the bigger, heavier, more expensive models.

Many companies still make $5000+ grandfather clocks, when a $10 quartz wall clock keeps better time.


Where's Real Tool Reviews? We need him to do an empirical stress test on a premium, old school ductile iron vise vs a newer design forged/cast steel one.

 

[1982fxr]

Look into Craftsman Pro vise on ebay that looks and perform like the highest rated GJ vise, the Wilton bullet, for under $150.

I settled for the Craftsman Pro vise.

I had this Palmgren bullet style but quickly sold it because it was too big for my need, but it's a good alternative vise to Wilton bullet.

That cman pro is a cheap knock off of a Wilton bullet.

 

[CNGsaves]

OP likely missed out on super sales of Craftsman Professional 4.5" vise that were under $100 with discounts from Sears when all those were dumped. There were 2 styles . . . rounder and squarer . . . see prior GJ threads.

Nice vise for $100 below if you are local and can avoid the shipping:
https://www.ebay.com/p/craftsman-51888-professional-heavy-duty-4-1-2-bench-vise/1009873317

 

[Trey T]

That cman pro is a cheap knock off of a Wilton bullet.

 

[1982fxr]

Sorry but, it is. Not saying it won't serve a person for years or even decades depending on the type of work but it's not a bullet. same way my craftsman tools just aren't snap-on.

 

[exmaxima1]

Your premise is anecdotal. You haven't broken it, so it has to be as good as the larger vise used for the same tasks.

All that means is you're not using either one to their maximum capability.

Put the two through a torture test, see which breaks first and you'll be able to state whether they are the equal of one another.

Doubtful that most any sane person ever uses the vise to it maximum capability, but to keep it fair you would need to test vises of the same price range for this OP--not just jaw width. At around $250-$300, you won't find many ductile iron vises, so they are mostly cast iron and likely less jaw width. A forged vise will handle more stress before breaking, and most likely the jaws will bend long before cracking (unlike cast iron iron).

If price is no object, a massive Reed or Athol would be a great option, yet I still feel the Ridgid F-series fulfills most anyone's working needs.

 

[G-ManBart]

Doubtful that most any sane person ever uses the vise to it maximum capability, but to keep it fair you would need to test vises of the same price range for this OP--not just jaw width. At around $250-$300, you won't find many ductile iron vises, so they are mostly cast iron and likely less jaw width. A forged vise will handle more stress before breaking, and most likely the jaws will bend long before cracking (unlike cast iron iron).

If price is no object, a massive Reed or Athol would be a great option, yet I still feel the Ridgid F-series fulfills most anyone's working needs.

Price has nothing to do with whether one vise is the equal of another and "fair" has nothing to do with it.

You can't say the cheaper vise is the equal of the more expensive vise and then turn around and say price should be a consideration in the comparison. It's either the equal, or it's not.

As I've said repeatedly, I'm not knocking vises like the Rigid or Yost in question. I have a mid-level Yost and like it quite a bit. I've also repeatedly said jaw width isn't the right way to compare two vises, and that's why I wrote the article about sizing vises.

 

[G-ManBart]

This Wilton C2 (5" jaws, pipe jaws, swivel base, and about 100lbs) cost me $250. Other than the 6" jaw width the OP mentioned, it's almost exactly what he spec'd out, including price. With a little knowledge, and some patience, there are great vises out there looking for new homes.