Under Bench Vice

[Fixeruper]

Hey Guys,
I'm new to the Community and looking forward to learning and sharing some good info with a great group of folks!
This is a small project I have been pondering for some time now. I'm looking to "upgrade" my cheap under-bench vice (two guide rods and a center screw) to a vintage model as they are generally larger, better made and look awesome. Since I will probably have to purchase one online (eBay or other dealers) I want to familiarize myself with them, the best brands, the pros and cons of the quick release system and most importantly, where can I find them?
Any info would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Packard V8]

FWIW, the description would be a woodworking vise. As with general purpose benchtop vises, the good old USA woodworking vises can pretty much be bought by the pound. Larger is usually better and heavier is usually better.

Wilton made a good one, as did Richards-Wilcox.

One caveat, many top quality woodworking vises have a quick release feature consisting of a bronze half nut. These can wear and most are NLA, so carefully examine the bronze nut for wear which renders it unusable.

jack vines

 

[rsanter]

Sounds like you have a wood vise.
If it is a good one they are desirable and you could likly trade for a nice machinist vise.
Or keep that one and put a machinist vise at the other end of the bench so you have both available

Bob

 

[exmaxima1]

FWIW, the description would be a woodworking vise......
Wilton made a good one, as did Richards-Wilcox.

I've owned a few, and settled into a Morgan 200A. Has quick release and built to last several lifetimes.

 

[demographic]

Good thing about a woodworking vice is that it sits flush with the bench top so you can attach a metalworking vice to a flat bit of wood, fix a cleat to the underside of that flat wood and hold it in the woodworking vice, where its fully supported by the bench top.

Two in one really.

 

[Rileysan]

I'm sure you will find a lot of opinions out there, but I have never seen or used a better woodworking vise than the Record model 52 or 52 1/2. It is big & heavy, has a quick release, and will last a lifetime.

Here's some Amazon reviews.

If you can find it for under $100, it's a bargain.

Here's some pix of mine before I bolted it to the bench.

Brian

 

[exmaxima1]

I'm sure you will find a lot of opinions out there, but I have never seen or used a better woodworking vise than the Record model 52 or 52 1/2. It is big & heavy, has a quick release, and will last a lifetime.

Here's some Amazon reviews.

If you can find it for under $100, it's a bargain.

Here's some pix of mine before I bolted it to the bench.

Brian

How many times have you cut yourself on those buttress threads? I just know I can't be the only one who had.

 

[Rileysan]

How many times have you cut yourself on those buttress threads? I just know I can't be the only one who had.

I wear gloves at all times - else I'm sure I would have!

 

[G_P]

One caveat, many top quality woodworking vises have a quick release feature consisting of a bronze half nut. These can wear and most are NLA, so carefully examine the bronze nut for wear which renders it unusable.

Excellent advice. I can remember my father getting a used woodworker vise when I was a teen and that bronze half nut was thrashed. Vise came out of a school so it was not treated very well. Luckily he was able to buy a new half nut since the company was still in business. For really old vises, you would likely have to have a machine shop make a new one and that could get very expensive.

 

[Fixeruper]

Thanks guys! Any advice on where I could find an old one? eBay is a dry hole...

 

[TerryH]

You can still buy a nice Jorgensen vice for $150.00 or so. I use mine all the time and it's great.