Vise for 35$?? worth anything?

[Automatic Slim]

View attachment Doc4.pdf


Don't know much about vises, but ran across this one on CL. Would have to drive 45min to obtain.

Have no idea, so looking for FB if anyone has thoughts. thx

 

[crankshaftdan II]

Babco is a foreign made in china vise. The older ones were made better/stronger than the newer ones. Typical home owner's type vise-will hold up to most use-except severe pounding. I've had that same model for 30+ years and it's still working. I payed like $50.00-brand new back then. Hope that gives you some FB..........Cranky

 

[SwampCat]

My Babco is made in JAPAN .

 

[davesnothere]

I don't know that id be jumping to drive 45 minutes to get that one.

 

[Automatic Slim]

Thanks Cranky, Swampcat and Dave. Will heed your advice and thanks for your expertise. This forum has me looking at some of the vises on CL, which do not appear often.

This forum is very educational and extremely knowledgeable.

 

[crankshaftdan II]

My Babco is made in JAPAN .

So much the better-the Japan connection to vises were a better made unit-as well as the older Japan made wrenches etc..

 

[crankshaftdan II]

It depends for most people how much one wants to spend on a vise. If you are a week-end warrior and don't do-need a LARGE-HIGH quality, vise you could very easily get by with the Babco-as it would be a excellent starter vise. If you need to move up in size/quality-you may find a better quality Reed, Columbian, Wilton etc. -USA made older one for more $$. They come up for sale here on CL ocassionally for $100-300 in various condition. Just be cautious-some sellers will try to sell broken/cracked/worn out vises that require a lot of work!

 

[Automatic Slim]

I've got a medium size vise on my bench at home that has no markings but probably 80 years old and still going strong. Serves my purpose well and gets used alot, but not for heavy applications. I do not fab metal or weld, so more or less more clamping. My dad has my grandfathers old anvil that is nailed down to an old hickory stump, the anvil itself probably weights 200 lbs., and I'm just too busy to go pick it up. Anvil is probably from around 1945 era - maybe try blacksmithing in my retirement.

So it's not a need, but do have interest in tools and some of the older vises I have seen on this forum. Space is an issue, as I am swoll up in my home shop, but primarily work with wood anyhow.

Some of my background:

Building residential housing

Army Engineer

Dent Doctor

Farm maintenance

Outboard motor repair

Shadetree auto

Motorcycle repair and maintenance

Have dabbled in most of the trades as well.

However, mostly relegate myself to "side" jobs that mostly include deck construction, fences, landscaping.

Currently my "real job" is in education medicine and have extensive history in applied psych, but now admin in my later years.