Wilton Vise at Lowes!

[evildky]

so I was at Lowes and found myself by the Vises and they had a Wilton! if you read the fine print on the box it says made to Wilton 's Spec's in China or Tiawan or some place, anyhow it was only $53 and this thing was bigger and built better than the largest Kobalt Vise and for about $15 less! I've never owned anything but cheap vises and didn't know the difference till I found this site but this thing is lightyears above the crappy one I am replacing, I'd be interested to see how it compares to the real deal $200 Wiltons but for the Buck this is the best Vise I have ever seen

 

[z28toz06]

I saw them there about a month ago. Thinking about picking one up my self. right now I only have a 4" but it is a columbian I found at the dump. Which is a very good deal I think!!

 

[Uncle Buck]

Do not ditch your old Columbian, unless it is for a new USA model Wilton or Columbian, even then I doubt I would ditch my old timer!

 

[z28toz06]

oh im not ditching it. i will keep it and get another larger one

 

[MXtras]

I went and looked at this vice yesterday. What a POS. It's a Wilton but it is a complete, utter, absolute piece of MIA ****. The Kobalt vice puts it to shame.

The casting is obvious cheap Chinese quality - not even the good stuff that they can produce - this is the porous, sandy **** that looks like it may snap as you pull it from the biodegraded cardboard box. The fit and finish - well they just don't exist. Absolute garbage. I have seen better quality vices at Horrible Freight.

Wilton should be embarrased to have their name on this vice. I was extremely suprised to see the "Wilton" name proudly displayed on this made-in-the-worst-factory-in-China POS.

I am very disappointed in Wilton for this. Another quality American product is gone.

Scott

 

[SoCalGarage]

Sears carries the US made Wiltons via catalog and some bigger stores carry them in stock.

 

[Uncle Buck]

That is why I keep telling everyone to get a MACHINIST VICE, I do not need to see the POS to tell you it is a mechanics vice, there have not been too many decent mechanics vices made for prolly at least 40 years, maybe more! Compare the weight of a mechanics vice to that of a machinist vice, generally the weight alone will run about double that of the mechanics vice, not to mention the fit of the machinists vice will be closer toleranced with a tighter fit. You will only find bargains on machinists vices buying used, new they will be double or more the cost of a comparable sized new mechanics vice. Stop looking at mechanics vices and get a machinist's vice!

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Sears carries the US made Wiltons via catalog and some bigger stores carry them in stock.

I am unsure if that is true anymore! Last year, a friend bought one due to the catalog showing it say made in the USA, and that model (by WIlton) that was delivered was an import. When all was said and down, they delivered him a USA made Wilton. Now all the local ones I see, are imports, and I am still waiting for the new catalog.

 

[evildky]

I'm not sure what the lowes by you is selling but when I grapbbed mine, it was clearly a far superior product to the more expensive kobalt sitting next to it, I don't know if I got the good one of if my lowes got the crappy Kobalts but the wilton I picked up might not be a machineist vise but it was cheap and tighter and smoother than any other vise i've found for twice the price, the kobalt was loose and sloppy just like all the other imports

 

[MXtras]

I'm not sure what the lowes by you is selling but ......the kobalt was loose and sloppy just like all the other imports

So you can imagine my dismay - the Kobalt felt like a Cadillac in comparison to the Wilton. Seriously.

Can you post a pic of the one you are talking about, evildyk? I went there to buy the thing but after looking at it, I was too upset to buy anything and left the tool department without a thing in my hand (a first for me, by the way!).

Scott

 

[Uncle Buck]

Almost all of the machinist vices I have ever seen have been painted gray, except Wilton, and one sold by Mac, Snappy or the like that was marketed as high visibility yellow, I also saw a Starret machinist vice painted yellow or some other ungodly color. Sears mechanics vices used to be red in color, and for almost 10 yrs, have been painted a dark gray.

evildky: if there is little slop or play in the front and back jaws when you open the vice, if it weighs almost bouble of others it's size, and if it does not have pipe jaws below the regular jaws, it prolly is a machinist's vice, and you may well have gotten a heck of a deal!

 

[Coach James]

I've seen the yellow ones and also some painted fluorescent green and called a safety vise. Is this supposed to be to keep someone from walking into them?
Coach

 

[MXtras]

Never could figure that out. If you have trouble seeing the vice, you probably have no business in the shop.....how is painting it yellow going to help? It's not likel it's something that is easily misplaced. When was the last time you heard someone say "I have looked all over - I can't find my vice and I just had it a few minutes ago!"?

Scott

 

[Uncle Buck]

Marketing gimmick for the fool that has one of everything!

 

[Uncle Buck]

I have mistakenly been calling utility vices mechanics vices. I am not skilled with all the cut and paste skills you guys have, so I will just give you the website and let you take it from there. Go to www.reedmfgco.com to see the difference between machinists vices and the others if you are interested. I thought Reed went out of business years ago!

 

[Steve_S]

I just bought an honest to goodness made in USA Wilton vise from Northern Tool. With Wiltons, if the shaft is square, it's Chinese. If round, it is more than likely US-made. I say more than likely because I haven't thoroughly researched this, but every round one I saw during my vise shopping was US-made.

 

[Uncle Buck]

DOH! Now I know how to refer to a website!

 

[evildky]

So you can imagine my dismay - the Kobalt felt like a Cadillac in comparison to the Wilton. Seriously.

Can you post a pic of the one you are talking about, evildyk? I went there to buy the thing but after looking at it, I was too upset to buy anything and left the tool department without a thing in my hand (a first for me, by the way!).

Scott

I know it's not a machinist vise and yes it is made overseas, but for the money I have no complaints! far superior to the more expensive kobalts sitting nest to it

and now the Yost imported equivelant that sells for 3 times the cost

the link yost vises

 

[Uncle Buck]

evildky: I think that vise is a good buy for what it cost you. I have been tempted to buy one of that type in the past and just did not do it. To buy a brand new USA machinist type vise from one of the major players may not be in your budget, it certainly is not in mine. To get an old used USA machinist type vise for the right money could take awhile, so It looks to me like you did good for yourself. I cannot always get what I want, unfortunately I get what I can afford. Well Done!

 

[Coach James]

I'd be more than happy to spend $53 on a vise like that one you got. I'd say you found an A+ deal.
Coach

 

[Uncle Buck]

evildky: I have seen those Kobalt vises that you mentioned, you made the right choice, regardless the cost, the Kobalt was not too impressive looking!