What's a good wood vise that won't clamp my wallet too much?

[Mike Dowell]

I've got this cheap harbor freight vise I use. It's a 6 inch vise, and I've got a couple pieces of pine lining the jaws. I need a real vise. The kind you see at the end of work benches. What are you all using?

Thanks!

[Prashun Patel]

The Lee valley economy vise hardware is decent. However consider very hard the veritas twin screw vise. It is expensive but you will appreciate its capacity and convenience.

[Mike Dowell]

Which is the economy? I found the twin screw.

[glenn bradley]

After several vise formats over the years the Veritas twin screw changed my life. it is not for everyone as there is no quick release feature. As my methods developed over the years my need for a fast moving vise disappeared. Adequately space dog holes resolve any workholding issue I have. I am planning to add one at the tail as well.

[Prashun Patel]

I don't think it's sold as 'economy' any more.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=31137&cat=1,41659,41661

This is a basic vise. You may appreciate a slight upgrade with the quick release version:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=54873&cat=1,41659,41661,54873

In either case, beware that your typical front vise has a screw right in the middle and guide rods that prevent dropping things like a drawer side through the center for sawing, etc. You'll end up gripping it on the end of the vise jaw, which causes racking. You'll need a spacer to stop that. This is the reason I reco'd the twin screw. It solves both of these problems. Full disclosure, I don't have the twin screw. I have the economy (large) face vise. I also have a Rockler QR front vise. Both are fine as basic vises. I also have a leg vise, which can even be a cheaper way to go if you have the leg for it. (Although, don't choose a leg vise because it can be done cheaply... That's a different beast with its own ergonomic challenges.)

[michael langman]

I bought 2 harbor freight 3/4" pipe clamps and the pipe at the home depot. Cut the pipe in half and got the ends threaded.

Will make a moxon vise for my bench after it is built. Cheap and effective.

[michael langman]

I should say that there is a very nice vice on Amazon that I have been contemplating too. Yost M9ww for 82.00. a very nice vice for the money.

[David Eisenhauer]

I find my 8" (or so) QR vise (80's vintage Columbian) to be the one that is used most of the time for "utility" (as opposed to "specialty") grabbing. For me, the way that I work, it is very handy to use both hands to put something in the vise and then shove it closed with my body so that it will usually hold the piece at the desired elevation/angle before then tightening the vise mechanism. Also works well for using one hand to hold something over the vise while pulling the vise open with the other hand. The addition of leather to the faces of the vise made a world of difference to make the "instant grab" feature work (just push the vise closed before actual tightening). I have a shop-made Moxon vise that handles the through-clamping duties as needed. The Columbian vise also has a retractable dog to use as an end vise dog to work in conjunction with a line of dog holes along the edge of my bench.

[Jim Andrew]

I bought a vise from Grizzly several years ago, looks exactly like the Yost vise mentioned above by Michael L. Works for me.

[Mike Kees]

watch for a used record 52 or the smaller 9 inch jaw model on the bay. I have two of these vises both work well. The other vise to check out is jorgosen.I have no experience with a twin screw vise, but am sure that for some applications they would work very well. Good luck,Mike.

[Mike Cutler]

Richards Wilcox 5"x10" quick release vise. I think I bought it from a fellow 'Creeker.
i also have some clamp on Groz vises, but I think you're looking for a permanently installed vise.

Look at eBay, Craigslist, Flea Markets and Antique stores, put a want ad in the classifieds here on the board. There are plenty of them available. As long as you're not looking for Emmert's, you can probably get a nice one, or two, relatively inexpensively.

[Steve Peterson]

I have a general purpose bench vise that gets used for holding everything from wood to pieces of metal for hacksawing. I am often switching between clamping flat stock in the 0-1" range to wide stock in the 6-10" range. A quick release mechanism is a requirement for my usage model.

At my old house, I had a Rockler http://www.rockler.com/12-quick-release-end-vise that I liked a lot. The wide format works well to prevent racking and the quick release mechanism is very smooth. There should be several designs in the same price range that would perform just as well.

The wide vise doesn't fit well in the bench at my current house so I got a smaller one. I think I got one on sale for around $50 at Peachtree. It is a bit more frustrating to get the quick release mechanism to release. It also racks a lot more. It gets the job done, but that is about all. I wish I could go back to the bigger vise.

Steve

[Mike Dowell]

I have a general purpose bench vise that gets used for holding everything from wood to pieces of metal for hacksawing. I am often switching between clamping flat stock in the 0-1" range to wide stock in the 6-10" range. A quick release mechanism is a requirement for my usage model.

At my old house, I had a Rockler http://www.rockler.com/12-quick-release-end-vise that I liked a lot. The wide format works well to prevent racking and the quick release mechanism is very smooth. There should be several designs in the same price range that would perform just as well.

The wide vise doesn't fit well in the bench at my current house so I got a smaller one. I think I got one on sale for around $50 at Peachtree. It is a bit more frustrating to get the quick release mechanism to release. It also racks a lot more. It gets the job done, but that is about all. I wish I could go back to the bigger vise.

Steve

Can of worms... can of worms.:D

Sometimes I ask for a recommendation on here, and everyone more or less agrees. Other times, this happens lol.

I'm going to sift through these responses and figure out what I might get. I like the LV economy the most so far, due to price range. I think $100 is where I wanted to be.

[Mike Henderson]

Can of worms... can of worms.:D

Sometimes I ask for a recommendation on here, and everyone more or less agrees. Other times, this happens lol.

I'm going to sift through these responses and figure out what I might get. I like the LV economy the most so far, due to price range. I think $100 is where I wanted to be.
That's what I have and it's served me well.

Mike

[Robert Engel]

I bought a Rockler quick release end vise. I think it was around $100.

Slides quite well - better, in fact, than the Jorgensen I have.

I think it would serve sell as a face vise, too.

[Chris Hachet]

I had this on a basic bench, worked very well.

Replaced it with one from Bench Crafted, would sell plasma or a firstborn for the quality difference...

[Chris Hachet]

Can of worms... can of worms.:D

Sometimes I ask for a recommendation on here, and everyone more or less agrees. Other times, this happens lol.

I'm going to sift through these responses and figure out what I might get. I like the LV economy the most so far, due to price range. I think $100 is where I wanted to be.


You will not be disappointed.....works very well. You do not need quick release IMHO.

[Ole Anderson]

I like my Jorgensen 40709 with hard maple jaws:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41RT12m25AL.jpg

[Charles Wiggins]

How about $25 and a little work?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0rzjblBXIY

[Bob Grier]

I am a believer in used (CraigsList) for a lot of tools, vices included. I bought twin screw Lee Valley off CraigsList still in box. I don't remember the price but it was very good. I have seen good vices on CraigsList. Quick release is nice.

[Mike Dowell]

What type of wood do you line these vises with? Pine I would assume?

[Bob Faris]

Do you like vintage tools? There are currently two under-mount woodworking vices on eBay for less than $100 -- a quick-release Morgan 100A and a fixed-nut Columbian 5-CD.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/381875218145?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/182378820851?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT (http://www.ebay.com/itm/182378820851?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT)