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I Forge Iron

Post vises


Jeff Bly

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I have been fortunate enough to purchase four post vises, all of which were less than $30 each. Someone saw a post of mine on craigslist, so I got a 5" Indian Chief post vise for $25. Not a bad deal, huh?! So does anyone know what these are worth, approximately? Two of them are 4" and two are 5". All were purchased from different sources.

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I saw one that sold at an auction a week ago for $1.00!! on a bench with a bunch of other stuff. I got there less than 5 min AFTER it sold....my kind of luck. In my area they run around $45-55 for a 4". I have sold a couple of 4 1/2" vises for $75.00. You did GOOD. Glad for you. If you can afford them keep 'em. I have 4 set up in my shop and use them all.

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I always used a rule of thumb at $10 per inch of jaw width - so a 5 inch would be $50. I will go up or down from that starting point depending on general condition. The cheapest I ever bought was a 5 inch for $15 - never got one cheaper than that but I once paid $75 for a 4 inch that was absolutely pristine and which needed nothing except to be bolted to a table.

I have a one man shop with a single main anvil - but I have six mounted vises at different heights. As the others have said, you can't have too many...

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The problem is invariably Postage or the lack of postage. I live in Cornwall and I've seen many an E-bay bargain ruined by the shear logistics of going to fetch it. A .99p vice ain't much of a deal when you factor in a six hour round trip drive and

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that was an awsome find dude!! i paid 120$ for mine plus a huge shipping bill:( but it was worth it in the end since i traided it for one twice the size plus a huge a@# metal table, the one i had befor was a 4" now i have and 8" its a monster:). i guess it all depends on how much the ppl who are buying them really want them but i wouldn't go more than 150 for something like that and it would have to be in good condition.

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Back in OH they were cheap and thick on the ground---I finally set a limit of 10 postvises and then when I got a bettter one would sell on one of the others. Never paid more than US$50 and 75% of them were in the $25 range.

Then when I got out here to NM what a surprise! I did pick up a couple of large ones for $75 a piece as I had chewed the pile down a bit when moving and as you mentioned one is never enough! I've got 4 mounted right now near the gas forge and expect to put a number more with the coal forge when the shop gets finished and then the one on the welding table and the portable one and...

When I was out at Quad-State last year I saw a dozen or so at $40 and took one back to help out NM's lack of vises...(Sold it at our conference) May do that every time I go and have any money and weight allowance left.

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