Good morning. What are leg vices going for nowadays? Looking for one around 5" wide and have read people getting them for under $100. Been searching 3 different states around me and have yet to find one anywhere around that unless it's missing parts. Thanks for any help.

Quad State had vises $25 to $750, and ran from 3 inches to 8 inches and 25 to 250 pounds. I picked up two study ones for less than $100 each, and I did not get there until Friday night. They tell me the good stuff had been gone for two days.

 

At recent NC tractor shows I find them from $75 to $150 for a 4 inch, and $150 to $250 for a 6" model. Craigslist seems to run 50% higher than that.

To add to John's post, 2013 was the year of the post vise at QS.  I estimated there were over 100 for sale, in all sizes.  I brought out a 6" heavy duty in perfect shape, and never got an offer.  I would have taken $200.  Brought it home and traded it off to a friend who needed one, and got some interesting stuff in return.  Post vises are out there; just keep looking and carry a picture to show everyone so that they know what you are talking about.

Greetings Wayne,

 

I know this won't help but I purchased a nice 5in in perfect shape other than rust from sitting..  A few hours and it looks like new..  I found it at an antique shop sitting in the corner for 100.00 ..  I have a dozen or more but I just can not resist when I find a good one...  Keep looking they are out there...   Some of the prices on EB are over the top and shipping is a killer ..  Look for one listed close to you that can be picked up that is within your price range..

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

I have never been to a farm auction that didn't have a post vise. I have about six and haven't paid over 45$

"missing parts"  I hunt for vises with missing parts as they are cheaper and making a mounting bracket and spring is just a couple of hours on a Saturday morning---look at how Columbians were mounted...

Last one I got on Craigslist was a restored one for $50. All my other vises were under $20 or free.

A couple of years ago I was at quad-state and I noticed that the "going rate" on vises had increased and so I figured I'd better stock up.  So I picked up a 6.5" vise in good condition for $50 and a 3" very old indeed vise for $20 (had one expert say it was pre-1800)  Now they both needed springs and mounting plates making for an enjoyable Saturday in the shop. 

 

In general I have found that if you *need* something fast they are quite expensive buy if you have so many they are piling up in the corners of the shop you will be tripping over them at garage sales for $5.  The biggest factors in finding them cheap is "CONSTANT VIGILANCE" and "NETWORKING"

To add to John's post, 2013 was the year of the post vise at QS.  I estimated there were over 100 for sale, in all sizes.  I brought out a 6" heavy duty in perfect shape, and never got an offer.  I would have taken $200.  Brought it home and traded it off to a friend who needed one, and got some interesting stuff in return.  Post vises are out there; just keep looking and carry a picture to show everyone so that they know what you are talking about.

 

"2013, year of the post vise at QS", that's for sure!  

I picked up a very beefy 7", gorgeous one during packout of the last day for a great price because they didn't want to haul it back home.

I was surprised it was still there, it was quite rusty and dirty, and noticed the chalk-written price nudging downward each day.....

Just needed a good cleaning, and (still to do) to have the handle straightened out, and forge a new spring. 

Otherwise the threads and screwbox are beautiful.  :)

 

 

4.5" and under are fairly common, and you can usually find them in nice shape for under $100.

Once you get above the 5" size ballpark, the prices can escalate fairly quickly depending on where you are.

There weren't as many large vises made compared to the best selling smaller sizes, so they are not as common to find. 

And it's handy to have both large and small vises  I have one of each on two workbenches at opposite ends as well as my striking vise---a large one near the forge tied into the building structure---telephone pole buried 4-5' and concreted in....