b4utoo Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 I was thinking it was a decent price even though jaws are only 3" wide..... Figured a harbor freight one would be a little less but less quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) Just so you know, that 3" vise retails new from Grainger at $1,000. No, that is not a typo, ten C-notes.Kinda makes those $50 - $200 leg vises look like a bargain, don't it? Edited April 11, 2015 by John McPherson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Even though it is a good make, you still don't want to use it for pounding on like a post vise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) Excellent bench vise score! AT the local serious hardware store one of those costs in the $1,200.00 range. WE have killer shipping costs here at AIH brings everything in by the barge load so their shipping is slightly lower. <sigh>Remember though that's a bench vise and NOT designed for hammering on much harder than straightening 12p. nails. What Bigguns just said! Hey I looked at the tie stamp this time, I'm learning!Frosty the Lucky Edited April 11, 2015 by Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 Just so you know, that 3" vise retails new from Grainger at $1,000. No, that is not a typo, ten C-notes.Kinda makes those $50 - $200 leg vises look like a bargain, don't it?HUH!?!umm HUH? I just walked in from my lunch...kinda smacked me with that one.... So I shouldn't use it and wrap it in bubble wrap and hide in my closet I'm scared to use now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) Graingers is high on most things. A quick Google search will turn up bigger Wilton vises for a lot less than a grand. At auctions I was paying around $25 for the 4" ones. Edited April 11, 2015 by BIGGUNDOCTOR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 Im kinda thrown JM!Well I do have some others I can use... Can anyone enlighten me on what I should use this vise for...I don't want to abuse it now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) Use it, it is just a vise. There are tons of them out there at inexpensive prices. I don't know anyone who would pay more than what you did for it, the demand just isn't high enough. Bigger companies pay what Graingers, and McMaster Carr charge. Edited April 11, 2015 by BIGGUNDOCTOR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Bolt/screw it to a solid corner of your bench so the jaws are over open space and use that baby. Wilton bullets are tough as nails industrial quality vises. You just don't want to take a sledge hammer to it. Don't worry about say bending 1/4" thick x 3/4" wide strip stock for tabs and such. Just don't take a sledge hammer to it.I picked up a 6" one from a guy at work who was making the garage safe for his elderly father and was just giddy about it. that is a class A score use that baby in good health and joy,Frosty the Lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Unlike most Machinists vises, this style Wilton is cast from ductile iron and has a fully enclosed screw= long life span. Good buy, you did well. Of course you shouldn't hammer on it with a big hammer, but it is pretty tough for a little guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 ok..Thanks...I picked up a little 55lb made in china anvil too..like new...I figure I can put it with the rest, and use it as a abuse station Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Don't confuse cost with value. Folks complain about the anvil price bubble, but old US made quality vises are where the bargains are at now. In ten years, who knows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 I once traded a wilton cadet for a 165# HB, I was happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Direwolf Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 You did well, wilton vises are tough! I have a number of them I've acquired over the years as Frosty said mount it on a corner like the 4" in my pic and use it. They made them from 2" jaws up to 8" at least that is the range I have seen. I included a few pics, one has a 2" sitting on a 4". The other is one a 4" mounted to a movable base, I use it all the time for welding, fabrication and mechanic work, I can move it to a piece or whatever equipment I'm working on. If you ever see a 2" model pick it up if the price is right as they are kinda scarce. At work we have an old wilton that I belive has 8" jaws, it is massive beyond description, at least 250 to 300 lbs, I'd love to have it in my shop. By the way I haven't been on for a while, Glenn and crew great job with the new site format! Real easy to upload pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 John McPherson , I have quite a few vises, and all of them are older USA made ones-Wilton, Columbia, Reed, etc... On that note, they are not rare, and I have bought most at machine shop auctions, fleamarkets,and garage sales for $25 or less. I usually get them in the 4" -5" range. The only ones I paid more than that for was a couple of really big ones that I got the pair for $250. They are big enough that I had to take them apart to load them in my truck. Sometimes the secondary market isn't even close to the original retail price. Machinist tools for example. At the machine shop auctions I was paying $20 for $240 test indicators. The reason is , there are so many available. I mainly brought this up because it seems b4utoo is a beginner to all of this, and I don't want to see him spending where he doesn't need to, and to maximize his purchases. It is easy to go on a tool buying spree, but if you get something you can't use, or resell quick, is it worth the cheap price? Anvils are whole different story. How many people have a vise, but no anvil? Vises are everywhere, with probably millions made over the decades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Wilton has started to import some of there vices from China now and the quality is a couple of steps above HF IMHO. They do still make some in the US, and you do pay dearly for them but I think they are worth it. Before I became a educated blacksmith I was a dumb oilfield hand that would use a 4 pound hammer on a Wilton vice on a regular basis. I never had one snap but we did wear out the screw regularly. Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 You did well, wilton vises are tough! I have a number of them I've acquired over the years as Frosty said mount it on a corner like the 4" in my pic and use it. They made them from 2" jaws up to 8" at least that is the range I have seen. I included a few pics, one has a 2" sitting on a 4". The other is one a 4" mounted to a movable base, I use it all the time for welding, fabrication and mechanic work, I can move it to a piece or whatever equipment I'm working on. If you ever see a 2" model pick it up if the price is right as they are kinda scarce. At work we have an old wilton that I belive has 8" jaws, it is massive beyond description, at least 250 to 300 lbs, I'd love to have it in my shop. By the way I haven't been on for a while, Glenn and crew great job with the new site format! Real easy to upload pics!Cool! Thanks for the pics...I like the yellow one lol reminds me of bumblebee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Nothstine Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 These are great vise for flipping on ebay. I pick up a Wilton vise last year for $35.00 and sold it for close to $200.00 People collect them and will pay a lot. I use my machinists vises for holding bending jigs now and then, but a post vise is better for blacksmith work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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