Bench vise

[michael_aos]

Are there any especially "good" ones out there? Brownells has their "Ultimate" vise for ~$250. Which maybe isn't terrible for something that lasts a lifetime, but it sounds like a lot right now.

MidwayUSA lists a Wheeler Engineering model on-sale for $39.99.

I try to keep my home-gunsmithing to a minimum, but I've just found myself wishing I had a bench vice too many times.

Mike

[Marlin]

Depends on what You really want it for, My opinon, for the $250, that thing better be making Me breakfast. I'm sure You could go to Lowes or HD and find one of comparable quality in the $35-$50 range. One more thing unless Your terribly abusive too the thing, Most vices are going to last a lifetime anyway. I have one that I got from My dad, in turn that He got from his Dad, who got it sometime in the 1920's. It doesn't even look very high quality even for that time.

[The1andOnlyKC]

What Marlin said. I think I paid 45 dollars for mine. I took a drum off the brake of a semi and a 4"x3' piece of pipe and a 1'x1' piece of 1/4" plate steel and made me a stand for it so it isnt mounted to my bench and I can put bigger things in it if I set it in the middle of the garage. But I also use mine for other stuff besides guns.

[Chaffee2]

If it is just a basic bench vise you should be able to find a used American made one at a yard sale or pawn shop for a fraction of that. I paid $10 for mine at a yard sale. When I was shopping around all I could find was over-priced chinese crap at the stores.

[Great-Kazoo]

i purchased mine from home depot. however i don't see it on their web site. so you might want to see if it's in stock and not a web item
it looks similar to this one from harbor freight
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=5655

only it has a nicer finish (pebble) 2 locking base bolts, and the jaws lock with a seperate bolt to hold the vice in any degree position vs the HF one that locks once you tighten the jaws.
i paid $59.99 for it and i didn't have to clean off the cosmoline like the HF has all over it.

[7idl]

Sears Craftsman (American Made) done plenty of stuff with mine ;)

[michael_aos]

Got the bench and set it up last night. Now I've GOT to find a vice.

http://homepage.mac.com/michael_aos/.Pictures/Garage/IMG_5373.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/michael_aos/.Pictures/Garage/IMG_5374.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/michael_aos/.Pictures/Garage/IMG_5375.jpg

[7idl]

Nice! you need a Wilton for that bench ;)

what kind of motocycle you have there?

[michael_aos]

I've been looking at this Wilton.

http://homepage.mac.com/michael_aos/.Pictures/Wilton-1.jpg

[michael_aos]

what kind of motocycle you have there?

It's a 2002 Suzuki DRZ-400S. I bought it in November 2001.

It's got about 1200 miles on it. I met my (now) wife shortly after I bought it and haven't done much with it since. Just takes up space in the garage.

Mike

[KarlPMann]

sniff sniff sniff....sniff sniff... hmmmm, is that a cheap bike I smell there? :twisted: Karl wantsonetoo Mann.

[michael_aos]

s that a cheap bike I smell there?

I keep thinking I'm going to do SOMETHING with it. I'm being laid-off soon (date TBD) and I was thinking maybe I'd use it to commute to my new job.

I had posted it for $3500 a while back, with surprisingly little interest.

I'd probably let it go for $3K to a good home.

My wife works in the medical field and she refers to all motorcycles as "donor-cycles". She'd prefer I just got rid of it.

Mike

[KarlPMann]

If I had the money... :twisted: http://www.uzi-world.net/smilies/biker.gif Karl. 8)

[7idl]

cool, I have a 93 DR350 8)

[The1andOnlyKC]

Nice bench I have one just like it in my basement. I use it for computers when I was doing that. Now it is a place to plug in the chargers for my lights and radios, clean guns.

[michael_aos]

$249 from Brownells:

http://www.brownells.com/Images/Products/080000019.jpg

$39.99 from MidwayUSA:

http://homepage.mac.com/michael_aos/.Pictures/wheeler.jpg