huge vise

[aostling]

How big do vises get? This one, on Craig's List, weighs over 200 pounds. http://phoenix.craigslist.org/tls/367030483.html .

I see that Craig's List is now in Europe and Australasia. It's a good place to check for bargains, or to get rid of something (like this vise). In this particular ad, though, the asking price seems excessive.

[dp]

$350 plus shipping for a broken 205 lb vise doesn't sound like a great deal for this PNW moss choker. However - craigslist is full of interesting stuff. I did a google search for a shaper: metal shaper site:seattle.craigslist.org and got a hit. Out of my price range and bigger than I'm looking for, but additional searches did turn up some fascinating machinery locally. Sure beats flogging ebay.

[Your Old Dog]

I've got one that looks just like it, only mine fits in the palm of your hand and it's also a Wilton !! It came attached to a heavy duty vice ball mount which is what I was actually after. Got it for $15.00 at a yard sale.

[Evan]

I don't think the Wilton name means too much anymore. Our local large tool dealer/hardware/bbq etc vendor is Canadian Tire. They had vises on sale recently and I bought a small one, about 3" with swivel base for ten bucks. Along with all the store brand (Mastercraft) boxes was one lonely Wilton box in the same bin. I opened it and it was the exact same vise but with the Wilton name instead. Cheap, serviceable but nothing special and certainly made in China.

[Ries]

Vises certainly get bigger than that, but I think that is the biggest one Wilton still makes.

It is an 800N, which weighs just over 200lbs, and is an 8" vise.


Wilton was bought by WHM Tools, which is a subsidiary of Walter Meier, a Swiss conglomerate, about 5 years ago.
WHM also owns Jet, since the early 80's, and Powermatic as well.

They make Wilton tools both in the USA and in China and Taiwan, and some Wilton tools, for instance their rebadged Strands drill presses, are from europe.

You can get a USA made Wilton vise- but you just have to pay for it- LOTS!

The vise you linked to, an 800N, is about $1700 new if you buy the made in USA version.

http://www.southern-tool.com/store/w...300n_vise.html

But, if you buy the same design made in China, its a heckuva lot cheaper- about $700.

http://www.southern-tool.com/store/w...-503_vise.html

[Alistair Hosie]

Seventeen hundred bucks for avice is alot of money but then again if you have need for it then you have little choice which would you guys buy if you needed a vice that big the USA made or the Chinese copy.I suppose the copy does not take a beating like the dearer one or is it the same metal?if its exactly the same but just that one is farmed out to China I would have the Chinese everytime.It all comes back to the same argument are the Chinese doing us a favour or are we loosing good homebase businesses because of these cheap imports.For example I bought an expensive 14.4 Dewalt battery operated drill driver then I bought a very good cheapo with 24 volts two batteries quick charger rohm keyless chuck which in my opinion are just as good sorry guys better for me but I don't use them hour upon hour but they are much better cost me £25 I bought 2 of them in LIDDL's Alistair

[aboard_epsilon]

I've busted several chinky engineers vices over the years ...but non of my record vices have surrendered themselves...

the same goes for milling vices...........i dont bash them ....but I bash the handle to lock the work in them ..

The chinky enginneers ones would probably do the job ...untill you wack them like a maniac to bash something apart ........then they fail miserably ...
The home grown UK and American vices are made by people who know how to cast ...they pick the right type of quality iron ...and design them not to fail.

all the best.mark

[7018]

I picked up a 6 inch at a junk store for 25.00.It sells for 1400.00 new......I think I got a pretty good deal....

[thistle]

How big do vices get ?
well my Reed made me break a sweat moving it,
it can grab a 8 inch round , probably got a bit more to go as well,gets used a lot never bother really with the smaller vices i have
best part -price- free!

[speedy]

I picked up a 6 inch at a junk store for 25.00.It sells for 1400.00 new......I think I got a pretty good deal....

But have you factored in depreciation?