Are there any decent and affordable bench vices out there now?

[A930Rocket]

I dropped a part off at the machine shop a little while ago, and I’ll be darned if they didn’t have a treadle powered lathe, like the one in my picture. I’ll try to snap a picture when I go back early next week.

[911 Rod]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

That’s a nice looking vice. I like the fact that it’s got a large built-in anvil. Mine looks small and well used.

If you start pounding on that anvil the perfectionists will hunt you down.

[Tobra]

You want to hit some estate sales.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I dropped a part off at the machine shop a little while ago, and I’ll be darned if they didn’t have a treadle powered lathe, like the one in my picture. I’ll try to snap a picture when I go back early next week.

That's so cool.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

That’s a nice looking vice. I like the fact that it’s got a large built-in anvil. Mine looks small and well used.

After reading too many pages on Garage Journal, "EXP" meant that your 5 year warranty expired in '62...so yours is a 1957 Vintage, made the year they left Chicago.

[scotricker]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Did you get the 4.5" or the 5.5" version? I've looked at those for a while - the 5.5 takes up a big footprint, but I wonder if the 4.5" would frustrate me by its comparative limitations?

I got the 5.5 , I didnt want to get the other, then wish I got the bigger

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

After reading too many pages on Garage Journal, "EXP" meant that your 5 year warranty expired in '62...so yours is a 1957 Vintage, made the year they left Chicago.

I thought it was strange they stamped the from guarantee date, not the to guarantee date.🤪

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I thought it was strange they stamped the from guarantee date, not the to guarantee date.🤪

Yeah, go to Garage Journal, scroll to antique tools, scroll again to Wilton Vise. 33 pages of pics, restorations, company info, etc. Almost a religion for the Wilton fanatics. Sheesh, you'd think they were like the 911 line or something... I did find out that mine was made during the WWII years...or maybe just before. That means 80 years of functioning well...with zero maintenance on my part. Maybe I should oil some moving parts or something. My dad bought a lot of GI surplus stuff post war...maybe the vise was part of it?