The Best Vises
A vise is the anchor of any workbench. It holds material steady while you saw, file, plane, drill, or chisel. The jaws must be parallel, the screw must be smooth, and the casting must be heavy enough to absorb vibration without transferring it to the workpiece. A good vise is a 50-year tool.
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How to Choose
Bench vises bolt to the bench and handle metalwork. Woodworking vises mount flush and have wide jaws for holding lumber. The jaw width determines the size of work you can hold. 4 to 5 inches for general bench work. 7 inches or more for woodworking. The screw should be smooth under load. The anvil surface (on bench vises) should be flat and hardened.
Yost 455 4.5-Inch Utility Bench Vise
If you only buy one, make it this one. Read the full guide below for alternatives at every price point.
Find on Amazon arrow_forwardWhat to Look For
Six things that separate the good from the rest.
4 to 5 inches for general metalwork and household tasks. 7 to 10 inches for woodworking. Wider jaws distribute clamping pressure more evenly.
An acme-thread screw is smooth and strong under load. A standard thread screw requires more turning. Quick-release mechanisms speed up opening and closing.
Heavier vises absorb vibration and stay planted. A 30-pound bench vise is a different tool than a 10-pound vise, even if the jaw width is the same.
Hardened steel jaws grip metal. Smooth or wooden jaws protect soft materials. Replaceable jaws extend the vise's life.
A swivel base lets you rotate the vise to the optimal working angle. Lock it down firmly. A loose swivel defeats the purpose of a vise.
Bench vises bolt through the benchtop. Woodworking vises mount flush with the front edge. Portable vises clamp to any surface. Match the mounting to your workspace.
The Picks
Yost 455 4.5-Inch Utility Bench Vise
A cast iron bench vise with a 4.5-inch jaw width and a 270-degree swivel base. The jaws are replaceable. The anvil is hardened. The pipe jaws grip round stock. This is the general-purpose bench vise for the home shop.
The bench vise that does everything. Metal, wood, pipe. The swivel base lets you work from any angle.
Find on Amazon arrow_forwardEclipse Quick Release Woodworking Vise 9-Inch
A front-mounted woodworking vise with 9-inch jaws and a quick-release mechanism that lets you open and close the jaws rapidly without turning the screw. The wide jaws hold boards flat for edge planing and joinery. Mounts flush with the benchtop.
The woodworker's vise. Wide jaws, quick release, and it mounts flush so the work sits flat.
Find on Amazon arrow_forwardStanley Multi-Angle Vise
A small, portable vise that clamps to any table or workbench. The jaws swivel and tilt to hold work at any angle. Not a substitute for a proper bench vise, but invaluable when you need to hold something steady and there is no bench in sight.
The vise for the job site, the apartment, and the kitchen table. Holds more than you expect.
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