The bench vise is crucial for any workshop and is a necessary improvement for your workbench. It provides a secure grip on your work, allowing for precise cutting, sawing, planing, chiseling, and routing, whether you are using power tools or hand tools.
There is a wide variety of bench vises available for different workplace settings. For instance, woodworkers often opt for twin screw vises, which can securely hold stock in the center of the jaws, facilitating the dovetailing of wide boards. Plumbers, on the other hand, may prefer pipe bench vises that feature jaws specifically designed with a V-shaped indent to provide a firm grip on round tubes or bars.
Most bench vises are sold already assembled, made of cast iron, and include a built-in bench dog. Simply attach the bench vise to the surface of your workbench. Alternatively, you can buy vise hardware for screw and guide bars. In this case, you will need to provide wooden jaws to match your bench tops, which helps minimize the amount of visible metal.
Types of Bench Vises
A bench vise is a metal clamping device that is commonly found in metalworking, automotive work, woodworking, and hobbyist shops. This device is attached to the top, side, or underside of a workbench.
With a handle-screw mechanism, the bench vise is designed to securely hold a board, pipe, or other objects by opening and closing its jaws. This enables DIYers to perform various tasks like loosening stubborn nuts or bolts, as well as creating precise woodworking joints. Additionally, some bench vises are equipped with anvil surfaces, which are useful for small-scale metal-shaping activities such as hammering to straighten a bent nail.
When considering the different ways in which vises attach to a workbench, there are three primary types of bench vises: benchtop, front (or face) vises, and end vises.
When bench vises are permanently mounted, they prevent slipping while the user applies twisting pressure to tighten an item in the vise’s jaws. Each type of bench vise has its advantages, and the task at hand will determine the most suitable type for a specific job.
The Best Bench Vises
1. Eclipse Professional Tools Quick-Release Vise
The Eclipse bench vise, known for its smooth mechanism, has a spring-loaded, quick-release feature that allows the jaws to move quickly and anchor or release work. Designed with a “toe-in,” the sliding jaw’s top edge tilts slightly forward to prevent top-to-bottom racking.
Professional tool maker Chris Black, who has a fondness for this particular vise, points out that the top portion of the vise jaws are aligned inward, ensuring a secure grip even when the screw is tightened forcefully. In addition to its user-friendly design, this vise also includes a retractable dog that can be extended when necessary.
2. Yost Vises 445 Combination Vise
We have found the best budget vise to be the Yost Vises 445 bench vise. It has a 360-degree swivel base, allowing you to work comfortably in any direction. The vise’s clamp pressure ensures a secure hold on your workpiece. Made from high-quality cast iron and machined steel, this vise has a design that combines a pipe and bench, enabling you to hold items of different materials in various ways.
The bench vise is available in various sizes ranging from 4.5 inches to 8 inches, allowing for easy securing of workpieces of different sizes. The smallest vise has a jaw opening of 4 inches and a jaw width of 4.5 inches. This Yost model offers the best value due to its swivel base, strong clamping force, and ability to work with both pipes and wood.
3. Wilton All-Terrain Vise
The Wilton bench vise is perfect for those who need a portable option for work sites, have limited bench space, or only require a vise occasionally. The all-terrain vise can be attached to a truck’s tow hitch or temporarily mounted to a workbench.
The vise is secured firmly with a hitch pin and four adjustment bolts so that anything you lock down remains in place. It is constructed with powder-coated enamel steel and has a 6-inch jaw width as well as an integrated pipe jaw. Additionally, it boasts an impressive 1 ton of clamping force.
4. Lake Erie Toolworks Moxon Vise
If you’re looking to construct an ideal workbench for your dreams, it’s important to secure it with the Lake Erie vise, also known as the portable twin screw vise. This vise is incredibly smooth and convenient to use, making it perfect for woodworkers who need to hold wide boards and panels, engage in dovetail or mortise and tenon joinery, work on casework projects, and plane drawers to fit properly.
Even when clamping a 24-inch wide panel between the vise screws, the jaws remain parallel. The vise is made of hard maple and includes two jaws, threaded wooden screws, and chamfered handles. Additionally, the screws have oblong-shaped clearance holes that enable clamping of tapered work. This vise can be easily moved and can be clamped to any workbench or table surface.
5. Yost 750-DI Series Vise System
The Yost 750-DI Series is different from many vises in that it is made of ductile iron, a material that offers greater flexibility and strength compared to the standard cast iron often used. This increased flexibility allows the Yost 750-DI Series to endure heavier loads without the risk of breaking.
The vise has several distinctive characteristics, including multiple jaws such as an integrated pipe jaw, a V-shaped jaw, and main jaws that are 5 inches wide. Additionally, it has a 360-degree swivel base, which is perfect for holding unconventional objects or for obtaining a more favorable angle. If desired, the vise can be easily made portable by mounting it onto a sturdy board and clamping it to your workbench when necessary.
6. Pony Jorgensen Woodworker’s Vise 27091
There is no need for workshop warriors to spend a lot of money in order to obtain a dependable vise for their woodworking tasks. After mounting and evaluating the Pony Jorgenson woodworker’s vise, we discovered that it is sturdy, long-lasting, and adaptable. Specifically created for securely grasping wood, this robust vise has inner jaws that are smooth, reducing the chances of leaving marks on the boards when tightly gripping them.
Many woodworkers attach wood jaw liners to the screw holes on the inner sides of the jaws to ensure they do not damage delicate wood species like cedar or poplar. The Pony vise, commonly used in woodworking, can be mounted on both the front and underside of a workbench, which is a standard practice for face-type vises.
Included with the vise is a tool called a dog, which is a bar that can be raised on the front of the vise to provide support for bigger boards. Dogs are frequently found on wood vises, and we were particularly pleased with the ease at which this one operated and its ability to securely hold our boards. When using a workbench, the dog is used concurrently with a bench stop positioned on top.
One slight drawback of the Pony Jorgenson vise is that it does not have a lever for quick-release or quick-adjustment. As a result, we had to rely solely on the handle screw to open and close the vise jaws. Nevertheless, considering the price, this is not a major issue.
This vise is classified as a medium-duty tool, which indicates its capability to handle various wood-gripping tasks. However, unlike cast iron ones, this vise is constructed from steel and is thus not intended for withstanding heavy usage, such as holding heavy timbers for notching.
7. Wilton WS8 Shop Vise 63304
The big boys are arriving! Our initial observation was the sheer weight of the Wilton heavy-duty bench vise, which is an impressive 65.3 pounds, making it the most robust vise we examined. Ensure you mount it on a strong workbench, preferably over a bench leg to assist in supporting its weight.
With its jaw width of 8 inches and cast iron construction, this shop-type vise is ideal for individuals who engage in plumbing or metal fabrication and require a robust vise for securely holding steel or iron items.
While we filed the iron rebar, the large cast-iron vise securely held it and we made use of the convenient swivel lever to turn the upper part of the vise in different directions. This feature enabled us to work comfortably without the need to lean or exert extra effort.
The serrated jaws can be replaced, however, based on our testing that involved tightly cranking down on various iron and steel objects, we observed only a few surface scratches on them. Thus, we anticipate that they will endure without the need for replacement for a considerable period.
Although not suitable for woodworking, this vise excels at gripping steel and iron items due to its serrated jaws that may leave imprints on wood. We discovered this when we utilized the vise to hold a board while routing the edge.
8. Wen BV456 6-Inch Heavy-Duty Cast Iron Bench Vise
The Wen vise is designed with serrated jaws that effectively secure steel and iron materials without any slippage. However, it is not suitable for grasping and holding wood. When we tightened the boards within the jaws of the Wen vise, noticeable imprints were left on the wood.
The width of the jaws is 6 inches, and it can open up to 6 inches, making it suitable for securely holding pipes, bars, and various items for welding, sharpening, or fabricating. The anvil feature on the rear is convenient; we utilized it to flatten the end of a copper pipe using a hammer. Although it may not be specifically designed for woodworking, it is capable of handling almost any other shop project of moderate intensity.
9. Real Avid Master Gun Vise With Torq-Lok
The other bench vises we evaluated can be divided into two categories: woodworking or shop-type vises. However, the Real Avid vise does not function as a holder for wood or pipes. Instead, it is specifically designed for light-duty precision tasks like securing a firearm when attaching a scope or holding a knife for sharpening.
The Real Avid vise is equipped with unique features that are not found in regular vises. These features include a ball-and-socket joint, which enables us to swivel the vise and move it in various directions. Additionally, the vise includes removable padded jaw protectors, ensuring a secure grip on delicate items while preventing any marks or smudges.
Although the Real Avid is primarily designed for gunsmithing, it can also be used for other activities that demand a delicate yet firm grip, such as maintaining fishing reels or honing knives.
