The bench vise is essential for working wood and metals with precision. Let’s see the best models, prices, and features, buying the best bench vise suitable for your needs.
A bench vise is necessary for every workshop, perfect for DIY jobs at home or in the garage. Fixed to the workbench, the vice allows you to keep the pieces still to work them. For example, it is useful for welding, cutting, filing, engraving, and gluing.
We find wood and mechanical vices suitable for working metal pieces among the different bench vises. The mechanical clamps are suitable for greater strength and are built entirely of steel or cast iron.
While it is more difficult to work steel with a vice for wood, you can also work wood with small adjustments by buying a vice for mechanics.
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How to choose a bench vise
Let’s look at the main features of bench vises that can help us choose the best. First, we must understand what we have to work with, what types of materials, and what dimensions.
Materials
Professional bench vises for mechanics are made of steel or cast iron. These materials are the most resistant and can impart greater strength, keeping the workpiece still.
They are also suitable for hammer work. Another feature is that they are heat-resistant materials, especially cast iron, and can be used to weld pieces or cut them with a flame without damaging the clamp.
Wood clamps are also made of a metal body, but wood or other soft materials, such as rubber, at the jaws, are necessary to avoid leaving marks or, worse, ruining the wood pieces.
Dimensions and weight
When buying a vice, we must also carefully consider the size of the pieces we need to work with. There are vices for working on tiny pieces and others for larger pieces.
The larger the bench vise, the greater its weight. Consequently, the vice will be even more stable and offer the right support to hold the piece in place during processing.
Opening and depth of the vice
In addition to the vice’s general dimensions, we must consider the jaws’ opening above all. For example, the maximum opening size, 6 inches, indicates the maximum size of the piece we can work on. Similarly, the depth indicates the vertical space between the jaw opening and the base from the vice, for example, 3.7 inches.
The piece to be worked on must be fixed so that most of it is taken inside the vice in this way; maximum stability is obtained.
Clamping pressure
Another key parameter is the clamping pressure. This is the maximum force we can exert on the piece we work on. The pressure is shown in lbs. For example, there are clamps with a pressure of 220 lbs and others with over 4409 lbs. The choice depends on the material we have to work on, the size, and the type of work required.
Jaws
The jaws are the part that keeps the piece still. In screw bench vises, the jaws are opened or closed thanks to the screw’s rotation that moves the movable jaw away from or near a fixed jaw. The most common are the parallel bench vises, where the jaws act on the same line. On the market, we can also find angled vices or goose-neck vices.
The jaws in contact with the workpiece must be knurled to prevent the pieces from slipping. In bench vises for working wood, the surface of the jaws will be in wood or rubber. In any case, jaws can be applied to the jaws, that is, supports made of other materials to adapt to the workpiece and avoid ruining it.
Fixing
The bench vise fixing can be performed with appropriate screws on wooden work tables or with the screw clamp, a single body with the vice. The aim is always to obtain the maximum possible stability, which would be ideal for keeping the vice in the same position.
The same workbench must be fairly stable and heavy, especially if we have to carry out cutting, torsion, or hammer work.
Swivel base
The best bench vises have a swivel base. The base rotation offers maximum freedom during processing and allows us to work the piece on different angles without moving and repositioning it on the vice.
Anvil
Many models of bench vises for mechanics also act as an anvil. Located in the vise’s fixed part, the anvil allows you to work the pieces with a hammer.
The best bench vises to buy
Below is the complete selection of bench vises with screws to buy, their respective characteristics, technical data, and prices.
- Powder coat paint resists scratches and provides a tough durable surface
- Replaceable hardened steel jaws with a serrated pattern ensure grip and a long life
- Dual lock-downs and a 360-degree swivel base
- Jaw Width: 125mm (5"), Jaw Opening: 125mm (5"), Throat Depth: 67mm (2.6"), Clamp Force: at...
- More Durable and Sturdy: Material upgraded, stationary body and floating body of DT08125A...
- More Clamping Options: DT08125A bench vise is equipped with 3 sets of well-machined jaws:...
- 360-degree rotating head for clamping material at any angle
- Indexed at 30-degree increments for quick set up
- Replaceable steel pipe jaws
- Heavy Duty Bench Vise: The Pony bench vise feature swivel bases with dual lock nuts,...
- Dimensions: Jaw width: 5 Inch; Throat depth: 2-5/8 Inch; Jaw opening: 5 Inch; Anvil work...
- Vertically & Horizontally 360-Degree Swivel: You can adjust the rotation of the ductile...
- Built to Last: The swivel vise is forged from sturdy 60,000 PSI ductile iron, with a...
- Large Anvil Area: The strong design comes in handier when you take the 2.9" x 3" anvil...
- Considerate Vise Kit: The updated accessories of this vise are now more thoughtful than...
- MULTI-JAW DESIGN - Versatile 4.5" bench vise offers multi-jaw function, perfectly clamping...
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION - Industrial-strength, crafted from premium gray iron, this workbench...
- USER-FRIENDLY INSTALL - Whether a pro or novice, easily set up this bench clamp on your...
- Jaw Width: 114.3mm (4.5"), Jaw Opening: 127mm (5"), Throat Depth: 66mm (2.6"), Clamping...
- Ductile Iron Bench Vise: Material upgraded, Forward CR40A vise is all made from sturdy...
- More Clamping Options: CR40A bench vice is equipped with 2 sets of jaws: replaceable...
- HOME VISE: Is the perfect tool for your home workshop. Made from heavy duty 30,000 PSI...
- TECHNICAL SPECS: Jaw Width: 4.5" x Jaw Opening: 3" x Throat Depth: 2.6" x Pipe Capacity:...
- SWIVEL BASE: Vise head rotates 240° and equipped with a large 3.5" x 2.7" (8.9CM X 6.9CM)...
- Built to Last: The swivel vise is forged from sturdy 60,000 PSI ductile iron, with a...
- Large Anvil Area: The strong design comes in handier when you take the 2.8" x 3" anvil...
- Considerate Vise Kit: The updated accessories of this vise are now more thoughtful than...
- Versatile Multi-Jaw Function: Our 4.5" bench vises feature a unique multi-jaw design that...
- Industrial Strength Construction: Made from high-quality gray iron, our multipurpose vise...
- Stable and Easy to Install: Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, our bench vice is...
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