Vintage Bench Vise

A Buyer's Guide to Choosing a Vintage Bench Vise

When you need to secure an item to a workbench, it helps to have the right vintage bench vise. These antique vises for sale are made from different materials and manufactured by different companies. On eBay, you can choose different colors, sizes, specifications, brands, and types of an antique bench vise for sale at a reasonable price.

Materials from which an affordable old vise is made

An inexpensive old vise may be made from a range of materials, including cast iron, which is commonly found on the antique vises. Ductile iron and malleable cast iron may also be used for the vices. For the engineer's style of old vices, cast steel may be used. A hardwood block may be attached to the jaws or heads of the vices for protection. The screws are usually made of steel. Jaw covers of copper or aluminum may be attached to old vises.

Which types of big vintage bench vises are available?

The available types of large vintage bench vises include:

• Clamp-on: This is a light-duty type of antique bench vise, and its applications include wood, plastic, and light metal.
• Engineer's: These are used for clamping metal. They are often made of gray cast iron for rigidity and strength. They have the highest pounds per square inch of pressure capacity.
• Woodworking: These are the classic old vises for benches. They feature wood pieces attached to the heads in order to lessen the risk of leaving an impression on the wood being worked.

Some features of a sturdy vintage bench vise

The features of new or used vintage bench vises include:

• Year of manufacture: The year of manufacture and location of production may be stamped into the base.
• Quick-release lever: This reduces the risk of an injury.
• Adjustable lead screws: These are available in the cross vises for creating multiple holes with a drill press.
• Rotating heads: These help secure oddly shaped objects.
• Serrated heads: These offer additional traction for securing the object.

How do you choose the right vintage bench vise?

When you're shopping for durable new or used vises for sale, consider its:

• Brand: Some of the options are Wilton, Columbian, Craftsman, and Stanley.
• Color: The options include metallic silver, red, black, blue, gray, and yellow.
• Strength: The strength ranges from 500 to more than 55,000 pounds per square inch.
• Sub-type: There are rotary, sine, off-center, angle, cross, compound, and leg vise sub-types.
• Size: The range is 3.5 to more than 12 inches.