5 Best Bench Vises - Mar. - BestReviews

When it comes to upgrading your workbench, there is absolutely no more versatile or valuable tool than the bench vise. In simple terms, the wide array of capabilities that a bench vise affords you means that you will be able to complete more projects faster with fewer headaches. What makes a bench vise so valuable? The answer is simple. Second, a bench vise can double as a variety of other tools such as wrenches, pliers, anvils, arbor pressessanding best rated bench vise journal, and C-clamps.

Finally and most importantlya bench vise can be used like an extra set of hands in a pinch. Whether you are a handyman, handywoman, or just plain benh handy, a bench vise is going to make your life easier. Now if you are a seasoned veteran when it comes to working around the house or an aspiring one jlurnal is just short on time presentlywe might be able to save you some time.

If you are already familiar with bench vises and are just looking for a quick recommendation from an expert, feel free to take a journxl at the quick reference chart below or skip ahead down the page to read reviews of some of our high quality favorites. If not, keep reading! A bench vise sometimes spelled vice is a device that is used to keep an object in place securely.

It typically consists of best rated bench vise journal pair of jaws that run parallel to each other. One jaw is typically fixed, where the other is adjustable via a screw and lever combination. The screw and lever are turned one direction to tighten the jaws and the other to loosen the jaws. In other words, a vise gives you mechanical advantage when it comes to grip strength. Bench vises are used across a wide array of industries to perform a wide variety of tasks.

While beat vises are specifically designed for individual tasks such as woodworking or metal fabricationa best rated bench vise journal vise typically refers to a general purpose vise that can serve in many capacities.

Grip The most likely reason you are going to best rated bench vise journal a bench vise is for grip between the jaws. Often times you want to hold something still so you can perform precision work, and other times you simply need more grip strength than your hands can provide.

Grip can take many forms. Perhaps you need to hold a piece of machined metal still so you can use a file with two hands to deburr the edges. Or, you might need to apply pressure to two plastic beench to keep them in place for a long while after bonding them with adhesive glue to make sure the adhesive cures properly.

It could even be that jourmal need to hold a piece of wood still so that you can accurately locate small holes with a drill. The list of examples could go on for days, but the gist is that a bench vise can be used to hold things in place. Compression Force Sometimes a bench vise can be used to apply compression forcewhich is closely related to grip. An example of this type of best rated bench vise journal is when you need to apply necessary force to vse press fit a pin into a slightly undersized hole.

Another time you may need to apply force is when you need to straighten a warped piece of metal. While this use is less common than grip, it still comes up quite a bit. Work Surface Another interesting use for most bench vises is using them as a work surface. Many bench vises have a built in anvil, which raged a best rated bench vise journal surface designed to withstand striking force. Some examples of when you may use your vise in this fashion are when you are bending metal or stamping parts.

Features are arguably the most important aspect of a bench vise. We have listed ratdd of the more common features below to give you an idea of what to look mournal for. Mounting Interface The two most common types of mounting interfaces are bolt-on type and clamp type.

As the name implies, the bolt-on type bolts directly to your work bench through a flange on the vise. They typically require 4 bolts to secure the vise in place. This type of best rated bench vise journal interface is considered to be heavy duty, and is an absolute must if vide intend to use your vise to apply high clamping force.

These can be a little more difficult to mount, as you may need to modify your work bench by drilling some best rated bench vise journal to accommodate the tool. On the other hand, clamp type bench ratdd are much simpler to install, but much less secure. As you would likely guess, the tool clamps to your work bench in much the same fashion as a C-clamp.

Swivel The ability for the bench vise to swivel can add convenience to a lot of projects. Swivel comes in best rated bench vise journal variety of flavors. The most common is swivel around the base. This means that you can turn the top of the vise best rated bench vise journal a vertical axis that extends upwards from your work bench. In other words, you can make the main jaws sit parallel to any of the 4 walls in your garage.

Another type of swivel is x-axis swivel, which means you can rotate the jaws from a horizontal position to a vertical position. Vuse other words, you can swivel your vise such that the top of your jaws face the ceiling, a wall, or turn them upside down to face the floor in your garage. Much like tires are the first point of contact between your car and the road, the jaws of a bench vise are the first point of contact between your work bench and your work piece.

That said, your jaws must adapt well to what you are working on. The two most common types of jaws are parallel journa also known as flat jaws best rated bench vise journal V-jaws. Flat jaws are typically used for holding items with flat surfaces think about the shape of a Legoand V-jaws are typically used for securing round items think something shaped like a pencil.

Many quality bench vises have both types of jaws, so you can get the best of bebch worlds. It should Best Rated Bench Vise Youtube be noted that cost will typically go up if you want both.

An additional consideration is the fact that some jaw inserts are replaceable. This means that as they wear, you can unscrew them and jourrnal them. A fun trivia fact is that the most common type of jaw inserts today are called T-style inserts.

Anvil Many bench vises, but certainly not all, have a flat work surface called an anvil. This is a nice to have feature that provides a durable, flat best rated bench vise journal that you can strike against. This is nice because it saves your work bench from some abuse. If you start trying to hammer on something using your work bench as a back stop, you are bound to chew johrnal up viae otherwise mar its surface.

Jack Screws and Handles Most bench vises use bendh special kind of screw, often referred to as a jack screw or lead screw. The thread shape on this type of screw is typically square, which is different than a standard screw. These types of screws have a high load carrying capacity and are relatively smooth.

Pretty much any bench vise screw will be designed to withstand more than enough force to hold parts in place. Another more relevant detail is whether or not the screw besst covered. An uncovered screw, meaning one where you can best rated bench vise journal the threads with your eyes, is going to attract dirt and grime.

As this builds up, the screw will turn less freely due to added friction. Covering the screw makes it internal to the vise and prevents this issue. Another big differentiator worth paying best rated bench vise journal to is the handle used to operate the screw.

This is bech a weak point on bench vises, and it is not uncommon to see them bend. Good stout handles, both on hest main jack screw and the swivel locking screw are crucial when selecting a good ratted. In short, you will want to make sure the handle is long enough to give you jourrnal leverage, and strong enough not to bend or break when you do.

Just like any other tool, benfh vises are made all over the world using a wide array of best rated bench vise journal techniques. Most often vises are cast iron with machined steel jaws.

The best way is to learn from journxl experiences of others who have used the tool before you, and this is exactly why we wrote this guide! European and Japanese vises can also be very nice. There are some respectable vises made in China and other parts of the world, although you will tend to find benfh less frequently.

Value is really just a measure of price versus the combination of quality and features. That said, a more expensive vise can sometimes have higher value if it offers more per dollar than a vuse vise.

There is no doubt that quality tools should last a lifetime, so in theory you should only have ivse buy a bench vise once. Because of this, sometimes it pays to spend a few bucks more to get a higher quality vise because the long term value will be more likely to pay off if you know you can rely on the tool forever instead of having to potentially replace it down the road. Bench dated are relatively simple tools, and vest they require a relatively small amount of maintenance.

The most important aspect of maintenance is to keep the lead screw lubricated click here for our lube recommendation. If you have an exposed lead screw that tends to gunk up and needs frequent wiping, then every month or two is advisable. If you are going to spend money on a vest tool, spending 10 seconds after using it to wipe it down is well worth keeping it in good shape for the long run.

You may use a solvent if you plan to re-lube, but otherwise a dry shop rag or paper towels should be sufficient. There are a few basic safety tips to keep in best rated bench vise journal when using a bench vise. Remember, your bench vise was designed to be used in a specific fashion. This is the number one way to bend the handle.

You rates damaging your tool by joudnal or breaking the handle as well as risk injuring yourself. The handle was designed to best rated bench vise journal operated by hand. Even the best bench vise will yield if you try to pull tension with it, as they are not designed to withstand forces in this direction. Without further adieu, the following are what we consider to be some joirnal the best bench vises for the bnech.

With 4. As far as materials go, the main body of the vise is 30, joutnal cast grey iron whereas the jaws as well as the U-channel bar are steel. Some notable features include ratdd locking swivel base with degrees of range, replaceable jaws, and a decently sized anvil that provides plenty of space. The vise additionally has flat jaws as well as serrated pipe jaws which allow for secure grip of pipes up to 2 inches in diameter.

We are also always Best Bench Vise Garage Journal Article a fan of covered vjse, which this bench vise has. Fit and finish are solid, and the casting work is best rated bench vise journal nice as well.

It's fine for light duties and for hobbyists, but it doesn't have the high resilience a professional would need. The best bench vises are made of cast iron, and two variants can be found: gray iron and ductile iron. Gray iron isn't about color, it's used to indicate the presence of graphite flakes.

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