berkeleying Craftsman

I have a swivel vice on my bench. The bench is made of thick steel and is bolted to the concrete floor and wall. I can bend long bars in it and it won't move. I've broken one in half but they don't slip.

It may help that I serviced the vice before it went on the bench. Made sure the swivel mechanism was free of debris or flaws that would keep it from swiveling and would prevent it from making full contact on the ring.

There's nothing wrong with an overseas vice. Pouring iron is not a new or complex technology. It was being done in China before those pesky Bostonians decided to turn their harbor into the world's largest cup of tea. Buying the cheapest one you can find, however, may mean that you are buying from a factory - anywhere in the world - that is putting price ahead of design and metallurgy. There were crap vices 50 years ago, I'm sure. But the process of Darwinian selection has thinned their ranks

maschinenbau wrote: Even Wilton is making their new stuff overseas.

Not entirely true. Wilton still makes some of their vices here in the USA. I recently bought a nice 4 inch swivel Wilton for under 300 dollars from Zoro.com. It's absolutely made in USA. Zoro sends out 25% off coupons and free shipping over 150 bucks so it's an attractive place to buy a heavy vice from.

Here is a link for the USA made Wiltons

Gee, thanks Cousin_Eddie! Now I suddenly need a new vice after seeing that Wilton site

wheelsmithy wrote: In reply to DrBoost: As I said, it was bound to come across poorly, and I more meant to share knowledge I had garnered from some old school blacksmiths than act preachy. No nastiness intended. As to the reason, it is two fold. First, Cast Iron is not meant to absorb impacts. Just the same as a glass gets tiny fractures every time it is dropped until someday, it shatters, it is the same with cast iron. The other bit is the leg mounted to the ground/floor transfers the force. Now, I'm off to google weather a blacksmith's vice is forged or not. Note: I hammer on my Crappy Chinese swivel vice as well. Edit: Wrought Iron on the blacksmithing vice. As long as I'm being a know-it-all, two more things, then I'll STFU. Vices can crack if the jaws are left clamped shut in extreme temperature changes. Always leave them open. Welding on cast is pretty specialized stuff (heat, stick weld with high nickel rod, control cooling). Thread jack over.

Very interesting. I didn't think you came off wrong, but I might have. I was actually very curious as to the reason behind the statement.

In reply to DrBoost:

Right-O. I'm being overly cautious with words these days. Cheers!

Now off to beat on my crappy (but free) Chinese vice that had been welded to be a non-swivel until the incorrectly welded cast Iron weld broke. PS, not really, it's in storage- that's why I'm blabbing on the internet instead of ruining something.

I got a bonus Christmas present today when I told my father in law (a retired machinist) that I was probably going to drive an hour away tomorrow to pick up a vise I saw on Craigslist. He said, "I got five of 'em, and I'm not using one, you can carry it home of you want."

Yes, please and thank you. I'm not sure what kind it is (we just got home not long ago) but, hell, free vise.