"Bubba"

[SoftHeart]

Yes, I believe everybody is right about having a smaller vise; the smaller vise my Dad left me is about 3-3 1/2" and is ok to use for smaller projects where I don't have to wang on something.

Also had a British woodworking vise for a long while until I almost lost some fingers doing something I shouldn't have been doing. Getting older, so I made the decision to keep my fingers and sell my saws/woodworking tools (need 'em to operate my cameras/guns, so I removed temptation).


I took this pic yrs. ago after I put this bench together, and put my Dad's vise on the other end. I realized I wasn't going to trust the plywood top w/heavy stuff so I beefed it up w/2x12's, and then sprang for Bubba.

I think this vise is at least 75 yrs. old.

[CWL]

Never thought about naming tools before, although I've named a few pistols!

Nice vise & condition! I have one from my father, probably from the 1970's and looks like a boat anchor used in D-Day. Still mechanically solid but has all the rusty bits and chipped paint to show its age.

[NavCop]

I built a once in a lifetime workbench in 1970. It's built of 1/4" steel and God-awful heavy. Of course, it has a Wilton on the end of it. I've moved several times and it's always gone with me. A pain to be sure, but worth it. The bench, and the Wilton, will certainly outlast me. Good decision, OP.

[SoftHeart]

Unless they're lying through their teeth, this is one of their few left that is still made in the USA.

If I was going to get another vise, today (which I'm not), and I did some due diligence/confirmed "Made in America", I'd get this.


It's my understanding they're are a few other vise makers making American, or at least they were 5 yrs. ago.

My portable 1 1/2 horse compressor is 35 yrs. old. Still works great.


Thinking about getting a 2nd one; should've taken my blood pressure pills B4 I ck'd prices on the American Compressors. They do want the money 4 a car.


I got a neighbor who does nothing but go to garage sales. He says it always happens that the husband keeps secret all the good tools he's been buying, doesn't tell the wife, then he dies, and primo tools go on garage sale for next to nothing.

He says he'll get me a great compressor, American made 4 peanuts.

https://www.wiltontools.com/us/en/p/combination-pipe-and-bench-5-jaw-round-channel-vise-with-swivel-base/28827

[smoothy8500]

Grandfather's Wilton is from the 1950's and is still doing legit work...