Not all vises are created equal.  Sure they may look similar and provide the same function but when you use a Wilton vise, you can feel the difference.  Wilton makes one of the best vices on the market.  The craftsmanship is top-notch and it shows.  Once you lock anything into the jaws, it will stay in place, no matter how much torque you are putting on the material.  It will stay in place until you decide to remove it.  I could go on and on about Wilton and the quality, but let’s jump into the Wilton Multi-Purpose Bench Vise.

Wilton Multi-Purpose Bench Vise Information

• Name – Multi-Purpose Bench Vise, 6-1/2″ Jaw Width”, 360° Rotating Head & Base
• Model – 650P
• Price – $279
• Where to Buy – Buy Online
• More Information – Wilton Vise

Wilton Multi-Purpose Bench Vise Features

The Wilton 650P is a 6″ vise with a throat depth of 3-1/4″ and a jaw width of 6-1/2″.  This is a multiple purpose vise so yes you can hold pipe also.  The pipe jaw capacity is 5/8″ to 3″.

The hardened steel head jaws have a serrated pattern to ensure grip, and a great feature is that these are replaceable.

The body and movable jaw are 30,000 PSI gray cast iron and the base is 60,000 PSI ductile iron.  So yes, this is probably the last vise you will ever own.

The vise features a large handle which gives more leverage to tighten and loosen the jaws.

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The vise features both a serrated pattern head (which are replaceable) and a head for the pipe.

On the back of the vise, there is a built-in anvil for forming and shaping different types of materials.

There are four built-in mounting holes to mount to a table or tailgate.

On the back, there is a hand, built-in scale for measuring.

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The head rotates 360° with ease.  Great if you need to clamp material at different angles.

As you can see on the back, the screw is a heavy-duty metal screw for longevity.

Wilton Multi-Purpose Bench Vise Our Thoughts

When it comes to vises, Wilton is one of the best.  They dominate the industry because they build quality vises that last.  In fact, I am sure you will find a Wilton vise on your grandfather’s workbench or a Wilton that has been sitting on the back of a construction truck for years exposed to all the elements.

This new vise is no different.  The quality is what you would expect from Wilton.  The vise easily opens and closes without having to force or fight anything.  One of my favorite features is how you can pretty much position it in any direction for both pipes and clamping to allow you to efficiently work on any project.

Wilton Multi-Purpose Bench Vise Wrap Up

Bottom line, this vise is our top pick for vises.  The quality is superior, the ease of use is simple and it locks projects in place while you wrench on them.  Once you have something locked in the jaws, you have the peace of mind knowing it will stay there until you decide otherwise.  If you are looking for a vise, look no further, this is the vise to own.

The post Wilton Multi-Purpose Bench Vise appeared first on Tools In Action - Power Tool Reviews.

Whether you are a woodworker or metal worker, chances are you know that the tool company Bessey makes some of the best clamps available.

For several years, I’ve been using Bessey parallel clamps, bar clamps, face frame clamps, 90-degree clamps and a few other specialty clamps in my shop. I’ve been very happy with the results I can achieve with their incredible clamps.

Recently, I was asked to try out Bessey’s new EHK Trigger Clamps and let them know what I think. Now, to be perfectly honest, I’m not a huge fan trigger clamps and wasn’t expecting much of an improvement from the Bessey models over the other big brand clamps found in the big box stores. Don’t get me wrong, trigger clamps are very useful and have their place in just about any shop, but with the items I make, I like to have the precise straight high clamping force that parallel clamps always provide.

After using the Bessey EHK Trigger clamps in my shop for about a month now, I’ve gained a new-found respect for the trigger clamps.

Bessey EHK Trigger Clamp Review Overview

There are several things I look at when I’m using trigger clamps for the first time.

1. Can the clamp be operated easily with one hand?
2. How well does the release lever work?
3. How much clamping force can you get?
4. Does the clamp shift your work pieces when applying pressure?
5. Can the clamp be set up to be used as a spreader?

I’ve bought trigger clamps before that were complete disappointments. When this happens, the clamps quickly find their way into the trash.

In this review, I will be looking at the new Bessey EHK Trigger Clamps the same way I look at every other trigger clamp I have owned in the past.

Bessey EHK Trigger Clamp Review Features

The first thing that caught my attention when ordering these clamps is that you can purchase these in either light duty, medium duty or heavy-duty options. The heavy-duty clamps produce a force of 600 lbs., the medium-duty clamps produce a force of 300 lbs. and the light-duty clamps between 40 and 100 lbs. This to me is huge.

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Ergonomic composite handles make it easy to get the most clamping force possible.

The clamp release mechanism is in the trigger handle.

The soft touchpads are used to eliminate the risk of marring your work-piece. These touchpads are also removable.

A push-button is used to quickly set up the unit as a spreader. No tools required.

Bessey EHK Trigger Clamp Review Performance

Let me just start off by saying the new Bessey EHK Trigger Clamps are the best performing trigger clamps that I have ever used. Hands Down!

The 600 lbs. of clamping force from the heavy-duty clamps is by far the highest rating I have ever seen in a trigger clamp. This is very important to me in what I do in the shop. When I need to do a glue-up, I need to make sure the pieces of wood make good contact, so no cracks develop down the line. In the past, the only clamps I felt comfortable using for these glue ups were parallel clamps which produce forces of between 1,400 and 1,700 lbs.

I’ve used (and thrown away) trigger clamps in the past that when used, did not keep the pressure directly straight across the clamping surfaces. Because the bars used were so thin, it would bend when a lot of pressure was applied rendering the clamp useless in my book.

The Bessey trigger clamps are very well made with heavy-duty bars. I was not able to make these clamps deflect at all.  This goes for the heavy-duty clamps as well as the medium-duty clamps. Light duty clamps aren’t meant for large clamping pressure, so I wouldn’t expect them to perform the same way as the other clamps. With that being said, I am still impressed with the light-duty clamps.

The distance that the clamping heads travel when the trigger is squeezed is less than the other clamps I have used. At first, this sounds like a negative, but I don’t see it that way.  To me, it gives me more control over keeping my pieces aligned properly. This is probably the second-best thing about these clamps.

The clamp release mechanism located in the trigger handle is probably the only knock I have. It’s probably more of an issue of what I am used to than function. I find operating the lever isn’t as quick to operate as others.  I find myself searching for the lever instead of instinctively reacting. I’m sure this will change with time, but for now, it is slightly difficult.

Turning these clamps into spreaders is a simple operation with the release push button. I don’t use spreaders very often, but when you need one, it is sure nice to be able to set up quickly and easily.

The removable soft touchpads are common in most trigger clamps. I almost consider them a necessity.  From time to time, you will get some residual glue stuck on the pads. Its nice to be able to take them off and clean them up so you don’t cause damage to your next project.

Bessey EHK Trigger Clamp Review Value

Value can often by a tough to rate because everyone’s’ situation is different. So, I am just going to go about this from my point of view.

The EHK should be available in stores soon. Here are the anticipated prices and sizes of clamps that will be offered.

 In my opinion, these clamps are worth the price. Sure, you can find cheaper trigger clamps at Harbor Freight and the other manufactures found in the big box stores, but they cannot compare to the EHK trigger clamps from Bessey.

Bessey EHK Trigger Clamp Review Final Thoughts

The Bessey EHK trigger clamps have changed my mind on how useful a trigger clamp can be. I once thought of them as clamps used only as an extra hand. Now I plan on using them in more of my woodworking projects.

Knowing the quality products Bessey creates, I shouldn’t be surprised by these trigger clamps, but I am.  I never really thought the issues I had with trigger clamps could be overcome. Nice job Bessey.

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To me, a bench vise is easily the coolest piece of shop equipment there is. If you’re setting up new bench, the right vise can really make or break the build and Wilton’s “bullet” vises are about as sexy as vises get. I’m not saying women are going to start throwing themselves on you because you have a Wilton bullet vise on your bench, but you’ll certainly feel like they should. Like seemingly everyone else that makes anything worth owning has at some point, Wilton hails from Chicagoland. Starting out just before the United States entered WWII, Wilton grew to become what John Deere is to farm implements or Colt is to pistols, easily the most recognizable and sought after name in their industry. Wilton’s bullet models command a premium. An upper echelon bullet vise will easily set you back $1,200 – $1,500 and their top model, the 8″ 800S, will run you an eye opening $3,100 on Amazon.

On the budget of big industry, a couple grand (or 3) for a vise isn’t out of the realm of reason, but for most auto shops, indy repair and fabrication shops, or anybody else who needs a very high quality vise without the tool budget of Dupont, Halliburton, or a Class 1 Railroad, that’s a hard pill to swallow, but thanks to Wilton’s Tradesman line you too can bask in bullet vise glory.

The Bullet Vises

To understand the appeal of the Tradesman vises we must first understand the bullet vise as a whole. Wilton applied for their first patent, the 4″ 40S Machinist vise, on August 1st, 1941 giving birth to the now famous “bullet” vises. They were a solid design that differed from anything available at the time. Featuring an “unbreakable” malleable nut that created an even, central pull, and a completely enclosed thread to keep it clear of contaminates, it offered some significant advantages over other designs. Aside from superior clamping performance (which we’ll get into later), the real appeal to the bullet vises has always been their beauty. If you have an artistic bone in your body the bullets speak to you in a way other vises just don’t. Even after 70+ years on the market, they’re still the best looking vises around.

The Tradesman

When I started out in my first house I had nothing more than a twin bed, an obsolete TV, and an old night stand, so quality shop equipment just wasn’t in the cards. Like most broke kids with a need for tools, I went cheap. My cheap 6″ Chinese bench vise got me by, but it was merely adequate and using it was by no means a fulfilling experience. As I got older, my skills improved, and my tolerance for junk decreased, I knew it was time to upgrade to a high quality vise. Wilton offers the Tradesman in 4-1/2″, 5-1/2″, 6-1/2″, and 8″ wide versions, but the 5-1/2″ model 1755 was just what I was looking for.

Going from a budget vise to a Tradesman is like trading your Ford Escort in for a Porsche. Until you have that higher level of quality at your disposal, you don’t realize just how bad you had it. The Tradesman has all the features and performance that made Wilton famous.   With wide, reversible main jaws, replaceable pipe jaws, a 360 degree swivel base, and a nice sized work anvil, the Tradesman is up to a wide range of tasks. To demonstrate the Tradesman’s premium features, I decided to take it apart. I didn’t pull the spindle nut out, but I did tear it down far enough to give you a good look at the design.

Enclosed Channel

The enclosed channel is one of the things that makes the bullet vises so great. It does a couple of key things, it keeps debris, dust, and all the other crud out, while keeping lubrication in. The enclosed design allows for a “lifetime lubrication” meaning that with normal use, the vise should be maintenance free. Movement is guided by a keyway and being machined to incredibly tight tolerances (.002″), it’s virtually slop free. Everything works in harmony and the lead screw turns about as smooth as it possibly can.

60,000 PSI Ductile Iron Body

Unlike gray iron which offers superior stiffness, Wilton casts the Tradesman out of ductile iron which offers a much higher tensile strength and vibration absorption. For comparison, many budget vises are constructed from 30,000 psi iron meaning the Tradesman is literally twice the vise. Under normal (and probably some abnormal) usage perimeters, the Tradesman is nearly indestructible.

360 Degree Swivel Base

Many swivel base vises rely on bolts pulling the body against the base to secure it in place. This usually means you have to really crank on it to hold it in place. The Tradesman uses a hollow type base with a notched perimeter that utilizes 2 clamps that work similar to brake pads. They increase contact area thus creating incredible holding force with much less effort than traditional bases. The base also allows for true 360 degree operation which isn’t as common as you might think.

Fit & Finish

I know, it is a vise we’re talking about, and it’s undoubtedly going to see pretty rough service, but the Tradesman certainly looks the part of a quality vise. No sharp corners, rough edges, casting seams, or pits, out of the box it looks almost too good to use. Everything is precision machined, lines up perfectly, and all the non-painted surfaces are nicely polished to give the vise a real pop. The anvil is large enough to be useful, but not so large that it detracts from the flow of the design.

The only thing I noted on my autopsy report that fell short of perfection was the presence of metal chips from the thread cutting process on the lead screw. I’d have never known they were there had I not dissected it, and their removal yielded no noticeable improvement in performance, but I felt it was worth noting.

Clamping Performance

Despite all the features that give the Tradesman a quality look and feel, at the end of the day it’s all about the performance and the Tradesman doesn’t disappoint. Like all bullet vises, the Tradesman offers a secure hold that’s second to none.

Whether it’s pipe, plate, bar stock, or machined parts, the Tradesman holds it firmly in place. The key to the Tradesman’s superior hold is it’s even, straight line pull.

To demonstrate just how good this works, I clamped a socket down on the right side of the jaw. I then took caliper measurements on both sides of the vise.

If you do this test on many vises, you’ll find that the gap tends to be smaller on the empty side. As you can see, there was no cocking to one side with the Tradesman. The difference of .01 mm is a matter of where the caliper contacts the jaw teeth.

The 1755 is rated for a 5-3/4″ opening with a 3-3/4″ throat depth and a pipe range from 1/4″ to 3″. Don’t get too hung up on the pipe capacity though, if you can get it between the jaws, you can hold it securely.

Made In The USA

For me, this is really the best part. Once upon a time there were many options for American made vises, but with de-industrialization and the fact that a quality vise is a once in a lifetime purchase, there are few that remain. Wilton offers some pretty nice imported vises, but to me, a vise is one of those tools that ought to say MADE IN USA on the side. I also love the fact you can buy replacement parts should the need ever arise. That’s refreshing in today’s throwaway society.

Conclusions

With beauty, performance, a rich heritage, and USA cast into the side, the Tradesman is a great option for anyone looking for a relatively affordable vise that’s geared to the professional user. With a host of jaw caps available, the Tradesman can be tailored to virtually any task. This isn’t my first Wilton, and it probably won’t be my last, but it’s certainly my favorite. It’s up for just about whatever you can throw at it and it works both effortlessly and flawlessly.

If the bullet vises aren’t your speed, Wilton also offers many USA made Columbian pattern vises thanks to their acquisition of Warren Tool Group in the late 1990’s.

If you’re interested in seeing how the Tradesman is made, Wilton has a pretty cool video shot by the DIY Network that shows a lot of the manufacturing processes:

Stay tuned for more from Wilton including an upcoming restore of a 1950’s Shop King.

Check the Tradesman, and all the other quality Wilton products at Wiltontools.com

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A vise is a great tool.  It can be used for clamping your work and even for shaping/bending material.  The only thing that sucks about a vice is that it is usually stationary.  Well now Wilton has the ATV vice.  It basically fits in any 2″ receiver hitch, it even comes with a 2″ sleeve that you can mount to a trailer or your workbench.  It is held in place by a single hitch pin, that means it takes seconds to move it from place to another.

When in the hitch of your truck it has set screws so you can tighten up the fit.  This removes any play or vibrations that happen while you drive.  It has a handle on the back for easy carrying and the flat head striking anvil.  It really is the ATV of vise’s.  It is water resistant so you can drive with it everywhere.  Check your state laws though, in Illinois it has to be painted red otherwise you get a fine.  Also if you do decide to keep it in, I would suggest a a locking hitch pin like the Bolt that we reviewed here.  The jaws allow to hold a pipe vertical and are replaceable.

Check out the Wilton 1001 Vise on Amazon

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Yost knows vises, for over 100 years they have been making quality vises right here in the USA.  We fell in love with the quality of Yost when we reviewed the 865-D earlier this year.  The vice has held up even to the toughest abuse of flattening out metal plating with a hammer. Once you purchase a Yost it will last you forever.

First let’s talk about the RIA-4 compact 4″ bench ise with the 360° Swivel Base.  The vise is compact for a variety of precision work, it is compact so it will pretty much fit anywhere.  The replaceable serrated jaws grip event thinnest of materials.  The operation of the vise is smooth and precise.  The entie screw assembly is enclosed to prevent dirt and debris from getting into the unit.  You can check out more on the RIA-4 here via Yost.

Now on to the 250 2-1/2″ Clamp-on Vise, it is a great compact solution for those who need a vice that they can take with them or have a small area to work in.  It uses a simple yoke style screw that clamps on surfaces from 1/2″ – 1-7/8″ thick.  It works rather well and if you need an even more permanent solution it has a 2 screw holes so you can permanently mount it.   2 steel guide rods make the movement of the vice precise and smooth and has a very strong grip.  Once you set up the vise on a surface it stays planted.

Yost vises are top notch quality and we highly recommend them.  Dont believe us? Check out the review over at Toolguyd.com.

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A vise is a great thing to have and a must have for any shop.  Yost vises have been around since 1908, that’s as long as Bob Villa has been around!  They are known for building precision machined vises that can stand the test of time.  A Yost vise will last a lifetime and quite possibly your kids’ and grandkids’ lifetime.  They are for the professional that cannot afford downtime and needs made in the U.S.A precision quality that the Yost vice provides.

Check out Yost on Amazon

It all starts with the box, the vise arrives in hefty box to protect it from any damage.  It includes a manual and a mounting template.  You can mount it to whatever you want and in our case we thru-bolted it into our wood work bench.  The 865-DI weighs in at 49lbs and is made from Ductile Iron.  It has a huge flat anvil head area on top, this is great for banging out bearings, flattening metal, making 90 degree sheet metal bends, etc..  The jaws can be reversed to give you up to 11″ of depth and also provides a product support shelf.  The base swivels by loosening the two locks on either side of the vice.

The hardened steel jaws are replaceable and also can be reversed to provide a smooth side so you do not damage whatever you’re working on.  The casting is covered by a three year warranty but the consumables i.e.: jaws, lock downs and non cast hardware have a 90 day warranty.  Head over to Yostvises.com to check out the complete line up.

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A bench vise has many uses and is a must have in any garage or workshop.  Wilton makes some good vises and we recently came across the 745 5″ vise.  It has a 5″ Jaw Width, 5-1/4″ Jaw Opening and a 3-3/4″ Throat Depth.  The swivel base moves freely and quickly locks via double lock downs.  Both the steel top and pipe jaws are easily replaceable with a Phillips screwdriver.

This vise was built to last and has a quality powder coat finish.  There is no need to grease this vise, it uses a permanently sealed system.  Basically the grease stays in the shaft where it belongs.  The 53lb vise can be secured to a bench using the 4 mounting ponts at the base of the unit.  It has a large anvil work surface that is perfect for straightening metal.

The vise is very smooth to adjust and stays tight on your work.  When we cut some pipe with a reciprocating saw, the pipe remained solid with no vibration.  Wilton has a lifetime warranty on this vise so it will be the last vise you ever buy.   Check out Wilton.

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