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Thread: Tier 1, 1.5, or even Tier 2 tools thread

  1. #171
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Midwest
    T.O.M.= Tool of the Month

    Dec - Estwing Hatchet

    Jan - Milton S-921 Made in USA Tire Air Gauge

    Feb-Vessel Precision SD Set (Slotted .9/1.2/1.8/2.3/3.0/3.5)
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Mar-Vessel Precision SD Set (Slotted .7/.9 & PH 0000/PH 000/PH 00/PH 0)
    https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Scr...DJK5V3NP4EMV39

    I failed to buy in Feb so I made up for both today. I am replacing the "classic" 6.99 set from the local hardware store in the yellow and clear plastic case.
    The Vessel Sets I picked have but 1 duplicate over 12 screwdrivers.



    I initially wanted to go Wiha but I decided to go Vessel based on comments re the brand on the forum, their included casing which is very compact, variety of sizes and likely very intermittent use.

    I acknowledge that if daily Precision screwdriver use was my business, I would likely get a monster set of Wihas and drive on.
    I am not your attorney. I am not giving legal advice. Any and all opinions expressed are personal and my own and are not those of any employer-past, present or future.

  2. #172
    Site Supporter rob_s's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    SE FL
    Been seeing this Wera set popping up here and there. Have no use for it. Still want it.

    Does the above offend? If you have paid to be here, you can click here to put it in context.

  3. #173
    My Harbor Freight vise just crapped out on me, I’m looking for a vise around $100 or so.
    #RESIST

  4. #174
    Quote Originally Posted by LittleLebowski View Post
    My Harbor Freight vise just crapped out on me, I’m looking for a vise around $100 or so.
    Will HF replace it for you?

    I think you are stuck with new Chinese or old US at that price point.

    Here is something used:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/254933757117

    Nothing vintage about this, but I have liked some Wen tools I have purchased:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/392997005595

    Another option, visit your local pawn shop...

  5. #175
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    "carbine-infested rural (and suburban) areas"
    Quote Originally Posted by LittleLebowski View Post
    My Harbor Freight vise just crapped out on me, I’m looking for a vise around $100 or so.
    Find a used made in USA Wilton. It’s worth it.

    My Chinese Wilton is garbage.
    .
    -----------------------------------------
    Not another dime.

  6. #176
    Quote Originally Posted by rayrevolver View Post
    Will HF replace it for you?

    I think you are stuck with new Chinese or old US at that price point.

    Here is something used:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/254933757117

    Nothing vintage about this, but I have liked some Wen tools I have purchased:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/392997005595

    Another option, visit your local pawn shop...
    HF won’t replace it and after seeing how it’s made, I want something else anyway. I’d buy that Wilton at that price, but it will get bid up. The Wen can be had on Amazon with free shipping, I need to check reviews.

    https://www.amazon.com/WEN-454BV-4-I...dp/B07KKXQQ3F/
    #RESIST

  7. #177
    Quote Originally Posted by LittleLebowski View Post
    HF won’t replace it and after seeing how it’s made, I want something else anyway. I’d buy that Wilton at that price, but it will get bid up. The Wen can be had on Amazon with free shipping, I need to check reviews.

    https://www.amazon.com/WEN-454BV-4-I...dp/B07KKXQQ3F/
    Ah man, steered you to an ebay link when it was half price on Amazon. My bust. Regardless, still Chinese so not sure where their vise will fall out quality wise.

    I am not an expert on these things. When I bought my first I decided on a new Ridgid for $275. Thought I was getting a German vise but it was built somewhere else, maybe Spain?

    Overall its nice, but the jaws are not quite lined up, even with the adjustments. Should have spent the money on an old Wilton or Columbian.

    This might be US made with a buy-it now (lol, noticed the jaws are different sizes... disregard everything I have linked or said!!!)
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ridgid-Swiv...YAAOSw8d5ZUAXS

    I mentioned a while back about getting a vise from a coworker, but COVID happened and lives in another state. Finally met up with him and bought this Hollands from Erie PA. I paid him $1 per pound, so $60 for this. Not 100% sure on the age, but he said he thought it was from car dealership in the 1930s.

    I already have 2 others mounted, so I might give this to my father-in-law. It doesn't swivel though.



    Good luck! Let us know what you get.

  8. #178
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    "carbine-infested rural (and suburban) areas"
    Quote Originally Posted by LittleLebowski View Post
    HF won’t replace it and after seeing how it’s made, I want something else anyway. I’d buy that Wilton at that price, but it will get bid up. The Wen can be had on Amazon with free shipping, I need to check reviews.

    https://www.amazon.com/WEN-454BV-4-I...dp/B07KKXQQ3F/
    Don't do that one. In the first review with a bunch of pics, you can see that there is no pivoting feature to center it in the swivel base. So you just have the two bolt heads in their slots, with lots of slop. That will piss you off every time you try to turn it, as it slides away from center and binds.

    Sadly, it appears that Wilton https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00101V1S8/ and Yost https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YS40AVI/ both sell the same POS.

    Definitely don't buy anything until you've checked Craigslist in your area. And maybe see if there are some estate sales.
    .
    -----------------------------------------
    Not another dime.

  9. #179
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    USA
    Vises - I buy old American.

    I think the round-slide Wiltons are overpriced for what they are; I've seen them broken as often as other high-quality American vises; they're not magic. I'd own one at a *reasonable* price.

    I like Reeds and Athols (bought out by Starrett). Columbians are also good vises, as are high-end Yosts. Parkers are good. Lots of good old American names, and I'm forgetting at least half of them.

    One way to quickly figure a high-quality vise is in the ratio of jaw width to opening. Your cheap vises have very wide jaws and open about the same amount. Higher quality ones have considerably more slide length than jaw width. It's a general rule, probably not without exception.

    Another quick way to figure quality is weight. Vises are spec'd by jaw width, so a 6" vise has 6" wide jaws. That might mean a 120 lb heavy sucker from the 1940's or a 40-lb junker from Taiwan. I've got an 8" Yost combo vise here that I believe checks in at 167 lbs.

    For most people, honestly, any old vise will do. But there's something about old American tool quality that makes you smile to use it.

  10. #180
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    "carbine-infested rural (and suburban) areas"
    Quote Originally Posted by Welder View Post
    Another quick way to figure quality is weight. Vises are spec'd by jaw width, so a 6" vise has 6" wide jaws. That might mean a 120 lb heavy sucker from the 1940's or a 40-lb junker from Taiwan. I've got an 8" Yost combo vise here that I believe checks in at 167 lbs.

    For most people, honestly, any old vise will do. But there's something about old American tool quality that makes you smile to use it.
    My 8-inch round-slide Wilton is ~100 lb. Got it off Craigslist probably 12-15 years ago. Turned out to be from a performance automotive shop that was shutting down. It had seen some use, but not too much. I paid about 1/3 the new price and it has been worth every penny. The solidity, firmness of clamping, proper alignment of the jaws, etc. are just a joy. I've been able to do things with it that you just couldn't do with a junky one. Even my cheap-tool-loving friend had to admit the difference between it and his HF vise was pretty stark.

    The China Wilton I got https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-63198-.../dp/B0006NGGV8 is one of the clamp-on, 2.5-inch jaw bullet-style vises. It has the rotation located only by the two bolts. Got it used, unfortunately. I had to rebuild it, including buying a metric-equivalent, Acme-style tap from Chinabay to clean up the internal threads. Compare the price on that to the similarly sized 3-inch machinist's vise, # 28830, and you'll see it's Wilton selling craptacular China-made imitations of Wilton product.


    If I was to start over on the smaller bench vise project, I'd probably go with one of the Ridgids https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/vises, even though they're made in Spain, not Germany, apparently. Bergaras are made in Spain, too.
    .
    -----------------------------------------
    Not another dime.

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