Not happy with Grizzly South Bend Drill Press Vise

[DonFrambach]

Thought a 4" drill press vise would be a useful clamping system for occasional use on my small router. Bought a South Bend “precision” drill press vise from Grizzly expecting at least moderate quality as described in their catalogs and web pages (Grizzly describes "precision ground and hand scraped" ways!). Instead got a POS made in China with typical cheap Chinese fit and finish. As an egregious example, one way is .74" wide and the other is .88" wide!

I know you shouldn't post when you’re angry but I can’t stop myself.

Anyone have recommendations for a good small drill press vise?

[Cruiser]

We all hate it when we crash a tool into our nice vice !
Use it as you can as a beater and keep looking for a nice one for when it counts. As for most of that stuff, take a good look then drive over to harber fright and see if you can find the same thing. Most of the time "There It is" and so on. The vise might well end up being a favorite as you most likely won't give a damned when it gets cut or drilled.

[louieatienza]

Originally Posted by DonFrambach Thought a 4" drill press vise would be a useful clamping system for occasional use on my small router. Bought a South Bend “precision” drill press vise from Grizzly expecting at least moderate quality as described in their catalogs and web pages (Grizzly describes "precision ground and hand scraped" ways!). Instead got a POS made in China with typical cheap Chinese fit and finish. As an egregious example, one way is .74" wide and the other is .88" wide! I know you shouldn't post when you’re angry but I can’t stop myself. Anyone have recommendations for a good small drill press vise?

I think at $220 the 4" vise from Glacern looks like a great deal...

[DonFrambach]

Originally Posted by louieatienza I think at $220 the 4" vise from Glacern looks like a great deal...

I've heard great things about the Glacern vise but it weighs too much and is too tall for my planned use on my small router. Looking for a decent quality drill press vise.

BTW I got the idea to use a drill press vise from looking at MicroCarve's very interesting thread: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...p_machine.html

[louieatienza]

Originally Posted by DonFrambach I've heard great things about the Glacern vise but it weighs too much and is too tall for my planned use on my small router. Looking for a decent quality drill press vise. BTW I got the idea to use a drill press vise from looking at MicroCarve's very interesting thread: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...p_machine.html

I got the latest Enco catalog and they have a few, though I don't know if their low-end one is similar to yours...

[microcarve]

Originally Posted by DonFrambach I've heard great things about the Glacern vise but it weighs too much and is too tall for my planned use on my small router. Looking for a decent quality drill press vise. BTW I got the idea to use a drill press vise from looking at MicroCarve's very interesting thread: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...p_machine.html

Mine's just a real cheapo from Home Depot...IIRC....

It was a wobbly mess that I had to machine as flat as I could get
it. That wasn't easy due to the quality of whatever old bed rails they
melted down to make it.

I'd have sure thought the Grizzly would had been a Great vise to
use. Especially so with the "South Bend" brand on it. And the pictures
...And description.

Apparently there's a town in China named "South Bend".

[jsheerin]

If the Glacern is too tall, then this one probably is too, but I have one (or something similar - I bought it several years ago) and have liked it:
Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Tools and Shop Supplies

I have one of these at work (or something very similar):
Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Tools and Shop Supplies
I can't say I'm very impressed with it. I think the jaws are ground, but the fit doesn't feel very good. I think this is how most cheap drill press vise are though.

Here's a Wilton that looks nice, but it's $250:
Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Tools and Shop Supplies

I just looked at the Southbend at Grizzly, and it does look like hand scraped ways in the first two pics. That seems crazy for $50...

[DonFrambach]

Originally Posted by jsheerin I just looked at the Southbend at Grizzly, and it does look like hand scraped ways in the first two pics. That seems crazy for $50...

You're right! I should have known that I couldn't get "a precision vise with hand scraped rails" for $50!

I see that Woodcraft carries a "made in USA" York vise for $140. I'm going to a nearby Woodcraft tomorrow for some other stuff. Hopefully they'll have the vise in stock so I can look at it.

[DonFrambach]

My local Woodcraft has no drill press vises in stock. They would be happy to order the Yost vise for me. However, this vise on Amazon looks good:

Amazon.com: Palmgren 12352 DP35 Drill Press Vise, 3.5-Inch: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: Palmgren 12352 DP35 Drill Press Vise, 3.5-Inch: Home Improvement

Anyone have any experience with this vise?

[CNC Lurker]

Originally Posted by DonFrambach I've heard great things about the Glacern vise but it weighs too much and is too tall for my planned use on my small router. Looking for a decent quality drill press vise. BTW I got the idea to use a drill press vise from looking at MicroCarve's very interesting thread: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...p_machine.html

The one that Microcarve has is a Harbor Freight variant. I've seen it sold at different places, just with different paint jobs. I wouldn't be surprised if the same factory in China makes them all.

Harbor Freight 4" Drill Press Vise

It is sold at Lowes under the Bessey name brand for $5 more.

[adprinter]

Originally Posted by DonFrambach My local Woodcraft has no drill press vises in stock. They would be happy to order the Yost vise for me. However, this vise on Amazon looks good: Amazon.com: Palmgren 12352 DP35 Drill Press Vise, 3.5-Inch: Home Improvement Anyone have any experience with this vise?

Judging from the photo, it LOOKS like the exact 6" vise I am using on my drill press (mounted to a milling table). I have several smaller vises I use on my CNC router table, of the cheap chinese variety. However, my favorite has the name "Record" cast into the body- not sure of where it came from, but it is a massive casting which compares to a milling vise. I did modify it, however, by replacing the thin plate it uses to slide along the bottom side with a thicker piece of plate steel so that the movable jaw does not rock as it travels along the slide casting. I have learned, that almost ANY vise which uses a screw as the movable jaw-advancing mechanism tends to have a tighter grip on one side, than the other. The vise styles which utilize a straight-slide push handle, with a cam-lock lever yield a more equal grip on both sides of the jaws. You just need to hire a gorilla to operate the straight-slide push handle!