Finally got a proper post vise and it's a game changer for under $200

I found a used 4-inch post vise at a flea market for about $180. I had been using a cheap bench vise for years, and it would always twist and move when I tried to hold a piece for twisting or scroll work. This old Columbian vise is bolted to a heavy stump, and now my work stays put. The difference in control, especially when making decorative ironwork, is huge. Has anyone else found a specific tool that made a common job much easier?

3 comments

3 Comments

amy_anderson1mo ago

Doubt it's that big of a deal, honestly. My old bench vise works fine for the little stuff I do. Is a heavy old vise really worth all that money and floor space?

mark_carr71mo ago

You ever try to really crank on something? I had a small vise bend the actual screw once, just trying to straighten a piece of bar stock. It wasn't even that big. A light vise feels okay until you hit that one job where you need it to just not move at all. That's when the extra iron makes all the difference, it's like having another set of hands holding everything solid.

wyatt_mitchell261mo ago

Ever try to hold a car part still with a little vise? Mine just... gave up and spun around. @amy_anderson, I get the space thing, but when you're really leaning on something, that extra weight just makes it feel solid. My old light vise would walk across the bench if I filed too hard. The heavy one just sits there and takes it.