Economy Quick Release Front Vise Reviews

2.3 Rating 12 Reviews

About Woodcraft:

Woodcraft Supply, LLC is one of the nation's oldest and largest suppliers of quality woodworking tools and supplies. You'll find Woodcraft stores in more than 70 major metropolitan areas across the U.S.; and Woodcraft annually distributes 1.5 million catalogs featuring more than 10,000 items to all 50 states and 117 foreign countries. The Woodcraft catalog is a standard among woodworkers as the most complete offering of first rate products for woodworking available anywhere. Woodcraft also publishes six issues of Woodcraft Magazine annually.

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Phone:

800-535-4486

Location:

1177 Rosemar Rd,
Parkersburg
West Virginia
26105

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Bill Steuernagel

Unverified Reviewer

“Do not buy this! Purchased in November 2023. Installed it in December 2023. Today I discovered one of the cast iron hinge pins snapped off! Called Woodcraft and no warranty available and YOU CANNOT ORDER PARTS (even though it is still sold on their website). I can honestly say that I may have used this vice less than a dozen times. So now I have an expensive boat anchor and have to search out a new quality vice. Agree with other comments on missing instructions and inconsistent locking of the mechanism when using the vice. Very disappointed in Woodcraft for taking this retired veteran’s money by selling junk. Sales rep at store was almost rude when I pressed about ordering the damaged part. They have lost my business!”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 weeks ago

JL From Minneapolis

Verified Reviewer

“This vise has zero redeeming features and is destined for recycling before it's even been used. 1) It comes with no instructions. Not even a drill guide 2) One of the hinge pins snapped off after light use 3) The mechanism isn't remotely smooth and is a struggle to tighten or loosen 4) The quick release only works about a third of the time I was hesitant to buy this over the non-quick release variant and only went for it after the salesman raved about how much better this model is.”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“do not buy this unless you want to deal with hours of frustration. As mentioned by others the vice comes with no instructions but that isn't even the worst of it. When I first bought and installed the vice the quick release would flop open both when opening and closing the vice. I thought maybe I had installed it wrong and so I taped it shut and went on with my life for a while. When i rebuilt my bench I resolved to fix it, same problem, tried it both ways but either way I installed it the threads wouldn't engage unless I taped it shut. I left it for a month or two just so I could get some projects done. When I finally got around to pulling out the front jaw for a THIRD TIME and fiddling with the quick release i found now that neither direction would allow the vice to engage the screws AT ALL, The thing was COMPLETELY BROKEN. either the threads eventually wore out or they never really worked and I just had them on life support. DO NOT BUY THIS VICE, if you can't afford a good quality vice just use some clamps or holdfasts until you save up enough for a good one. I promise that you will be better for it!”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“The quick release worked for about5 min since then I've had to reach under the bench release the quick release and then quickly move the vice. The screw only works to tightening,heaven forbid that the board needs to be moved because then you have to go through the whole process again. Save your money!!!”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“In reading through the other comments on this device I was struck by the similarity of the comments and I am wondering if all of them that were negative came from the same cause--namely the poor illustrations and documentations and instructions--and in particular the failure to make sure and both show, illustrate and emphasize the necessary orientation of the thread locking and unlocking collar (two cast pieces). BUT, once you get that right, and you will if you don't give up and get frustrated (Hint: There are two "sides" to the vice, one guide rod close and the other one further away from the acme threaded central screw mechanism. The hinge pins on the little "trap door" part of the locking/unlocking collar go UP and the small part goes TWOARD the side on which the guide rod is FURTHER from the acme treaded rod.) BUT AGAIN, you are going to find that this vice "unlocks" the threads every time you release tension automatically and you will have to re-engage the threads manually by reaching under the bench top and doing so before you can continue to move the jaw. NOT TO FRET, recognizing that you will very seldom need to "unlock the threads to slide the jaw in or out", the fix is simple. I did it with a six inch long x 1/4" tension spring, a coffee hook and a rebar tie wire loop. You configure the loop at one end of the spring and fit it so that it will noose onto the round boss on the other locking collar part, then screw the coffee hook under your bench in such a place that the spring is in snug tension when the loop is on the boss. This cheap addition keeps the mechanism from unlocking all the time unless you reach down and stretch the spring and unfasten the "noose". Then you can slide the jaws and put it back. This makes much more sense since the need to slide the jaws occurs infrequently and the need to release tension on the jaws is much more frequent. Good luck! Clay”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“You don't need a hard to make or expensive to buy wooden handle. A 12" long galvanized pipe nipple 1" IPS with a galvanized pipe cap screwed on either end makes a super handle and fits like that is what the casting was made for! Clay”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

AR From Allentown

Verified Reviewer

“I could have sworn I left a review for this already but now I can't find it. I wanted to add that I've seen a number of people complaining about the quick release not working even though the vise is brand new. I had the same issue and I realized that I actually had the quick release nut in backwards. Once I reversed it, the problem was solved. I wonder how many people have returned a perfectly good vise because they didn't realize this had happened. I mentioned in my other review that you also need to drill bigger holes than what seems necessary or you'll have a really hard time with this. Apart from poor installation instructions, this seems like a good buy so far.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

AR From Allentown

Verified Reviewer

“I just got this vise and it came with no instructions in the box. There are some online, but they are not very good. They really should have a template for drilling the holes for the jaw piece you have to cut, but unfortunately they do not. What I learned the hard way is not to try to drill holes the exact size of the threaded rod or the support rod. They need a bit of play or the vise will rub and be too tight. The 3 holes for the screws are all you need to worry about for holding the wooden piece on. If you don't make that mistake you'll have a much easier time than I did. Apart from that, it's a perfectly serviceable vise that should last a couple of years before the steel wears out. The non-economy version appears be identical with better steel. Get that one if you can afford it.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago