Finding a reliable hand to hold your projects like pipes, tubes, metals, and woods as you cut, pound, and sharpen is a tough business. A wrong choice is not only expensive. It could also be frustrating and unsafe. One of the reliable hands for holding your round and flat workpieces is a pipe and bench vise.
This is a tool that you could mount on your workbench (though not necessarily) and where you could clamp your projects through the jaws. These may have built-in or removable jaws to hold pipes or tubes so you could cut or saw freely while the vise ensures that your project would not budge. These tools also come with jaws for flat surfaces like wood and metal sheets.
Of course, a pipe and bench vise is expected to take a lot of tough work. Hence we understand that you are on the lookout for something that does not only grip tightly, but would also withstand the beating it is most likely to get in your workshop. Hence, we have summarized in this article the five top pipe and bench vises that were tried and tested.
Best Pipe and Bench Vises Comparison & Rating
1. Yost Tools ADI-6 Bench Vise with Pipe Jaws
Brand | Yost Tools |
Material | 130,000 PSI Austempered Ductile Iron |
Dimensions | 20 x 10 x 8.5 inches |
Weight | 42 pounds |
For a bench vise with pipe jaws, Yost’s ADI-6 sure offers beasty features that make it worth every penny. If used well, you probably won’t need to purchase a second one in this lifetime. Unlike other vises, it is crafted from high-strength ADI with 130, 000 PSI so it is built with more strength, compared to its competitors. With its 17, 000 pounds of clamping force (plus well-aligned serrated jaws), this vise makes sure that it grips tight and won’t budge even if you give your project some beating. It is the assistant that you're looking for to hold pipes, driveshafts, tooling fixtures, and other workpieces. Whether you are planning to do more pipe, wood, metal, or automotive work, this vise is a buddy that won’t disappoint. Further, I also appreciate that, unlike other vises, the pipe jaws in this particular product are replaceable so that when they wear out, you could easily fit in new sets of jaws that would provide the same tight grip on your pipes. This vise is surely tough but operates smoothly and holds perfectly tight with no slip. If you’re looking for a long-time buddy for clamping jobs at your workshop and at home, there is no need to look elsewhere.
2. Forward CR60A 6.5” Bench Vise with Pipe Jaw
Brand | Forward |
Material | Ductile Iron |
Dimensions | 14.6 x 8.1 x 8.6 inches |
Weight | 41.4 pounds |
For its price, Forward’s CR60A 6.5-Inch bench vise is a beast for heavy-duty projects at home or workshop. With its tough 60,000 psi ductile iron build and reliable nuts, it is designed to last and to grip real hard. Specifically, the main body and slides are crafted in ductile iron while the main tightening screw and holding bolts are steel. Its swivel function works great to position your work at a comfortable angle. The jaws are well aligned and provide tight clamping pressure so it should work great at holding pipes to lawnmower blades and more. It tightens smoothly and grips well. It is also very nice that this vise is completely closed so that water, rust, and dirt would have trouble getting in. This is a solid and heavy brute for heavy-duty projects that would not disappoint. Designed to last, it could give the best value for your money.
3. Wilton 63302 Shop Bench Vise with Pipe Jaws
Brand | Wilton Tools |
Material | Cast Iron |
Dimensions | 18 x 8.7 x 9.7 inches |
Weight | 42 pounds |
Wilton is one of the legends in producing vises for a good reason. This 63302 6-inch shop bench vise with pipe jaws is one proof of that. This vise is a heavy and sturdy beast that is built to last. This is a solid clamping tool for your heavy-duty DIY projects at home or in shops. It takes beating and it holds up pretty great. This beast of a vise provides smooth functioning with seamless opening and tightening. You don’t need to worry about the 360-degree rotation being a bluff because it is not. It indeed gets you a full 360-degree swivel at the base which could be held securely with lock bolts. With its well-aligned jaws and strong clamping force, it could hold projects pretty tight. Holding pipes for cutting and a chainsaw for sharpening was no problem at all. It holds itself pretty well also with sheet metal work that you would never be disappointed. If you’re on the lookout for a ‘sturdy and reliable pipe and bench vise, you can’t go wrong in choosing this product from Wilton. Great investment, indeed.
4. Yost Tools 445 4.5” Combination Pipe and Bench Vise
Brand | Yost Tools |
Material | Cast Iron with Steel U Channel Bar |
Dimensions | 6 X 8 inches |
Weight | 17 pounds |
For light to medium-duty projects, Yost’s 4.5-inch pipe and bench vise is a solid choice that provides versatile functioning, and nice gripping power. Its diamond serrated steel as well as the grooved pipe jaws provide good grip. The grooved jaws hold the pipe securely in place for cutting. Further, it is nice that this product lives up to its claim of 360-degree base swivel. This adjustment could be secured into your desired position through the dual lock on the sides. Once locked, it grips the project firmly in place. No-slip. So far, it managed ¾ pipes with its solid hold. It could also hold wood that is being sawed, and chainsaws while being sharpened. It is also nice that this product has a shaft that covers the clamping screw to prevent some debris from falling into it which could lead to premature wear. For a vise for lightweight projects that provides impressive swivel and grip that holds, this is a pretty nice deal for its price.
5. Performance Tool MV10 5” Combination Pipe and Bench Vise
Brand | Performance Tool |
Material | Cast Iron |
Dimensions | 18.5 x 10 x 10 inches |
Weight | 15.65 pounds |
Another heavy-duty bench vise that you could consider in your planned purchase is Performance Tool’s pipe and bench vise. It has nice features that offer versatility and flexibility. First, the swivel at the base and at the head allows adjustment of your work at two levels so positioning your work to the angle you need to work on is more than possible. With its serrated jaws, it offers a pretty good grip. I also appreciate that the steel construction of the jaws allows you to add some magnetic pads should you need to. The jaws open wide and clutch your project really tight. It worked just fine holding chainsaws for sharpening. It should have no problem with pipes, especially with the serrated design of its separate pipe jaws. It is one nice option to consider if you’re looking for a versatile pipe and bench vise.
Best Pipe and Bench Vises - Buyer's Guide
Your pipe and bench vise is expected to be subjected to a lot of tough work and a lot of beating. Hence, you wouldn’t want to end with a vise that breaks down at the slightest force. As such, you need to check on the materials from which this vise was crafted. Specifically, you could check out the tensile strength of the material in terms of psi (pounds per square inch). An item with 30,000 psi could be a tough vise and anything higher than that is even better.
If you are on the lookout for a pipe and bench, you surely need something that grips your workpieces quite well. Hence you probably need to check out the jaws. Serrated jaws which are well aligned would have a better grip. Another thing to check out would be the clamping force and torque rating.
Since you are already investing in this tool, might as well look for something that would offer flexibility so your work would be a lot easier. These flexibility features might include rotation on the base or head for a better position of the workpiece. This way, you could work at your most comfortable angle.
You want a pipe and bench vise to make your job a lot more manageable so you better look for something that is easier to work with. The smooth movement of the jaws when you adjust it to open and tighten, the swivel, and locking to the position are some of the things that you might want to consider.
It is better to make sure that the vise will be purchasing matches the demands of the jobs that you have in mind. It would save you from a lot of frustration and from wearing down your vise prematurely by subjecting it to jobs that are simply beyond its capacity, according to its specifications. As sturdy and tough as a tool might be, it still has its limitations. And that is something worth considering.
Best Pipe and Bench Vises - FAQs
PSI or the pounds per square inch is used to measure the tensile strength of the materials used to build a vise. Tensile strength is the amount of pressure that could be resisted by the metal. Hence, psi is one of the good indicators of the strength of a vise. A vise with 30,000 psi could be tough enough and anything higher is even better.
A pipe and bench vise is a tool that you could mount on your workbench to help you work on some workpieces such as pipes for cutting and threading, It also has serrated jaws for flat projects like metal and wood pieces. These pieces are clamped into the jaws of the vise which could be adjusted to open or tighten using a screw mechanism, securing them into position so you could work freely on cutting, threading, or sharpening.
A good pipe and bench vise is one that has high tensile strength measured in terms of psi and high clamping force. Its grip would also be enhanced by perfectly aligned serrated jaws for a better clutch. Swivel and anvil are nice add-ons, but what you really care about in your pipe and bench vise is its clamping power and strength. Hence, psi and clamping force are two of the good indicators that you could use.
It is best to wipe your vise with a cloth after use so debris, dust, and dirt will not build up on your tool and eventually compromise its functioning. You might also need to lubricate sections like the threaded and sliding parts, as well as the joints to keep them in top working condition.
