9 Best Drill Press Vise – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide
Best Drill Press Vise Reviews: Drill press vises are used to secure the workpiece so that it stays firmly in place while you’re drilling.
So as you can imagine there’s a large variety of applications for a good drill press vise. Some vises use miter gauge slots to stay in place and some others clamp to the table.
The type of device you choose for your work comes down to figuring out which one suits your needs best. There’s a big range of choices when it comes to choosing one.
But, Not all of them have the same features or quality. So to help you decide which is the best drill press vise for you we have compiled some reviews.
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If you’re interested in a drill press vise, then you should also check out our best drill press reviews and these right-angle drill reviews that we came across.
These are some of the products that we think are the most suitable options on the market in terms of quality and price.
Best Drill Press Vise – Our Top 9 Picks
Table of Contents
Below is a list of the best drill press vises we found on the market. We’ve created this list to help narrow down your options when it comes to picking a good one.
If you’re still unsure by the time you get to the bottom of the review section, be sure to check out the buying guide.
#1 IRWIN 4 inch Drill Press Vise
The IRWIN 4″ has a durable high-quality build made of forged iron, though it is still reasonably lightweight and portable. It features textured 4 inch jaws with an impressive 1000lbs clamping pressure to grip whatever you’re working on securely.
The jaw capacity measures 4.5 inches so it is enough for almost all projects, however, there are larger (and smaller) options if this size doesn’t suit your personal needs. The best drill press vise for you should be decided on based on the size of work-pieces you will need to clamp.
In order to clamp this vise to your work table, you can use bolts as it has slots to accommodate them, using a C-clamp is also another popular option. Some users of this product complain that it has sharp edges and burrs.
However, the general sentiment toward this product is positive. In my opinion, for the price and quality, you shouldn’t overlook this option.
#2 VIS-265.00 small drill press vise
This vise from Eurotool is ideal for using with smaller or delicate projects like jewelry etc. It would complement a mini drill press like the Eurotool DRL-300 very well. We have included this product at number 2 in the list because for this specific use there aren’t many options as suitable as the VIS-265.00 model.
Like the previous model, it can be bolted to the table and comes with the necessary hardware to do so. It has a quick-release function which allows very easy and quick opening and closing of the jaws. The maximum capacity of the jaws is only 2.75″ so again, best for small-sized projects.
#3 Performance Tool W3902 Drill Press Vise
This option is well priced and built with a high-quality standard. it is also highly precise. This is important so that the base can sit flat on the table preventing wobble.
The jaw faces are made of hardened steel for durability. It has a powder coat finish and chrome-plated handle for longevity. This tool is specially designed for applications such as drilling, tapping, milling, and grinding etc.
The w3902 comes weighing in at 7.2 lbs, which isn’t exactly light, however, this weight is to be expected with a solid durable-built device such as this. Overall this product is another great option.
#4 WEN 423DPV Drill Press Vise
The WEN 423DPV is a 3 Inch cast iron drill press vise and yet another great choice of product suitable for just about anyone. It is perfect for making your workpiece cling to your work table like glue! It is designed such that metals, plastics, and wood can all be held firmly for accurate and precise hole drilling.
As far as the construction of this drill press vise goes, it is very robust. It’s so robust because it is constructed from high-quality cast iron. Another bonus of having a cast iron base is that it’s heavy, which provides greater levels of stability than the more lightweight designs.
It also has four built-in mounting slots for securing it in place. The Jaws are 3 inch, opening a total of 3.1 inches. The throat depth is 1 inch, enough to grip pieces (boards etc) of a variety of sizes and shapes. The jaws are designed to be particularly good at gripping, and non-slip. Overall this is a good drill press vise, though, maybe a little small for some uses.
#5 HFS Cross Slide Drill Press Vise
This 3-inch cross slide drill press vise by HFS can essentially turn your drill press into a milling machine once you have this setup.
You can easily and accurately machine metal (or any other material) parts with this drill press vise holding your workpiece securely in place. This vise is meant for the drill press, however, it works perfectly with other tools like the lathe or other similar tools.
This drill press vise is constructed from high-quality cast iron and is therefore very durable. The jaws are made with patterned stainless steel and will grip workpieces tightly and securely. This vise can be adjusted from back to front using the 2 attached swivel handles to crank it around.
The throat of this wee beast opens up to 2 and 3/8 inches wide. Overall a well-priced decent option from HFS that is decent for anyone’s metal work or woodwork needs.
#6 Wilton 11694 Drill Press Vise
This 4 Inch cross slide drill press vise by Wilton is another good choice on this list. Like any good drill press vise should be, the 11694 is built to be durable, and is constructed with cast iron – so it ticks the box as far as quality goes.
This drill press vise has special slide knobs which allow you to make very small adjustments to the positioning of your workpiece, right down to 0.1 mm increments. It also has no trouble holding round-shaped objects sideways and vertically with the special v grooved jaws.
Despite the sturdy cast iron construction of this drill press vise, it weighs only about 20 lbs – not too heavy. Overall this is a good option for those looking for high-quality gear at a reasonable price.
#7 Wilton 11753 Drill Press Vise
The Wilton 11753 3 Inch cradle style drill press vise is perfect for when your work table on your drill press is fixed, but you want to hold a workpiece at an angle. The special cradle design allows tilting from 0 degrees to 90, in 1-degree increments for precision.
This model is ideally suited to drilling, reaming. and tapping, but can also do much more thanks to its ability to swivel 90 degrees. As with the other Wilton option on this list, the construction is durable cast iron – so it can’t be beaten in terms of how rigid and sturdy it is. Overall this drill press vise is particularly suited to those who need a special tilting style of vise.
#8 Bora Quick release drill press vise 551027
This drill press vise by Bora has features that make it ideal for a vast number of projects. It has a large 4 Inch jaw capacity which is plenty big enough to get most workpieces clamped. The Bora 551027 is very simple to attach to your drill presses table with hols that are 4 and 1/2 inches long and 5 inches apart. These slots suit pretty much all drill presses that you can find on the market.
As far as the construction goes, this drill press vise is well built. The body consists of an aluminum die-cast, and the jaws are serrated steel – perfect for holding work-pieces tightly in place while still being gentle enough to not scratch it.
The main screw which is used to tighten the jaws is made from hardened, chrome-plated steel for durability. There’s also a handy quick-release button to make repositioning your workpiece much more efficient than on regular drill press vises.
#9 DELTA 20-621 4-Inch Drill Press Vise
This 4 inch Delta drill press vise, is well built and constructed from cast iron for maximum durability. The 20-621 can hold work-pieces up to 4 inches in size. Despite its rigid construction, it weighs only around 8 pounds, which is fairly light considering its heavy-duty construction.
This is an overall good drill press vise with fairly standard features that just do the basics really well. In fact, it may well be the best drill press vise for those on a budget. The built-in grooves are perfect for dowels up to 0.5 inches while drilling.
The jaws on this drill press vise are suitable for either wood or metal. You can rest assured when you purchase from a quality brand like Delta, as they have a good reputation. This model also comes with a 2 year warranty.
How to Pick the Best Drill Press Vise for your Garage
For you to be able to efficiently use the list of best drill press vises above, you need to consider the various aspects that you should keep an eye out for. In this buyer’s guide section we will take a look at some factors you should always consider before you buy.
#1 What will you be using the vise for?
So basically this question is just a way to ask what its purpose is. Where you will be keeping it and working with it for example. If you have it in a fully equipped workshop you can opt for a large model. If you are lacking space and using your home office, or hobby room then you will need a more compact vise.
Depending on the type of job you’re using it for you may need to get a model which is able to rotate. These extra features will end up costing you more so you should try to be sure that you actually need them before deciding on one with all the extra bells and whistles.
#2 Weight
This factor ties in with the point above. Drill press vises come in a wide variety of different weights, some even up to 40 lbs or more. The weight of the vise you choose depends on what you will be using it for.
Smaller vises which weigh much less are more effective for things like jewelry. One benefit of a heavy vise is that it doesn’t wobble or move when you don’t want it to, but on the other hand it also is harder to shift from place to place.
#3 Throat Capacity
the throat capacity of a drill press vise (otherwise known as throat depth) is the distance from the edge of the jaws down to the base of the vise. Basically, the larger the throat depth, the bigger work-pieces the vise can accommodate.
Depending on the type of work you plan to be doing with the tool, the throat capacity may not be too important. If you don’t need a huge throat capacity don’t buy one with it as it costs more and weighs more.
#4 Jaw Surface
Again, this depends on the type of materials you’ll be working with primarily. Soft pieces for instance require padded jaws to prevent damaging the work piece. Otherwise, you might want a vise that has patterned jaws with grooves on it to increase the grip. They make it much easier to grip oddly shaped and slippery objects. If you work with any kind of unusually shaped work-pieces then these horizontal grooves can help immensely.
#5 Warranty & Customer Care
It is a good idea to pay attention to which manufacturer you buy the drill press vise from. This is because the well-known and reputable brands tend to offer a much better warranty, some even for a lifetime. Although at the one end of the scale a lifetime warranty is offered, some only offer a warranty of 1 year, which isn’t enough.
Conclusion
A good drill press vise can make your work much more precise if you’re undertaking an important project. It’s certainly a huge benefit to have one of these around for when you need it. Read the reviews, and take a look at what’s out there because you may need one with certain specifications depending on what type of work you plan to be doing.
As with any tool, there’s a wide spectrum of different quality products available. After reading this guide we sincerely hope that you are equipped with the knowledge to choose the best drill press vise that will serve you well in your endeavors.
Overall the top recommendation based on our experience is the Irwin.
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