Inexpensive, not Cheap vise

I am looking to get a new vise. I know, I have found hundreds of them that are rotating, special holding tools for thread, etc.etc.etc...

I just need a new one that will last as long as my old one and has some sort of pointed tapered jaws. I have been using an old round ended Wal-Mart special kit vise for a good 10 years so anything above that would be an improvement. The head on the vise I have now is over 1/2 in diameter and I can tie a size 24 hook so I don't need anything fancy, just durable and easier than this rusty one I have.

Anyone got a suggestion for any vise under $50 that will simply last with or without any added features.?

ummm not under $50 but you can get a nice rotating vise for $75....if i was you i would get a griffin spyder....cheap but does everything a $300 vise can do and its 1/3 of the price...cabelas is the best place to get this vise unless you can find it online cheaper

Silverado vise

I guess I like it but I am left with one dilemma. My fly tying "station" is a wood box I made by hand. I don't have the room to set up a vise on a table or other solid surface. Is why I am think something more basic. The Spider is a nice vise for sure and might be the right choice but will see if I have the extra to get it.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...l/Tyingbox.jpg
When I tie I get it out, set in my lap and tie. Not much other than that. Not sure if a rotating vise is gonna work in this situation.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2..._all/Vise1.jpg
Imagine tying a size 24 on this monster. Not the easiest thing for sure. Even regular size hooks are hard to tie all the way to the shank and beyond depending on what I am doing.

So as you can see, anything is better than what I have. Not to mention it is about to fall apart. Can't complain though because I will venture a guess that I have tied well over 3000 jigs and flies with this one if not closer to 5000+. Hell I tied over 750 in the first year I had it. My wife thought I was cheating on her with it. :eek: I just want the next one to last as long and helps me catch another 5000 fish. If it was a little easier to use I wouldn't mind either. :D

i bought a rotary vise of of ebay with all the tying supplies for 50 bucks keep a eye on there sales you might get lucky

Have you looked at the Thompson Model A at about $50-$60? Check them out as I think lot of tiers still use them.

This is getting a little old now as it was in 2006, but still has a lot of good info.
Selecting the best fly-tying vise, by Hans Weilenmann and Bruce Salzburg

Skip

I read that a couple times now, good article Skip.

Anyone know what size hooks the Thompson and Spider will hold?

there is a vise made by griffin called a superior AA if memory serves me right. I have one that I paid about 45 bucks for. It is simple and non rotating, but will hold a hook with the best of them. yes rotating vises are nice, and I now have one made by dynaking, but they tied flies etc. for years without them, and some old pros still don't use a rotary. you would be happy with the griffen unless you just had to have the rotary vise.

Let's go to under $100.
Here is what I have found:
http://www.orvis.com/store/productch...id=6177&bhcp=1
Thompson Model A
Spider vise
Danville Danvise
Cabela's -- Silverado Vise

Anything that is durable and rock solid. Danvise got mixed reviews with the worst being it breaks quickly. Can't find any reviews for the spider, thank you CKJ for the only review I could get. Thompson is a good one but also so mixed reviews with hook slippage and large hook limits. The Silverado looks good but no reviews and not sure if it is solid metal or not.

Is this the one?
Griffin Superior 2A Vise

Looks good but I know nothing about the thumbscrew types. I hear they can be hard to use and keep the hook in place while you tighten them.

I did find some more info on the Spider vise and it looks good. Nothing bad about them yet.

Griffin

fish4all, I just looked at that website, and my vise is the superior 1A, it's all black. don't worry about the reliability of the thumbscrew types, they do the job well, there are some expensive vises that have been made that way, renzetti included. It might take a couple seconds longer to secure the hook or release it compared to a cam lever but you will like it. I even took the jaws apart and scratched a few lines on the inside surfaces with a carbide lathe bit, and I can bend a hook into a pretzel. those jaws are very hard steel, it wasn't easy to scratch them even with carbide.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-DANVISE-ROTARY-FLY-TYING-VISE-BY-DANICA-FREE-DVD_W0QQitemZ310119431521QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item310119431521&_trksid=p3286.c 0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A 1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A2|294%3A50

hmm some reson my link didnt work just copy paste it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fish_4_all

I read that a couple times now, good article Skip.

Anyone know what size hooks the Thompson and Spider will hold?

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Odyssey Spider vise will hold a 28 to 4/0 hook. They are a very nice vise, i have had 1 for like 6 years, and still going strong, holds a hook very well.
When i bought mine they were like 65 bucks, but see that they are 85 now, in the jannsnetcraft catalog, and this is the same place i bought mine.

Mine has the c-clamb mount and you will have to modify your lab top tying table. Not hard to do. Built my table a long time ago and it has a wood pedastill that i clamb my vise to.

So the bad stuff I hear about the Danvise is bogus huh? About half of the reviews I read say that the tensioning/sizing screw strips out really easily.

I just got a NIB 1980s Thompson A on eBay & I don't recommend it tho maybe the newer ones are better? The collet pin has excessive play and the jaw adjustment mechanism doesn't seem to work well enuf to get adequate gripping power at the recommended closed collet position. Even a #4 hook 1/16 head slips when tying.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fish_4_all

So the bad stuff I hear about the Danvise is bogus huh? About half of the reviews I read say that the tensioning/sizing screw strips out really easily.

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I had one and it sserved me pretty well for my first year and I do seem to remember needing to go to the hardware store to get a new screw. I never was real comfortable with a lot of it behing plastic, but that is just me.

Man if you would raise you bottom price a little or save for a month or something and get a Peak. For under $150 it looks to be made to last and well machined as I hear it. I was thinking hard when I bought my Nor, but even at the higher [price I want6ed the little things the Nor does that others do not.

At least Look at the peak.

I love my danvise...although it being plastic (composite) worries me some. From what I read the main problem is people not watching the DVD and overtightening things.

I do love mine though. It is high quality for the price.

Okay, a lot of you have seen the jigs and flies I tie. How much will a rotating vise make them easier? I have 2 in mind but also like a stationary one that looks really durable and is actually from the same company that made my first vise that has lasted so long even though it is still only a $12 vise today. I have hated it a couple hundred times because it was so hard to to anything under say a size 10 hook but it worked.

Is it worth it to get a rotary? Price wise I have found one that is $40. I talked to the company today, it is a Terra rotating vise. He actually said it is good quality and will last for the basic fly tier. The link is below

http://www.wapsifly.com/pdffiles/wap/page%2058.pdf

The top 2 are the same price. Just can not decide if I need a rotary vise. And no I haven't settled for this brand either.

i think a rotating vise would make every thing easier on you and you could even put more detail into you jig(dunno if thats pos.)you can spin your chenille on witch takes half the time of hand wrapping and you can spin it around and look at all side of it with out ever taking it out of the vise...i would buy the griffin spider and if you dont like it sell it to somone on here or ebay and get your money back...but i bet your wife will really think your cheating on her when you get it because you wont want to put it down

Can you explain how you spin the chenille with the spider vise or with any of them? I look at them and it just doesn't click with me. I know you can rotate the fly around to different points but moving the jig/fly the way it looks to me the whole thing rotates looks time consuming. Do the jaws rotate on their own or do you rotate the whole thing?

To Rotary or Not, asked my self the same thing when i was looking for a new vise. A rotary is nice when you are done tying what ever you are tying, and that is about the only time i use the rotary, or turn the jaws. I have seen guys turn their jaws, instead of wrapping their material, and tried it and dont like it. Guess i am just old school.

Well that is the question. The price is the same on two of them whether rotary or not. I like the rotary vise simply because it has a ton more room to move around the fly and get my big clumsy fingers in there to do the intricate stuff. Then again any vise is better than what I have as far as room to tie. Tough choice to be honest.

Price withstanding I just want something that can take a couple drops off my lap and my 3 kids playing with it and not break it. Not to mention when I get mad at one of my truly intricate patterns and happen to hit the vise, but I would never do that. :rolleyes:

Get yourself a Dyna King Kingfisher with the midge jaws although the regular ones work just fine. About $120 or so.

Fatman

don't get the idea that you'll have more finger room with a rotary, alot of times just the opposite is true. and as far as spinning the chenille on by turning the vise head, while you are doing that, isn't your thread doing some uncontrolled winding of it's own? the only thing I use the rotary feature for is to just turn the jig enough to see the other side.

If you are going to get a rotary vise get one that has a bobbin cradle arm.You rest the bobbin in the cradle arm,hold chenille in one hand and turn the handdle on the end with the other..As it turns it wraps the chenille in the direction you want. It's very easy and after a few jigs you'll see what the fuss is about when it comes to a rotary vise. I own three myself.Check out a video on tying with a rotary. Figure out what you can afford and do some research in your range.Ask questions. There's plenty on this board that will help.

no you take your bobbin and throw it up on the bobbin rest with the thread will hit the hook and will rest on it and keep from unwrapping and you hand the chenille with one hand and spin the vise with the other hand...it saves you tons of time...here is a video and watch how he works the vise...
YouTube - Tie the Ice Chenille Wooly Bugger

Can't argue with that. Seems like a lot easier to tie in everything especially since I do so many hackle flies for trout and other fish. Definitely have a good argument for a rotating vise now. I would have never thought it was that simple. A little adjustment and you have a clean smooth rotation without any oscillation.

Thank you all for the help, will be deciding soon, I hope.

Which ones do you own JJJ?

I guess my problem is that I never watched one of those videos. :D

Rotary is the only way to go, I have several and they all work well

Fish 4 All

Been following your thread w/ interest - getting frustrated with the "Made in India" vise that came w/ the fly tieing kit I bought.

That rotary vise looks slick....

UG

I have two renzetti travelers and a dynaking voyager II that I just purchased a couple weeks ago. The renzetti's are easier to work with ,but I've been using them for over 10 years.They have a little more room around the jig head due to the bent arm design wheras the dynaking is straight.Something I'll just have to get used to.All have bobbin cradles which in my opinion are a must have.I've seen the renzetti travelers go for as little as $110 on ebay although I think the list for about $170-$180.

Hmmm, I am just having a hard time justifying paying $100 for a vise. I don't pay that for fishing poles and reels together for a set-up. Well I might have a couple set-ups that push a little over $100 but have to for steelhead and salmon.

I guess it is worth it if the thing lasts for years and makes tying that much easier. I really like the Spider vise because of the lifetime guarantee.

Hey Fish, Here is a Dan Vise on EBAY ,

Danvise Rotary Fly Tying Vise FREE SHIPPING USA CANADA' - eBay (item 140300160611 end time Mar-10-09 06:24:37 PDT)

Only problem with going with Ebay is returning it if I don't like it. Sure someone may buy it but if I am returning it because it sucks and I stripped out the screws no one will want it here.

All I'll say is ebay

buy a griffin spider you cant go wrong...i have a peak i just got and it runs around $200 and i got a griffin black foot mongoose and i still tie with my spider the most...it just plain and simple and does everything you need it to...you can pick one up for around $75 at cabelas and if you dont like it just send it back

Go for the Griffiin, good vise for the money

Ebay item #220357920504 Title says Unknown fly tying vise.Price right now is $41 and ends tomorrow.I can tell from picture that it is a renzetti traveler,older with a little rust around jaw.Might be worth looking at fish_ for_all. I think with a little cleaning it would be a nice vise.

Got it on my watch list, hopefully it will stay that low.

If all else fails I am either go with the recommended Spider or I gonna go out on a limb and get one that no one has even mentioned. I think I like the quality of the Terra rotating vise from the 2 people I have talked to, one owns the brand. Wapsi bought Terra and I have never had a problem with Wapsi so that is a bonus. Just an experience thing I guess.

One thing I do know is it has to have a bobbin rest. I think it will make a huge difference tying my sickle butt and sickle belly jigs if it gives me the room I think it will for my crochet and tying in the marabou or other belly/butt material.