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(or make your own)5> The green paint is really cheap - expect it to wipe off onto your hands.On the plus side - all the parts they bothered to machine are fine: the main steel screw is well made and really heavy duty, as are the steel guide rods. wooden handle, but the out-of-round hole is full of rough casting iron - there is no way even a 1" handle fits through there. It should have been surface ground. The size and weight are impressive, but this product is shipped un-finished and unusable. All align well into the main plate. Surpisingly Grizzly does not even offer one for sale - I had to order it separately from Lee Valley.
If you do not, and tighten your mounting hardware down you will just crack the plate - 'cause cast iron does not bend - at all.2> The front jaw plate is also cast with a warp in it. It has a distinct curve - across it's 9" width it's got at least a 1/4" bend in it. They could then charge $39.95 and it would be a truly great value. But as it is shipped now it is unuseable. But - they should have put about 50 cents more Chinese labor into this to do a bit more machining, and included the wooden handle. Based on the price and reviews here I ordered and just received this vise. As supplied you cannot mount it flush to a surface without putting spacer washers under all mounting points to try and level.
Should also have been surface ground.3> The cast handle should have been drilled out. There is some major machining that should have been done on 3 key pieces to make this a useful product, plus it should include a handle. What a pain. 1> The primary mounting plate is cast really warped - about 3/8" from end to end. It was designed to hold a 1 1/8" dia. I guess you do get what you pay for, but knowing the questionable quality of some Asian made goods you would think that Grizzly wold demand better for something that they are putting their name on. It should have been drilled out, but I had to spend several hours with a dremel tool (do you have a 1 1/8" drill bit laying around).grinding it round from the inside out.4> a wooden handle should have been included.
Product quality is great for the price but I was dissapointed that this item does not include any installation instructions. Certainly not impossible to figure out but I certainly had the expectation that this would include some sort of directions other than looking at the picture on the box. Even called Grizzly and confirmed that none exist.
I ordered this vise not being quite sure if I could trust anything that says "Made in China" ever again. Thanks Grizzley. For the money, this undoubtedly one of the best deals available to us. Must be Taiwan made for it is so much better than the other China Junk I have stuck with.
I saw this product here in amazon when I was ready to buy one buy Rockler that cost $150. It clamps very well and I am very happy with it. This is a great Vise. For $30 you cannot go wrong. I build many things around the house, from dormers to desks, and cabinets. I have used it on many applications already. So, I bought the Grizzly and it has been great.
Woodworking is my hobby. I really did not see a great difference between the two of them, based on my needs (function). I highly recommend it, unless you want to spend $150 for an equivalent one. The operation is smooth and it is built to last.
I outfitted mine with 8/4 maple jaws which brought the weight up to about 35 lbs., so it was a challenge to mount. The only drawback is that there is no quick release. The Grizzly H7788 vise is a great value. Also, the metal seems a bit cheap in places - I had to file the holder for the handle to get it even all the way around. It's the basics and nothing more. I would definitely recommend it. The jaws align well and it clamps tight.
I wasn't sure what to expect for the price, but when it arrived I knew right away that it meant business. Once it was in place, however, it was clear that it was a smooth, even, strong vise. But then it was fine. I do a lot of carving, and this vise has been able to hold anything securely while I'm working.
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