VISES & SUPPORTS
↓ BEST WORK SUPPORT
Disston 30140 $169
We’ve never seen anything like the 30140 from
Disston. It’s a worktable, a sawhorse, a creeper,
a dolly for transporting loads, and a low work
platform that’s strong enough to stand on. One
side of its work surface has a protractor built
in; the other side is a ribbed general-purpose
worktable. The whole shebang folds into this
suitcase thing that you can carry around or
store neatly in your garage. We’re not sure how
to categorize it. Maybe “amazing” will suffice.
↑ BEST PLUMBER’S TOOL
Pipe Vise APV02 $215
Everyone from plumbers to DIYers who spend a lot of time tightening
and loosening pipe fittings will appreciate this well-made tool.
Cast aluminum, with hardened steel jaws, it amounts to a f lattened
fast-action pipe wrench. Lay the tool down on any working sur-
face and slip a pipe and fitting into its jaws. The tool’s spring-loaded
jaws hold the pipe while you tighten or loosen the fitting using a pipe
wrench. With a little practice, it’s an amazingly rapid way to assem-
ble and disassemble pipe and fittings without a lot of tightening of
vise jaws and positioning and repositioning of parts.← BEST MACHINIST’S VISE
Wilton 450P $190
A top-quality vise with a rotat-
ing head at this price is a rare
thing. We’ve seen a bunch of
pretenders; their heads don’t
rotate smoothly, or they come
loose while you’re working. Not
the 450P. This 21-pound vise is
professional quality and a lot of
tool for the money. It’s built with
hardened steel (replaceable) jaw
inserts and a body made from
cast iron and ductile iron. It’s as
tough as it looks, and its grip is
tenacious.March/April 2022 73