Craftsman’s Job Vise is the newest clamping work stand to enter the market. Like the Ridgid and Triton look-alikes, the portable Job Vise features 7″ x 2″ clamping jaws that can deliver up to 1-ton of pressure. The work stand can support up to 220 lbs of weight, and folds up nice and neat for storage or transport.
One thing the Craftman version offers that the others don’t is a free jaw extension arm. The extension is more of a spacer, really, but it allows you to quickly increase the jaw capacity from 37.5″ to 43-55″.
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If you ask us, the Rockwell Jawhorse Sheetmaster is the way to go if you need the extra capacity. Plus, its jaws are noticeably wider.
Buy Now(via Sears)
The Craftsman Job Vise is normally priced at $140, but is currently on sale for $100. Also currently on sale for $100 is Triton’s SuperJaws stand, over at Amazon.
AndrewC
Have you had a chance to use this Craftman? Maybe its just the color and the picture, but it look like it uses a thinner metal than the Rockwell (reported weight is 36lbs vs 43 for Rockwell).
Stuart
I checked it out in-store, and it does feel quite sturdy. As with other brands’ similar models, the entire design is a little svelter than the Jawhorse. I didn’t whip out a micrometer or thickness gauge, but I don’t think the metal is thinner than on the Rockwell. But since the Job Vise is somewhat smaller, there’s just going to be less metal.
You also can see the differences around the top of the fixed jaw. The Job Vise is trimmed back, like other like-models, while the JawHorse has a larger and fuller surface.
I have always been under the impression that the JawHorse is a direct descendant from the Job Vise’s design, and was built to improve upon it.