Craftsman Drill Press Vise: What to Measure Before You Buy
If you have a Craftsman drill press - the 113.213850, the 10-inch benchtop, the 15-inch floor model - and you want a vise for the table, here is the most useful thing anyone can tell you: Craftsman does not sell a current drill press vise on Amazon. There is no new Craftsman-branded drill press vise with Prime shipping, a return window, and a manufacturer warranty backing it up.
What exists are vintage Craftsman drill press vises from the Sears era, occasionally sold by third-party resellers. And there are the right alternatives - properly sized, properly built, available today from WEN, Palmgren, and Wilton.
This guide is about both: understanding the vintage Craftsman table geometry so you can fit the right vise, and pointing you to the three current-production vises that fit it properly.
The Vintage Craftsman Drill Press: What the Table Looks Like
The Craftsman 113.213850 is a 10-inch benchtop drill press built to Sears’ specifications during the mid-to-late 20th century. The 15-inch floor models (113.xxx variants) are scaled-up versions of the same basic design.
The table on both typically features:
- Cast iron construction with a center through-hole approximately 1-1/4” to 1-1/2” in diameter
- Two T-slots running left-right across the table (not fore-aft)
- Slot width: approximately 1/2” to 5/8” depending on production year
- Table size: roughly 9” x 9” on the benchtop models
The torsion spring inside the head (which returns the quill after a downward press stroke) is driven by a spring cap. The locking switch, spindle pulley, and motor pulley are driven by a V-belt through a center pulley on a motor bracket. The bed lock holds the table at height. None of this affects vise selection directly, but understanding the table dimensions does.
Measure these before buying a vise:
- Table slot width (use calipers)
- Available quill travel (retract, then measure depth of stroke)
- Table height from floor or bench to table surface
A 4-inch drill press vise with standard 5/16”-18 mounting hardware will typically fit the T-slots on a 113.213850 Craftsman, but confirm slot width before ordering.
Why There Is No Craftsman Drill Press Vise on Amazon
Craftsman was acquired by Stanley Black & Decker, and the modern Craftsman lineup does not include a branded drill press vise. The product line that Sears sold alongside their drill presses - 4-inch cast iron vises in the moderate price range - no longer exists as a current manufacturer offering.
Searching Amazon for “Craftsman drill press vise” will return either:
- Third-party resellers of old Craftsman stock (condition unknown, no warranty)
- Generic vises inaccurately labeled
- The right products with the wrong name in the search results
The right approach is to buy a current-production vise from a reputable brand that fits the same table geometry. Here are the three worth considering.
Three Vises That Fit Craftsman Tables
WEN DPA424 4-Inch Drill Press Vise
WEN Drill Press Vise, 4-Inch (DPA424)
The WEN DPA424 is a solid cast-iron 4-inch vise with four mounting slots on the base. Jaws open to 4 inches. Throat depth is 1 inch. It weighs about 7 lbs. The slot pattern on the base accommodates most drill press table configurations, including the left-right T-slots on the Craftsman 113 series.
What I like: Affordable entry point, solid cast iron construction, four slots in the base means multiple mounting positions. Works on most Craftsman table slot spacings.
What I don’t like: 1-inch throat depth is shallower than the Palmgren. For thick hardwood that needs to seat deep in the jaws, you’ll notice the limitation.
Best fit: Everyday woodworking and light metalwork on any Craftsman benchtop or floor model.
PALMGREN 9612401 Drill Press Vise, 4-Inch
PALMGREN 9612401 - Drill Press Vise, 4
Palmgren’s 4-inch vise steps up the construction significantly. Fine-grain cast iron body (30,000 PSI tensile strength), replaceable hardened steel jaw inserts, base-to-bed parallelism held to 0.001 inches. The open base center allows drilling completely through the workpiece and vise without hitting the body. Lifetime guarantee.
What I like: The open base center is genuinely useful for through-drilling. Replaceable jaws extend service life past what a non-replaceable vise can offer. Lifetime guarantee on a machined iron vise that outlasts the machine it’s bolted to.
What I don’t like: Heavier and taller than the WEN. On a Craftsman 9-inch table, the Palmgren fills more of your work surface. Confirm vertical clearance with your quill travel before mounting.
Best fit: Metal drilling, precision woodworking, anyone who wants a vise that will still be good in 20 years.
Palmgren Low Profile 4-Inch Vise
PALMGREN Low-Profile Drill Press Vise, 4-Inch
The low-profile version of the Palmgren sits about 1/2 inch shorter overall than the standard 9612401. On the Craftsman benchtop models - which have relatively limited quill travel compared to floor models - this low-profile design preserves more usable stroke. Same base-to-bed parallelism spec, same mounting slot geometry.
What I like: The height savings on a Craftsman with limited quill travel is a real practical benefit. Same Palmgren build quality in a smaller package.
What I don’t like: Throat depth is shallower than the standard model. Not the right choice for deep clamping applications.
Best fit: Craftsman benchtop models (113 series) where quill travel is at a premium.
Comparison Table
| Vise | Jaw Width | Jaw Opening | Body Height | Throat Depth | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEN DPA424 | 4” | 4” | ~2.68” | 1” | General use, budget |
| Palmgren 9612401 | 4” | 4” | ~3.25” | 1.75” | Metal drilling, precision |
| Palmgren Low Profile | 4” | 4” | ~2.875” | 1.375” | Limited quill travel |
Mounting a Vise on a Craftsman Table: Step by Step
- Measure the slot width. Use calipers on the narrowest point of the T-slot opening.
- Get matching T-bolts. 5/16”-18 T-bolts fit the 5/8” slot width common on mid-era Craftsman tables. If your slot is 1/2”, you need 1/4”-20 hardware.
- Set the vise position. Slide T-bolts into the table slots from the end, place the vise over the bolts, and align two of the four base slots.
- Square the vise jaws to the column. Use a small square or the column itself as a reference.
- Tighten firmly. Cast iron table ears crack if over-torqued. Firm hand-tightening with a wrench is enough.
- Drill a test hole in scrap. Confirm the bit lands in the center of the clamping area before committing to good stock.
FAQ
Does the Craftsman 9-inch drill press table have T-slots? Most Craftsman 113-series benchtop models have at least two T-slots across the table. Some early production models used a flat table with no T-slots and required bolt-through clamps. Check your specific model’s manual or measure the table.
What happened to the old Craftsman drill press vise from Sears? When Craftsman shifted from Sears to Stanley Black & Decker ownership, many of the accessory line items were discontinued. The branded drill press vise was one of them. Third-party resellers occasionally have old stock, but condition is uncertain and no warranty support exists.
Will a 6-inch vise fit a Craftsman benchtop table? Generally no. The 9” x 9” table on the 113-series benchtop leaves very little clearance for a 6-inch jaw vise once column space is accounted for. A 4-inch vise is the correct size for these machines.
What is the right quill travel for a Craftsman 15-inch floor drill press? Most Craftsman 15-inch floor models offer 3.25 to 4 inches of spindle travel (quill stroke). This is more generous than the benchtop models, so the standard Palmgren 9612401 fits comfortably without the height concern.
References
- Craftsman 113.213850 owner’s manual: available via Sears Parts Direct and online communities
- WEN DPA424: wenproducts.com
- Palmgren vise lineup: palmgren.com
