Choosing a machine vise for drill press or light milling work comes down to clamping capacity, rigidity, and mounting style. The Dayton 4Tk04 6-inch machine vise with fixed base is priced at USD 119.99 and brings a 6-inch jaw opening to the table. It is a new tool from Dayton, with a design aimed at stationary workholding.
Quick Verdict
The stated jaw deflection of 0.002 inches at 2,000 pounds suggests a rigid enough platform for many bench and press jobs. At that load, the 0.002-inch deflection gives you a reference point for how much the jaws may give before losing grip. For typical drill press work, that level of rigidity is often sufficient. If you regularly clamp flat parts that fit within the jaws, this vise is worth a close look.
Who It Suits
This is a good fit for work that stays square: drilling, tapping, filing, or light edge machining on a stationary base. Because it is described as both a machine vise and a drill press vise, it is aimed at fixed setups rather than angled head work. It suits home shops and small fabrication areas where a non-swivel vise can serve as a reliable go-to clamp.
What Stands Out
The bed/base is parallel to 0.001 inches and the jaw plate is square to 0.002 inches, which are meaningful alignment figures for repeatable clamping. The description also notes the base can be turned on either side or set in a different orientation, giving you mounting flexibility without adding swivel complexity. The overall length of 13-3/4 inches and overall height of 4 inches keep the footprint compact enough for most benchtop drill presses.
Meaningful Trade-offs
There is no swivel or tilt head, so compound-angle clamping is off the table. The 2-inch throat depth is the main dimensional limit: parts that are much taller or deeper than that will overhang or require a different workholding approach. The jaw opening is 6 inches, which covers a lot of typical work but not oversized stock.
Bottom Line
If your workflow is mostly square and repeatable, the Dayton 4Tk04's alignment specs and straightforward mounting are worth the USD 119.99. Just make sure the parts you clamp fall within the listed working dimensions.
Dayton 4Tk04 6" Machine Vise With Fixed Base
Choose the Dayton 4Tk04 if the stated alignment figures-bed parallel to 0.001 inches, jaw square to 0.002 inches-matter to your repeatable setup. The main trade-off is the 2-inch throat depth, so taller parts may not clear the jaw.
