Intro
Trying to hold a metal bracket or a small wooden block steady with one hand while operating a drill press with the other is a recipe for ruined workpieces, broken drill bits, and — at worst — a trip to the emergency room. As soon as the bit bites, the workpiece wants to spin, and no amount of grip strength can stop it. A drill press vice solves this problem completely. It bolts or clamps onto the drill press table and locks your workpiece in hardened jaws, keeping it exactly where you want it while both of your hands stay safely on the machine controls. Unlike a general-purpose bench vice, a drill press vice is designed with a low profile, precision-ground surfaces, and mounting slots that let you position it accurately under the drill bit. Whether you are drilling steel, aluminium, hardwood, or plastic, a solid cast-iron vice is one of those workshop accessories that instantly makes every job safer, more accurate, and less frustrating.
Generalities
When choosing a drill press vice, the two measurements that matter most are the jaw width and the maximum jaw opening. Jaw width — typically 75 mm, 100 mm, or 150 mm — determines how wide a workpiece you can grip evenly. The jaw opening tells you the maximum thickness you can clamp; a 70 mm opening handles most small to medium drilling tasks on a bench-top drill press. Material is equally important: cast iron is the gold standard because it is heavy, rigid, and dampens vibration better than pressed steel. A precision-ground base and jaw faces ensure the workpiece sits square to the drill bit, which is critical for perpendicular holes. Look for elongated mounting slots rather than simple bolt holes — they make it much easier to align the vice exactly where you need it. Some vices also include prismatic jaw grooves for holding round stock like pipes and rods, which is a valuable bonus for metalworkers.
In this review, we examine a 75 mm cast-iron drill press vice built for precision work on both metal and wood. We assess clamping force, jaw alignment, ease of mounting, and whether the build quality holds up to daily workshop use at a competitive price.
Description
The Faithfull Unigrip FAIVDP75 is a 75 mm drill press vice made from high-quality cast iron. It has a jaw width of 75 mm and a maximum jaw opening of 70 mm, giving it enough capacity for the majority of workpieces you are likely to drill on a bench-top press — metal brackets, small plates, wooden blocks, and flat bar stock. The vice weighs 3.58 kg, which provides excellent stability on the drill press table without being so heavy that repositioning it becomes a chore. The overall dimensions are a compact 7 × 27 × 15 cm, keeping the profile low so you do not waste valuable vertical space between the table and the chuck.
The vice uses a precision-ground base and frame, which means the moving jaw slides smoothly and stays parallel to the fixed jaw throughout its travel. This is crucial — if the jaws are even slightly out of parallel, the workpiece gets pushed out of square as you tighten, and your holes come out at an angle. The fixed jaw is machined with multiple prismatic grooves, which lets you securely clamp round stock like pipes, rods, and dowels without them rotating or slipping. The spindle has a versatile locking system that lets you quickly adjust the jaw position for different workpiece sizes, and the handle provides enough leverage to clamp firmly without needing to overtighten. The entire vice is finished in Faithfull's signature blue paint, which looks tidy and offers some corrosion resistance.
Mounting the vice is straightforward thanks to elongated slots in the base. Rather than fixed bolt holes that force you into a single position, the slots let you slide the vice back and forth until it is exactly centred under the drill bit. You can use T-slot bolts if your drill press table has machined T-slots, or standard bolts with washers through plain holes. At 3.58 kg, the vice is heavy enough to stay put for light drilling even without bolts, but for any serious work — especially in metal — bolting it down is recommended for safety. The low 15 cm height leaves generous room under the chuck for long drill bits and tall workpieces.
The vice comes as a single unit with no assembly required — just unbox it, bolt it down, and you are ready to work. The spindle mechanism is well lubricated from the factory and operates smoothly. The prismatic grooves in the fixed jaw are a genuinely useful feature that sets this vice apart from budget alternatives with plain flat jaws. Being able to hold a round bar or pipe vertically or horizontally without it rolling means you can drill cross-holes and end-holes accurately, which is difficult with a standard flat-jaw vice. The vice handles both metalworking and woodworking duties equally well, though if you work primarily with delicate wood surfaces you may want to add soft jaw pads to prevent marring.
The vice measures 7 × 27 × 15 cm and weighs 3.58 kg. It is manufactured in India, and Faithfull guarantees EU spare parts availability for 5 years — reassuring for a tool that will see heavy clamping forces over its lifetime. Customer ratings are strong at 4.6 out of 5 stars from 199 reviews, and it ranks #51 in the Drill Press Vices category on Amazon.fr. For around €58, you get a serious cast-iron vice that brings genuine precision and safety to your drill press — a small investment that pays for itself the first time it stops a workpiece from spinning out of your hand.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Solid cast-iron construction at 3.58 kg — heavy enough to stay planted during drilling, rigid enough to eliminate flex that would throw holes off-square.
- Precision-ground base and jaw faces keep the workpiece perpendicular to the drill bit — every hole comes out straight, no shimming or adjusting needed.
- Prismatic grooves in the fixed jaw securely hold round stock — pipes, rods, and dowels stay put without rolling, a feature often missing on budget vices.
- Elongated mounting slots instead of fixed bolt holes — slide the vice into exact position under the bit, then lock it down, no frustrating repositioning.
- 70 mm jaw opening and 75 mm jaw width handle the vast majority of bench-top drill press workpieces — metal brackets, flat bar, wooden blocks, and small assemblies.
- Low 15 cm profile preserves vertical clearance — you can still fit long drill bits and taller workpieces between the vice and the chuck.
- 5-year EU spare parts availability and 4.6 out of 5 stars from 199 reviews — a tool with proven satisfaction and manufacturer backing.
Cons
- Jaw width of 75 mm limits the maximum workpiece size — if you regularly drill wide plates or assemblies, a larger 100 mm or 150 mm vice may be necessary.
- At 3.58 kg, the vice is heavy for its size — a benefit for stability but a minor inconvenience if you frequently remove and remount it from the drill press table.
- The blue painted finish protects against rust but can chip if you clamp rough metal workpieces directly — bare cast iron under the paint will eventually need oiling.
- No soft jaw pads included — if you work with finished wood or delicate surfaces, you will need to add your own jaw protection to avoid marring.
- The spindle handle is functional but basic — a rubberised grip or larger handle diameter would improve comfort during repetitive clamping and unclamping.
Use cases
This cast-iron drill press vice is ideal for metalworkers, woodworkers, and hobbyists who need a reliable, accurate clamping solution for bench-top drilling operations on small to medium workpieces.
Metal Bracket and Plate Drilling
Drilling bolt holes in steel brackets, aluminium plates, and flat bar is where this vice really proves its worth. The cast-iron body absorbs vibration, the precision-ground jaws hold the workpiece dead square to the bit, and the 70 mm opening accommodates most small to medium metal parts you would drill on a bench press.
Pipe and Round Stock Drilling
The prismatic jaw grooves let you clamp round stock — pipes, rods, and dowels from roughly 6 mm to 40 mm diameter — securely without them rotating as the bit bites. Drilling cross-holes through steel tube or putting pilot holes in round aluminium bar becomes straightforward and safe.
Woodworking Dowel and Joinery Holes
Drilling dowel holes in the ends of chair legs or shelf boards requires the workpiece to be perfectly vertical. This vice clamps the wood securely and holds it at a true right angle to the table, so every dowel hole lines up. Add soft jaw pads for finished surfaces.
Repetitive Production Drilling
If you need to drill the same hole pattern across 20 identical brackets, the elongated mounting slots let you position the vice once and lock it down. Swap workpieces in and out without repositioning — every part gets the hole in exactly the same spot. The smooth spindle action speeds up the clamp-release cycle.
Hobbyist Bench-Top Workshop Setup
For the home workshop where space is tight and a dedicated drill press vice earns its keep on the machine table, this is a properly engineered solution at a fair price. It does not flex, it does not slip, and it turns a freehand-clamped mess into precise, repeatable drilling — a genuine upgrade for model makers, metal hobbyists, and DIY furniture builders.