The VISES of Garage Journal

[TheRealZeus]

Not sure if I posted my fortis 3 jaw here or not?



And this is my latest, another 3 jaw called a fixie, by jerrims.
This one seems SUPER rare, I can find nothing about this vice at all.
It's 6" wide and currently being stripped and cleaned.


If anyone has any info on this at all, I'd love to hear it.

There is an advert for a different, 4", fixie 3 jaw in an old buck hickman catalogue, but this version seems to not even exist!

There is a Practical machinist post dated 23 July 2014 for one of these, Man.

 

[Graeme]

There is a Practical machinist post dated 23 July 2014 for one of these, Man.

For the fixie!!?

Edit..
Found it, the post is about the fortis. I know about that one, they are rare, but not that rare.

The jerrims fixie is the one I can find absolutely nothing about!

 

[Graeme]

So.. any chance you might have some more picturesplease? I am sure others want to see more too

Yes, I have a few more but not many. Only owned it a few days.

The uploaded on here doesn't seem to like all the pics though.


This is all I have right now.
I'll take more as I clean it up though

 

[mikeinri]

That Fixie is quite cool!

Mike

 

[RTM]

And this is my latest, another 3 jaw called a fixie, by jerrims.
This one seems SUPER rare, I can find nothing about this vice at all.
It's 6" wide and currently being stripped and cleaned.


If anyone has any info on this at all, I'd love to hear it.

There is an advert for a different, 4", fixie 3 jaw in an old buck hickman catalogue, but this version seems to not even exist!

Not necessarily anything new, gathering some data, don't want to lose it

Here is something showing the shape of your big vice, but not much more yet.

Mechanical World

www.google.com

Links to this patent ( no pic), and mentions 2 patents which are listed below (this does not seem to translate to a US patent, unlike the other two)

GB183263A - Improvements in bench vices - Google Patents

183,263. Jerrim, J. H. April 25, 1921. Vices.-In a vice comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jaw slidable within an attachment part of the fixed jaw, the movable jaw consists of a pair of pivotal members adapted to be locked in adjusted position. As shown the movable jaw a, slida.ble within the...

patents.google.com

There is a 1939 reference in The Commonwealth Engineer to the Fixie vise, much later than all the stuff below, but its only snippet view, and nothing shows up legibly. Can't find it at Archive dot org



Wrong shape vise

Engineering Production

www.google.com

But the GB patent is here

GB122063A - Improvements relating to Machine and other Vices and like Work Holding or Setting Appliances. - Google Patents

122,063. Jerrim, J. H. Feb. 13, 1918. Vices.-Machine and other vices or work-holders of the type having jaws with adjustable parts to conform to the shaft of irregular work, are provided with pivoted jaw members independently adjustable and capable of being locked in the adjusted positions. As...

patents.google.com

& here

GB143549A - Improvements in or relating to machine or other vices and like work holding or setting appliances - Google Patents

143,549. Jerrim, J. H. May 8, 1919, [Convention date]. Addition to 122,063. Work-holders.-Consists in modifications of the work-holder described in the parent Specification, in which a locking-member simultaneously secures both the pivoted members forming the fixed jaw in their adjusted...

patents.google.com

Lists a range of sizes

The Electrician

www.google.com

Here is a US patent or three for the little fellow (lots of similar dated ones in other countries being skipped for now) None in DATAMP, or under his name. The big one didn't seem to get a US one, that I can find, yet.

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/4d/36/cd/85700a240674af/US1349963.pdf

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/1f/b0/30/c1d8233aaf6ed2/US1368399.pdf

 

[Graeme]

Not necessarily anything new, gathering some data, don't want to lose it

Here is something showing the shape of your big vice, but not much more yet.

Mechanical World

www.google.com

Links to this patent ( no pic), and mentions 2 patents which are listed below (this does not seem to translate to a US patent, unlike the other two)

GB183263A - Improvements in bench vices - Google Patents

183,263. Jerrim, J. H. April 25, 1921. Vices.-In a vice comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jaw slidable within an attachment part of the fixed jaw, the movable jaw consists of a pair of pivotal members adapted to be locked in adjusted position. As shown the movable jaw a, slida.ble within the...

patents.google.com

There is a 1939 reference in The Commonwealth Engineer to the Fixie vise, much later than all the stuff below, but its only snippet view, and nothing shows up legibly. Can't find it at Archive dot org



Wrong shape vise

Engineering Production

www.google.com

But the GB patent is here

GB122063A - Improvements relating to Machine and other Vices and like Work Holding or Setting Appliances. - Google Patents

122,063. Jerrim, J. H. Feb. 13, 1918. Vices.-Machine and other vices or work-holders of the type having jaws with adjustable parts to conform to the shaft of irregular work, are provided with pivoted jaw members independently adjustable and capable of being locked in the adjusted positions. As...

patents.google.com

& here

GB143549A - Improvements in or relating to machine or other vices and like work holding or setting appliances - Google Patents

143,549. Jerrim, J. H. May 8, 1919, [Convention date]. Addition to 122,063. Work-holders.-Consists in modifications of the work-holder described in the parent Specification, in which a locking-member simultaneously secures both the pivoted members forming the fixed jaw in their adjusted...

patents.google.com

Lists a range of sizes

The Electrician

www.google.com

Here is a US patent or three for the little fellow (lots of similar dated ones in other countries being skipped for now) None in DATAMP, or under his name. The big one didn't seem to get a US one, that I can find, yet.

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/4d/36/cd/85700a240674af/US1349963.pdf

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/1f/b0/30/c1d8233aaf6ed2/US1368399.pdf

The patents, and I assume all the early info, are for the vice in this advert...



I have heard of mentions of a revised version which may be what I have. Or it may be that my 6" vice is just a completely different design to the 4".

I'm not sure as I have found no images of any jerrims fixie bench vices, only this advert, and the drawing in the original patent (which is a working drawing of the vice in this advert)

 

[Graeme]

Espacenet – search results

Espacenet: free access to millions of patent documents. Find out if your invention is unique or if other inventors have filed patent applications that are considered to be prior art.

worldwide.espacenet.com

That's all the info I, or the folk of the mig-welding forum, have found.

And it's not even about my vice
As I say, not found anything at all for mine.

 

[Smitty]

Here’s something you don’t see every day.

 

[Outlawmws]

Holy Crud Smitty! Where did you find that?

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

Love the Power arm shelf. Man alive, y'all oughtta work cold cases, the level of research done by y'all is mind boggling. Great work vise forum folk.

 

[Smitty]

Holy Crud Smitty! Where did you find that?

It came out of the pacific northwest. I made the case to a fellow poster that it belonged in my collection and he graciously agreed. After all I have more Wilton’s in stock than Wilton does.

 

[four.cycle]

I contacted the seller on this old beast earlier. No idea if this is high or low on this, as I'm not really familiar with prices on these things.
Unfortunately there's no way I can get down there until Sunday, so it may well be gone before I can get a chance to drive down and put money in this guy's hand - I have some commitments that I have to take care of tomorrow and Saturday.
Either way - from you guys who know the difference: is this fair and reasonable for this piece?

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

Get there man. Thing is beautiful for a good price. Didn't look real real close but seems to be in great shape.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I contacted the seller on this old beast earlier. No idea if this is high or low on this, as I'm not really familiar with prices on these things.
Unfortunately there's no way I can get down there until Sunday, so it may well be gone before I can get a chance to drive down and put money in this guy's hand - I have some commitments that I have to take care of tomorrow and Saturday.
Either way - from you guys who know the difference: is this fair and reasonable for this piece?

I'd say that's a fair price. I don't know that I've seen a parker with that kind of swivel lock though. I saw that one yesterday as well, don't worry you're safe from me lol. Parkers seem to be one of the more common brands in our area, besides astronomical wilton bullets. If you tell him you'll take it at full price he may be more inclined to pass on the email offers. That one looks to be in very nice condition, good luck!

P.S. you may want to remove the link to that ad. I know there is at least one vise flipper in our area that is a GJ member.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Thanks.
After the communication I sent, the guy will either hold it for me until Sunday or he won't. I told him flat out "if somebody shows up shovin' money in your face, my feelings won't be hurt."
I just can't do the deal until Sunday - my day is full today and I have dinner with mom tonight and then I'm taking her to a ballet performance tomorrow.
It's not the first and won't be the last. I just figured I should think about upgrading from the $10. Chinese model that's out in the garage now.

* my sister's company is putting on a performance tomorrow at the Tacoma Glass Museum, for those who might be local and interested.

 

[Shiftless]

Like Mr. W. said... that link just works against you. I suggest editing that out of your earlier post.

 

[mikeinri]

FWIW, I'm a cheapskate, and I'd buy it for that price. Good luck!

BTW, you're smart to be patient and not get emotionally connected to it (before you're driving it home). Wish I could do that when I come across something I really like for a good price...

Mike

 

[Vwpower]

Made in Erie!
Probably sell the reed at some point it’s too big for my small drill press

 

[Captainkrusty]

Posted this awhile ago. WW2 6” Wilton, no date stamped.

 

[Outlawmws]

Probably sell the reed at some point it’s too big for my small drill press

Save it for when you get a real DP!

 

[Mourmoura310]

New here, the 434 1/2 is my first restoration and still a work in progress. The 25 I recently got from a yard sale. I am having trouble finding info on the 25.

 

[akasrick]

New here, the 434 1/2 is my first restoration and still a work in progress. The 25 I recently got from a yard sale. I am having trouble finding info on the 25.

None of the few catalogs I have show a #25 one has a 25x an improved swivel vise. Possibly the "X" on yours was knocked off. There is a listing for a #25 on the spreadsheet with I think is a misidentified #24.
Possibly someone else has history or a listing for it.

akasrick

 

[Dave600]

New here, the 434 1/2 is my first restoration and still a work in progress. The 25 I recently got from a yard sale. I am having trouble finding info on the 25.

Model 25 is part of the series of 19 - 26. 23 - 26 did not have the cast steel anvil on the back. In 1876 the catalog only went to 24. In 1883 it went to 26. Here is an 1883 catalog page of it. The 25X version did not show up until 1900 according to the catalog pages I have. Cool !

 

[Mourmoura310]

Model 25 is part of the series of 19 - 26. 23 - 26 did not have the cast steel anvil on the back. In 1876 the catalog only went to 24. In 1883 it went to 26. Here is an 1883 catalog page of it. The 25X version did not show up until 1900 according to the catalog pages I have. Cool !

Thank you so much

 

[Jayman17]

New here, the 434 1/2 is my first restoration and still a work in progress. The 25 I recently got from a yard sale. I am having trouble finding info on the 25.

Did you use a black oil finish on that 434 1/2 vise?

 

[Mourmoura310]

No I wish I know about the oil before I did it. That was just Perma Blue

 

[FullRaceMerc]

I contacted the seller on this old beast earlier. No idea if this is high or low on this, as I'm not really familiar with prices on these things.
Unfortunately there's no way I can get down there until Sunday, so it may well be gone before I can get a chance to drive down and put money in this guy's hand - I have some commitments that I have to take care of tomorrow and Saturday.
Either way - from you guys who know the difference: is this fair and reasonable for xxxxx

Link removed from the quote.

It takes some trust, but I once paid via paypal on something that I was having a hard time finding & couldn't get there right away. That way I was the first guy with cash in hand, even though I physically couldn't get there till later. Some risk, but I needed the part, & the cost wouldn't have killed me if it went bad.

 

[mikeinri]

Made in Erie!
Probably sell the reed at some point it’s too big for my small drill press

Wow, those are my favorite tools: well-made, with local vintage!

That's what she said

Well, that significantly changes the definition of "cheater bar."

Model 25 is part of the series of 19 - 26. 23 - 26 did not have the cast steel anvil on the back. In 1876 the catalog only went to 24. In 1883 it went to 26. Here is an 1883 catalog page of it. The 25X version did not show up until 1900 according to the catalog pages I have. Cool !

Wow, great sleuthing! Time to update the spreadsheet!


Mike

 

[mikeinri]

Link removed from the quote.

It takes some trust, but I once paid via paypal on something that I was having a hard time finding & couldn't get there right away. That way I was the first guy with cash in hand, even though I physically couldn't get there till later. Some risk, but I needed the part, & the cost wouldn't have killed me if it went bad.

I've often wondered about posting links here or on other sites. But if your "competition" is really a threat, they've probably already found it themselves, especially if local.

The only real lost deals that upset me are the ones that get sold out from under you while you're driving to make the purchase. Especially if it's a long drive.

I had that happen once with a used boat, in another state, 4-hour drive each way. That story is way too long to get into here, but I actually found a better deal on a newer one a week later!

So, things sometimes happen for weird reasons, I guess.

Mike

 

[KMScott]

Wow, great sleuthing! Time to update the spreadsheet!


Mike

So what needs updating Mike? I might have missed something.

 

[akasrick]

So what needs updating Mike? I might have missed something.

New here, the 434 1/2 is my first restoration and still a work in progress. The 25 I recently got from a yard sale. I am having trouble finding info on the 25.

None of the few catalogs I have show a #25 one has a 25x an improved swivel vise. Possibly the "X" on yours was knocked off. There is a listing for a #25 on the spreadsheet with I think is a misidentified #24.
Possibly someone else has history or a listing for it.

akasrick

Possibly he had my post in mind. I had thought there was a blue vise in that listing. I don't see it now.

akasrick

 

[Graeme]

Parkinson ball base vice.
Picked this up with no jaws.
Has a piece missing at the back too that I need to work out how to repair.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

I didn't want to fight the collectors for some old junk so I plunked down some coin. It's big. Ridiculously big. Pretty happy with it.











Stand is 5/8" plate with 1" and 1/2" rebar. Held down with 1/2x6" titan HD anchors. I still need to cut off the old dome head bolts and put some black oxide nuts on there.

 

[Graeme]

I didn't want to fight the collectors for some old junk so I plunked down some coin. It's big. Ridiculously big. Pretty happy with it.











Stand is 5/8" plate with 1" and 1/2" rebar. Held down with 1/2x6" titan HD anchors. I still need to cut off the old dome head bolts and put some black oxide nuts on there.

I really like that stand. Like a crane!

Vice looks great too, I know nothing about it though!

 

[va.grouseman]

Real neat work, Clapped.---The Spokane's look well-made and beefy for a modern vise.---Is that a Starrett on the bench?

 

[General Geoff]

Vice looks great too, I know nothing about it though!

Read all about the saga of this vise from its announcement to initial deliveries here.

Cliff notes: Jason from Fireball tools announced to the world that he was designing and would sell the strongest, most robust bench vise on the market. And that it would be USA-made. Took pre-orders at $1500 including shipping back in September of 2021. Then about six months later clarified/bait-and-switched (depending on who you ask) by saying the pre-order vises would be cast in Taiwan, not USA as initially claimed or implied (again depending on who you ask). Offered refunds for anyone who preordered and did not want a Taiwan-cast vise. Also added USA-specific version to the pre-order page, at an eye-watering price of $3800 vs $1800 now for the Taiwan vise. No differences in design or materials spec other than country of origin.

Fast forward to last month and we finally got a few members here with delivered vises. Those of us who went through with their purchase so far are very satisfied with the vise, despite its Taiwan origin. I'm one of them. There are a lot of folks who are very disappointed with Jason due to the Taiwan origin of the initial vise run, provided to the original pre-order purchasers.

I posted a pic of mine the day I picked it up from the dock, but I'll add another one since it's now securely bolted down to my heavily-reinforced bench.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

I really like that stand. Like a crane!

Vice looks great too, I know nothing about it though!

Thank you. Geoff gave a great writeup, so just refer to that.

Real neat work, Clapped.---The Spokane's look well-made and beefy for a modern vise.---Is that a Starrett on the bench?

It's not. It's a beat, old, 4" Parker that is my dad's. He just reneged it now that I have my new one haha.

 

[Graeme]

Must read through that thread.
Made me remember that a guy over hear in the UK was making huge vices too. Wonder how he got on...

 

[wmb67]

I picked up a Reed 204 at an estate sale a couple weeks ago. After a number of all purpose cleaner baths and some light wire wheeling and brushing, I applied 2 coats of Boiled linseed oil and lightly oiled the moving parts. There must have been 8-10 coats of paint on there, including latex house paint. It cleaned up very well. I'll probably post it for sale on craigslist\Facebook.... I don't have the space to collect anymore vises. I'm at 8, but should really get down to 2. Primarily after photos because I didn't take any befores. It came out great.

 

[four.cycle]

In spite of my forgetting all about "daylight savings time" and then getting lost en route, I got down to Olympia a couple hours ago (at the previously agreed-upon time) and picked up this lovely 60-pound Parker:


Charles Parker 204 vise (patent 976521)

Charles Parker 204 vise (patent 976521)

Charles Parker 204 vise (patent 976521)

It appears to be in pretty good order - I didn't see any evidence of cracks or welds and it's not covered with hammer marks.
After looking at Carl Weathers' photos of the same model at datamp.org it appears that mine is missing a double-headed pin of sorts.
Not sure where one would procure such a thing and how it would be installed after having been removed.

I gather from the commentary in this thread that painting a vise isn't always the best way to go. I suppose I could clean it up a bit, but would prefer not to remove that lovely black patina - no sense in doing that.
What I am curious about though are the jaws - these appear to have once had something of a cross-hatch on them, which is barely visible now even in good light. Are the jaws replaceable on these units?