The VISES of Garage Journal

[Shiftless]

Here are some preliminary results of a test I did using dark walnut Watco Danish oil on part of an old vise that had been stripped of its thick red paint using Simple Green.
The first pic was taken outdoors in bright overcast. The second is on my workbench with LED floodlights.
I’d say the color in real life instead of on a computer screen is somewhere in between these 2 extremes. You can definitely see some brown. I used 2 very light rubbed on coats on a pre warmed vise with a quick removal of excess.

 

[BlueBomber]

I know Wilton Baby Bullets are valuable, but me thinks not this valuable...

 

[Shiftless]

I know Wilton Baby Bullets are valuable, but me thinks not this valuable...

That one is equipped with the rare table clamp. If I was selling one on eBay, I too would try for a grand.

I like the seller‘s remarks about who he would reply to…

”If you send me a message in the middle of the night I will assume you are hammered so send one in the morning instead, i will ignore anything sent overnight.”

 

[merkyworks]

Very nice restoration!! Looks like the big brother of my little 300

 

[merkyworks]

For sure a casting has many more problems too... But the lines are supposed to show "force flow" when the material is stressed, not the grain of the material.

My bad, mistook them for grain structure.

 

[PierceA]

I was able to make the Bryant Engineering hydraulic vice work !!
I decided that rather than attempting to disassemble every single part, that I might just try putting some hydraulic oil into it and
see what works or doesn't work. And where it leaks.
I had disassembled the main, center pedal and pump assembly, and cleaned out the cylinder, inspected the leather cup-shaped piston seal.

I used ATF, automatic transmission fluid, since it is basically a 0wt-5wt hydraulic oil with a lot of cleaning additives.
I filled the center cylinder, and installed the piston, and pedal, pumped until that first dose was gone, then repeated the process three more times. Eventually the dynamic started to close. The high pressure pedal was free, so I pumped on it and the vise moved in small increments.. And the left release pedal did it's job as well.
Everything works !

Now: there are several leaks that will need attention, but it is neat that the valving in the pedal assembly is free and works, and that the vise actuator cylinder operates.
I'm quite amazed that it works.
PierceA.

 

[ColumbianRon]

A friend of mine gave me this old Wilton. He said it is about 30 years old. There is no COO anywhere on it. I seem to remember Wiltons were made in Taiwan at some point. The only markings are the numbers 75 and 50 on the sides of the towers. The original color was a dark grey, similar to what is on there now. It is actually a little darker than what is shown in these images.

This vise is tight with close tolerances and no slop in the action.

Anyone have a good guess as to where it might have been made.

 

[master Zoda]

I pick up this little guy today it seems very well made everything is super tight no play at all. I have never had a vise this small with removable jaws 2". The machined dove tails are very precise. It doesn't apear to be real old the only markings I can find are HS 00 on the side of the fixed jaw and again on the bottom of the dynamic jaw. Who can tell me what it is?

 

[Shiftless]

Cool little detail on the old Lewis vise I am working on. This is the handle used to operate the cam action swivel base locking pin.
Does it say Patd 6-93 ? or something else?

Think of the guy who first put his hand on this handle over a hundred years ago. If he didn’t work at home, he probably got to his job on a horse and could have easily had no electricity in his shop. Rural America didn’t get much electricity at all until after the 1930s.

 

[dannyr]

I pick up this little guy today it seems very well made everything is super tight no play at all. I have never had a vise this small with removable jaws 2". The machined dove tails are very precise. It doesn't apear to be real old the only markings I can find are HS 00 on the side of the fixed jaw and again on the bottom of the dynamic jaw. Who can tell me what it is?

like it -- 00 was the English sizing usually for 2 1/4in sometimes less, but this doesn't look English.

anyhow, I have just rehabbed a couple of my vises that live in the potting shed/greenhouse - both by Vono - a big furniture maker near Birmingham, England who specialised in bed frames and had in-house foundry and machine shop - they rethought the vise slide and registered the deigns/patented this style, which I like - patented in the 1920s and sold for a few years pre and post WWII
first a Vono No 3 swivel and quick release bench vise - just 3in jaws, 4in opening, but real solid for its size - Patent 210210, Registered design 894211, (they also made a C, for compact, series of these, with no swivel)

 

[F-22]

like it -- 00 was the English sizing usually for 2 1/4in sometimes less, but this doesn't look English.

anyhow, I have just rehabbed a couple of my vises that live in the potting shed/greenhouse - both by Vono - a big furniture maker near Birmingham, England who specialised in bed frames and had in-house foundry and machine shop - they rethought the vise slide and registered the deigns/patented this style, which I like - patented in the 1920s and sold for a few years pre and post WWII
first a Vono No 3 swivel and quick release bench vise - just 3in jaws, 4in opening, but real solid for its size - Patent 210210, Registered design 894211,

Cool and interesting. Though the overall guide design is similar to the German System Koch (round slide with a bottom support), except that those also fully enclosed the rear end of the slide.

 

[dannyr]

and second a woodworking swivel-jaw - jaw 10.5ins, opening 13ins, weighs 52lbs, reg des 697761, provisional patent 9827

 

[dannyr]

Cool and interesting. Though the overall guide design is similar to the German System Koch (round slide with a bottom support), except that those also fully enclosed the rear end of the slide.

yes you're correct, but in this case Vono also enclosed the buttress thread quick release mechanism within the circ section slide, and then applied it to woodwork vises which were usually rectangular cast/machined ways 19th and double bar 20th C

 

[neophyte]

and second a woodworking swivel-jaw - jaw 10.5ins, opening 13ins, weighs 52lbs, reg des 697761, provisional patent 9827

This is nice.
Wilton seems to be the only manufacturer that still offers a swivel face woodworking under mount bench vise nowadays.

 

[master Zoda]

Cool little detail on the old Lewis vise I am working on. This is the handle used to operate the cam action swivel base locking pin.
Does it say Patd 6-93 ? or something else?

Think of the guy who first put his hand on this handle over a hundred years ago. If he didn’t work at home, he probably got to his job on a horse and could have easily had no electricity in his shop. Rural America didn’t get much electricity at all until after the 1930s.

Could it be P. FEB 6 93

 

[Andy FitzGibbon]

Hi guys, been a long time since I posted but I only post when I find a cool vise, and I have been skunked for several years finding a noteworthy one. Then this morning...I actually completed a FB Marketplace transaction

Lick your chops...7" Williamson I've only ever seen a few examples of these, and never a 7". ANYTHING 7"+ is rare, period.

Astute readers will note that the tongue is broken out of it, but I'm a machinist and fab guy, so this will get repaired to look great and function great too. I never get upset about broken stuff...it's all part of the story when you bring it back to life.

Hope yinz like it!

I saw that on Marketplace. Glad to see it show up here.

 

[Shiftless]

Could it be P. FEB 6 93

Yeah, I think you might be right about that. The cam operated swivel lock system seems to be unique to the Lewis. Prentiss manufactured an identical model under some kind of agreement.

 

[RTM]

Could it be P. FEB 6 93

Yeah, I think you might be right about that.

Probably not, that is a Monday, and US patents were all issued in Tuesdays

Here is a potential in the time frame.

US Patent: 514,012 - Bench Vise

US patent 514,012 Bench Vise was issued to Mortimer G. Lewis of New York, NY. It was granted on 02/06/1894. swivel lock mechanism

datamp.org

 

[Shiftless]

Probably not, that is a Monday, and US patents were all issued in Tuesdays

Here is a potential in the time frame.

US Patent: 514,012 - Bench Vise

US patent 514,012 Bench Vise was issued to Mortimer G. Lewis of New York, NY. It was granted on 02/06/1894. swivel lock mechanism

datamp.org

Thanks RTM,
Maybe the Feb. 6th is correct and the year is wrong. They guy in charge of casting could have made an error.

 

[akasrick]

Thanks RTM,
Maybe the Feb. 6th is correct and the year is wrong. They guy in charge of casting could have made an error.

Another of Mortimer's patents.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US279260

akasrick

 

[DoctorEvilQC]

I have the possibility of buying this record vice for a fairly cheap price 30-40 USD, was actually curious as to how old this one possibly is? Looks fairly modern to me but I could be wrong, more information on it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[RBarnes]

Listening to Dr Scott, went ahead and put a little more radius on the top edge of my Reed 406, 405, & 404 rear swivel jaw pins. Did not clean off upper sides as I wanted the surface to more closely match original vise surfaces. The dark surface comes off fairly easily if someone wants a brand new looking pin.

 

[Shiftless]

Dr. Evil:
Based on my experience, that is a later model Record made after the company name was acquired by Irwin. Not made in England if that matters. For that price it’s a fine buy for a nice user. Be

 

[DoctorEvilQC]

Dr. Evil:
Based on my experience, that is a later model Record made after the company name was acquired by Irwin. Not made in England if that matters. For that price it’s a fine buy for a nice user. Be

It definitely does matter, I don't exactly NEED more vices haha, thank you very much! I'll be passing on this one.

 

[dannyr]

I have the possibility of buying this record vice for a fairly cheap price 30-40 USD, was actually curious as to how old this one possibly is? Looks fairly modern to me but I could be wrong, more information on it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

From very early 1900s Record's main workshop was in Sheffield, England and they (Hampton/Ridgeway) owned the name and made the vises here up to the end of the 1980s - they were taken over by Bahco of Sweden then Irwin of USA - Bahco kept Sheffield manufacture, but Irwin started selling the foundry equipment, patterns and then machine shop - all gone by early 2000s -

I'm not sure, but I think this comes late in the Bahco days or it's Irwin - if it actually was made here (could have been cast elsewhere and finished in Sheffield)

I would guess it's a good vise, but most users here go for the older models.

edit Shiftless replied while I was writing this -- I agree with him.

 

[DoctorEvilQC]

From very early 1900s Record's main workshop was in Sheffield, England and they (Hampton/Ridgeway) owned the name and made the vises here up to the end of the 1980s - they were taken over by Bahco of Sweden then Irwin of USA - Bahco kept Sheffield manufacture, but Irwin started selling the foundry equipment, patterns and then machine shop - all gone by early 2000s -

I'm not sure, but I think this comes late in the Bahco days or it's Irwin - if it actually was made here (could have been cast elsewhere and finished in Sheffield)

I would guess it's a good vise, but most users here go for the older models.

edit Shiftless replied while I was writing this -- I agree with him.

Yes, I also prefer older models. I don't exactly need more vices but I enjoy collectibles, will be passing on that one, thank you!

 

[RTM]

Thanks RTM,
Maybe the Feb. 6th is correct and the year is wrong. They guy in charge of casting could have made an error.

I will pretend I noticed the day was the same, just wrong year. I was actually looking at the applied date. Saw the cam clamp text, and was happy to share

 

[dannyr]

tell me if these strange limey vices are boring you, but I'm on a roll in the refurb shop (wife's greenhouse) and here's another - due to replace my Record 74 (fine, but quite common here - I like rarities)

Usually the vise part of a multi purpose tool is a disappointment, but this works for me - solid, medium sized, with usable anvil:-





can you spot the vise in there??







The only part I'd really like is the pipe jaw inserts, but could make this.

 

[TheRealZeus]

I see it! Like where’s Waldo…
lil easier, but still there.

 

[TheRealZeus]

How does the pipe bender work, exactly? Part under the dynamic?

 

[TheRealZeus]

my bad! Figured it out!

 

[TheRealZeus]

I wanted to say thanks, and express my heartfelt gratitude to all the men, and women in this forum, who strive to provide information, thereby carrying history forward.

Thanks to you all, for the wealth of knowledge, and commitment to tools, craftsmanship, heritage, & their nostalgia.

Stay patient with your tools, and forever remain clever with the fixes.

 

[KMScott]

Back to making Parker jaws and having a ball in my small island shop. I have several more to make and tried out making a set without a CNC and doing all the cuts by hand. Note how I stepped off the top radius on my Bridgeport mill I’ll post a final pic after the vise is done. Restoring 4 different vises at a time. I’ll get them back to work.

 

[Shiftless]

KMS:
Nothing like jumping back into the deep end of the pool. Parker jaws are no doubt the most difficult and time consuming ones to make. I‘m not the only one glad to see you back in business. (So to speak…I doubt that you’ll be back to knocking out dozens of Wilton jaw inserts anytime soon)

 

[M635_Guy]

Yes, I also prefer older models. I don't exactly need more vices but I enjoy collectibles, will be passing on that one, thank you!

I told you these guys were smart

 

[KMScott]

KMS:
Nothing like jumping back into the deep end of the pool. Parker jaws are no doubt the most difficult and time consuming ones to make. I‘m not the only one glad to see you back in business. (So to speak…I doubt that you’ll be back to knocking out dozens of Wilton jaw inserts anytime soon)

You’re right Shift. Only jaws I am making are not for customers until they buy the vise. Being retired lets me work without having to meet a deadline or keeping a website stocked. Nothing beats an old vise with new jaws.

 

[Outlawmws]

Fell off this wagon for 5 or 6 pages...

I picked this one up last Sat at a HS FM - Dr Scott; AFAIK not in the Spreadsheet - I also posted in the Vise ID thread:


Cheney Anvil and Vise Co. a No 10:

2-1/4" (2-1/2 per the catalog) Jaws, I would call this 2" max opening. 8 Lbs, 14 oz.

I'm not sure if this is original paint or not? I suspect not...

I plan on using this as an "Inside vise" as while the anvil is not suitable for forging, Its fine for thin/soft metals.

I'm sure ifs between early 1879 and 1918 - certainly over 100 years old.












No. 10 in the middle?






These is a catalog pg on Pg 1 of this thread, but I found another:




Confirmed cast at the Fulton Foundry - See Patent info below


Patent info:

Patentee:

James W. Cheney (exact or similar names) - Detroit, MI

USPTO Classifications:

269/252, 269/258, 72/460

Tool Categories:

metalworking tools : blacksmiths tools : anvils

work holding : vises : bench vises

Assignees:

Armilla A. Cheney - Detroit, MI

Manufacturer:

Fulton Iron & Engine Works - Detroit, MI

Cheney Anvil & Vise Co. - Detroit, MI

J. W. CHENEY. Cbmbined Anvil and Vise.
Patented Nov. 18, 1879.
WITNESSS-. J. W. CHENEY.
Combined Anvil and Vise.No. 221,781. Patented Nv.18,1879.

 

[Shiftless]

Nice score there Outlaw!

 

[PierceA]

Outlaw: I have that No. 10 Cheney as well! I think I posted a photo a few years ago. I like Detroit made tools, vises etc..
The Cheney is a nice little swivel jaw.

Pierce.

 

[Outlawmws]

Hi Pierce, Both green too, but completely different shades.

I found a couple of GJ references to the style of vise, but I think missed yours. the others were bigger.