Bought a Vise

[Ancient Iron]

I found this vise at a local car show and swap meet. I paid $200.00 for it and its heavy as hell. It's a Morgan 150 Machinists swivel base vise. I don't know what they call the section that covers the screw that moves the jaw, but it was painted and that along with some rust and dirt made it very hard to open or close. I took it apart and wire wheeled it down and it seems to slide in and out much easier now. I would like to get rid of the awful red paint and either paint it the factory blue color or possibly grey.
Do you guys think it was a fair price?

 

[General Geoff]

If you bought it to flip, the price was high.

If you bought it to collect, it's an OK price.

If you bought it to use it, it's a great price.

 

[Snip's]

Old iron is the best iron...

 

[justtools]

If you bought it to flip, the price was high.

If you bought it to collect, it's an OK price.

If you bought it to use it, it's a great price.

Well Said!!!

 

[Nutria]

Morgans are nice vises, and yours looks to be in excellent condition-- nice jaw lineup.

My go-to is an almost-Morgan, a 4-1/2" "Standard" which was one of several other lines made by Morgan.

 

[i4ni]

If you bought it to flip, the price was high.

If you bought it to collect, it's an OK price.

If you bought it to use it, it's a great price.

This

 

[Ancient Iron]

I bought it to use I wouldn't have any interest in flipping it. I want to clean it up and paint it a decent color.

 

[mitusa]

Nice vise......lose the red paint!!

 

[Shiftless]

Nice find!
That looks like a good one. Morgans are few and far between. I was lucky to find a 335 model with the swivel back jaw. Mine came to me painted black and I didn‘t change that. If I ever repaint it, I would go with dark blue or dark green.
As I have said before, “Your vise, your color”
If you want to match your toolbox or your car, go right ahead.
The very best results come from completely stripping off the layers of old paint. I use hot Simple Green so as not to destroy the texture and details of the old casting. For a user that will get scratched and scraped, you might just clean it thoroughly and then spray on your color. Remove all paint from the slide like you’ve already done, and the jaw pads and the nose and the handle. Shine those up and apply something to retard rusting, I use Fluid Film.

 

[Shiftless]

Here is my green Morgan 40 that I painted years ago, I don’t remember what color it was when I picked it up. Morgan vises made from 1929-1947 were marked Chicago. From 1947 - 1970 they were marked Aurora. After 1970 they are marked Milwaulkee

 

[tool_scrounge]

Used Morgan vises are more available in Southern California. But they seem to be a “ sleeper” vise and not as sought after like other vises.

 

[1982fxr]

Factory blue all the way.

 

[ZRX61]

Used Morgan vises are more available in Southern California. But they seem to be a “ sleeper” vise and not as sought after like other vises.

I have a Milwaukee 40 that came out of the Lockheed Skunkworks in Palmdale & a Chicago 140 that came out of the original Skunkworks in Burbank

and an 87 that came from somewhere else, managed to buy new pipe jaws for it.

 

[IndyGarage]

It only takes a couple hours to paint a vise. Get a wire brush on an angle grinder and brush the old paint off.

Put anti seize on the screw. And if you like buff the handle using a buffing wheel.

mask off the jaws and the slide. prime and paint. Rustoleum has some satin spray paint in many colors that looks pretty good.

 

[Ancient Iron]

When I took the vise apart, I noticed this pin that holds the female side of the screw in place and was wondering if it si supposed to be bent like this or should it be straight?
I never had a Morgan vise before and this is the first one I ever took apart.

 

[Shiftless]

Let me see if my explanation makes sense.
That quarter inch diameter pin is installed straight and then bent over by tapping from the back with a hammer to adjust the slack in the screw. If you bend it over too tight, there will be excess friction that makes it harder to turn the handle and lead to wear of the threads.
If not enough bend, the nut will be loose and there will be excess free play when turning the handle. Axial free play is the technical term.

Bending that pin also can compensate for wear of the friction surfaces after long use.

If anybody else has a better explanation or if I have said something that isn’t right, please feel free to add your opinions and directions for a newbie. I have taken quite a few vises apart but I don’t consider myself an expert. I never had formal training in this stuff. Learn as you go and learn by reading what others post on GJ.

 

[Daveo]

Axial free play is the technical term.

Backlash

 

[Shiftless]

Backlash

Yeah, backlash is the more common term. Thanks for mentioning that.

 

[jonshonda]

Value is very difficult to determine when asking a group of guys who reside in places where vises are as common as mailboxes, vs places where you might only see them one or two times a year. But regardless of what people tell you, that $200 tool will be with you the rest of your life and serve you well. Get some soft jaw covers (common ones are copper, and I really like making them out of pine as well for more delicate items) and you will be setup well.

 

[exmaxima1]

If you bought it to flip, the price was high.

If you bought it to collect, it's an OK price.

If you bought it to use it, it's a great price.

Agreed but only if you have the swivel base for it. If the base is missing I'd subtract $50 to the above.

Ford Blue is an appropriate color paint for it.

 

[decableguy2000]

I picked up a 40 a while back and painted it Ford blue. I recently picked up a new swivel base of ebay I need to paint to match. Morgans are good solid vise. Parts can be had from Morgan even fir older ones.

 

[Ancient Iron]

Ford blue looks nice on a vise I'll consider it.

 

[PierceA]

Exmaxima1: These vises were made with one style of Static Jaw, it has three mounting holes for use as a fixed base vise.
A swivel base is available from the manufacturer, so the vise can be a swivel base if an owner wants to spend the $ to upgrade it.
So this vise is one without the optional swivel base.
As such, I prefer a swivel base vise, but this one appears to be in very good condtion, except for the unfortunate paint job..
But an overnight bath in 50/50 mix of heated Simple Green/water will take care of the paint..
I agree with Shiftless: a power wire brush removes much of the original cast iron surface finish, it smooths off the surface and leaves
a lot of wire scratches.. I prefer the original appearance of cast iron, but this is a personal preference..

I have several Morgan vises, from a 3" up to an 8", and they are well made heavy vises.. And most wear items are still available for purchase from the manufacturer.. Hard to beat these days..

PierceA

 

[Ancient Iron]

I have the swivel base.