Vintage vise/table clamp? ID

[makeityourself1]

I recently purchased this at an antique store for $5.00. It was pretty rusty but I have dismantled it and restored it for use in my barn. There are NO markings, plates or anything that would identify the manufacturer. I found ONE on eBay that was damaged and they also had no idea as to the manufacturer.
I came to GJ with my Power King worm drive saw and had answers within hours of my post. I'm hoping for the same with this.
It really doesn't seem to be a vise as much as a mounted clamp. I'm sure you could NOT bang on it or clamp anything and pry on it....it would spell certain doom for this tool. It really just looks like a table mounted clamp. Any ideas?

 

[RTM]

Looks like a wimpy version of a Cole, or taller version of my Baby Cole, which has no name.

The VISES of Garage Journal

Joe: Thanks for posting and welcome to the vise pages. I don’t have the answers to your questions about that unusual vise but perhaps somebody else knows something about them. I was baffled about what drawings you were referring to until I figured out that the posting you quoted came from 2018.

www.garagejournal.com

 

[makeityourself1]

RTM- YES, it does kinda look like that.... VERY wimpy indeed. I'm sure just cranking the screw overly tight and it would collapse on itself. Still worth $5.00 to me though ....I'll use it somewhere.

 

[RTM]

RTM- YES, it does kinda look like that.... VERY wimpy indeed. I'm sure just cranking the screw overly tight and it would collapse on itself. Still worth $5.00 to me though ....I'll use it somewhere.

I do like that yours has pivoting jaws. Still no uses for mine, but it’s here when I need it.

 

[Farmer J.]

I've no idea of the maker, but it looks like a useful little clamp for holding small delicate projects

 

[makeityourself1]

I've no idea of the maker, but it looks like a useful little clamp for holding small delicate projects

A friend of mine surmised it was possibly for holding small boards like 1x6's or 1x8's for cutting and trimming and such. I'm sure when I get it mounted to my bench I'll find all kinds of uses for it. It's an odd little clamp (that's what I refer to it as since you certainly couldn't replace a vise with it) I'm sure someone will stumble across this thread and have an answer. I have a hard time envisioning this being brand new at a store and someone going,"Now that's exactly what I've been needing."

 

[larry_g]

You ham fisted guys saying that is to wimpy, think in terms of jewelry, model making, repairing fishing reels, toy repair, leathercraft, and a mirid of other small detail work. Not all vises are made for brute force and bashing on.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[makeityourself1]

And that's why I'm here....to try and figure out its purpose. Holding a drive line while you work on a u-joint isn't one of them. You brought up some ideas if never thought about such as leather, fishing reel repair....maybe you're onto something.

 

[tool_scrounge]

You ham fisted guys saying that is to wimpy, think in terms of jewelry, model making, repairing fishing reels, toy repair, leathercraft, and a mirid of other small detail work. Not all vises are made for brute force and bashing on.

lg
no neat sig line

The most used vise all over the place at work is the 1.5” Palmgren for fine assembly work.

 

[The Cobbler]

a clamp to hold a meat grinder, or a kitchen appliance like a tomato grinder or something along those lines . maybe for sewing , shoe repair.
just wild guesses

 

[RTM]

You ham fisted guys saying that is to wimpy, think in terms of jewelry, model making, repairing fishing reels, toy repair, leathercraft, and a mirid of other small detail work. Not all vises are made for brute force and bashing on.

I was "wimpy compared to a Cole". There are places for wimpy, as you noted. And odd reaches, smooth jaws, etc. why I have 20+ vises.

 

[jdefrange]

I recently purchased this at an antique store for $5.00. It was pretty rusty but I have dismantled it and restored it for use in my barn. There are NO markings, plates or anything that would identify the manufacturer. I found ONE on eBay that was damaged and they also had no idea as to the manufacturer.
I came to GJ with my Power King worm drive saw and had answers within hours of my post. I'm hoping for the same with this.
It really doesn't seem to be a vise as much as a mounted clamp. I'm sure you could NOT bang on it or clamp anything and pry on it....it would spell certain doom for this tool. It really just looks like a table mounted clamp. Any ideas?

The spring looks new ,Was it attached when you bought it ?

 

[makeityourself1]

The spring looks new ,Was it attached when you bought it ?

The spring IS new. I soaked all the parts in ACV and the spring came out rust free, but all the plating was gone (if it ever WAS plated) I just took the spring to Menards and sized it up. I put the original spring back in for future use (it's lighter) and just used the new one for the photos.