The VISES of Garage Journal

[Beerhippie]

For anybody considering Rustoleum Soft Iron, here is a pic of a big Reed that I painted with that product. I received compliments on the color from the few people who saw this vise in person.

Since no one has chipped in with suggestions for the original color of an early-'40s Parker, I'll go with that Rusto Soft Iron if my local ACE has it. If not, I'll go with some Rusto Hammered Black, which I kinda like the looks of:





I'm masking the first part--the static body--and I'll be ready to start painting this afternoon. Let's hope the cottonwoods cooperate!

 

[Beerhippie]

First very light coat of Rusto Hammered Black (Ace had the Soft Iron, but I cannot abide those worthless trigger cans):



I'll be giving it a second in few minutes. I want to lay the paint on pretty heavy to conceal some of the roughness of the casting--but the 3" wire wheel on the AG did nice job of smoothing some of that out.

I think I'll go with some gold--real gold--paint I have for the lettering.

 

[Beerhippie]

Meanwhile....

The spring and ball (or plunger) in the head that puts friction on the handle isn't frictioning.



That took a bit of fiddling. I had to dig decades of oil/dust mix out, numerous rinses with carb cleaner, just about sacrificed a mini screwdriver and pick and finally the extractor did the trick--almost effortlessly.

I'll be replacing the spring and thinking about the best kind of ball or plunger for the job--brass? nylon?

 

[Outlawmws]

I'll be replacing the spring and thinking about the best kind of ball or plunger for the job--brass? nylon?

Timm, I used brass when I made mine up, but Teflon/Nylon would also be a good choice.

 

[Beerhippie]

Timm, I used brass when I made mine up, but Teflon/Nylon would also be a good choice.

Well, I gotta get the old plunger out first. I thought the spring was a PITA.

 

[Shiftless]

Well, I gotta get the old plunger out first. I thought the spring was a PITA.

I‘ve never tried to extract that mechanism on a Parker. You’re half done but it might be the easy half.

Did the factory use a rod shaped plunger or a ball?

If it was a rod shaped plunger, you might find success by drilling straight down and hoping the bit will catch and spin the plunger. Spinning would loosen the hold of crud and with luck, it would fall out. I’m sure you are already soaking the hole with penetrating oil, right?

 

[Beerhippie]

I‘ve never tried to extract that mechanism on a Parker. You’re half done but it might be the easy half.

Did the factory use a rod shaped plunger or a ball?

If it was a rod shaped plunger, you might find success by drilling straight down and hoping the bit will catch and spin the plunger. Spinning would loosen the hold of crud and with luck, it would fall out. I’m sure you are already soaking the hole with penetrating oil, right?

I had no idea what the factory used 85 years ago. I did try using a reverse drill bit to remove it, to no success.

But:



I got it. I used a small drop of cyanoacrylate glue on that rod, held it as still as possible for a while, and pulled it right out. It does appear to have been rod-like.

I bought a small piece of 1/4" brass rod and a 1/4" OD fairly stout spring. I cut the rod down to about 1/4" long and the spring to about 3/8" and now it works just fine.

I did a little bit of painting and:



Damn. Missed that one period.



I've seen folks here recommend using a Q-tip or block for painting raised lettering. Here's what raised lettering on casting looks like up close:



Good luck with that.

 

[Shiftless]

Good thinking with the glue trick. Glad you were successful.
Your lettering looks great from here. Do you use an artist brush? What size?
I use a paint pen or a Q tip with the cotton swab cut off. It then becomes a dauber.

 

[Beerhippie]

Good thinking with the glue trick. Glad you were successful.
Your lettering looks great from here. Do you use an artist brush? What size?
I use a paint pen or a Q tip with the cotton swab cut off. It then becomes a dauber.

Thanks!

Artist's brush, uh, small. I also wear some magnifying visors and it seems I'm trying to recreate what the original artist had envisioned. The casting crud was higher than the lettering in places--and the lettering has gaps. This is the second vise I've done this on, and the other--a Columbia--was the same. Hand tremors when trying to make small motions doesn't much help.

 

[Shiftless]

Hand tremors when trying to make small motions doesn't much help

I have the same problem, I am 76 y.o.

 

[Beerhippie]

I have the same problem, I am 76 y.o.

Well, you have 11 years on me. I just hope to still have hands by then.

 

[Maui]

This super rare Stephens Patent Company coachman's vise just sold on Ebay for $545. It has 4 1/2" jaws and appears to be in excellent working shape. Did somebody here win it?

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[Beerhippie]

The Parker 954 1/2 still needs significant work to be a user.

For one thing, it has over a half-inch of backlash. That bronze "collar" is badly worn, on both sides, but strangely, more on the opening side than the closing. Not sure how that happens. I'm thinking, which I know I'm not authorized to do, that maybe buy a thrust washer to fit the shaft (haven't measured it yet), de-oil it, cut it in half and solder it to either side of the collar--possibly in-place.

Then the poor old jaws... they don't sit flush, they don't close flush, they aren't even the same width anymore. I see some serious grinding in the future... might should ought'a have done that before painting....

Oh, well.

 

[Shiftless]

maybe buy a thrust washer to fit the shaft (haven't measured it yet), de-oil it, cut it in half and solder it to either side of the collar

Why not just buy 2 thinner ones?
With that much room, you might be able to go with needle bearing thrust washers. SMOOTH !

 

[Beerhippie]

Why not just buy 2 thinner ones?
With that much room, you might be able to go with needle bearing thrust washers. SMOOTH !

Because it's a collar--meaning the shaft has a groove in which it fits. No way to slide anything into that space, so cut one in half, add to the thickness of the collar. Even soft solder would be fine, as both sides are under compression in use. I could tin both parts, put them in place, clamp the vise closed and then heat it up and do a sweat solder.

Or, I could use a conventional thrust bearing, as you suggest, add a lock collar and maybe spring behind the head of the slide, and just let the collar hang out there for looks. Easiest solution, likely.

Here's what I'm talking about:



Also, how the F'ing Hell do you go about trashing that one particular piece without doing significant damage to the surrounding area?

 

[Shiftless]

You’re a clever and resourceful guy… I’m sure you’ll figure something out.

 

[Outlawmws]

Also, how the F'ing Hell do you go about trashing that one particular piece without doing significant damage to the surrounding area?

You’re a clever and resourceful guy… I’m sure you’ll figure something out.

I know you were talking about the below Shift, but first reaction was it was about the above!

Because it's a collar--meaning the shaft has a groove in which it fits. No way to slide anything into that space, so cut one in half, add to the thickness of the collar. Even soft solder would be fine, as both sides are under compression in use. I could tin both parts, put them in place, clamp the vise closed and then heat it up and do a sweat solder.

Or, I could use a conventional thrust bearing, as you suggest, add a lock collar and maybe spring behind the head of the slide, and just let the collar hang out there for looks. Easiest solution, likely.

 

[KMScott]

The Parker 954 1/2 still needs significant work to be a user.

For one thing, it has over a half-inch of backlash. That bronze "collar" is badly worn, on both sides, but strangely, more on the opening side than the closing. Not sure how that happens. I'm thinking, which I know I'm not authorized to do, that maybe buy a thrust washer to fit the shaft (haven't measured it yet), de-oil it, cut it in half and solder it to either side of the collar--possibly in-place.

Then the poor old jaws... they don't sit flush, they don't close flush, they aren't even the same width anymore. I see some serious grinding in the future... might should ought'a have done that before painting....

Oh, well.

Don’t give up Beer. Having access to a machine shop is best when you purchase these old Parker’s. PM me if you need any suggestions. I’m retired now and work on my vises only but my experience and links to repair blogs would answer some of your issues. Here are a few pics of my restored Parker’s.

 

[Shiftless]

Outlaw:
Thanks for posting that comment.
Now that I think about it, my reaction covers BOTH of Beerhippie’s posts!

 

[Beerhippie]

Don’t give up Beer. Having access to a machine shop is best when you purchase these old Parker’s. PM me if you need any suggestions. I’m retired now and work on my vises only but my experience and links to repair blogs would answer some of your issues. Here are a few pics of my restored Parker’s.

I wish to hell I had access to a machine shop!

My local shop where I used to get small stuff done in trade for beer has passed to the next generation. $125/hr, 1 hr minimum.

 

[Shiftless]

My local shop where I used to get small stuff done in trade for beer has passed to the next generation. $125/hr, 1 hr minimum.

Barter… the oldest form of economic transactions

 

[RTM]

My local shop where I used to get small stuff done in trade for beer has passed to the next generation. $125/hr, 1 hr minimum.

Back in my brewery days, it was amazing what you could trade for beer. Miss that sometimes.

 

[Beerhippie]

Back in my brewery days, it was amazing what you could trade for beer. Miss that sometimes.

When we were bottling, we'd produce a dozen or more cases of "low fills" per daily run. We had an entire county-wide economy based on bargaining with beer.

Now that we're canning everything, that economy has collapsed. We produce an average of two cases per run, one at the beginning and one at the end of the day.

 

[Beerhippie]

After considering my options for fixing the collar and back lash, I've settled on plan B: Install a couple of thrust bearings and a shaft collar and let the nice bronze collar hang out for show.

I'm going to attempt to fill that huge hole behind the jaw on the left side by welding it. It'll mean the jaw is permanently fixed to the vise, but, as it seems there are no replacements available, so it goes. If I absolutely need to, I can always cut through the weld.

 

[Beerhippie]

Don’t give up Beer. Having access to a machine shop is best when you purchase these old Parker’s. PM me if you need any suggestions. I’m retired now and work on my vises only but my experience and links to repair blogs would answer some of your issues. Here are a few pics of my restored Parker’s.

Those are some real beauties there!

I just want to restore mine to a user, so I'll re-profile the jaws just enough to get them even. I'll be making a set of copper covers for them, so if I lose the little remaining knurling, it's no big deal to me.

 

[PeterPeter]

Well, this cleaned up nicely.

Picked up at 11:00 this morning, sold 1/2 hour after I was done sprucing it up . Now that’s flipping good!

peter, peter, who wishes he could afford to keep these lovely tools.

 

[Beerhippie]

Well, I think I'm pretty well done ruining the patina on the Parker.



I used a 36 grit Cubi II fiber disk to rough the jaws even with each other, and, as much as possible, flat and square to what they need to be square to. I went as far as I felt I needed to, but, as it is, the vise is now a 954 3/8". If I took it all the way to flat and pitless, it would be a 4" vise--if that. I followed the fiber disk with an 80 grit flapdisk.

I've just started draw-filing the tops of the jaws flatter and squarer. I'll be working on that for days. I chose to not reprofile the jaws to the original rounded shape, as a flat top suits my needs better.

It's found its new home:



Of course, it didn't fit the studs I'd welded on for the $60 5" Palmgren that used to live there. I had to cut them off and weld new studs in. I made the mistake of using 5/8" all thread for the studs--I should have used 1/2". As a consequence, I'll have to drill the studs out from underneath to remove the vise from the plate.

All that's left now, after I finish the draw-filing, is to make some copper jaw covers for it. Maybe I can modify the ones I made for the Palmgren? We'll see. It's too hot to even contemplate annealing 2" copper pipe in the shop right now--92F.

 

[PeterPeter]

Well, I think I'm pretty well done ruining the patina on the Parker.

Looks to me like you got some fresh patina brewing there.

Peter, Peter, who loves me some new patina almost as much as the old.

 

[Beerhippie]

Looks to me like you got some fresh patina brewing there.

Peter, Peter, who loves me some new patina almost as much as the old.

Oh, yeah, I've already started applying the patina.

Note to self: Grind first, paint last.

But grinding, bending, beating on stuff and welding is it's destiny. No slacking off in this shop!

 

[fishwatcher]

Thanks @fishwatcher. I painted my 350 in a color very close to that. Also a Rustoleum.

edit: @Shiftless posted while I was composing my post. I like the look of that soft iron better than the black I used below. The soft iron looks almost like raw metal!

I'd sure like to see your vice, or another vise in that blue. I've been using the PPG Charmed Life, which I like pretty well but I'm always open to being closer to their original colors.

Is the color you used Rustoleum Universal Hammered Gloss Black? I used that for a Wilton 9300 and I really like it.

One reason not to do the soft flat iron would be how close it is in color to my 9300.

 

[pfbz]

I have several Wilton bullet vises, but for years I've had an absolute monster C2 combination vise About 110 pounds, five inch jaws, US made of course. I have no place to mount it and just use my smaller bullets, and think it's time for this one to find a new home...

New they are of course astronomically expensive, the cheapest I've seen them is ~$1,440 on Amazon. This one is used and unrestored, but in overall pretty good condition. Obviously it will take the right buyer, but what is a reasonable range for an asking price on this bad boy? And if anyone here is interested and semi-local (Denver area), let me know and maybe we can work something out. I imagine shipping would be pricey but I suppose we could look at that as well.

 

[Outlawmws]

but what is a reasonable range for an asking price on this bad boy?

Check Eprey selling prices and know that if soled locally, you are unlikely to get that level even factoring in shipping. its the difference between thousands/millions of potential buyers, and maybe a hundred or a dozen potential buyers...

Something is worth what another is willing to pay. That's it.

 

[micahd1997]

I’m THRILLED to share this catalog that I hope will rock the Parker vise community.

These are complete scans of an 1862 Charles Parker price list that, among other items (namely silverware and coffee mills), includes scans of their FULL line of vises at that time. To my knowledge, this is the oldest-known, surviving Parker catalog. I do not own it personally, but in obtaining the correct permissions from the Connecticut Musem of Culture and History, I was able to purchase the scans for the purpose of posting them publicly.

Charles Parker Price List (1862) : Micah Darwin : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

CREDIT: These scans were obtained and publicized by Micah Darwin, courtesy of the Connecticut Museum of Culture & History and via the required means and...

archive.org

 

[jawstight]

This what I used:

 

[colmal]

I have a problem, no room for more vices, but something I've been wanting to buy for a few years popped up at a price I couldn't resist, been a few for sale but normally a newer one, and too pricey as well as mostly pick up only, which is fair enough who wants to put any effort in when selling something.

In my defence I don't have one this size, really like the Quick release and also wanted a pre 70's version which I don't have.



On the bright side, I was the losing bidder on this 1915 Yankee 993, but in an hour I'll be regretting not bidding more as unlikely to see another one in this condition in Oz.

 

[CRSINMICH]

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY



You can't win them all​

 

[Beerhippie]

Finally, the Parker 954 1/2 (3/8) is done!



For now....

 

[colmal]

Very nice,

2 questions -how thick are the copper jaws and did you move the Palmgren elsewhere, or decide you just like the older stuff better ?

 

[Beerhippie]

Very nice,

2 questions -how thick are the copper jaws and did you move the Palmgren elsewhere, or decide you just like the older stuff better ?

The copper I used is type L, so 1/16" wall.

The Palmgren is now sitting on the floor waiting to find a new home. Yes, I prefer the old stuff--and the quality stuff. The Palmgren doesn't actually ****, but you can sure tell the difference.

 

[colmal]

The copper I used is type L, so 1/16" wall.

The Palmgren is now sitting on the floor waiting to find a new home. Yes, I prefer the old stuff--and the quality stuff. The Palmgren doesn't actually ****, but you can sure tell the difference.

Thankyou, was just curious, I bought a new 6" Dawn swivel (overseas made), was good, but yeah did nothing for me I donated it to my BIL.

And bought a few of the magnetic plastic/aluminium jaw covers, but they are a PITA, going to try some copper ones that won't lift and move.