The VISES of Garage Journal

[Patrickm82]

Very nice @MushCreek !

 

[jawstight]

Looks great. And I think you've gotten as close to opening it up brand new back in the day as anyone could get.

Nice NB too!

 

[MushCreek]

That's an NA- '92 Sunburst yellow.

 

[jawstight]

Looks to be very nice. Did you paint your rollaway to match it?

 

[MushCreek]

That's a Harbor Freight special. The yellow is close if you don't out them side-by-side. Here's another pic comparing it to my 'big' 5-1/2" USA Craftsman.

 

[jawstight]

Wow, now THAT's a vice!

I have a 5-1/2" Craftsman that I've had for forty years. It's a lot heavier than it was when I got it. I keep it on an aluminum plate so that I can take it outside for messy work. I cannot imagine carrying or even just moving your behemoth.

 

[Shiftless]

MushCreek:

(inspired by a remark by jawstight)

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

That's a Harbor Freight special. The yellow is close if you don't out them side-by-side. Here's another pic comparing it to my 'big' 5-1/2" USA Craftsman.

Looks great! Where did you source the handle bumpers?

 

[Shiftless]

My American Scale Red Seal is a lot smaller.
I used to have a NA Miata vintage 1990. Mine was white. Probably the most fun to drive car I have ever owned. Or at least tied with my 1973 Fiat 124 Spyder.

 

[Beerhippie]

My American Scale Red Seal is a lot smaller.
I used to have a NA Miata vintage 1990. Mine was white. Probably the most fun to drive car I have ever owned. Or at least tied with my 1973 Fiat 124 Spyder.

I'll bet the Miata spent a lot more time on the road and much less time in the shop!

 

[Shiftless]

I'll bet the Miata spent a lot more time on the road and much less time in the shop!

My Italian born mechanic back then was actually named “Tony”

 

[Beerhippie]

My Italian born mechanic back then was actually named “Tony”

Fix It Again, 'Tonio.

 

[Mstbaldor8100w]

I have a Wilton C3 that is frozen and missing some parts ...my new year's resolution is to restore it and if unsuccessful then sell it!

Vise history: It is missing the pipe jaws and the inner ring for swivel, and has a broken ear on the outer ring. I removed the spindle assembly but I am struggling to remove the pins in the end cap assembly (I think it has two pins, one from each side).

My next step: use a carbide bit and drill to remove pins. If successful removing both pins, I will continue to restore the vise and try to break it loose with heat and many tons of force. However, if unsuccessful on removing the pins then I will likely throw in the towel and sell this behemoth of a vise!

 

[MushCreek]

I made the handle bumpers out of some round stock rubber of some kind. Not easy to drill or cut off cleanly. Time will tell if they will hold up.

 

[Outlawmws]

Looks great! Where did you source the handle bumpers?

I made the handle bumpers out of some round stock rubber of some kind. Not easy to drill or cut off cleanly. Time will tell if they will hold up.

I use fat O-rings, the set on my Parker 974 have been there about 40 years.

 

[Shiftless]

I use fat O-rings, the set on my Parker 974 have been there about 40 years.

Time will tell if those O-rings will hold up.

In the past, I have used red rubber hose washers.

 

[Beerhippie]

I use fat O-rings, the set on my Parker 974 have been there about 40 years.

Doesn't you Parker have the keeper in the screw to hold the handle in place?

 

[Outlawmws]

Doesn't you Parker have the keeper in the screw to hold the handle in place?

It does now, but that was a relatively recent fix. Maybe 10 years back.

 

[RTM]

Looks great! Where did you source the handle bumpers?

I bought a sheet of ~1/4" thick rubber, punched out a washer shape with a pair of hole punches. Punching oversized on the ID was key, as I needed the clearance to stretch over the ball, and the punch did not cut quite the correct ID in rubber, so it puckered on the shaft and looked bad. The larger ID went on much easier.

 

[KMScott]

Here is how I make my bumpers. I built several different sizes with a 3/16 clearance hole to eject the rubber. Like RTM I purchased 1/4” x 4” strip of rubber. These dies can be made on a lathe. Mine were out of A2 then I heat treated them. My woodworking vise with wood jaws were perfect to squeeze then rotate till I finished the cut. I like these better than a o ring for Wilton handles.

 

[mk1finks]

Hello all, new here, found this thread and thought I’d share. I picked up an Emmert #10 presto. About twice the vice I’ll likely ever need but I plan to restore it.

 

[jawstight]

I find the sound of the handle slapping down into the collar strangely satisfying.

 

[Outlawmws]

I find the sound of the handle slapping down into the collar strangely satisfying.

Never caught a blood blister that way, have you?

 

[Shiftless]

Never caught a blood blister that way, have you?

A few of us old timers have. Rubber bumpers are good additions to prevent that from happening.

 

[jawstight]

Oh yes, I've gotten skin in the way a number of times. Hasn't lessened my enjoyment of the sound. Glutton for punishment I guess.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Couldn’t pass up this little guy new in the package. 25mm or slightly >1 inch to us freedom lovers.

 

[CRSINMICH]

mk1finks: Here are two Mortimer Lewis patents. The 1901 patent is the date on Emmert Presto vises. The 1904 Lewis patent was specifically assigned to Emmert Manufacturing. The drawings may be helpful when you restore yours. Nice find!

​

 

[682bear]

Couldn’t pass up this little guy new in the package. 25mm or slightly >1 inch to us freedom lovers.

I have a rusty one...

-Bear

 

[jawstight]

Gonna need a cheater bar on that!

 

[Beerhippie]

Gonna need a cheater bar on that!

Nah, just need a BFH to whack on the handle.

 

[jreb10]

I acquired a Parker 974A that cleaned up pretty well. The Vise Info spreadsheet does not list a weight for this vise. I put it on a scale and came up with 60 lbs.

 

[Josh Dekubber]

So I now have my Chas Parker 435 in my possession. Obviously haven't cleaned it up yet. It's even better than I expected. The pics don't do it Justice. I'm very happy to have it.

I also added some pics with my Parker 974 1/2 (76 lb) and Reed 204 R (56lb) The New to me Parker 435 is (116 lb)

I'll show pics after I get it cleaned up.

 

[Rileysan]

It took more than a decade, but I finally found a baby bullet in the wild. It doesn't have a swivel base, which I would like to have, and it wasn't cheap at $200, but I'm happy with my purchase. Dated 9/46.

 

[merkyworks]

It took more than a decade, but I finally found a baby bullet in the wild. It doesn't have a swivel base, which I would like to have, and it wasn't cheap at $200, but I'm happy with my purchase. Dated 9/46.

$200 for a baby bullet seems really reasonable actually

 

[Outlawmws]

It doesn't have a swivel base, which I would like to have,

Well done getting the baby!

Also if you get a PowRarm, you won't need the swivel base!

 

[Rileysan]

Well done getting the baby!

Also if you get a PowRarm, you won;t need the swivel base!

The irony is that I bought a PowRarm a few years ago at a swap meet and sold it on eBay never expecting to own a baby bullet!

 

[Patrickm82]

It took more than a decade, but I finally found a baby bullet in the wild. It doesn't have a swivel base, which I would like to have, and it wasn't cheap at $200, but I'm happy with my purchase. Dated 9/46.

$200 is a deal and a half in my neck of the woods. I would have been all over that. Nice score Riley.

 

[dannyr]

Couldn’t pass up this little guy new in the package. 25mm or slightly >1 inch to us freedom lovers.

I have a twin to yours, but green and has the decal "JILTON" --- mmmm?

 

[Patrickm82]

I have blue

 

[Patrickm82]

Picked up this beauty today at a yard sale. It’s damn near mint condition but it’s missing the jaws and pin I searched around for them but no luck! Here it is a Prentiss 2-1/2 swivel jaw stationary. I paid $75 for it, now to get to work on some jaws and pin. Luckily I have a Bridgeport and lathe at work to whip some up.