The VISES of Garage Journal

[cglasgow]

Cglasgow, that would make an awesome trophy at a car show or GJ get-together. Calling it cute wouldn't be manly, but...

Wouldn't it though? Unfortunately I don't even have it any more -- my wife commandeered it for use in her jewelry making. That's ok though, I didn't really have a use for it in mind. I just thought it was, well, you know.... ;-)

 

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

Wouldn't it though? Unfortunately I don't even have it any more -- my wife commandeered it for use in her jewelry making. That's ok though, I didn't really have a use for it in mind. I just thought it was, well, you know.... ;-)

When I find a nice new little vise, I buy 2, on for me and one for the wife.

Nice little vise by the way.

 

[Gary Indiana]

I made a modified magnetic base for a couple of my small vises....

Very nice little precision tools. I like the flat work area on the top of the black one.

 

[carder69]

I just finished my desmond stephan 81S restoration. Took me forever...

Before:

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5ANxqnTv7kphkZUNy6ebMA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Qk4smxt5y48/Ti4J_HQOZuI/AAAAAAAAG3c/J5g-PP1sxLc/s800/visebefore.jpg" height="679" width="800" /></a>

After:

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UdCSSPu1O1jsYoIvCxN2gA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0E-CJa_LTdg/Ti4J06UWeHI/AAAAAAAAG30/N0ELPiqlu0A/s800/IMG_0144.JPG" height="499" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2tHfXMy8wC7xCSiqUF6XfA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gHLG94bVfpM/Ti4KB6_gDoI/AAAAAAAAG3k/H0UFYKPZUWg/s800/IMG_0149.JPG" height="800" width="598" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/etNYzt3rn0T9LpweasG8zg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6AsDEcvClsQ/Ti4Jx3LynoI/AAAAAAAAG3o/YkRZRx64WVQ/s800/IMG_0148.JPG" height="800" width="765" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Sq5J9jAaFjqIznUZ3z-EnA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PJSHnvNJF0A/Ti4J6yhE5BI/AAAAAAAAG3s/b0yQ7mWTvI0/s800/IMG_0146.JPG" height="800" width="598" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xMtHwLnRmHY2yGFQvDViyg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yM89Azj66AM/Ti4JnVZcLDI/AAAAAAAAG3w/uLKWtg8YKaI/s800/IMG_0145.JPG" height="538" width="800" /></a>

 

[bl00]

That is one big *** vise. Did you ever weigh it?

 

[carder69]

Never did, but when I picked it up I dead lifted it into my truck and it took everything I had to lift it - I would say around 200 or slightly less

 

[Amitygravel]

Here's another big one. Belongs to a buddy of mine who has his own repair shop. The rat ******* found it in a pile of oil dry at a shop going out of business and gave 25 bucks for it.

 

[Swingit]

I just finished my desmond stephan 81S restoration. Took me forever...

Before:

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5ANxqnTv7kphkZUNy6ebMA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Qk4smxt5y48/Ti4J_HQOZuI/AAAAAAAAG3c/J5g-PP1sxLc/s800/visebefore.jpg" height="679" width="800" /></a>

After:

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UdCSSPu1O1jsYoIvCxN2gA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0E-CJa_LTdg/Ti4J06UWeHI/AAAAAAAAG30/N0ELPiqlu0A/s800/IMG_0144.JPG" height="499" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2tHfXMy8wC7xCSiqUF6XfA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gHLG94bVfpM/Ti4KB6_gDoI/AAAAAAAAG3k/H0UFYKPZUWg/s800/IMG_0149.JPG" height="800" width="598" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/etNYzt3rn0T9LpweasG8zg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6AsDEcvClsQ/Ti4Jx3LynoI/AAAAAAAAG3o/YkRZRx64WVQ/s800/IMG_0148.JPG" height="800" width="765" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Sq5J9jAaFjqIznUZ3z-EnA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PJSHnvNJF0A/Ti4J6yhE5BI/AAAAAAAAG3s/b0yQ7mWTvI0/s800/IMG_0146.JPG" height="800" width="598" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xMtHwLnRmHY2yGFQvDViyg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yM89Azj66AM/Ti4JnVZcLDI/AAAAAAAAG3w/uLKWtg8YKaI/s800/IMG_0145.JPG" height="538" width="800" /></a>

Thats an awesome vise!!! Why are you selling it??

 

[blue dog]

That Desmond is a straight monster. I do not need a vise that big, but dam do i want one. Does that mean i have problem?

 

[autopts]

Picked up this oversized vise this weekend. Unfortunately there are no markings on it I can find.....

Great addition to the thread! One I've never seen before!

 

[carder69]

Thats an awesome vise!!! Why are you selling it??

I burned up one grinder and and pulled my back out lifting it so our relationship has been rocky. If I can get a decent price I am ok to let it go. I probably have 8-10 hours in the total resto.

 

[autopts]

I just finished my desmond stephan 81S restoration. Took me forever...


Here is a similiar but smaller one. Matchlessantiques gets top buck!!



http://cgi.ebay.com/BIG-VINTAGE-133...800?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1d8866f0

 

[jwitt]

Picked up this oversized vise this weekend. Unfortunately there are no markings on it I can find.....

Looks like it may have been a hand vise (something like the top one) with the handle removed.

Jim

 

[losabio]

Sorry if this is a bizarre request, but might y'all be able to list some of the tasks for which a home owner might use a bench vise? The 100+ pages of this thread are a testament to how well-used and beloved these devices are around here; since I've not had much exposure to vises in my childhood or work life I'm just wondering how these things get so much mileage on them.

What are the top 3 or 4 tasks for which a vise is employed in y'all's garages?

 

[bl00]

1. Holding parts from the other vises that you'll end up buying and restoring if you keep reading this thread

We never had one in the family when I grew up either, so it took me awhile to get one and start using it. Here's some random tasks that they've helped me with: cutting wood strips, changing CV joints, changing bicycle tubes, bending motorcycle skid plate, welding, pressing dents out of the bottom edges of a metal cabinet, wire wheeling rusty metal, cutting pipes, fixing legs on a chair...


If you don't have one yet, get a quality clamp on vise. It's easy to attach and move around and you don't have to drill any holes or over think exactly where you want it. Once you have it clamped onto a bench or tabletop you'll probably find uses for it.

 

[ajchien]

Sorry if this is a bizarre request, but might y'all be able to list some of the tasks for which a home owner might use a bench vise? The 100+ pages of this thread are a testament to how well-used and beloved these devices are around here; since I've not had much exposure to vises in my childhood or work life I'm just wondering how these things get so much mileage on them.

What are the top 3 or 4 tasks for which a vise is employed in y'all's garages?

Im a homeowner DIY person, and Ive utilized my vises A LOT for than I ever thought I would. Just think of it as a replacement for "Honey, I need a favor, can you hold this while I ..." except that it has a really steady, really strong, third hand - that doesnt mind being hit by grinder sparks, saw blades, sharp metal, wire wheel fragments, wood splinters, or caustic chemicals. It wont complain of gas fumes, paint fumes, sawdust. It has certainly allowed me to do more than I could before, especially with metal.

Last thing I did was simple. Had a rusted out latch for my pool pump filter timer box. Had a new latch, but it didnt fit right. Squash and flatten part of it here with the vise, bend and hammer a little there. Sweet. Fits just right. 5 mins. JB welded it into place for a day. Good to go.

Last thing my wife did with it: Put a can of spaghetti sauce in it, borrow my oil filter wrench. Viola. Dinner.

 

[pl_silverado]

Can't decide on whether to restore this one or leave it as is. It's stamped '54 or '53 on the slide.

 

[darkk]

What are the top 3 or 4 tasks for which a vise is employed in y'all's garages?

Well, a couple things come right to mind for me....
1) Cracking walnuts at Thanksgiving
2) Torturing Mongols from the neighboring waring tribes

 

[les_garten]

Well, a couple things come right to mind for me....
1) Cracking walnuts at Thanksgiving
2) Torturing Mongols from the neighboring waring tribes

Besides what ^^^^^^^ He said...

You never knwo how much you used it till you don't have it.

I just moved and got a new set of workbenches and new vise. The vise is not mounted yet. I am going crazy trying to use an unmounted vise! I didn't get in a big hurry, but I need to get that vise mounted! It's driving me crazy! I seem to have to do something on it every few days.

 

[porphyre]

Like everyone has said... there's a million and one uses. A big 70-100lbs vise is a joy to work with.

It's almost frightening how useful having a third hand, that is VERY STRONG, can be. Crushing things, bending things, or just holding things...

I always feel sad when I'm at a buddy's house and they've got a little 30lbs 4" Home Depot Bessy vise. I think to myself - how in the HELL would one clamp a driveshaft into that?? My 75lbs 4" antique Reed will do that all day long...

 

[losabio]

Thanks for the feedback everybody. Reading some of y'all's descriptions had me recalling times that I've been in similar situations and could have used a super strong immobile grip.

 

[PCO6]

Here's a Record No. 6 vice that I bought last winter and finally got around to freshening up. It worked well and just needed cleaning up, lubricating, paint and some new jaws. The last photo shows it with a set of Record fibre jaws. I also have Record Nos. 3, 4 and 8 that I need to get around to doing.

 

[torqueman2002]

Nice job.

How did you strip the paint and prep it, etc ....?

 

[TozziWelding]

Can't decide on whether to restore this one or leave it as is. It's stamped '54 or '53 on the slide.

If your gonna work it leave it alone, if it sits in the shop and holds your coffee, go ahead and restore it.

 

[PCO6]

Nice job.

How did you strip the paint and prep it, etc ....?

Thanks torqueman. Nothing fancy really. I washed it with my pressure washer then used a wire cup brush on a 4.5" grinder. The vice worked well and I couldn't justify taking it apart for any further cleaning. I painted it with Valspar enamel in a rattle can.

 

[Alfa Ron]

In addition to being a strong, durable third hand, a vise can have a small anvil built into it that is very handy. I have also used a vise as a press.

 

[pl_silverado]

If your gonna work it leave it alone, if it sits in the shop and holds your coffee, go ahead and restore it.

Plan is to attach it to my welding bench, whenever i get around to building it (find a good deal on new steel).

 

[sawbuck]

i just changed the back tire on my harley.i broke the bead of the tire with my big parker vise.with out the vise i would of had to pay the tire store.

 

[TozziWelding]

Plan is to attach it to my welding bench, whenever i get around to building it (find a good deal on new steel).

You will be happy it is a true welders vise, I am so happy with mine

 

[cglasgow]

Looks like it may have been a hand vise (something like the top one) with the handle removed.

Jim

Interesting! It does look an awful lot like it, doesn't it? What would such a thing have been used for -- any idea?

 

[Gary Indiana]

What would such a thing have been used for -- any idea?

Hand vises come especially *handy* when you need to hold tight a small item to a grinding or sanding wheel, or for soldering. Wherever a small part needs strong grip, or lots of heat, or both - hand vises are better than fingers and gentler than visegrips.

Mine looks like this.

 

[Gary Indiana]

it has a really steady, really strong, third hand - that doesnt mind being hit by grinder sparks, saw blades, sharp metal, wire wheel fragments, wood splinters, or caustic chemicals. It wont complain of gas fumes, paint fumes, sawdust.

Great description though you missed: it doesn't mind being hit with a hammer.

 

[autopts]

Can't decide on whether to restore this one or leave it as is. It's stamped '54 or '53 on the slide.

Oh! Now thats nice!! If its going right on your bench, I would take a brass wire wheel on a 90 degree grinder and strip it. Spray some Deep Creep and use it. 20 different members will give you 20 different suggestions. All worthwhile but still a personal preference. Thats a beauty!!

 

[Rickenbackerman]

So my Columbian 504-1/2 went out to the bench in the garage (these pics are in my 1-car attached shop). Here's what replaced it - a Wilton 500, ~90 pounds of american made iron. I love it! I was going to stip and repaint it, but I decided I liked the mojo on this one...

Here's something you can't do with a little vise, straightened the rockshaft for my Cub 125 with a three-foot cheater bar:

 

[zip95864]

Got this Wilton off of eBay for like $30 and it has this bent handle:

Ordered 24" ($13.00 on eBay) of 17-4 Stainless Steel rod which had one of the highest Yield Strengths I could find at 145,000 psi

And two of these collars ($5):

How long should I make the handle? It was 14" before.

 

[BuckHenry]

Here are some of the vises I've redone.

3.5 inch Dunlap


4.5 inch Athol 614 1/2


4.5 inch Parker 974 1/2



5 inch Parker Trojan 706

 

[whelenfan]

Got this Wilton off of eBay for like $30 and it has this bent handle:

Ordered 24" ($13.00 on eBay) of 17-4 Stainless Steel rod which had one of the highest Yield Strengths I could find at 145,000 psi

And two of these collars ($5):

How long should I make the handle? It was 14" before.

I would stick with the 14" length as that was what was engineered to work with the vise.

 

[Gary Indiana]

Got this Wilton off of eBay for like $30 and it has this bent handle

Sorry to rain on the parade, but this "Wilton" is Chiwanese. Same as this one.

 

[Nightshift]

Got this Wilton off of eBay for like $30 and it has this bent handle:

How long should I make the handle? It was 14" before.

Do you understand why that handle is bent? My guess is someone stuck a piece of pipe on the handle to get some additional clamping leverage on whatever they were trying to hold in the jaws. Vice handles are designed to bend BEFORE the jaw casting breaks. If you change it to a 14" (or longer) 17-4 SS handle AND stick a piece of pipe on it for leverage, you ARE most likely gonna bust that jaw off and make that vice into a pile of scrap metal.

So now you understand this and make your nice new SS handle for it, you'll be fine as long as you never stick anything on that handle for additional leverage. Personally I would stick with 14" ... the longer you make it ... the more leverage you will be able to apply and you won't know how close you are to the breaking limit of that cast iron jaw. There will be a good deal of safety factor built in to those thresholds by the manufacturer, but why take a chance? And one thing for sure ... the safety factors built in are WAY LESS on Chiwanese stuff than North American/English/etc tools!

My $0.02 ... for whatever it's worth. Cheers, Bill

 

[bluebolt]

Here are some of the vises I've redone.

3.5 inch Dunlap


4.5 inch Athol 614 1/2


4.5 inch Parker 974 1/2



5 inch Parker Trojan 706

Nice work!