The VISES of Garage Journal

[kissmeimgerman]

My new to me C. Parker, thanks to my dad! I'd like to clean it up, but I actually don't mind how it looks!

 

[SweetD]

My new to me C. Parker, thanks to my dad! I'd like to clean it up, but I actually don't mind how it looks!

Looks like it is in great shape!

I think a nice soaking in oil will do you justice. Clean it up with a light WD-40 Scotch Pad wipedown, then your favorite oil (even 3-in-one works great).

Nice vise!

Dave

 

[kissmeimgerman]

Looks like it is in great shape!

I think a nice soaking in oil will do you justice. Clean it up with a light WD-40 Scotch Pad wipedown, then your favorite oil (even 3-in-one works great).

Nice vise!

Dave

Thanks! Great ideas, just needs a little love.

 

[zoomieport]

Anyone....?

 

[Even 11]

Zoomie;

I know its a Montgomery Ward powrkraft. I have seen one before and you can barely make out part of the Montgomery on your label, but thats about all I can tell you about it.

-Dane

 

[gripen]

Wilton 4" I saw listed locally (not mine... yet)

How bad is this with the missing piece? There's also a crack (top of image) so the other side of the back jaw is wanting break off as well.

How much is it worth?

 

[zoomieport]

Zoomie;

I know its a Montgomery Ward powrkraft. I have seen one before and you can barely make out part of the Montgomery on your label, but thats about all I can tell you about it.

-Dane

That's all I needed to know, the remnants of that sticker were driving me nutser! Thank you...

 

[gatewaysysop]

Wilton 4" I saw listed locally (not mine... yet)
How bad is this with the missing piece? There's also a crack (top of image) so the other side of the back jaw is wanting break off as well.
How much is it worth?

Scrap value? Sorry, but I find that if there are pieces broken off and cracks abound, the rest of it is probably trashed as well. Buy it cheap for the parts (jaws, etc.) if you are into doing restorations on Wilton's, but I would never pay for it to clean up and either use or collect. Just my $.02 though.

 

[R410]

The vise has a piece broken off the casting. More than I'd ever pay.

It's not broken. It's part of the casting.

 

[wxm]

Just finished restoring the Athol 614. Here are the pictures before and after.

Before:

After:

 

[Low Friction]

It's not broken. It's part of the casting.

If it isn't broken or damaged then it's a casting defect. Either way it's worth less than a perfect example. Prentiss would have probably sold it as a blemish at a reduced price if it came out of their shop that way.

 

[jwpurdy3476]

I found this old vise buried behind my garage 40 years ago. The static jaw is in the front and the dynamic jaw slides on the fixed rail. Most vises that I have seen have the back part fixed. The cast rail has a slot down its length. You mount the vise with 2 – ½ inch bolts that the heads ride in the slot in the rail. On one side of the dynamic jaw is cast "AMCO" ''NO77" and on the other "ATHOL" "MASS" . Any information about this vise would be appreciated.

 

[bigcaddy]

I found this old vise buried behind my garage 40 years ago. The static jaw is in the front and the dynamic jaw slides on the fixed rail. Most vises that I have seen have the back part fixed. The cast rail has a slot down its length. You mount the vise with 2 – ½ inch bolts that the heads ride in the slot in the rail. On one side of the dynamic jaw is cast "AMCO" ''NO77" and on the other "ATHOL" "MASS" . Any information about this vise would be appreciated.

Look at the posting just above yours. AMCO is most likely Athol Machine Co. That vise looks like is close to being 100 years old and that is about the time they started making tools there.

I've seen your particular style of vise before and its a very old design

I just refinished an Athol 4 1/2" vise and its about 80+ years old and looks great finally finished.

 

[fourtythree]

Because what everyone wanted to see in this thread was an Asian vise...

 

[Low Friction]

That's a nice tough vise. They use ductile iron in those. The 4.5" new is just north of $100. What a bargain!

 

[jeffmoss26]

Saw this new 6" Wilton at work today. I almost cried, it is beautiful!

 

[Low Friction]

That nice steel plate bench really brings it to life!

 

[jeffmoss26]

The maintenance guys have built several of those benches for around the shop. They are very nice.

 

[Low Friction]

Anyone know/recommend what temper, hot/cold rolled steel to use for a bench top plate? Once I put a home shop together I'll need to build a bench with probably around a 3/4" top to mount an 8" vise to. Probably don't want a top that is too hard or too soft.

 

[metalhead212121]

Anyone know/recommend what temper, hot/cold rolled steel to use for a bench top plate? Probably don't want a top that is too hard or too soft.

x2 on that...

 

[Nightshift]

Anyone know/recommend what temper, hot/cold rolled steel to use for a bench top plate? Once I put a home shop together I'll need to build a bench with probably around a 3/4" top to mount an 8" vise to. Probably don't want a top that is too hard or too soft.

Keep in mind 3/4 plate steel weighs around 31 lbs per sq foot, so even a small bench 3' x 6' would have the top plate weighing 550 lbs alone! Before you get too far into this project, I'd suggest you call your local steel supplier and be sure you're sitting down before they give you the price of a plate that size! I certainly don't see the need for anything this thick, especially for light home use.

 

[Low Friction]

I know the numbers. I'm talking an 8" machinist vise. I'm looking at around $600 for the plate top. Big vises can't do their job if not mounted properly. I can build a proper bench for under a grand.

 

[Nightshift]

I know the numbers. I'm talking an 8" machinist vise. I'm looking at around $600 for the plate top. Big vises can't do their job if not mounted properly. I can build a proper bench for under a grand.

Sorry, I missed the 8" vice part. On 2nd thot, I'd suggest a 1" top.

 

[metalhead212121]

Sorry, I missed the 8" vice part. On 2nd thot, I'd suggest a 1" top.

Really?? 1" top??? I got a 6" Reed Vise (from the 30's maybe) weighs around 150lbs. I was gonna opt for a 1/2 steel plate (when I have money).

 

[Nightshift]

Really?? 1" top??? I got a 6" Reed Vise (from the 30's maybe) weighs around 150lbs. I was gonna opt for a 1/2 steel plate (when I have money).

LMAO ... no, just kidding bro. I suppose a 1" top would come in handy if you tear apart bulldozer engines for a living and have a need to thump the beejeezus outta something.

 

[motomaniac]

This is my fist post. I just spent the last couple nights going through this whole thread (pure awsome) and thought i would post my recent vise resto's. both were given to me by my wifes grand mother as payment for tuning up her lawn mower it was between $20 or the vises and I never take money from family so. big ones a morgan chicago #45 fixed base. Little one is a 3 1/2 craftsman made in japan.

 

[Low Friction]

Really?? 1" top??? I got a 6" Reed Vise (from the 30's maybe) weighs around 150lbs. I was gonna opt for a 1/2 steel plate (when I have money).

Actually I've considered 1" but 3/4" should be good enough. It's a 240 lbs Wilton 800s so I want a bench around 3 or 4 times more massive than the vise. I know the numbers are shocking.

 

[demographic]

This is my fist post. I just spent the last couple nights going through this whole thread (pure awsome) and thought i would post my recent vise resto's. both were given to me by my wifes grand mother as payment for tuning up her lawn mower it was between $20 or the vises and I never take money from family so. big ones a morgan chicago #45 fixed base. Little one is a 3 1/2 craftsman made in japan.

Looks like you got a deal there. Welcome to the site.

 

[demoman]

I picked up this Keystone 702 vise made by Hollands Mfg a few weeks ago. It is missing the pipe jaws. The swivel is very unusual as it jumps 45 deg at a time and has a bolt on the bottom to lock it down. All keystone vises seem to have the horseshoe shaped slide. This weighs 110# and has 5" jaw. I have attached the ad from a hollands book.
Brad

 

[bornagainst]

Picked up this NOS 1987 Wilton 300N off CL a few days ago - it's my first! It's not the 450 I was looking for but once I saw the condition it was in I couldn't resist.

 

[zoomieport]

Picked up this NOS 1987 Wilton 300N off CL a few days ago - it's my first! It's not the 450 I was looking for but once I saw the condition it was in I couldn't resist.

Well done, she's a beauty!

 

[autopts]

I picked up this Keystone 702 vise made by Hollands Mfg a few weeks ago. It is missing the pipe jaws. The swivel is very unusual as it jumps 45 deg at a time and has a bolt on the bottom to lock it down. All keystone vises seem to have the horseshoe shaped slide. This weighs 110# and has 5" jaw. I have attached the ad from a hollands book.
Brad

Nice find!! Its looks a little like an older Reed 3C from the side. You've got a great collection Brad !

 

[vegasblj]

That is a sweet Morgan. I have 4 of them out in my shop a model 30, 40, 50, and an 80.

 

[bl00]

Here's a Prentiss No 5 on a massive stand that I picked up yesterday. The vise has a 6" jaw and should weigh around 146 lbs according to old advertisements. Surprisingly the jaw wasn't frozen, but I'll need to make a pin for it. There's also a chunk of RR track welded to the stand.

The stand is a two piece cast iron (or cast steel?). The table part is a bit over 3ft x 3ft and 1 5/8 inches thick. It's all one piece down to where you see it bolted and welded to the base piece. The whole thing should weigh in the neighborhood of 1000lbs +/- 100 not including the vise. A beer and a small human are included for size reference.

 

[CAOS]

Very nice find B100!!!

 

[demoman]

Very nice prentiss and the stand is the coolest I have seen in a long time. I have never seen a handle like yours. Look at the neck just behind the long handle it looks decorative to me. Nice find
Brad

 

[Jim Johnstone]

Here is my collection of vises, from left, Columbian #63, Record #1, Mastercraft P.O.S. and my new addition, a Desmond Stephan 33S simplex. The Columbian and the Desmond will be getting stripped down and restored soon.

 

[CAOS]

I figured i'd post my progress of my first vise restoration. I decided to restore a 6" Record. So far the vise has been completely torn down, media blasted, primed and painted. New jaw inserts installed and in the process of machining a new handle. The original handle is pretty straight, just figured I am putting this much effort in why not go all the way.

Unfortunately I have not taken many before or during pictures so here is one the day I picked it up and how it sits at the moment. I will update this thread once I have it all back together.

***The after picture shows light spots, I assure you the paint is even. There is about 10 coats of Tremclad on the vies.***

 

[mazak mark]

Has anyone seen a wilton swivel jaw? This is on ebay.

 

[Nightshift]

Has anyone seen a wilton swivel jaw? This is on ebay.

Never seen such a thing Mark ... but pretty sure our resident Wilton expert Autopts here knows all about it! Very unique. I looked for the ad on FleaBay but couldn't find it. Can you post (or PM me) the link? I'd like to see other pictures of it. Cheers, Bill