The VISES of Garage Journal

[amaes]

Just finished my Fuller. Pretty proud of it to be honest. First vise I have redone and first vise I've owned. Made in Japan

http://sphotos.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/545873_3943689201558_1559841819_3250730_1582035690_n.jpg

 

[Conor]

As mentioned, there is a large shoulder screw in the base. Hopefully yours isn't in there quite as solidly as mine was. I had to resort to hot metal gluing a socket onto mine to get it free.

Any other suggestions on getting this screw out? My welder doesn't put out enough heat to weld a socket to it... I tried a spade bit in a impact driver and it just laughted at me

My next plan is to soak the whole bottom of the vise in white vinegar for a few days to see if it will eat the rust holing it all solid

 

[Lump]

Conor,
My experience with extremely rusty/stuck bolts or fittings is that it often takes a multitude of different strategies to break it loose. Often one thing or another is simply not enough. Soaking it for a while in vinegar is a good thing to try, but if it doesn't free it after a couple days, continue trying other tricks and strategies.

Usually, heat is your friend, as it causes the metal to expand and then contract again while cooling off (SLOWLY!) This action can break free rust deposits, etc, sometimes. Then when it is cool, hit it again with PB Blaster, Kroil, or similar. Then maybe try an air impact with a blunt tool, against the center of the end of the stuck component, to try and shatter the rust crystals. And then back to the vinegar bath, or the PB Blaster, or etc. Then, maybe back to the heat.

IF you don't have serious heat available to you (IE: acetylene cutting outfit, etc), then you may be forced to take it to a machine shop or someplace which does have heat available.

The most important factor in loosening fittings that are SERIOUSLY stuck is patience. Don't get impatient and break something. Every time you hit it with vinegar, it will reach a LITTLE farther in, and every time you hit it with penetrating oil, it goes in a little farther. Time is your friend.

 

[Outlawmws]

Conor,
My experience with extremely rusty/stuck bolts or fittings is that it often takes a multitude of different strategies to break it loose. Often one thing or another is simply not enough. Soaking it for a while in vinegar is a good thing to try, but if it doesn't free it after a couple days, continue trying other tricks and strategies.

Usually, heat is your friend, as it causes the metal to expand and then contract again while cooling off (SLOWLY!) This action can break free rust deposits, etc, sometimes. Then when it is cool, hit it again with PB Blaster, Kroil, or similar. Then maybe try an air impact with a blunt tool, against the center of the end of the stuck component, to try and shatter the rust crystals. And then back to the vinegar bath, or the PB Blaster, or etc. Then, maybe back to the heat.

IF you don't have serious heat available to you (IE: acetylene cutting outfit, etc), then you may be forced to take it to a machine shop or someplace which does have heat available.

The most important factor in loosening fittings that are SERIOUSLY stuck is patience. Don't get impatient and break something. Every time you hit it with vinegar, it will reach a LITTLE farther in, and every time you hit it with penetrating oil, it goes in a little farther. Time is your friend.

All Excellent advise! I will add if you use an impact, use a hammer impact not a gun. the hammer impact drives the bit tighter into the opening, plus it delivers a better "shock" to the stuck fastener, and a gun can back out and strip the slot. Usually they break loose and come out this one had to be hammered a couple of turns.. (it's REALLY corroded..)

I had a seed that the pivot screw came out literally by hand, two weeks ago, and now a smaller Columbian is giving me grief. I got the pivot bolt out with the setup below (note I used a drag link "socket" in place of the bit adapter), but the swivel locking bolt is refusing to cooperate. I'm in day three of tap, use PB blaster, tap, try it again... If it doesn't come out by tomorrow, I'll hit it with some heat...

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

where do i find replacement jaw pads for my old wilton that im restoring? Has the numbers 101158 and 101157. Or any other info on it?

here are the pix. yes thats a speedway grinder in the back ground

 

[Even 11]

Yesterday I went to an auction which boasted a Wilton vise. When I got there, it sure LOOKED like a Wilton bullet vise, and seemed to be pretty old. But it had no maker's name on it anywhere...just a four-digit number in raised cast letters, which started with "17". The endcap of the vise behind the screw was open, and there was a longer number stamped into the head of the screw, where the handle passed through.

I checked it over carefully, not wanting to attract too much attention to it. There were no breaks or cracks, and the paint was both old and apparently original. Handle was not bent. But it was rusted pretty badly inside...I could not open or close the jaws, since it was not bolted to a bench, and everything was rusty enough to be very stiff. There were mud-dauber wasp nests up under the swivel base. It was a 3.5 or 4-inch jaw unit, and the jaws were nice condition. But no country-of-origin marks.

I would like to have a good Wilton bullet, because my workbench is so tall, and Wilton bullets are low-profile. But this one was bid up to $55, and I passed.

May I have your opinions, Vise gurus?

Jim;

I am going to have to say it was a Wilton Tradesman. They have a numbering system that is 17** with the ** being the Jaw size. I have a 1765 in the garage right now but no pics. If you look at post 4173 in here you will see a 1750 belonging to Canuckian with a Snap-On paint job and the Snap-On sticker missing. The Wilton badge was a sticker on this series too and they always seem to be missing, mine is too.

Snappy only sells them in a 4.5" now: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item..._ID=637194&group_ID=675958&store=&dir=catalog


but they sell the Wiltons on their site too as premium forged vises: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=675871&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

-Dane

 

[tribbles]

Before I show my vises, I'd just like to take this opportunity to say one thing.

You people ****. Seriously. A month ago I had a cluttered garage and my work area was a 25-year-old particle board computer desk. I found this forum while getting some workbench ideas, and now not only do I have a nice self-built 8'x30" bench, but I've been nosing through pawn stores looking for Snap-On tools, and today I made my first Craigslist transaction when I bought these vises. Yeah, I couldn't buy just one. See what you've done?!?!

Anyway, I just bought a Columbian D45 M4 vise and a Dunlap 5239 vise off a Craigslist listing for $75 for both. The guy had originally listed the pair for $150 but after a week he cut the price in half. Here's the Columbian:

You can see in this next pic where I cut away the 2" overhang so I could get the vise as close to the table edge as possible.

And here's the Dunlap:

Both vises are in great working condition. There wasn't any surface rust to speak of on eather vise, and they both open and close smoothly. The anvil surface on the Dunlap was abused, though, but no such obvious manhandling on the Columbian.

While at some point I might strip and refinish the Dunlap, I've decided to leave the Columbian as-is. The red finish has a nice patina that would be wrong to destroy.

 

[zoomieport]

Just finished my Fuller. Pretty proud of it to be honest. First vise I have redone and first vise I've owned. Made in Japan

http://sphotos.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/545873_3943689201558_1559841819_3250730_1582035690_n.jpg

That looks great, you should be proud!

I've got about 80 vises in my basement you can do the same thing to!!!!

 

[zoomieport]

I am looking for 3 Morgan Vises... #130, #135 and #140.
I have probably 70 to 80 vises in my basement...
I wondered if anyone might want to trade..?
PM me if you do...

Josh, that Wilton is SWEET!

 

[bggrnchvy]

Any other suggestions on getting this screw out? My welder doesn't put out enough heat to weld a socket to it... I tried a spade bit in a impact driver and it just laughted at me

My next plan is to soak the whole bottom of the vise in white vinegar for a few days to see if it will eat the rust holing it all solid

Mapp gas if you have a can or propane and get that bolt piping hot.

I think the amount of heat introduced significantly helped removal of mine as well as finally being able to apply the torque to pull it.

The other thing I tried was making a bar with a piece of 1/8" strap welded to it. This didn't work cold, but I didn't try after it was hot as I had a socket to use.

 

[ecally]

Thanks to everyone on garagejournal, my tool collection has gone from mediocre to some really nice tools. Many of them are older tools that I now recognize the value of. My Dad had given me some SK and New Britain ratchets many years ago, he always told me they were good, but I never really appreciated it until this forum. He passed away a few years ago. I never thought I'd be interested in Vise's, but I follow this thread. I knew my Dad had a cart with two vises attached to it, and about 2 months ago when at my Moms I looked to see what they were. One is a Reed, which I have since fixed up. I did the best job I can right now. I know it isn't a bright paint job, but I had brown primer and brown enamel in the garage. I found a 2 threads by gregthor on restoring two Reeds, and between the two tutorials I was able to figure out how to take it apart and fix it up.

I wire wheeled everything I could, cleaned it up real good with brake cleaner, and lubed everything with anti-seize. I can't believe he had this Reed on his cart.

I recently picked up the pipe vise that was on the other end of the cart. It's my next project. I don't know much about it, is made by Hollands in Erie PA.

I am so glad I didn't get rid of these vises when cleaning out the garage after my Dad passed away. I've found old Proto, SnapOn, New Britain, Fleet, and many other tools.

I've also found my Grandpap and Great Grandpaps stone mason tools, some of which I believe were made before 1900. I'll share them with you another day. I'm really appreciative of finding this site, and all the knowledge that you share.

 

[bmwpower]

Everytime I see an old Reed, I remind myself I never should have sold the several I had. Oh well...

 

[SweetD]

Picked up an awesome old Prentiss this week. I am somewhat of a Prentiss collector / aficionado, and this is a new one to me. It's a # 161, and it has a clamp that goes thru the center of the base to lock down the vise to the table.

I'd call it a "medium duty" vise - slightly too large to be small, if that makes sense! 2.5" jaw width, really rudimentary casting and the handle ends are peened, making me think this one is really old, possible pre-1900.

It's really beefy for its size. Look at the relative size of the cylinder that the handle passes thru - big! It's possibly missing a swivel base, but I'm leaning towards not. In any case, it's in great "patina" shape overall. I'm not going to refurb it, just oil.

A pic next to my "modern day" model 53 1/2, which I think is from the early '50s:



Dave

 

[autopts]

Picked up an awesome old Prentiss this week. I am somewhat of a Prentiss collector / aficionado, and this is a new one to me. It's a # 164, and it has a clamp that goes thru the center of the base to lock down the vise to the table.

Dave

Dave,
Thats a keeper I'm sure going back 100+. One good thing about that vise is that it was probably undersize in the days of the Indutrial Revolution and maybe sat in the basement of a shop machinist who took care of it. This C.Parker I found is near or at 100 or so and it being smaller also might have also been home grown too. ............................................
For reference this is a C. Parker No. 22

 

[SweetD]

Dave,
Thats a keeper I'm sure going back 100+. One good thing about that vise is that it was probably undersize in the days of the Indutrial Revolution and maybe sat in the basement of a shop machinist who took care of it. This C.Parker I found is near or at 100 or so and it being smaller also might have also been home grown too.

That is a great "little" Parker autopts! I like your thought process on my 161 being stowed away and not beat on too much.

I forgot to mention that the jaw width on the red #53 1/2 vise next to the #161 in the picture is 4", vs. the 2.5" on the #161...and they are pretty much the same envelope dimensions...the handle and the screw on the #161 are larger than the #53 1/2 too. Just to give an idea of the "beefiness" factor...

Dave

 

[Outlawmws]

I think the Prentiss is held to the bench with the giant wing nut/bolt and the hole in the flange is for a drop in pin to keep it from rotating. It IS a swivel vise, but without the base...

 

[autopts]

I think the Prentiss is held to the bench with the giant wing nut/bolt and the hole in the flange is for a drop in pin to keep it from rotating. It IS a swivel vise, but without the base...

Outlaw, I believe that handle is with it next to it with its typical wing design of years ago.

Dave, your lucky you found that old relic in such nice condition. The handle, if its typically Prentiss has to make the front look awsome. I get that erie feeling when I'm cleaing them and come across specs of dirt or metal filings. What was the user actually doing in this vise that made that samll metal filing. He could have been fixing a small piece on a carriage, maybe a bracket for his horse post in front, maybe even trying to repair something while listening to the radio hearing about our troops in the trenches in Europe in WWI, if only they could talk. That one might tell you it spent alot of time idle in a dark shop.

 

[jwitt]

I picked up a couple more vises this morning. A Reed 404R and a Ridge Tool 400

The Reed seems to have been welded in the past but it is real solid and everything lines up real good.

 

[SweetD]

Outlaw - I agree with your thought that the Prentiss is actually a "swivel base" - just more primitive. Perhaps some holes at certain degrees drilled into a benchtop and held with pins would be the idea.

Autopts - "if only that vise could talk" - great thoughts - really makes you wonder. Great input guys - thanks!

Dave

 

[bigcaddy]

Dave,
Thats a keeper I'm sure going back 100+. One good thing about that vise is that it was probably undersize in the days of the Indutrial Revolution and maybe sat in the basement of a shop machinist who took care of it. This C.Parker I found is near or at 100 or so and it being smaller also might have also been home grown too. ............................................
For reference this is a C. Parker No. 22

Nick,

That is one hell of a nice looking vise. It appears the vise gods have been giving you the nod these past few weeks while shunning me.

Maybe i have to go out and sacrificially crush a lesser vise in my monster vise to get some more luck coming my way................

 

[wxm]

Dave,
Thats a keeper I'm sure going back 100+. One good thing about that vise is that it was probably undersize in the days of the Indutrial Revolution and maybe sat in the basement of a shop machinist who took care of it. This C.Parker I found is near or at 100 or so and it being smaller also might have also been home grown too. ............................................
For reference this is a C. Parker No. 22

Here is its cousin - C. Parker No. 22X which has "Parker" in diagonal.

 

[dgmpam]

Just purchased a Morgan (Chicago) 335 vise. Does anyone know anything about this vise? I need a few parts -- swivel stud and locking nut, probably new jaws and such. The static jaw seems to be moveable but I haven't figured out how to do it yet.

 

[Outlawmws]

Just purchased a Morgan (Chicago) 335 vise. Does anyone know anything about this vise? I need a few parts -- swivel stud and locking nut, probably new jaws and such. The static jaw seems to be moveable but I haven't figured out how to do it yet.

Morgan actually still sells parts for some of the vises.

That tall pin has to come out for the static jaw to move and then it moves in sort of an arc laterally (follow the line of the back curve) this allows irrecgualr parts to be clamped.

If Morgan doe not have your parts:

Swivel nut and handle:

Carriage bolt up from the bottom for the “stud” get an all thread coupler (long nut about 1-1/2” to 2” long) the same thread. Cross drill it for about a 5/16 or 1/4” clearance hole.

Get a 5-6” bolt either 5/16 or 1/4” (see above) also get a matching Jan nut. Grind the points off the hex of the bolt, string to through the hole drilled in the coupler (above) run the jam nut down and jam it into the bottom of the threads of the bolt. Cut off most of the excess bolt. Peen the remainder into the nut flush as you can and file flat. Grind the points off the now captive Jam nut. You have just made a new locking lever and nut for the swivel base…

 

[bobkentnova]

This CP 22 is a beautiful hunk of steel. Nice job cleaning it up.

 

[autopts]

Nick,

That is one hell of a nice looking vise. It appears the vise gods have been giving you the nod these past few weeks while shunning me.

Maybe i have to go out and sacrificially crush a lesser vise in my monster vise to get some more luck coming my way................

poor baby..the vise gods are shunning you..You find more in one month then I do all year!! Who you kidding dawg!!

 

[autopts]

Here is its cousin - C. Parker No. 22X which has "Parker" in diagonal.

They don't get much better then your 22 X. Parker's early numbering system made no sence. I have a C.Parker 4X and its a brute with 5 1/2" jaws. 100 lb stationary. Its also nice for 100+ years.

 

[coolreed]

In response to a question about the Reed Utility Vise;

It is not as heavy duty as a standard Reed Vise but it is not a wimp either.

Any Vise that has a built in anvil is only garage duty to me and this one has an anvil.

The restoration came out well and I was able to remove all slack in operation.

 

[Sage55]

I've been looking at getting a nice vice for a while now. Thinking about going with a Wilton vise now just trying to narrow down which one I want from www.wiltonviseparts.com

 

[ZRX61]

Paging Mr BlueDog....

4in Prentiss/Monarch.... original, unmolested.. so far..

 

[Low Friction]

Nice piece of cast iron history.

 

[spongerich]

Paging Mr BlueDog....

4in Prentiss/Monarch.... original, unmolested.. so far..

That vise has some serious safety issues. Since I'd hate to see you killed or maimed, you should send it to me and I'll make sure that nobody gets hurt.

 

[ZRX61]

Nice try, no cigar

 

[Lump]

Nice vise, ZRX! Well done.

I wouldn't dream of restoring one like that. I LIKE the "old and used" look. But that's just me.

 

[Provincial]

I ran across this old vise in my stuff the other day. It had been in storage for at least twenty years and to tell the truth, I had forgotton that I had it. It has been in the family for at least 60 years, and I suspect far longer than that. The jaws are a little over 3 inches wide. It has been well used but still lines up well and operates smoothly. I'm not sure what I'll do with it, but it makes a nice decoration!

 

[Outlawmws]

So just to check, you can open the jaw up and swivel the "fixed" jaw forward and get more access to the anvil portion?

Man that is a cool vise, er, anvil, um vise, uh, anvil...

 

[Provincial]

As far as I know, no one in our family ever tried to get the "fixed" jaw to swivel. I think the cross pin beneath it is some sort of locking mechanism, but I've never tried to move it.

 

[spongerich]

I ran across this old vise in my stuff the other day. It had been in storage for at least twenty years and to tell the truth, I had forgotton that I had it.

That's sweet... I've been thinking about picking up something like that. I've seen a bunch on eBay but they tend to sell for stupid money.

 

[bczygan]

Picked up a Charles Parker 973 1/2 swivel base fixed jaw Eclipse Machinists Vise for $25.
Photo of how I want it to look:

 

[Monte]

"Zyliss" clamp on vise from switzerland

 

[demographic]

"Zyliss" clamp on vise from switzerland

I keep meaning to get one of those. They are on Ebay quite often and very versatile indeed.