The VISES of Garage Journal

[Jawn]

Picked this up off CL for $50 its a Starrett Athol No. 614. Going to restore it and give it to my dad as a fathers day gift.

Very nice, your dad is a lucky one.

 

[TreePointer]

I was able to remove the jaws and clean them up, but I cannot remove the base screw??? Maybe I need a bigger screwdriver, or some kind of offset screwdriver so I can get more torque on it??? Any suggestions? Previous owner had some paint boo-boos that I would like to remove.

Thanks,
Robert

On a couple Crafstmans like that, I was able to grab the outside of the screw with vise grip locking pliers and turn. Worked great.

 

[FrostBite]

These are my 4" and 5" Wiltons. I disassembled, wire wheeled, and painted the smaller one when I got it and then promptly scuffed it back up while using a flap disk the next day. The larger one sits in my storage room as I don't have table large or heavy enough to bolt it to. Once I build a real shop I'll get a nice welding table to affix it to.

I can't remember the manufacture date for the smaller one, but the 5" is stamped 12 86.

 

[kidney]

Anvil Apex. USA made

 

[Pug}{maN]

got some new ones a Wilton and one that all it says is made in poland ?

 

[Outlawmws]

This was a little project to get my jewelry making daughter an small vise for those times she need three hands...

A little Stanley clamp on, with 2-1/2" jaws and about that in opening capacity. This is before an E-Bath, wire wheeling, priming and painting, which she did the bulk of.

This is after the work, ready for her to use, other than depending on what she wants to clamp it to, she needs to pad the clamping faces.

I did hit the jaws with the strip belt sander to take out any high spots and clean them up a bit, and the back anvil and horn was as cast originally, so I smoothed them out also.

We will probably have to make her some copper and leather jaw caps later.

 

[balane]

Nice job on that Stanley.

 

[posaune]

Two recent garage sales mean that I finally get a post in this thread! I found a couple little vises that I thought would be useful additions. The first is a Littlestown No.2 that was $1 and the second I *thought* was a Littlestown until I stripped the paint off of it. It is a $3 Pexto. The Pexto has a bunch of file marks on the jaws, but for the price I'm pretty happy.

Before:

After a quick cleanup (colors match my old Remline boxes):

Yes, after the visible words comes "U.S.A."

 

[sooperdave]

Picked up a Parker 94 two days ago.

 

[amaes]

Anyone know how to take the handle off a Starrett Athol No. 614? I can't seem to find a clip. Looked in the vise restoration thread but didn't notice anything on handle removal.

 

[greeze]

I got the bug, I got it bad...just want to say it in my first post here. Ive been wrenching 25 years and never appreciated a vise like I do now. Until I ran across this thread I would have never gone out to buy a vise unless whatever was bolted to the bench broke, which it did. A small Irwin that I worked way past it`s means, borrowed a Montgomery ward from a buddy then set out to get something substantial. which I did...A,
93 prentiss
204 parker
54 american scale
41c Rigid
43c simplex
974 1/2 parker
19 1/2 prentiss

I have to sell some of these and I`m finding it hard to do!

The small Prentiss I had powder coated with a texture flat black (think of a Harley Davidson wrinkle coat)

The 93 just got a quickie paint job, it had some issues when I picked it up but it came out great.

the rigid got the wire wheel and spray bomb, practically new and works like butter

I gave the American scale to a close friend it had a chipped jaw..what a beast

the Desmond has not been touched by me yet

the two Parkers got a texture grey rustoleum and some fine sanding/buffing. the 204: has anyone seen a 204 with only 1 insert? The 974 1/2 is, well, might as well be NEW, it has no slop, jaws have all the serrations, which are deep..I`m keeping the Parkers, the rest will go, pm if anyone`s interested Great thread thanks!

 

[CAOS]

^^^^^^^^

 

[nine4gmc]

whut he said^

 

[Catalyze]

Greeze - very nice assortment of vises! The 974 1/2 really does look brand new. As to the 204 Parker....I just checked a 1926 Diamond Edge catalog with the 200 series Parkers listed. Here is the description: Body painted green, Hardened steel polished jaw faces milled and fitted to the jaws, Polished slide and screw head, Polished wrought steel sliding handle. So it should have 2 removeable jaw faces unless Parker was using up the last of the cast in face bodies and paired it up with a newer removeable slide. The other thought is that someone broke the original slide and found a later model slide that would work.

I love all the vises posted on this page from folks. You are all doing nice work and I hope that you are all having fun!
Craig

 

[wxm]

Anyone know how to take the handle off a Starrett Athol No. 614? I can't seem to find a clip. Looked in the vise restoration thread but didn't notice anything on handle removal.

The clip is in the back side of the "moving part" of the vise, hold by a screw. Just open the vise all the way and flip it over and look down inside towards the front. You will see it. Have fun!

 

[Outlawmws]

Nice job on that Stanley.

Thank you!

 

[amaes]

The clip is in the back side of the "moving part" of the vise, hold by a screw. Just open the vise all the way and flip it over and look down inside towards the front. You will see it. Have fun!

Yup found the Pin right after I posted. Thanks. I already had everything out but the Pin and screw were dirty so it looked like one piece. cleaned and polished most of the parts. Getting the main parts media blasted tomorrow.

 

[coolreed]

Behold! My latest find. The Mighty Wilton 800S.

What a Monster

 

[coolreed]

Errrr wrong picture. Dohhh

 

[bigcaddy]

Errrr wrong picture. Dohhh

What are you going to do for a handle? If you are going to fab something up, i have a extra screw that i just picked up this weekend. It been broken halfway down the Acme threads but the front knob and handle are in great shape.

Let me know if you want to see a picture of it since i really have no use for it and it looks like you do.

 

[C.BRAXMAIER]

Well another one done, but it sure does not look like zooms vise in the back there, but im getting the feel for it, I kinda like the cast look over painting...

 

[Shop101]

I think I solved my mystery. My vise is a 973A, but it is missing the swivel? I'll have to check it tomorrow, but it makes sense. Are swivel vises meant to be taken off? Well, if this is so, I'll be looking for a base for my vise. Is it hard to find just the base of the swivel? There is another member on here with the same vise and it has a swivel. With this added information, does anyone know when it was born? If it is a later model made by Union, is there an approximate date on that?

My vise:

Another members: Baskal

 

[kald]

Well another one done, but it sure does not look like zooms vise in the back there, but im getting the feel for it, I kinda like the cast look over painting...

Did you just clear coat it after cleanup? It really looks good, much more heavy duty looking than painted.

 

[Even 11]

PugMan; I have the twin to your polak vise but mine says bison on it and its blue. I think bison made mill/press vises mainly.

Greeze; Nice collection!! That 41C Rigid looks like it is new and untouched!! The 43C D-S Simplex one is a beast, I like the patina on that one. Where are you located?

-Dane

 

[Low Friction]

What are you going to do for a handle? If you are going to fab something up, i have a extra screw that i just picked up this weekend. It been broken halfway down the Acme threads but the front knob and handle are in great shape.

Let me know if you want to see a picture of it since i really have no use for it and it looks like you do.

You can order a replacement handle from Wilton. The 800's have removable handle ball ends.

 

[C.BRAXMAIER]

I use LPS 2 It is some good stuff I spray all my machines and tools about twise a year never have a rust problem..

 

[pfbz]

I'm mostly into the larger Wilton Machinists and Combo vises and have restored several, but I've had this smaller mechanics vise on a shelf for a while, and finally go around to doing a clean and lube on this Wilton. I don't know too much about this series of Wilton's, asked a few questions in this thread. Anybody know what years this series of Wilton's were produced?

 

[Canoe50]

Does anyone know what a Athol 926 machinist vise weighs? I did a search here, but came up empty.

 

[Low Friction]

Does anyone know what a Athol 926 machinist vise weighs? I did a search here, but came up empty.

From my old Starrett catalog the shipping weight is:

926 w/o swivel base 182 lbs
926 w/ swivel base 205

About 6 lbs for the box probably.

 

[Zeke]

Re: This just came up for sale today

I think I'm going to ride out and see this tomorrow early. Too unusual to not take a look. Says Wilton on the side.

Zeke, cool looking Wilton! Smacks of Art Deco, and it even has the pritchel hole hot chisel!

Had some fun being the Art Deco style.

 

[zoomieport]

Re: This just came up for sale today

Had some fun being the Art Deco style.

Silverleaf the lettering!!!
Nice work!

 

[Canoe50]

From my old Starrett catalog the shipping weight is:

926 w/o swivel base 182 lbs
926 w/ swivel base 205

About 6 lbs for the box probably.

Thank you L F.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Re: This just came up for sale today

Had some fun being the Art Deco style.

Very nice! I love all the restoration concepts here.

 

[Provincial]

I'm mostly into the larger Wilton Machinists and Combo vises and have restored several, but I've had this smaller mechanics vise on a shelf for a while, and finally go around to doing a clean and lube on this Wilton. I don't know too much about this series of Wilton's, asked a few questions in this thread. Anybody know what years this series of Wilton's were produced?

Nice job! I have one of these that has been in the family since new. It came down to me somewhat abused and the screw would move in and out quite a ways. I had to make shim washers for the spot that fits the movable jaw and then found that the nut moved back and forth. I found that the nut needed a pin to hold it in place and ended up using a spring pin (roll pin) that seemed to work well.

I did not do any cosmetics since this is a "worker" and has most of the original paint on it. Once I got it cleaned and lubed it works well.

 

[Lump]

Well, I've been ******* lately with my spring swap meet, but I'm finally ready to do some posting on GJ again.

Saturday I went to two Ohio flea mkts with my two sons, buying tools and stuff for myself, while they shopped for video games (they make a KILLING on those things! )

Anyway, I've been searching for just the right MONSTER vise for a long time. And, last year at the big blacksmith show here in Ohio, I took lots of photos of monster vises I couldn't afford, and posted them here on GJ. But I also posted a photo of a tiny vise I found there, and couldn't afford it either. But Saturday, BINGO, there it was!

I have one just like it, but slightly larger, marked "P, S, & W" which I interpret as "Peck, Stow, & Wilcox." (of course; I was a tin bender for years!) But this one is unmarked.

It's in gorgeous shape, and works nicely. No cracks, nothing broken or missing. But the best part is, it was late in the day, and I noticed the vendor taking great interest in everything I touched and making little comments...hoping I would make a purchase. So I guessed rightly that he was in the mood to bargain. Then I turned it over and saw his price tag:

I felt guilty even trying, but I said, "Is it the bargain time of day yet?" with a smile. He replied, "Hell yes, I don't wanna pack all this stuff. Make me an offer!" So naturally I said, "How 'bout $3 on this thing. You've got it marked for $5." I knew he would say, "Make it $4, and you have a deal." But he did not. He just said, "That'll work!"

YES!!! I have wanted one of these little vises for a long time.

 

[Outlawmws]

Lump; You ****! Big time!

 

[amaes]

Well finished the vise I bought for my dad's fathers day gift

View media item 20517

 

[alan camby]

Well finished the vise I bought for my dad's fathers day gift

View media item 20517

I will adopt you... if you would like. I like large Wiltons....hint hint.

 

[sstruckguy]

Nicely done

 

[RivennHewn]

Anybody ever hear of vises made by Tout-acier?