Provincial
Well-known member
Hooray for saving those two worthy vises! Take your time working the rust and freeing them up. They will come back to life eventually. Neither looks beyond saving, and the Parker is an interesting model.
The VISES of Garage Journal
- Thread starter mjozefow
- Start date
admranger
Well-known member
Any links to "how to" threads or advice on methods to do it? I want to save both, but I don't want to screw them up in the process (which is entirely possible with me at the helm!).
ckadams00
Well-known member
OK as with many other afflictions I didn't know I had prior to this site (screwdrivers, ratchets . .) after 180 pages of vises I now have a vise problem. I USED to have a 5" Chinese CMan that was all the vise I would ever need (probably paid $80 for it). Then I discovered that really good vises could be had at garage sales for $5. So now, after a Wilton Arrow (sold) a 4" Shop King (restored), and a 3" Reed I have pieced together a matching pair of late 70's (Japan) swivel based CMans - a 3/5" and a 5". Probably don't have the need to go for the post-1973 4" as that would be ovekill. Unless . . .
(BTW the 5" is partially disassembled by me. . .came with all the parts)
(BTW the 5" is partially disassembled by me. . .came with all the parts)
EOC_Jason
Well-known member
The wilton would probably be easiest to take the cap off the rear. There's plenty of guides on how to disassemble these. Once you do that you can soak the inside down with penetrating oil to free it up. Mainly the lead screw + nut.
The Parker you can probably oil it from behind too getting where the screw goes through the nut.
I've just set old rusty ones on a piece of scrap plywood and spray them down entirely, repeating once a day for a couple days.. Be sure to get any screws or pins or whatever extra good so when it comes time to take it all apart the oil will have done its job.
I know this is completely untrue, but there is this rumor that the GJ forums has a few vise snobs. I see a lot of brands I can't go look at, and Wilton. I know that Northern has Wiltons so I went up there to look at them but they don't have any out on display. Is Bessey junk by the standards around here? I don't see much bragging about Besseys or even a vise from this century.
I got a Bessey 4-1/2" Vise from Lowe's several years ago. Been pretty good do me and although I've never had a permanent home for it, I've been able to do everything I need to do with it. I'm not getting one now but when I get a bigger vise, is another Bessey a bad option? Looking at the 6" but I might go bigger. Thanks for the advice.
I got a Bessey 4-1/2" Vise from Lowe's several years ago. Been pretty good do me and although I've never had a permanent home for it, I've been able to do everything I need to do with it. I'm not getting one now but when I get a bigger vise, is another Bessey a bad option? Looking at the 6" but I might go bigger. Thanks for the advice.
admranger
Well-known member
Well, I'm in luck then as the end cap is missing from the Wilton.
This was part of the machine shop in the USS Midway. Its now a museum but is to cool!
i just saw that in july, when i went to san diego
so i guess that means u didnt take a tour of the bridge, if u take that tour, there is a huge vise, outside, that you can see while waiting in line
admranger
Well-known member
Thanks! I'll give that a try this weekend. I'll have to do it outside as my garage has a gas water heater in it and I am pretty sure I don't want to fuel it with the hydrogen from the electrolosis.
If I remember correctly, this process also removes any paint so that's a plus as it is just flaking off right now anyway.
View media item 23535
post vise i picked up it works good not sure what is worth anybody got any idea pm me
post vise i picked up it works good not sure what is worth anybody got any idea pm me
EOC_Jason
Well-known member
There's quite a few on eBay, both active and sold auctions. I'm sure you can get an idea in price from there...
i gave like ten bucks at a yard sale i checked ebay and every one wanted 120 or more and i dont have an ebay acount so it would let me search a sold items but since most of them didnt have bidders i think they were smoking crack
EOC_Jason
Well-known member
Well, I just did a quick glance at completed auctions, and ones with successful bids ended up anywhere from around $100 to a few up at $180. There were also a couple down around $50 - $75.... But I would say most fall between $100 - $125... So yeah, $10 is a steal.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Post vise prices are just like bench vise prices in that SIZE MATTERS!. The bigger and heavier the post vise, the more it will likely go for. So yes some of those guys asking 120 BIN for a small post vise thinking there is little difference between theirs and a 140 lb monster post vise are smoking crack...
Exceller8
Well-known member
$75-$125 is a fair price for a post vise. I just bought a really nice one for $75 locally. 
Lump
Well-known member
Cheechi,
We're not ignoring you. Personally, I just have not heard of a Bessey vise. If you have one and you like it, that's great!
Personally, I just really like older US or European-made bench vises, and so that is what I try to find. For me, it is also important that I find them cheaply priced. (I love finding a bargain, you see!) So I am not likely to buy any big vise brand new anywhere...due to my own personal tastes. But when I do find a beautiful, big ol' vise for less than the cost of a new one...I'm thrilled.
Enjoy your Bessey or any other bench vise. They are essential tools in any working person's garage, for sure!
Well, I just did a quick glance at completed auctions, and ones with successful bids ended up anywhere from around $100 to a few up at $180. There were also a couple down around $50 - $75.... But I would say most fall between $100 - $125... So yeah, $10 is a steal.
happy dance happy dance
Hi guys, pretty new here.
Here is my No. 4 Record vise. I'm not really familiar with vise's brands. From what I found, it looks to be a decent piece of equipment. I received it from my father and I restored It the best I could. For now, it works well, no play and feels solid. Maybe you guys can confirm the quality value of my vise?
Here is my No. 4 Record vise. I'm not really familiar with vise's brands. From what I found, it looks to be a decent piece of equipment. I received it from my father and I restored It the best I could. For now, it works well, no play and feels solid. Maybe you guys can confirm the quality value of my vise?
Rusty Musket
Well-known member
If i am not mistaken the jaw protectors are the same as the Wilton branded ones on ebay.
TreePointer
Well-known member
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PCO6
Well-known member
Nice job on the restoration.
I bought a new Record No. 4 back in the md 70's and it's still going strong. They are excellent quality vices and are used in many industrial applications. I have Record Nos. 1, 3, 4, 6 & 8. I know there are many other good vices but I'll stick with Records.Thanks! I'll give that a try this weekend. I'll have to do it outside as my garage has a gas water heater in it and I am pretty sure I don't want to fuel it with the hydrogen from the electrolosis.
If I remember correctly, this process also removes any paint so that's a plus as it is just flaking off right now anyway.
yep, ur absolutely correct, if you click on my sigs below , u can see the pics of the before and after, on the restores i did on the c43, wilton, and the chas
yea when i did the electrolysis, i put the bucket right outside the garage door, with everything hooked up, and shut the garage, let run over night, next morning, bing all done
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Dustin Echoes
Well-known member
QUOTE=Datsun
Here is my No. 4 Record vise. I'm not really familiar with vise's brands. From what I found, it looks to be a decent piece of equipment. I received it from my father and I restored It the best I could. For now, it works well, no play and feels solid. Maybe you guys can confirm the quality value of my vise?
I've got a number 8, and love it.
-Dustin
Here is my No. 4 Record vise. I'm not really familiar with vise's brands. From what I found, it looks to be a decent piece of equipment. I received it from my father and I restored It the best I could. For now, it works well, no play and feels solid. Maybe you guys can confirm the quality value of my vise?
I've got a number 8, and love it.
-Dustin
Attachments
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
I just use aluminum angle stock.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Morgan still sells those caps AFAIK, and I think Wilton does also. Not sure how well they would fit on an Athol. I've make some for my vise out of lead, and if you stick with copper, soft aluminum (5xxx series not 6xxx for example) and the like, its easy enough to make them. I even made a set out of wood from outside corner moulding.
Rusty Musket
Well-known member
Thanks all. It's amazing how much easier it is to search for something once you know the correct name for it
Thanks guys. I'm glad to hear that my record seems to be a quality product.
So far it has been very useful for my weekend use.
God this No8 vise looks so massive! I would probably have to make a new bench if I want to bolt one like this on it. lol
So far it has been very useful for my weekend use.
God this No8 vise looks so massive! I would probably have to make a new bench if I want to bolt one like this on it. lol
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NewShockerGuy
Well-known member
How are people getting the lettering on the vises a different color than the actual vise body... ?
I want to try it with my little 4 1/2 vise
Would I just take some light sand paper and sand off the paint no the letters... that would only be the top of the letters, even though the numbers/letters have more shape than the top...would i get the sides as well..etc. Or would I mask the entire thing off and then spray just the letters/numbers... seems like a lot of work now that i think about it but love how it looks above..
IE:
Thanks,
-Nigel
I want to try it with my little 4 1/2 vise
Would I just take some light sand paper and sand off the paint no the letters... that would only be the top of the letters, even though the numbers/letters have more shape than the top...would i get the sides as well..etc. Or would I mask the entire thing off and then spray just the letters/numbers... seems like a lot of work now that i think about it but love how it looks above..
IE:
Thanks,
-Nigel
After the restoration, I painted the vise with the blue coro-stop paint. I let it dry completely. I lightly sanded the top of the letter and painted it with a small paintbrush. The one I used younger to make my car model. Simple has that.
Hope it will help.
EOC_Jason
Well-known member
I've also heard people using paint pens that you can get at hobby shops to do the lettering.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Athol was bought out by Starrett in 1905, I believe.
Provincial
Well-known member
Correct. Does anyone know when Starrett started putting their name on the vises? Right after the purchase or some time later? It would seem that it might have taken a while to sell off any inventory with the Athol name cast in, even if the new castings were changed to say Starrett.
EOC_Jason
Well-known member
I would think they would only have a couple months worth of inventory on hand worst-case scenario unless it was an uncommon or not a big seller size (i.e. REALLY BIG). Definitely not a year's worth... That's too much $$$ ******* in inventory, even for 1900.
admranger
Well-known member
There's fairly strong evidence to support the assumption that even though L.S. Starrett may have purchased Athol Machine Co. in 1905, the Athol name on the vises wasn't changed until several decades later (see catalog images below).
L.S. Starrett's association with Athol Machine Company dates back to the 1860s, when they produced some of Starrett's early inventions long before Starrett started his own company. (see Ref. 1 below)
Starrett may have respected the Athol name and continued to use it, even though Starrett owned the company.
Starrett may have also recognised that the Athol name was older and possibly better known than their own name at the time of purchase.
Athol vises do not appear in Starrett's own broad line catalog literature until the 1950s or later (the first evidence I could find was 1965, but it probably happened somewhat earlier than that). The Athol vise line was instead carried in separate catalog literature.
For comparison, consider the histories of various acquisitions by other companies, for example:
Black & Decker purchased DeWalt in 1960; however, the DeWalt name continues to this day, often without any mention of the Black & Decker or (currently) Stanley Black & Decker connection.
Charles Parker Vise Co. purchased Prentiss Vise Co. around 1940; however, the Prentiss name continued for several years without any mention of Parker.
Cooper Industries has owned Crescent Tool Co. since 1968, yet the Crescent name continues on their products with no mention of Cooper.
Those are just three of countless similar examples. Why should Starrett and Athol be any different? That's not to say that some companies don't immediately change or do away with the names of companies they buy, because there's countless examples of that too. It's just to say that some companies don't change the names of other companies they buy.
1937 industrial catalog listing for an Athol vise. Note no Starrett name on the vise:
1956 industrial catalog listing for an Athol vise of a style obviously far newer than anything available in 1905. Note still no Starrett name on the vise:
Granted, some "artistic license" is often used on catalog artwork, but if Starrett wanted to advertise their brand instead of Athol, wouldn't it say Starrett somewhere?
This may disappoint many owners of Athol-branded vises who think their vises are older than they may really be, but that's the way I see it.
Ref. 1: (L.S. Starrett biography) http://www.dromo.info/starrettbio.htm
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Also, some companies buy other companies and not only continue the name, but actually adopt it as a more recognizable name, or the stronger marketing name.
Atlas bought Clausing and over time, dripped the Atlas name and adopted Clausing
More recently KMart bought Sears, and "reinvented it self" as Sears holding, but the organization is actually the backbone of KMart.
I'm sure there are many other examples of this
Atlas bought Clausing and over time, dripped the Atlas name and adopted Clausing
More recently KMart bought Sears, and "reinvented it self" as Sears holding, but the organization is actually the backbone of KMart.
I'm sure there are many other examples of this
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mattmcginn
Member
Starrett 925
Just picked up this Starret 925 this morning. Saw it on CL last night, with no real reference to size.
http://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/271503_4471760801941_1798485071_o.jpg
Its a monster. And, its in excellent condition, the knurling on the jaws
If I recall I now have about 7 good sized vises...can never have enough, for $75 I could not leave it!
Picked up a monster Prentiss Bulldog (non swivel) two weeks ago, $50 for that. That is being restored now, getting treated to black paint and gold lettering.
Just picked up this Starret 925 this morning. Saw it on CL last night, with no real reference to size.
http://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/271503_4471760801941_1798485071_o.jpg
Its a monster. And, its in excellent condition, the knurling on the jaws
If I recall I now have about 7 good sized vises...can never have enough, for $75 I could not leave it!
Picked up a monster Prentiss Bulldog (non swivel) two weeks ago, $50 for that. That is being restored now, getting treated to black paint and gold lettering.