York 150 vise restoration

[Geurt]

York vise restorations

Well thanks guys! Didn't really need it (yet) because I don't have the room for it on the bench (already own a Bison 100 mm. vise) but seeing all the cool vises here I couldn't resist buying this York vise. The European uncle of the pretty awesome Wilton. The jaws are 150 mm. and she weighs in at 28 kilograms. I really love the shape and the fact they are red.

Yesterday I started to disassemble her and see what the damage was. She has seen a little abuse.

The jaws were welded on in a rather ****** way. Had to cut them loose. Going to replace them for new ones.

Worst damage is to the spindle. I think they tried to yank it out at one point bending the retainer pin and damaging the shoulder. Besides the pin I don't see any problem with that in the future since it doesn't affect the closing part.

Next step is cleaning, machining and painting!

 

[Bull]

Cool, welcome to the York Club!

Did you have any trouble getting your apart? I can't get the dynamic jaw out of the static jaw assembly. It seems stuck in there pretty good.

 

[autopts]

Cool, welcome to the York Club!

Did you have any trouble getting your apart? I can't get the dynamic jaw out of the static jaw assembly. It seems stuck in there pretty good.

hahaha..it was stuck in there 6 months ago!! I thought by now your York was beautifully restored and bolted to you bench! What's up Dawg?***********************

Geurt! That should turn out nice! Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Geurt]

Cool, welcome to the York Club!

Did you have any trouble getting your apart? I can't get the dynamic jaw out of the static jaw assembly. It seems stuck in there pretty good.

Oehh I like clubs! What's the initiation?

Back to the vise, the dynamic jaw was loose. She was in working order so that helped in the disassemble.

hahaha..it was stuck in there 6 months ago!! I thought by now your York was beautifully restored and bolted to you bench! What's up Dawg?***********************

Geurt! That should turn out nice! Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks, will do!

 

[Bull]

hahaha..it was stuck in there 6 months ago!! I thought by now your York was beautifully restored and bolted to you bench! What's up Dawg?***********************

I'm afraid to break it! I am just an evolved ape. If I start hammering on it, or chaining it to my truck and a tree and flooring the accelerator, I know I will break it. I just have that luck. I moved on to easier projects, and am hoping an electrolysis bath will help loosen things up inside.

Oehh I like clubs! What's the initiation?
Thanks, will do!

New members need to send existing members large quantities of fine European beer.

 

[Geurt]

I'm afraid to break it! I am just an evolved ape. If I start hammering on it, or chaining it to my truck and a tree and flooring the accelerator, I know I will break it. I just have that luck. I moved on to easier projects, and am hoping an electrolysis bath will help loosen things up inside.

Have you tried Coca-Cola yet? I had some good experiences with soaking parts in it for a couple of days. Had a swing arm axle from a moped totally stuck in between the two silent blocks and the spacer. Tried everything from hitting to heat to WD40, nothing worked. So as a last resort I pored a bottle in a bin and let it soak for a couple of days. Then after just one modest tap with a hammer she came loose! The coke also removed a lot of rust pitting.
It's cheap and easy so worth a try!

New members need to send existing members large quantities of fine European beer.

Haha, I can send you a selection that will get you drunk a couple of times if you really want. But then we have to talk about sending me some of that awesome amount of cool old (and rather cheap) tools you guys can buy trough Craigslist. Here in the Netherlands a lot has been scrapped I'm afraid and is not available anymore or rather expensive

 

[jamesc]

i have that same vise. I just started to clean it up, I was hoping to restore it this week, but it didn't happen maybe next week.

 

[Geurt]

finally received my new jaws from York!

 

[toomanytoyzz]

Well thanks guys! Didn't really need it (yet) because I don't have the room for it on the bench (already own a Bison 100 mm. vise) but seeing all the cool vises here I couldn't resist buying this York vise. The European uncle of the pretty awesome Wilton. The jaws are 150 mm. and she weighs in at 28 kilograms. I really love the shape and the fact they are red.

My brain hurts from converting to inches/pounds.

Looks like you are moving right along on the resto.

 

[kc-steve]

My brain hurts from converting to inches/pounds. . . .

If you are traveling at the speed of light, how many furlongs per fortnight would it take to arrive at Alpha Centuri.

Steve

 

[toomanytoyzz]

If you are traveling at the speed of light, how many furlongs per fortnight would it take to arrive at Alpha Centuri.

Steve

"It was my understanding that there would be no math."

 

[Geurt]

Had my first shot at electrolysis today. Added some rebar to a plastic bucket and in went the base of the York. Came out pretty nice! Up next the static and dynamic jaws.

 

[nine4gmc]

Woot for electrolisis!! can't wait to see this thing restored!

 

[Geurt]

its painted, this weekend final assembly!

 

[kngkong]

Looking good, like the color. Thats a nice vise.

 

[Geurt]

she's done!

 

[north]

Good job. Am I the only one thinking of Popeye when seeing those vises?

 

[Catalyze]

Grats on a way cool vise! Very nice effort and thanks for posting up the photos as you went along. It came out in fine shape and should work a treat for many years.
Craig

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Very nice work, indeed!

 

[nine4gmc]

killer resto, nice work!

 

[Geurt]

Found another one! This one was in perfect shape (minus the paint). I cleaned her up, wire wheeled the bare metal parts and finally some lube here and there. Gave it as a present to my brother, I was actually a bit jealous of him...

 

[thundermug]

I love those old York vises. I saw an orange 2" York on another forum somewhere. Good luck finding another one of those.

 

[Geurt]

And here is another one! Found this sad little thing for only 13 dollar. Everything works and no sign of cracks. This one will get a full resto.

 

[b7labelle]

Very Cool! Did you restore your 2nd vise yet? What did you use to paint the first one (paint/applicator tools)?

 

[Geurt]

Very Cool! Did you restore your 2nd vise yet? What did you use to paint the first one (paint/applicator tools)?

Thanks!
The first one I painted with a brush and some left over Hammerite paint I had laying around. The second one I didn't restore. Just cleaned it up and gave it to my brother. The third one is disassembled right now. Need to start with it soon as I already got someone lined up to recieve it as a gift.

 

[Monte]

so you collect vises and tool boxes

 

[Geurt]

so you collect vises and tool boxes

Well I do a bit but these are not mine. They belong to buddies I share the garage with. The Hazet on the right was pulled out of the trash at his workplace. Was perfectly fine but they trew it away because they didn't know how the knob worked
The Gedore Adjudant I would never buy, I find them impractical. I am always on the lookout for Hazet Assitents or the Stahlwille Rollmaster though.

 

[Monte]

sorry to hijack your thread but do you have some pics of your garage ?

 

[Outlawmws]

sorry to hijack your thread but do you have some pics of your garage ?

Do I smell another German invasion being planned?



If so I recommend a Beer Mug fight!
(Or maybe a drinking contest!)

 

[Geurt]

sorry to hijack your thread but do you have some pics of your garage ?

I'll take some pics this week and send you them trough PM if you don't mind.

In other news I'm going to pick up the illusive York 60 this Thursday and got some leads on the the 100!

 

[Geurt]

I love those old York vises. I saw an orange 2" York on another forum somewhere. Good luck finding another one of those.

Got it! This one I will keep for myself. She'll get the full beauty treatment.

 

[Chuck McB]

Nice work and great finds! Do these vises grow on trees in Holland???

 

[Man of Many Vices]

...Do these vises grow on trees in Holland???

I got a York 60 from my brother on Thanksgiving. I was really proud of it, as rare as it seemed to be, due to the lack of internet chatter about it. It now appears they are quite common, at least in the Netherlands.

Elsewhere in Garage Journal there is a really interesting history of pre-WW2 York and the birth of Wilton shortly thereafter. A fascinating detective story about what may well be the misappropriation of the "bullet" design by a York associate who fled Czechoslovakia as Hitler invaded, came to Chicago and started the Wilton vise company.

I "guessed" my York 60 to be pre-1940; but with so many of them popping up on this thread, I am at a complete loss. It looks identical to the one posted above, but with a swivel base.

Any idea when it was made?

 

[Geurt]

I got a York 60 from my brother on Thanksgiving. I was really proud of it, as rare as it seemed to be, due to the lack of internet chatter about it. It now appears they are quite common, at least in the Netherlands.

Well that's not entirely true. Ever since I became an active member here (over a year ago) I had my eye out for these. Since then I came across probably less than a dozen. This is the first 60. I've seen more 80's an 100's. I only came across one 150 and bought that and that's what started this tread. The first 125 still remains to be found.

The good thing is that not a whole lot of people know this is a quality vise. The majority rather buys a chinese pot-metal vise new of the shelf of our local giant hardware stores. The guys with more knowledge buy the Heuer Front vises. These are also good and look nice but they are expensive even on the second hand market.

I "guessed" my York 60 to be pre-1940; but with so many of them popping up on this thread, I am at a complete loss. It looks identical to the one posted above, but with a swivel base.

Any idea when it was made?

The swivel bases always shows the year of manufacture. Some of them also have "Czechoslovakia" engraved in the static yaw. Which tells you its at least a pre-1993 vise. The company is still active and you can buy replacement yaws from them. If you want to know more about your vise you could try emailing them. But first post a pic of it here I would say!

 

[bigcaddy]

Good job. Am I the only one thinking of Popeye when seeing those vises?

I was thinking more of a midget flexing his arm

 

[Geurt]

Paint tomorrow!

 

[b7labelle]

Very cool! I posted my pictures as well. My family things I have a problem but I am glad there are others here who understand!

 

[Geurt]

Very cool! I posted my pictures as well. My family things I have a problem but I am glad there are others here who understand!

Thanks. Some of the vises in this thread are gifts to family members. So they are very glad with my 'problem'

Today I shot the paint. Used the aerosol cans of Rustoleum Hard Hat paint. Love that! Very nice to work with and it came out nice. Hope it will hold up well.

 

[Geurt]

Done! Don't want to let this one go actually..

And a **** shot from the rear

In other news, the 60 is taking an (electrolysis) bath right now.

 

[CanUK]

Done! Don't want to let this one go actually..

That looks great. What paint did you use? I've got a 125 in need of restoration that started out red as well.