The VISES of Garage Journal
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gatewaysysop
Well-known member
If you're happy with it, I don't think $100 is too much. American Scale vises are surprisingly hard to find, at least in my experience, and I've been lusting for one for a while. Have not seen one for years now. Even evil-Bay doesn't offer very many nice ones at reasonable prices. Strangely, swivel-jaw American Scale vises seem noticeably more common than non-swiveling versions. Never understood why that was.
Can't speak to the history or the age, but I'm guessing someone else will chime in on those parts. Looks like a good candidate for restoration, in any case. Nice find!
ganymede
Well-known member
Here's an older Parker fixed base. Don't know how old but model number is 300.
The hub doesn't have the patented tension regulating thing inside and never did so Im thinking the main screw is a replacement . There's also a wierd knub under the slide support . I thought it was a screw at first but it's just solid metal. Kinda wierd.
The hub doesn't have the patented tension regulating thing inside and never did so Im thinking the main screw is a replacement . There's also a wierd knub under the slide support . I thought it was a screw at first but it's just solid metal. Kinda wierd.
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Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
I have a question for members who have knowledge about pivot jaw vises. I'm putting together a jig to press put the pin. I don't want to risk any damage. Is there any possibility that the pin is threaded?
If I'm successful, I'll post pictures of my jig.
Thanks in advance
If I'm successful, I'll post pictures of my jig.
Thanks in advance
spongerich
Well-known member
I've never seen a threaded one. I've found that the best way to remove them without buggering the pin is to drill a small hole through the base and tap the pin out from the bottom with a piece of drill rod.
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Hey Kevin,
Here's a picture of a jaw face from my American Scale vise. BTW, I believe High quality vintage vises are hard to find just about anywhere. I get my vises through auctions, CL, yard sales and word of mouth.
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KMScott
Well-known member
Thanks Mark, the jaws look in descent shape should clean up good with a wire wheel, look similar to the Prentiss jaws.
Our CL and auctions are few and far between selling quality vises.
Got my jaw fix today.
Our CL and auctions are few and far between selling quality vises.
Got my jaw fix today.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
That is an oldie and if it was made in the same time frame as my smaller Parker Mod. No. 0000 from the same "family", Late 1890;s to about 1915.
Min has 3-1/4" wide jaws, what size are yours in width?
From Craig (Cataylze)
The others in the stationary line had numbers that were 0000, 100, 200, 300 etc. The swivel base models had a "2" in front of those numbers... 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, etc. Hope this helps!
ganymede
Well-known member
Thanks Outlaw.
Jaws are just over 4 1/2 inches and well worn. Other than that and a missing handle ball it's in good shape.
Someday if I find out that the main screw is a replacement I'll try to drill n tap the hub for the tension gizmo that it should have.
Jaws are just over 4 1/2 inches and well worn. Other than that and a missing handle ball it's in good shape.
Someday if I find out that the main screw is a replacement I'll try to drill n tap the hub for the tension gizmo that it should have.
bl00
Well-known member
If you haven't already figured it out you can take the swivel jaw off without removing the pin. There are two pins that run across from one side of the vise to the other. Tap them out and the jaw will come off. If you want pics let me know. I have a different version, but I'm guessing they're built the same way.
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Thank you. I'll look for The pins.
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Pivot jaw pin removal update:
1. Disassemble the vise.
2. Secure the stationary jaw body to a work bench with c-clamps.
3. Place a stack of 1" washers on the pin to surround it. Stack the washers higher than the top of the pin.
4. Put a 1/2" washer on top of the stack of 1" washers.
5. You will need a 6" heavy duty c-clamp. I used a Wilton 404.
6. Open the c-clamp, rest the spindle foot on the washer stack, & hold a 1/2" long - 3/8" bolt at the bottom of the vise pin.
7. Using the other end of the c-clamp against the bolt, tighten the clamp until you have pushed the pin out through washers.
I hope my description gave a good picture. The extraction hapened very fast. Doing it this way keeps me from drilling a hole in the base.
Now, onward with the restoration.
1. Disassemble the vise.
2. Secure the stationary jaw body to a work bench with c-clamps.
3. Place a stack of 1" washers on the pin to surround it. Stack the washers higher than the top of the pin.
4. Put a 1/2" washer on top of the stack of 1" washers.
5. You will need a 6" heavy duty c-clamp. I used a Wilton 404.
6. Open the c-clamp, rest the spindle foot on the washer stack, & hold a 1/2" long - 3/8" bolt at the bottom of the vise pin.
7. Using the other end of the c-clamp against the bolt, tighten the clamp until you have pushed the pin out through washers.
I hope my description gave a good picture. The extraction hapened very fast. Doing it this way keeps me from drilling a hole in the base.
Now, onward with the restoration.
Lump
Well-known member
ganymede
Well-known member
It is a swivel base just a different type. You loosen a special nut on the bottom (looks like its missing in the pic), swivel to desired position and re tighten the nut. Some of the nuts had a little handle on them .
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Whats wrong with this Prentiss? Everything I've read about this 181 indicates it should have a swivel base. It looks like it is either missing or has a fixed base. Any ideas?
This^^^ that plate gets attached to the bench top and 1 or 2 lugs on the bottom of the vise engage he notches in the plate the big screw gets a giant wing nut to "lock" it down...
maddawg308
Banned
Got the wire wheel out yesterday and got to work on the Wilton C2 I snagged from the junkyard last year. About 3 coats of really bad paint on it, but stripped it all off. Not a big deal, spray bombed it with Forest Green flat drab paint, as this was a vise meant for the front end of a military wrecker, the paint job is correct in my eyes. The dynamic jaw is a little tweaked (about 3/8 inch) from the static jaw, not sure why, it functions fine and there's no play in the jaws that I can feel, almost like it was made a little off at the factory. But, it clamps down hard like it ought to, and the jaws are relatively clean too. This will get put on eBarf soon, I need the moola.
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This Parker had that same thing happen. A repair is in order I guess. It looked better close up but I don't have this vise anymore.
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Fyrme
Well-known member
I finally feel like I picked up a vise today worthy of posting here. I've been on the hunt for quite some time. When I bought it I didn't recognize it because it was missing the end cap and had no name stamped on it. All I knew was it was made in USA and it was in good over all condition. Once home, I ran some numbers and realized it was a Wilton 1755. Awesome! If anyone has a good source to find a end cap and a new Wilton tag, I plan on giving this one a proper resto and mounting it on my bench with soft jaws. I'll let my 4" Wilton be my beater vise. Any way here are both in all there current glory.
SweetD
Well-known member
That's a nice upgrade for you Fyrme, and I like your vise stands!
Your "old" Wilton is the Chi-com version (sure you know that already), and the "new" one is the real Made In USA deal - awesome! Good luck finding an end cap - shouldn't be too hard...
Dave
Your "old" Wilton is the Chi-com version (sure you know that already), and the "new" one is the real Made In USA deal - awesome! Good luck finding an end cap - shouldn't be too hard...
Dave
Fyrme
Well-known member
Thanks The tall stand is actually going to be a grinder stand. The 1755 is just perched there for a photo shoot. They are both VERY heavy and i haven't concreted the bases yet. See red quotes regarding the chicom. Yes I bought it new. It was all I could afford at the time and I needed one fast. It's done it's job well, I can't complain.That's a nice upgrade for you Fyrme, and I like your vise stands!
Your "old" Wilton is the Chi-com version (sure you know that already), and the "new" one is the real Made In USA deal - awesome! Good luck finding an end cap - shouldn't be too hard...
Dave
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Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Thanks for the guidance.
After brushing off some rust on the body, I found, what looked like a pin. it was hard to see. I then started to tap it out with an aluminum pin and a 3# baby sledge until I moved it a little. Then I put in the press and finished the job. The pivoting jaw was pretty stiff with rust. So there will be a lot of clean up work to get it to move the way it should. Now it's time to soak the moving jaw face screws in my home made liquid wrench to get them out.Attachments
Too_Many_Tools
Banned
But I don't think there are any lugs on the bottom of the vise..are there supposed to be?
Anyone have pictures actually showing the bottom of a vise like this?
I have seen a large Rock Island vise like this...it DID NOT have any lugs on the bottom of the vise.
And yes the giant wing nut is missing.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
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Too_Many_Tools
Banned
Trust me its there...
One tiny little lug?
Or are there more we cannot see in the picture.
The Rock Island vise I saw had the slightest bump...nothing that would hold the vise from turning on the base...maybe one could run a bead to make a larger lug.
Too_Many_Tools
Banned
Okay...I can see the giant lug nut..you have it sitting on its side so it looked like a spacer.
Too_Many_Tools
Banned
Trust me its there...
Could you post a closeup of the jaws on this vise?
Are they removable?
What shape are they? L? U? Flat?
mcmlvif100
Well-known member
I finally feel like I picked up a vise today worthy of posting here. I've been on the hunt for quite some time. When I bought it I didn't recognize it because it was missing the end cap and had no name stamped on it. All I knew was it was made in USA and it was in good over all condition. Once home, I ran some numbers and realized it was a Wilton 1755. Awesome! If anyone has a good source to find a end cap and a new Wilton tag, I plan on giving this one a proper resto and mounting it on my bench with soft jaws. I'll let my 4" Wilton be my beater vise. Any way here are both in all there current glory.
Wilton, my favourite. When you do the restoration, you might consider getting replacement jaws from KMScott. He's on this site and makes very nice OE style replacements.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
How big do the lugs need to be? On this one its two, and yes, that is all that is needed if the Wing nut on the bottom is reasonably tight. Those on mine are about 1/8 of an inch or so high. you would have ot be really loose on the wing nut for it to slip.
Jaw pics will have to come later, I'm on the run just now, but I believe they are removable; they are flat, I can see the line, but remember, this one is a reed not the Prentiss you are looking at.
Both are around turn of the century, possibly older, as this swivel design was mostly if not completely supplanted industry wide by the early 1900's
My only issue with them is you have to have easy access to under the bench to loosen the wing nut. so and open bench design is pretty much required.
Jaw pics will have to come later, I'm on the run just now, but I believe they are removable; they are flat, I can see the line, but remember, this one is a reed not the Prentiss you are looking at.
Both are around turn of the century, possibly older, as this swivel design was mostly if not completely supplanted industry wide by the early 1900's
My only issue with them is you have to have easy access to under the bench to loosen the wing nut. so and open bench design is pretty much required.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Fyrme, I really like the direction those Vise stands are going! the Bigger pipe really makes it work! You can even put the lug nut holes to use holding tongs or other tools...
the Bigger pipe really makes it work! You can even put the lug nut holes to use holding tongs or other tools... 90roadster
Well-known member
) Wilton C0. Needs cosmetic resto, otherwise in nice shape. Anvil looks like its never been struck with a hammer, still has machining marks on it. Hard to believe a 3 1/2" jaw vise would be so heavy.
Van Steele
Well-known member
Got these two vices - or vises, since they're both US brands - for £20 (around US$30) combined. Both of them are rather uncommon here, in fact this is the first Columbian I've seen in the flesh.
The Fuller type was sold here new as a "King Fuller" in a darkish blue colour rather than the red of the "original" Fuller. The King part in the name came from the Suffolk based company that imported and sold these vices in the UK
The Columbian is a 504, the Fuller is a 3½. Both seem to be in reasonable good condition.
Example of a King Fuller vice. (picture shamelessly nicked from an eBay auction)
The Fuller type was sold here new as a "King Fuller" in a darkish blue colour rather than the red of the "original" Fuller. The King part in the name came from the Suffolk based company that imported and sold these vices in the UK
The Columbian is a 504, the Fuller is a 3½. Both seem to be in reasonable good condition.
Example of a King Fuller vice. (picture shamelessly nicked from an eBay auction)
I went to a guys garage to look at a parker he had for sale @ $30 and in the process he says "hey i've got another smaller one...you want it too? $20." needless to say i have both now. Here is the Resto. on the small one. A 1946 Wilton 4" (i nickel plated the handles so they won't rust again... hopefully)
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maddawg...That front jaw is independent of the bar. Stabilize the vise and with a block of wood and a heavy, knock it back in place. I had to put this big guy on a press but it worked.
Fyrme
Well-known member
Fyrme, I really like the direction those Vise stands are going!
Thanks. I'm trying to make them as universal as possible. I taking my time on how I want the finished product to be. I have added and removed a few trial accessories to the one with the vise mounted on it. I have thought about adding a square receiver to the top plate of the other stand so I can use it for various tools. I'd just build plates on any tool I need to mount on it with a 2" tube for quick change. The vise stand will stay a solid mount though.
I'd buy it!
bigcaddy
Well-known member
Thats not bad at all. I paid 80.00 for my 2C and it was worth every penny considering the shape it was in. Go for it!