Outlawmws
Well-known member
Finally got to this. The jaws are simple blocks as described, and a pretty heavy tooth grid. Also got a better pic of the "swivel lock"
The VISES of Garage Journal
- Thread starter mjozefow
- Start date
Finally got to this. The jaws are simple blocks as described, and a pretty heavy tooth grid. Also got a better pic of the "swivel lock"
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
It's remarkable that the body had time to rust and still didn't crack. I have a friend who bought a big HF vise and broke the dynamic jaw casting after 2 weeks.
demographic
Well-known member
Bit of a beast there. Any history behind it?
Out of all the vice's/vise's that can take a beating I think that leg vice's are the best.
Designed to take it.
D350RDV
Well-known member
Some great pics on here!
Here's three of my Records:
A #23 on one of the benches in the workshop:
An 84, also in the (currently untidy) workshop. This was my grandfather's and is at least 50 years old, likely more. Bar the paint, it's still in great condition though!
A 24 that lives out in the barn on the welding/"I need to beat the hell outta' this" bench:
Here's three of my Records:
A #23 on one of the benches in the workshop:
An 84, also in the (currently untidy) workshop. This was my grandfather's and is at least 50 years old, likely more. Bar the paint, it's still in great condition though!
A 24 that lives out in the barn on the welding/"I need to beat the hell outta' this" bench:
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Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Some great pics on here!
Here's three of my Records:
A #23 on one of the vices in the workshop:
An 84, also in the (currently untidy) workshop. This was my grandfather's and is at least 50 years old, likely more. Bar the paint, it's still in great condition though!
A 24 that lives out in the barn on the welding/"I need to beat the hell outta' this" bench:
Great looking vises. I noticed at the bottom of your vises is (what looks like) an adjustable stop. What is that for?
demographic
Well-known member
The lever on the front is the quick release lever. Allows you to open the vice quickly without rotating the T bar for ages.
A lot of British made cast steel vice's have this facility and the better (in my opinion) Record ones do.
D350RDV
Well-known member
As demographic says, it's a quick release lever allowing you to quickly position the jaws in the approximate position you require.
The vices with this feature we're always referred to as "Engineers'" vices by Record IIRC, whereas the standard ones were "Mechanics'" vices.
The vices with this feature we're always referred to as "Engineers'" vices by Record IIRC, whereas the standard ones were "Mechanics'" vices.
demographic
Well-known member
I'm not sure about them all but the recent Records with the quick release were cast steel instead of cast iron as well.
As far as I can work out the Record metalworking vice's with the two digit numbers (23, 24,25,84 and so on) are cast steel but the ones with one digit numbers (1,2,3,4,5,6) are cast iron.
There's also a direct design copy between Alfred Herberts Fortis (and Ajax) vice's and the Record 114.
Again I'm not positive and would be happy if someone knew better and chimed in but I think that Fortis was there first with that design.
The Record 24 looks an awful lot like Parkinsons 1884 patent as well.
I don't know how many of these companies were bought out by Record so its possible they bought the designs.
Fyrme
Well-known member
^^^^This vise sold for $50 at the auction today.anyone recognize this vise? Its at the farm auction that i will be going to tomorrow. Might bid on it if I can figure out if its worth more than scrap
I sold this Chicom Wilton a couple days ago for $50
But I bought this 4 1/2" Shop King today for $25 ka-chow!
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demoman
Well-known member
Outlaw - That is a nice Reed and one I do not have. I just don't see these first generation Reeds around my parts
Finally got to this. The jaws are simple blocks as described, and a pretty heavy tooth grid. Also got a better pic of the "swivel lock"
PCO6
Well-known member
My Record No. 52 wood vice has the quick release feature. It saves a lot of time.As demographic says, it's a quick release lever allowing you to quickly position the jaws in the approximate position you require.
The vices with this feature we're always referred to as "Engineers'" vices by Record IIRC, whereas the standard ones were "Mechanics'" vices.
the gypsy
Well-known member
I like the engineers vise. Looks like it hardly got any use. It is either that or someone as OCD as I am, always cleanig my tools after use and never abusing them for a job they are not meant to do.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Outlaw - That is a nice Reed and one I do not have. I just don't see these first generation Reeds around my parts
Thanks, I don't see them here much either, I just got lucky with this one. Too bad it is missing the pipe jaws. Hmmm I wonder if Morgan Pipe jaws fit? I have a set of those, and Morgan is still in business.
D350RDV
Well-known member
Thanks - tt works hard but gets looked after well. I bought and refurbed the bench it's mounted on last year, and repainted the vice while I was at it, making it one of the very few pretty things in my workshop - most of them have plenty of "patina"!
As for the OCD bit? Yeah there's a bit of that here, but as the vast majority of my tools are over 40 years old (and there's a good few that were my Grandfather's now nudging 100 years old) it clearly pays
Anthony
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socalocman03
New member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2013
- Messages
- 2
Howdy Ladies and Gents....Newbie to the site and to vintage vises as well. After stumbling upon this site while looking for a replacement part for the Parker 272 I recently picked up which will replace a Home Depot purchased Wilton I had busted the swivel base on while I was tearing apart a 3 speed gear box but had repaired, was way to small for the job I forced it to do when one considers the pounding of the 16 lb sledge to break parts free, she just gave way!! It broke soooo easy!!! lol The crude repair I did has held the past 2years with plenty of abuse but have wanted a big boy vise for years. A neighbor whom was moving offered up this Parker 272 for $60.00 we settled @ $40.00 which considering at the time what I knew about vises couldn't fill a thimble I felt was a fair price. Now with what I know being enough to fill a thimble I'm feeling much better about my purchase, could even say I feel a bit guilty for low balling him like I did but as stated previously, I was purchasing a product of which I knew absolutely nothing about and in this case it seems to have worked in my favor, if I do say so myself. Enjoy the few pics I have posted, I will most certainly post more as the reconditioning progresses.
Glad I Stumbled upon this site, the passion for these fine pieces of History running through some of y'all s veins along with the knowledge is amazing and inspiring for us novice.
Thanks again,
Les
Glad I Stumbled upon this site, the passion for these fine pieces of History running through some of y'all s veins along with the knowledge is amazing and inspiring for us novice.
Thanks again,
Les
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HellaFab
Well-known member
Anyone from central ontario, canada know where to get a nice vise? I havent seen anything on Kijiji
I could get a run of the mill big box shop vise, but why...
I could get a run of the mill big box shop vise, but why...
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Greetings Les,
Welcome to our group. Looks like you are going to end up like the rest of us...Not enough vises to satisfy our vices. This group is why I joined GJ.
I think you got a great vise for the price. I just paid $100 for my American Scale 75H pivoting jaw. I'm OK with that buy because they are hard to find. There is a lot of valuable knowledge here. It's well worth your time to read through the past posts. BTW: Do you plan to refinish your CP or use it as is?
PCO6
Well-known member
You should still keep an eye on Kijiji because I'm afraid that it's probably your best bet. I found a Record No. 8 within 5 miles of my house a few years ago. That purchase lead to a No. 3 and a No. 6 from the same vendor about a year later. Always look for "vices", our spelling, and "vises" the American spelling. I've even seen them on benches for sale and the vice wasn't even mentioned in the ad.
I found a No. 1 at the Barrie Automotive flea market last year and I've seen a few others there that I have passed up. If you're scouting flea markets bring a wagon or something similar (I use a golf cart with a garbage can strapped to it). Vices and a lot of other things are HEAVY!
Hello, new member here. Glad I found this site. I have a number of American Scale vises, two with 6 inch jaws, and one I just had a stand made for with 8 & 1/2 inch jaws, this
vise probably weighs in the 350 pound region, anyone know anything about this vise?
Thanks,
Bob
Gardnerville, NV
vise probably weighs in the 350 pound region, anyone know anything about this vise?
Thanks,
Bob
Gardnerville, NV
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Welcome Bob. Your vises sound interesting. Can you send pictures?
demoman
Well-known member
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Just out of curiosity, and some may know (I don't) but when did "vise collecting" become so big? I know that years back, our shop tossed away vise after vise into the dumpsters thanks to 5S. I have given a number of different vises away in years past. At auctions a vise would only bring a few dollars for a large one. Today, it's a completely different story. Everybody and their brother is out for the big vise score. If you happen to run across one, you better have some good coin in your pocket. Almost any garage sale now, most act like the vise is made of gold and theirs is the last one left on the planet. I guess it goes back to the old saying..."if only I had known then what I know now"
I know that this site has changed a lot of peoples minds on the collecting of tools and what to look out for, but what I see around here, almost everyone wants that big dollar.
I know that this site has changed a lot of peoples minds on the collecting of tools and what to look out for, but what I see around here, almost everyone wants that big dollar.
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
IMHO:
1. Modern tools are **** unless you want to spend some serious coin.
2. Old tools have a great feel when using them.
3. How many guys brag about their $60.00 HF vise, compared to guys that brag about their C. Parker, Columbian, etc.
4. There are only so many old tools around. More and more of them are being melted down to become...dare I say...a HF tool.
I wish I was around your shop's dumpster while they were throwing away those vises. I got all of my high $$$ Wilton c-clamps that way.
1. Modern tools are **** unless you want to spend some serious coin.
2. Old tools have a great feel when using them.
3. How many guys brag about their $60.00 HF vise, compared to guys that brag about their C. Parker, Columbian, etc.
4. There are only so many old tools around. More and more of them are being melted down to become...dare I say...a HF tool.
I wish I was around your shop's dumpster while they were throwing away those vises. I got all of my high $$$ Wilton c-clamps that way.
ganymede
Well-known member
You sort of answered your own question . People who love collecting tools use this site . People who have no interest in tools use this site, ones like it and eBay for research.
The conclusions they draw are often erroneous .
I took three photos, looks like I took them from too far away. Anyway, it is an
American Scale, maybe a model 69. Vise is marked in about eight places with
N&BRR. I had to use a gantry crane to get the vise on the stand. I seem to
remember this weighing around 374 pounds, but that sounds like too much.
Those bolts are 3/4" diameter in the photo, jaw width is close to 8 3/8".
Bob
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KMScott
Well-known member
Bob, I really like your vise, excellent job on the stand to. Thanks for adding the pictures, did you have two others to.
Kevin
Too_Many_Tools
Banned
Finally got to this. The jaws are simple blocks as described, and a pretty heavy tooth grid. Also got a better pic of the "swivel lock"
Thanks.
The Rock Island equivalent to this vise has almost no nib on the bottom of the vise to engage with the round base...maybe it was worn off?
The jaws of said vise seems to be forged in place like your vise is...but part of one jaw is broken off?
I note inside the stationary jaw of your vise there might be another jaw...for holding pipe maybe? Does it come out if you loosen the set screw we see in the picture.?
Kevin, I have two other American Scale vises, both have 6" jaws, one has a swivel base and an adjustment jaw that apparently adjusts by pulling out a tapered pin. The pin is stuck, I have not been able to move it. I also have a Holland mfg company vise, a prentiss model 20 and a Chas Parker 973 dated 1930 with 3" jaws. The second American Scale is a non-swivel model.
Bob
Bob
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Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
KMScott
Well-known member
Mark
A pic of what you explained in your two previous posts would be nice to see. Having a machine shop I would drill a clearance hole in a scrap block of aluminum.
How do you guys clean a rusted tapered hole, do you use polishing stones, buffing wheels. I have a collection of polishing stones that I used for mold polishing, they break down real fast (220 grit) and wear to fit the tapered hole rather quickly, I use lamp oil to keep the stone clean.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
WD-40 also makes for an excellent cleaner for stones. A lot of time we have to stone down aluminum and WD-40 will keep the aluminum from building up in the stone.
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Take a 12" long, 3/8" aluminum or brass rod, cut a 1" slot on one end of the rod, feed a small strip of 200 grit sand paper into the slot, and wrap it around the end of the aluminum rod so it's cone shaped. Then put this sanding rig in a drill and clean away. I used to use this for cleaning sprue bushings on plastic injection molds. I'll post a picture of my sanding jig tonight or tomorrow.
KMScott
Well-known member
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I couldn't say on the RI nibs. but wear is certainly a possibility.
If the break is clean you can silver solder of braise on a new jaw section. Then if you are really determined, you can use a V file to cut the teeth in. Just start the pattern on the existing teeth as a guide.
The pipe jaws are three V shaped plates with teeth in the Vees. one goes in the dynamic jaw (You can see the pocket), and two into the static jaw, and yes the set screw holds then in, probably one to a side (I'm 70 miles away at work...). some vises simply use a through pin to keep them from falling out in use.
Too_Many_Tools
Banned
WHen time permits, could you post a picture of the pipe jaws separately?
The Rock Island vise only has one of the plates...are they all identical ?
Also is there a spacer between the two jaws and a spacer for the one opposing jaw so they mesh together properly?
The broken jaw is on the dynamic jaw...and a top inch was broken off. The jaws seem to be forged in place. I think the approach I will take is to mill the space square to fit a top piece into place.
These large Reed/Rock Island vises are an awesome piece of hardware...so it is well worth fixing.
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socalocman03
New member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2013
- Messages
- 2
Initially I had just planned on a quick wire brushing, get everything functioning as close as possible to how it originally was intended to, spray some Extends Rust Converter on it, mount it to the bench and put it to work. Then comes along this forum of which it seems has more information in regards to these fine representations of an era gone by when Quality, Craftsmanship & Pride in ones work was the rule not the exception, now has me rethink my plan. I know I'm getting off topic here but it's sad when ya realize three great traits that once drove a man or woman to be his or her absolute best in their chosen profession, affecting ones life in general for that matter, wearing them as badges of honor are unfortunately things of the past for most people these days, replaced by that other wonderful thing called Huge Profit Margin or Greed. Don't get me wrong, I understand the concept of running a business and the need for profit, what I don't understand is the moral compass of the person or entity that knowingly provides a sub standard product or service to a consumer at a "Discounted" price leading said consumer to believe they've saved money when in reality they've purchased a headache they'll make do with until it prematurely breaks having them back buying yet another piece of *rap keeping the cycle going. I know in our family they were high on the list of values my father instilled in me and I in-turn instilled within my kids and bare witness to my daughter doing with my grand daughter, I try not to meddle but when shes out "working with her papa in the garage" as she say's to her mom she can't not pick up on it, lead by example, Right? Or is it "Do as I say, not as I do?"
Sorry about the rant, I digress....To finish answering your question, I think the vise warrants a bit more TLC than originally planned, I want to retain its character and story so am still going with no paint just the Extends Rust Neutralizer which does turn black but won't hide any scars allowing its character to shine on. I've started polishing the Jaw Inserts, Swivel Base Hold down Screw and Wrench, Main Screw/Handle, Rear Swivel Jaw Pin to add a little "Pretty" for the grand daughter, she loves getting dirty but loves the pretty girl stuff as well. But with that being said, make no mistake, this is going to be a working vise not just a conversation piece, it laid around in my neighbors garage entirely too long, it's time for it to get back to work and earn its keep! I'll post some progress picks later today hopefully, if not tomorrow.
Thanks for the warm welcome.....Les
Sorry about the rant, I digress....To finish answering your question, I think the vise warrants a bit more TLC than originally planned, I want to retain its character and story so am still going with no paint just the Extends Rust Neutralizer which does turn black but won't hide any scars allowing its character to shine on. I've started polishing the Jaw Inserts, Swivel Base Hold down Screw and Wrench, Main Screw/Handle, Rear Swivel Jaw Pin to add a little "Pretty" for the grand daughter, she loves getting dirty but loves the pretty girl stuff as well. But with that being said, make no mistake, this is going to be a working vise not just a conversation piece, it laid around in my neighbors garage entirely too long, it's time for it to get back to work and earn its keep! I'll post some progress picks later today hopefully, if not tomorrow.
Thanks for the warm welcome.....Les