The VISES of Garage Journal

[gapfast]

Only thing I know about is...ITS BIG!!! nice score

 

[SK Guy]

Wiltons just look cool...wouldn't own any other one.

 

[va.grouseman]

A lot of those vises were made by Columbian for the Ridge Tool Co. by contract. Wonder why most everyone back in the day took the pipe jaws out and through them away? That's a nice one. Saw a Ridgid #80 on E-bay last month, 8 inch jaws, 178lbs.. Sold for $999.99. Exactly the same as the Columbian #608, except different raised letters.

 

[rmsg0040]

record vise, day I got it, I hit it with the wire brush and left it:

 

[firecracker]

Bin lookin for a while for an engineers vice, after being on here in the vice section and seeing your old finds, I called round at my old mates garage and asked if he had any about!!! I've got two or three somewhere, searching in the depths he came up with a Woden 190/7 made in England vice!! FREE.
How about them apples

 

[Mark in Indiana]

That's great. We want pictures.

 

[north]

Bin lookin for a while for an engineers vice, after being on here in the vice section and seeing your old finds, I called round at my old mates garage and asked if he had any about!!! I've got two or three somewhere, searching in the depths he came up with a Woden 190/7 made in England vice!! FREE.
How about them apples

Congrats. Even better than the delicious apple I'm eating right now. Is that a quick grip/release vice? Looking forward to the pics.

 

[Low Friction]

Nice Craftsman for less than a buck a pound.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/tls/3705155376.html

 

[bigcaddy]

Nice Craftsman for less than a buck a pound.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/tls/3705155376.html

Damn, I love that style of Craftsman vise. I've got a few but could always make room for another on the shelf.

 

[Outlawmws]

Nice Craftsman for less than a buck a pound.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/tls/3705155376.html

Damn, I love that style of Craftsman vise. I've got a few but could always make room for another on the shelf.

I was surprised at how heavy those are for the jaw size. Stout vise!

 

[Low Friction]

I was surprised at how heavy those are for the jaw size. Stout vise!

I'm tempted to drive the 60mi round trip to get it. It looks pretty cherry.

 

[nine4gmc]

Scored a Morgan Chicago 50 yesterday, anyone know how old this thing may be or have any info? It has some dings but otherwise good condition. It's pretty heavy too, maxed my 70 lb digital out, I will drop it on my exam scale when I get a chance. Came with the original mounting bolts.

 

[bl00]

Scored a Morgan Chicago 50 yesterday, anyone know how old this thing may be or have any info?

Pre-1947 when they moved to Aurora. Morgan started sometime in the teens to early 1920s.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Nice Craftsman for less than a buck a pound.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/tls/3705155376.html

Interesting. I looked at the woodworking vise in the picture and he wants $45 for it. Seems like a retail price for its condition. However, I would definitely go after the Craftsman if I lived closer.

 

[bigcaddy]

I was surprised at how heavy those are for the jaw size. Stout vise!

They are, aren't they!! The smallest one i have is 3 1/2 and it seems to weigh a ton for its rather small size. The jaw towers are extremely stout and well made. It has to be one of the best vises produced by Columbian

 

[bigcaddy]

I'm tempted to drive the 60mi round trip to get it. It looks pretty cherry.

It will be worth the drive. Make the arrangements and pick that thing up. They clean up nicely and look great polished and painted. I can post a picture of one that i finished some time ago and it looked amazing


If you are lucky, there will be a date stamp, mo/yr, on the topside of the rear half of the vises slide that tells you exactly when it was made. Not all had it but many do.

If you buy it and don't like it, ill happily double your money for it if you are willing to ship it to me.

 

[Low Friction]

Just picked it up. A few nicks and dings. The jaws are pristine so it has seen very light duty. It's a model 05196, 4" jaws, manufacture date 12-57.

 

[mcmlvif100]

Just picked it up. A few nicks and dings. The jaws are pristine so it has seen very light duty. It's a model 05196, 4" jaws, manufacture date 12-57.

Very nice. That's my favourite Craftsman vise. They look so good when they are restored.

 

[nine4gmc]

Good find Low Friction!

 

[Rusty Musket]

Beautiful vise LF! Worth the drive for sure.

 

[bigcaddy]

Thats a nice looking vise, Low Friction. I told you is was worth the drive. Here is a picture of you identical vise that i refurbished a few months ago. If you take your time on them, they really look nice.

 

[bigcaddy]

Now here is a rather unique vise that i've had for a few months, and during most of that time, i could not decide on a color in which to paint it. Looks like this one is just gonna go bare metal.

Its most definitely made by Rock Island but the name on the vise really has me confused. there is no mention of the name on the web that i could find so it remains a mystery.

 

[Low Friction]

Nice restore BC!

Looks like my vise is missing the check-ball oil port insert on the left side. I'll go take another look.

Update:
The port check-ball is there. I'm good.

 

[oldldh]

The "name" and the anchor look cut/etched/gouged/machined to my uneducated eye...

The cast in names are raised...

Very mysteriouso...

 

[nine4gmc]

The "name" and the anchor look cut/etched/gouged/machined to my uneducated eye...

The cast in names are raised...

Very mysteriouso...

That's the first thing I noticed. Looks like they ground the castings off and personalized this for someone or some business.

 

[fullthrottle24]

They are, aren't they!! The smallest one i have is 3 1/2 and it seems to weigh a ton for its rather small size. The jaw towers are extremely stout and well made. It has to be one of the best vises produced by Columbian

Does this vise say columbian on it? I thought Columbians were mostly t jaws?
It looks different then most Columbians, swivel base and all. Whoever made it, I like it.

 

[bigcaddy]

That's the first thing I noticed. Looks like they ground the castings off and personalized this for someone or some business.

I think Rock Island made them this way for the ordering customer at the foundry. I checked some of my other RI's and they all have the stamped "X" on the cheek of the dynamic jaw. Same depth of the other stampings so they were done at the same time.

Another member on here posted about an "anchor" vise he found but never provided pictures for me to compare to. I found it in the archives during a search.

 

[bigcaddy]

Does this vise say columbian on it? I thought Columbians were mostly t jaws?
It looks different then most Columbians, swivel base and all. Whoever made it, I like it.

Its not marked Columbian but had some of the same features/pn's on the swivel base as marked Columbians. The resident vise expert, bl00, said it was made by columbian and that s good enough for me

 

[mcmlvif100]

Thats a nice looking vise, Low Friction. I told you is was worth the drive. Here is a picture of you identical vise that i refurbished a few months ago. If you take your time on them, they really look nice.

bigcaddy -- Beautiful restoration.

Low Friction -- Some related posts in this thread with this model of Craftsman vise

page 316 post 6311 by bigcaddy - Craftsman 3 1/2" as acquired
page 321 post 6405 by bigcaddy - Craftsman 3 1/2" after restoration
page 341 post 6806 by bigcaddy - Craftsman 4" as acquired

 

[BuddyC01]

I posted this FPU vise a few weeks ago when I got it. Decided there was no cleaning it up. New paint and a little work and now I like it much better. One of the jaws was "held on" by an undersized single standard machine screw and a sheared off screw that had to be drilled out. After chasing the 6mm threads and getting appropriate screws it fits great.

 

[Alx]

This is an advert from 1913 showing their range this also includes the Samsonia vice which was also made by the same company.

Look what followed me home today - it's a Parkinson No. 8 and original stand:

I'm going to restore both to their former glory. Any idea what colour Parkinson used for their vices? I noticed blue and red underneath the green.

 

[Outlawmws]

That is cool! does the "8" stand for 8" jaws? Looks massive!

 

[Alx]

That is cool! does the "8" stand for 9" jaws? Looks massive!

Thanks! The jaws are 5 1/2". No. 8 could be opening 8"? I'll measure it all up when I put it back together after respray.

 

[north]

Look what followed me home today - it's a Parkinson No. 8 and original stand:
*snip*
I'm going to restore both to their former glory. Any idea what colour Parkinson used for their vices? I noticed blue and red underneath the green.

That is above cool with the original stand and all. What does the letters on the tray say? I'm a sucker for stuff with cast metal lettering.

It looks to be in pretty good nick overall under the (thin) layers of grime.

Edit: I know it's not mine but I'm a bit stoked about that one anyway.

 

[Alx]

That is above cool with the original stand and all. What does the letters on the tray say? I'm a sucker for stuff with cast metal lettering.

It looks to be in pretty good nick overall under the layers of grime.

Edit: I know it's not mine but I'm a bit stoked about that one anyway.

Good eye! It says:

J. PARKINSON & SON
MADE IN ENGLAND

Thanks. When I saw it 1 hour before the auction end on ebay, I knew I had to have it. £60 well spent!

 

[Monte]

wow thats cool !!!

 

[firecracker]

Well that is a good find Alx with the stand you can fit it in anywhere, and not take room off your bench.

 

[Outlawmws]

Thanks! The jaws are 5 1/2". No. 8 could be opening 8"? I'll measure it all up when I put it back together after respray.

Wow I'm surprised; hard to gauge it without a UMD in the pic. I doubt the number meant anything then if not the jaw width.

 

[demographic]

Good eye! It says:

J. PARKINSON & SON
MADE IN ENGLAND

Thanks. When I saw it 1 hour before the auction end on ebay, I knew I had to have it. £60 well spent!

Fairly sure I've mentioned a bit about Parkinsons vice's back in the thread.
info HERE.
I'm convinced that Record "used some of their designs as inspiration" and they patented their Parkinsons Perfect vice with quick release in 1884.

Based in Shipley Yorkshire (not far from where my parents were born) and that vice stand is a bit of a find, nice one.

Most Parkinsons vice's I've seen have been a kind of burgundy colour although have often been painted over with other colours.

 

[bluebolt]

Good eye! It says:

J. PARKINSON & SON
MADE IN ENGLAND



Thanks. When I saw it 1 hour before the auction end on ebay, I knew I had to have it. £60 well spent!

That's around $90 US right? If so YOU ****! Congrats and post lots of pics of the resto and stand details!