The VISES of Garage Journal

[BFBOB]

Here's the latest addition to my stable, a little gem. And I do mean little, 1" jaws. I really like the swoopy lines of the thing, kind of reminds me of Shop Kings. It was so seriously rusted (you can see the craters left after electrolysis pulld the rust out of them) that I decided to try something different. I sanded and polished the edges of the I-Beam like parts of it to bring out its lines. Masking all that was a bear, but I couldn't think of a good way to hold the dang thing while doing the thinner-on-a-rag method of getting the paint off the polish. A touch of rubbing compound where the masked edges weren't quite right, and there it is.
I also ground the jaws a little closer to square - they were just rough cast from the factory!
It was a worthless lump of rust when I bought it, and still probably is pretty worthless, but I like it.

 

[Greco]

My new bench vise, bought a few weeks ago. "Casa Grande" brand, made in San Francisco, Cordoba, Argentina. Is about 24 lbs

 

[drivesitfar]

still raining vises up here. i'm not sure who makes this little vise, but the anvil is huge on it. more rust for my tub. i'm betting that Bob or Outlaw has to know who makes this one because they probably already own one? Bob just curious have you missed a day of painting this month and another nice restore of the little red one? it's too cold to paint up here and our wife's are not happy if we try to use the oven inside the house. how many of you have an oven in your shop?

 

[BFBOB]

Nice find - very similar to mine, but not quite the same. No clue who made either of 'em. The only markings on mine are the B and C (like you'd really need an arrowed diagram to assemble it) and stamped faintly on the other side, Made In USA.
Yours is in much better shape than mine was - should clean up nicely.

Yeah, I'm painting in the house, but only little vises.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Any chance of ID'ing this little gem (in the rough)?

It's a 3 1/2" and the only markings on it are cast into the right body "Made In USA". Maybe more will become visible as it emerges from the rust, but for now, that's it. I can't even tell for now whether the jaws have inserts. Distinguishing marks:
Leadscrew retainer is a washer which is held in place by pinch stakes on the leadscrew. The sort of stuff I associate with small c-clamps, not medium-ish vises.
Two swivel lock holes.
Cast iron swivel lock handle.
The rest looks plain vanilla to me.
It looks like the original color was a fairly bright green - not quite John Deere green, maybe Oliver Green, but brighter than British Racing Green.
Not much to go on.

The one I have is different from yours, but close at a quick look.

I also have a small one like yours fancy red painted one. ($1.00 at yard sale) I tried the shiny polished look on edges & natural on the insides & clear coated it.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Hey Fyrme, that 272 looks a lot like my 273 that I posted much earlier in the Vise thread.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3060699&postcount=8201

Looks like the pin that's in the base should be the pin in the static jaw, at least according to my vise. I'd be interested to see some pics of the swivel base underneath yours to see how it compares to mine. Also be interested to see if your swivel jaw is cracked underneath. Fairly common on this style from what I've seen.

Maybe my swivel was broken as you suggested and repaired with a stud and bolt. I didn't try to take the nut off because the jaw still works smooth. You can see my taper pin (original ?) & the ball pin that serves no purpose. The ball pin is larger and doesn't fit in the tapered jaw hole so I don't think it was cut off.

 

[BFBOB]

The one I have is different from yours, but close at a quick look.

I also have a small one like yours fancy red painted one. ($1.00 at yard sale) I tried the shiny polished look on edges & natural on the insides & clear coated it.

I'll bet that looks really nice. In fact I got the idea from seeing picture of one that was all bare with the edges just a little shiny from handling.

Your Samson Jr does look pretty similar to my rustbucket. Would you mind posting a dead-overhead picture of the swivel lock handle with a ruler? I'm planning on repairing it and don't have the broken-off piece; a sample to duplicate would be most helpful.
Thanks,
Bob

 

[GETRIDAONE]

I'll get you a picture tonight and post it in the morning.

 

[drivesitfar]

walked outside and found this one sitting in the yard. must have rained last night. I must live in the wrong area of Washington because mine are not as shiny as Balane's. that is a metal plate under a 100 year old Prentiss 19 (I think) with a swivel base and pull pin. not sure it can be saved because it was left out in the rain maybe too long?

looks like swivel jaw might have been brazed or welded. hard to tell at this point, but I wish the jaws on some of my other vises were this clean (except for the rust).

 

[cad70]

Hi guys,
Any ideas on the value of this vise?
I am trying to make a deal and he is asking $250

 

[drivesitfar]

your Wilton has a bent handle or it appears to have one so somebody probably beat on it with a hammer. Can you pull out the slide and check the screw to see if still ok and while you have it out check the date. restored these go for about that so unless you want to do the restore yourself for free I'd offer $100.
I can ship you one pretty close to that same vise and condition from Seattle for a little less than his asking price. wish I lived closer so I could deliver in person and get a 10 second ride in your old Camaro.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Hi guys,
Any ideas on the value of this vise?
I am trying to make a deal and he is asking $250

From what I've seen in the SW Indiana area, craigslist market, that vise would go for $250 only if it was restored. $100 would be more reasonable in its present condition as long as it isn't broken.

 

[cad70]

Thanks. He is stuck on his price.
Last question for today....is this Record worth $55?

 

[cad70]

your Wilton has a bent handle or it appears to have one so somebody probably beat on it with a ....wish I lived closer so I could deliver in person and get a 10 second ride in your old Camaro.

Thanks. I think he is a picker. It is about 2hrs away and I am not driving over when he is asking that much. I am going to look at the Record this afternoon.

 

[drivesitfar]

if the Record isn't gone by the time you get there that looks like a picker's deal before he resells it. made in England, good condition and great price. also should have a cool feature that if you turn the handle counter clockwise it loosens the jaw and you can pull it out freely to the size of your project. then put the project inside and tighten as usual. good find if it's big enough.

 

[CecilTheTurtle]

Maybe my swivel was broken as you suggested and repaired with a stud and bolt. I didn't try to take the nut off because the jaw still works smooth. You can see my taper pin (original ?) & the ball pin that serves no purpose. The ball pin is larger and doesn't fit in the tapered jaw hole so I don't think it was cut off.

Interesting. On second look, that ball pin does look much larger than mine. Mine has a lockdown on one side and a pin on the other. The pin is part of the lock ring inside the swivel base. I wonder when they made that change...

 

[cad70]

Well. I got it. The guy was retired in his 70s. He knew what it was and bought it because of that.

 

[EDGAR]

Someone in GJ paid $80 for a Wilton 450 and it had less rust.

 

[oldldh]

Over on Evilbay, sits this pretty nifty Reed 234 1/2, 85lb ancient chunk of good old USA iron...

The swivel system on this beast has, without a doubt, the most "positive" engagement system I've ever seen...

The asking price isn't too frightful, $ 129.00, but the freight bill of $ 96.21, is a tad rich for my "retired toy fund"...

Late News Flash: BIN price now $ 99.00...

Somebody get this thing, before it escapes...

 

[oldldh]

Missed the "Positive" engagement photo...

 

[ritzblitz]

That record is an awesome deal at that price!

 

[drivesitfar]

it's still raining vises up here in Pacific Northwest and maybe snowing them this weekend. I need advice with this 6 inch Reed because I think the jaws can be replaced or is it a parts vise. it weighs i'm guessing about 150 pounds. needs a new handle but it moves in and out ok and 3/4 of the jaw shuts together nicely.

 

[bl00]

The jaws are not replaceable on the Reed.

 

[KMScott]

it's still raining vises up here in Pacific Northwest and maybe snowing them this weekend. I need advice with this 6 inch Reed because I think the jaws can be replaced or is it a parts vise. it weighs i'm guessing about 150 pounds. needs a new handle but it moves in and out ok and 3/4 of the jaw shuts together nicely.

To bad you did not have access to a machine shop, you could cut a pocket to accept jaws. Another choice would be to weld the face and you would still need access to a shop to re surface the jaw faces.

Here is a drawing I made for a 600S handle I will be making. I was going to heat the ends with a torch to peen the excess material in the pocket to secure the knobs like Wilton does except they do not use heat. Good luck. Wish you was closer.

 

[BFBOB]

[Hardface them proud of the surface and grind true? Angle grinder if you don't have a mill or surface grinder. Would have to be an improvement!

QUOTE=drivesitfar;3590812]it's still raining vises up here in Pacific Northwest and maybe snowing them this weekend. I need advice with this 6 inch Reed because I think the jaws can be replaced or is it a parts vise. it weighs i'm guessing about 150 pounds. needs a new handle but it moves in and out ok and 3/4 of the jaw shuts together nicely.






[/QUOTE]

 

[va.grouseman]

Originally posted by drivesitfar.--------It's still raining vises up here in Pacific Northwest.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's got to be tough on windshields and paint jobs. Snowing would be kinder.

 

[drivesitfar]

thanks for the quick answers guys and for letting me know that the jaws can't be fixed easily or replaced on a Reed. I really like their quality and lines and probably will buy a few more.

yes Kevin I wish I lived closer to you so you could do your magic on that big Reed and some of my other vises because I have the vise vice. I haven't pulled up the drawing yet for the handle, but thanks for that too. are you selling handles too along with all the other quality vise accessories (jaws, swivel pins, etc...)?

i'll put it to the side for now because it's been raining a lot lately. anybody else with a good idea on how to fix a Reed jaw with a piece missing and either post it here or PM me. I have some neighbors that are great welders, but not a Kevin unfortunately.

I did end up picking up another vise at that stop where I bought the Reed (still was raining and he had more land to catch these falling ones). It is another Rock Island 577 and this one's jaw's look great and it has the badge on it. other than a good cleaning and regreasing it is just missing a swivel pin which i'm not sure how to make or buy one yet (Kevin do you sell these?). I do have another Rock Island 577 with the pin for an example that I can take measurements from.

by the way the secret is that we put out old copy machines around the property to catch these vises when they fall out of the sky so they only rust and don't get dirty.

 

[oldldh]

AHA!!!

You let out the secret...

and I thought you'd need a manhole cover umbrella...

See Post #11960 on the bottom of page 598 in this thread...

 

[GETRIDAONE]

I'll bet that looks really nice. In fact I got the idea from seeing picture of one that was all bare with the edges just a little shiny from handling.

Your Samson Jr does look pretty similar to my rustbucket. Would you mind posting a dead-overhead picture of the swivel lock handle with a ruler? I'm planning on repairing it and don't have the broken-off piece; a sample to duplicate would be most helpful.
Thanks,
Bob

The handle is 4" long overall.
Sorry for the bad picture taken with my phone, makes the little one look almost green. It is more gray & shiny The rest of the "clamp on family"

 

[drivesitfar]

Oldldh,
only rains vises a few minutes each day so we head inside and hope they don't hit the house. we use Manhole covers for exercise and walk a block or two with one in each hand so we can have the muscles ready to carry the big vises home when we need to.

It did actually snow last night here so might be some good old vises out there now. gotta run now and go get some. one of our members in Argentina said it was 87 down there yesterday and i'm guessing he doesn't care if there are any vises with all the women running about in swimsuits.

not to change that thought, but I have a fair amount of rust to remove on my vises and read molasses is something that works well in a 7 parts molasses to 1 part water solution. and if you do use that method how often do you have to dump the rusty molasses? other than taking longer is molasses effective?

anybody try that with success or is Electrolysis far superior method?

 

[BFBOB]

Drivesitfar - I've found electrolysis to be a superior method. Nothing's perfect of course, bit it's worked the best for me. Easy to set up with an ordinary battery charger for a power source. Where it falls down is digging rust out of the nooks and crannies. It works by pretty closely line of sight between the object surfaces and the anodes, so some places, like the insides of deep holes, will not be derusted very well. You could help this along in, say, the hole the slide slides through, by hanging another anode down the middle of it. I have followed up electrolysis in a couple of instances with a hydrochloric (muriatic) acid dip. Just a few minutes clears up those corners.
A rust-removing liquid will reach all surfaces, but still requires some attention - agitation. I found Evaporust to work, but not at all up to its promise. Haven't tried molasses or vinegar.

 

[taumac]

Someone might have mentioned it here but with the fab skills that the GJ people have, has anybody attempted to make a custom metal vise. I have my share of vises some american some China ones. I my idea is maybe take features from a couple and combine it in one.

 

[oldldh]

Professor Scott could probably whittle one out a huge chunk of billet steel...

It would be a tad pricey, I would imagine...

Super strong, and gorgeous...but pricey...

 

[taumac]

Well I thinking of using heavy scrap metal from here and there. The rod thinking maybe 5/8 threaded rod. Down here in Fl I don't seem to find all the vises you guys seem to find.... I know cheaper to find a one at swap meet, flea market, etc but just to build one to say you built one

 

[KMScott]

Professor Scott could probably whittle one out a huge chunk of billet steel...

It would be a tad pricey, I would imagine...

Super strong, and gorgeous...but pricey...

It's funny you mentioned this oldldh, C.BRAXMAIER is sending me a Wilton base off his 825 tomorrow, I have two of these little 2-1/2" jaw widths with no bases. I can not find them. I got the swivel clamps down so it is time for the bases. I have these thick chunks of steel 10 x 10 x 2-1/2, to use on these bases. No I am not going to make a habit of making bases or do this for any of my site's. But I do have a 7" Prentiss Swivel missing a base that I will never find and these little guys would be great practice.

 

[oldldh]

I have these thick chunks of steel 10 x 10 x 2-1/2, to use on these bases. No I am not going to make a habit of making bases or do this for any of my site's. But I do have a 7" Prentiss Swivel missing a base that I will never find and these little guys would be great practice.

Told ya---

 

[Outlawmws]

Someone might have mentioned it here but with the fab skills that the GJ people have, has anybody attempted to make a custom metal vise. I have my share of vises some american some China ones. I my idea is maybe take features from a couple and combine it in one.

Here is a home brew (Not mine) I found so fascinating I save the pic...

Not what you had in mind I'm guessing!

 

[EDGAR]

If you want to build your own vise, there are a few videos on Youtube about this.

Metal vise, two part video:

Here is wooden vise:

 

[BFBOB]

This interesting beast - a Lewis dated 1885 - is currently up on evilBay: 111160349703
Pretty interesting post - he shows some restoration photos. I don't remember seeing this vise here - but he could be one of us.
Maybe dreaming on the $500 price (plus shipping!), but who knows?

 

[oldldh]

HOLY SHEEP DIP!!! 600 pages of vises and vise lore!!!

WHO'DA THUNK IT???