My great-granddads vice

[jsharpphoto]

My father has been storing this in his garage for the past few decades, waiting for my brother or I to have a place for it.



Not pictured, but included are a grinding wheel and crank that fits inside the vice. And a board holder and pipe holder.

Does anyone have any info on who made this, or possibly when?

 

[bl00]

That looks like a Stewart Handy Worker. If you search youtube there are several videos of people going through its various functions. Here's an ad from 1920.

 

[lbgradwell]

Well done, bl00...

 

[jsharpphoto]

Is it worth much? Everything works. I have no interest in selling it, but if it's valuable I will put it on display, not into service.

 

[drivesitfar]

B100: I swear you re alive back then. Nice call AGAIN!!

Sharphoto: I'm not sure who's gonna win the arm wrestling match, but that is one cool looking vise tool.

 

[jsharpphoto]

The grinding wheel isn't perfectly round anymore. Any ideas on a replacement. Maybe modifying a new one to fit the old arbor.

 

[jsharpphoto]

And thanks for all the help guys. My dad had no info on it, now he does.

 

[drivesitfar]

can you post a picture of the grinding wheel because I only see it in B100's ad? depending on what it looks like and how bad it is would help us help you figure out a fix or a replacement.

 

[Zeke]

Well now I want one of those.

 

[MonoxieChild]

Very cool bench vice. Even if it wasnt worth alot, Id still feel sort of guilty using it on any projects.

 

[jsharpphoto]

It's a bit out-of-round, which would likely fix itself with some use on something I didn't care about, but after I get it round, there might not be much meat left on the bone.

Granted, this is a hand cranked grinding wheel, I doubt I have the patience or arm strength to get much use out of the wheel. This things likely use will be as a strong-*** vice, big-*** anvil, and a topic of conversation.

 

[Filson]

I would absolutely use it, as your family has in the past. I would not however, alter it in any way by replacing stuff. It has your past generations "fingerprints" on it. I say use it. Sweat on it like your great grandpa did, just be easy with it.

 

[drivesitfar]

keep that wheel with the machine because man that has character. buy a Crafstman box bench grinder from the 50's and 60's for about $50-$100 on Craigs for your grinding work. they also have tools that will round out that wheel if you can get it turning fast enough or put on another grinder to do that. i'm not sure that would work and like I mentioned it does look cool and should just be put on the vise like it is.

by the way don't beat on the anvil or vise because it is a light duty machine. get a piece of RR track to beat on and find another old US vise for the other end of your bench. I really like that wheel that tightens and loosens your old vise.

 

[lbgradwell]

Another ad from 1915:

 

[jsharpphoto]

I think the only thing I'll use the grinder for is maybe to sharpen my great granddads knife. It's probably all he used it for, given he was a banker by profession.

 

[wrenchguy]

My father has been storing this in his garage for the past few decades, waiting for my brother or I to have a place for it.



Not pictured, but included are a grinding wheel and crank that fits inside the vice. And a board holder and pipe holder.

Does anyone have any info on who made this, or possibly when?

nice, real nice.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Very cool bench vice. Even if it wasnt worth alot, Id still feel sort of guilty using it on any projects.

I'd feel guilty not using it on any projects.

 

[oldldh]

I've said it before, that Grand Children/Great Grand Children are the arrows that we fire into the future, where we can't go...

It looks to me, like your Great Grand Dad did pretty well, with his aim...

I'd bolt it to the bench, just like it is, and gently use it, as intended...don't beat on it, us "ancient things", don't like to be beat on...

If you're lucky, maybe, you can draw a bowstring back with it for your grandson...

 

[Brian.Evans]

Well now I want one of those.

Yeah, second that. That is just very cool man.

I've said it before, that Grand Children/Great Grand Children are the arrows that we fire into the future, where we can't go...

That is beautiful. Very true, and a way of looking at it I've never thought about before. You've given me something to mull over today while cleaning house.

 

[Zeke]

Don't put that old wheel on an electric grinder. I found a very old wheel from the WWII era that was maybe designed for inconel and after some conversation with an extremely knowledgeable shop rat I decided it wasn't worth the risk.

 

[Plombob]

I saw one at an estate sale recently. Here's the thread.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=215468

 

[Outlawmws]

B100: I swear you re alive back then. Nice call AGAIN!!

Sharphoto: I'm not sure who's gonna win the arm wrestling match, but that is one cool looking vise tool.

He was...

 

[drivesitfar]

Don't put that old wheel on an electric grinder. I found a very old wheel from the WWII era that was maybe designed for inconel and after some conversation with an extremely knowledgeable shop rat I decided it wasn't worth the risk.

good note Zeke because a little poke at the wrong angle and I've heard some of these wheels explode and have shot holes through the operator or the shop walls or ceilings.

I think I stand with just putting it on the old tool and giving it a go every now and then to clean a burr off something.

Outlaw i'm thinking you are pretty close to the truth about "old" B100

 

[Outlawmws]

It's a bit out-of-round, which would likely fix itself with some use on something I didn't care about, but after I get it round, there might not be much meat left on the bone.

Granted, this is a hand cranked grinding wheel, I doubt I have the patience or arm strength to get much use out of the wheel. This things likely use will be as a strong-*** vice, big-*** anvil, and a topic of conversation.

Great find as I said in another post...

For that wheel, first make sure its centered to begin with; many wheel had oversize holes and had to be "aligned" these days there are sleeves you can use to get them centered, available cheap wherever grinding wheels are sold...

Once you have that part taken care of (if an issue) there are tools for dressing or truing up a wheel, if out of round it will be a slow process. make sure all the gears and shafts are well lubed, and have someone else do the cranking. Then with the tool on a solid rest, work at it slowly. Eventually you will have a round wheel...

here is s typical dressing tool:

 

[jsharpphoto]

Thanks guys for all the advice. I think I'm just going to clean the rust off with some WD40 and a scotchbrite pad, and just use it as a vice. Maybe occasionally break out the wheel for reminiscing with my dad.

 

[drivesitfar]

there are better products to remove any rust if you choose to other than WD 40 and you can read many many threads about that if you have the time. WD 40 will remove some surface rust and get a little more with the pad and elbow grease, but i'm guessing one of the reasons you like this is because it just has that old look.

maybe a light cleaning with a cloth rag with a little WD on it and put some new grease where it needs some and let it shine in it's patina from the past is my theory.

if you end up wanting to make it look like new and maybe even paint it there are many ways we can recommend to do that and many threads that show you how.

pretty cool old do it all bench device.

 

[Outlawmws]

For the painted areas, WD-40 and a rag are fine. its a good mild cleaner.

For the rust on the bare shafts, almost any light lube and fine steel wool will probably do fine. I'd NOT use Scotch Bright on any of it as it is abrasive.

If you completely disassemble it, (in that condition I probably wouldn't) then you might want to use a fine wire wheel on the bare parts, but nothing more aggressive.

 

[2oolhound]

Brotherly love aside, you better get busy and clear a space for it before he does.

 

[jsharpphoto]

Brotherly love aside, you better get busy and clear a space for it before he does.

Who is this directed at?

 

[drivesitfar]

in your opening of this thread it sounded like you and your brother were in line for this awesome vise,anvil,grinder and drill press. I think Toolhound was thinking you needed to get the space cleared so it would be yours, but later it sounds like it already is yours.

i'm guessing it is already yours??

 

[jsharpphoto]

Ahh. It's definitely mine. My brother has zero interest in tools. Good for me, my dad has a sweet collection.

 

[TMcCay]

That is so cool!! I love old tools and now I will be adding it to my list of tools to be on the look out for.

 

[jsharpphoto]

So the story develops a bit more. I got another box of the accessories from my uncle, who didn't know the rest of the components were still in the family. The pipe jaws and several of the board holders are badly rusted. I think if I want this to be around long enough for a few more generations, I'm going to have to clean these up and paint them.

I wanted to preserve the patina, but it seems like preserving it at all is more important.

 

[bareass172]

Man that is a really neat piece! Does anyone know what something like that would be worth? Not to sell, but I'm curious what I should pay if I were lucky enough to come across one.

Thanks for sharing it with us, I'd never seen one before.

 

[jsharpphoto]

If it's complete with all the accessories, and the brass insignia badge is in good shape, probably $175-200

 

[Fretters]

Nice piece of kit. That's got novelty factor as well as functionality.

 

[jakemac]

If it's complete with all the accessories, and the brass insignia badge is in good shape, probably $175-200

Tell everyone that it's an old medical device and you could double it.

 

[DenisG]

Neat vise! From the patent in the referenced previous thread, it looks like this was designed during WWI.

I searched the forum to see if there were any threads dedicated to multi-function tools. "Multi-function" appears a bit, but doesn't return much in the way of tools like this or "Shopsmith-type" tools. It seems that many of them made were made during or after major wars or maybe economic upheavals like the Great Depression when resources were scarce. They seem to always be a compromise of single purpose tools, but I still like the ingenuity and economy of design.