The VISES of Garage Journal

[jakemac]

I'll go $25!!!

I thought that the counter offer in a bidding war was supposed to include a jar of pickles. Isn't that the rule around here ?

 

[Filson]

I'll go $25!!!

View media item 38242

 

[Outlawmws]

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/tls/4348232501.html

Interesting $80 vise. Anyone know who the manufacturer is? I emailed out to the seller but no answer as of yet

Joe, definitely go look and make an offer if you haven't already, and you can use the "its an exposed screw design" as the reasoning, but that is one of very few exposed screw vises I might go that high on if in good enough condition ( look the screw over closely and check for damage, as well as the usual look for fracture/welding repair damage...)

 

[Outlawmws]

$30 and a case of beer on the Wilton.

 

[Sleipnir]

Found this on craigslist for $25

I think this is the only identifying mark for the vise. 22 74.. Some people thought it may be a chas parker but there's no writing to be found

This sucker is pretty big, at least to me. This is compared to a 3.5" Littlestown 112. Got the small guy for $15.

Looks like the date made, says 11-22-44


Paid $25 for the big one. I think it was a good deal. It has a plate that goes under the bench (where it says 22 74) and a washer type piece of metal and a nut type thing that articulates to tighten the plate and vise.

Anyways, sorry if these pictures ****, let me know if there are any other angles I should add

 

[Outlawmws]

Thats a great find Sleipnir! What's the writing on the main screw collar retainer say?

 

[zkling]

I thought that the counter offer in a bidding war was supposed to include a jar of pickles. Isn't that the rule around here ?

Only time will tell....Specifically about 7 days from now.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/390783002744

Found this on craigslist for $25

Looks like the date made, says 11-22-44

Congrats man. Looks like a nice vise for the money. And most importantly the green matches your other vise. What is the jaw width?

 

[Sleipnir]

Thats a great find Sleipnir! What's the writing on the main screw collar retainer say?

It is hard to make out but I think it says 11-22-44 so thats why I think it was made in 11/22/1944.. Not sure what else the numbers would mean



Edit: And I think it's 5"? I didn't measure it yet

edit2: It's 4.375" or so

 

[drivesitfar]

Balane: nice job and you should get good money for that one contrary to the opening bids on here. any idea what year the first bullet vises were made because I also have a 1946 in not nearly as nice condition as yours and i'm thinking that is close to the first ones. i'll need to do some more reading on them if nobody has the answer.

Sleipnir: nice find and for $25 too. I would think that vise is closer to 1900's than a 1940's vise with the method of attaching to the bench and the very very cool handle it came with. i'd probably give you $25 just for the handle and pay shipping. looks like the Parker piece that holds the main screw on the dynamic jaw, but those don't look like Parker's jaws. one of these days some of the wiser vise experts will put their minds together and publish a book on all US vises made prior to 1970 that we all will buy.

 

[great white tj]

I need a vise Dr...... when I open the vise the screw comes out about 1" and then the jaws move out. It will close just fine. Every thing feels smooth when I open or close the vise.

 

[Low Friction]

Your locking collar is loose or has slipped on the spindle. Need to get it adjusted and tightened.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I need a vise Dr...... when I open the vise the screw comes out about 1" and then the jaws move out. It will close just fine. Every thing feels smooth when I open or close the vise.

Open it some and flip it over, you should see underneath at the front there is a collar with a set screw. Loosen the set-screw, tighten the handle back in some, slide the collar flush and re-tighten.

 

[great white tj]

The locking collar is on the inside so I need to unscrew it all the way to get to it?

 

[drivesitfar]

Low Friction is correct. what you need to do is either turn the vise over and re tighten the loose sleeve (not sure technical term) by turning the little screw into the main screw or replace screw if it is now missing.

or pull out the dynamic jaw completely and turn it upside down and snug up the sleeve before tightening. here is a picture of my Prentiss vise of the part we are talking about. I would pull out the front dynamic jaw all the way if it was me.

good luck

 

[Low Friction]

The original Prentiss collars have fingers that are pushed into a slot. Might need to spin the collar and push a different finger into the slot. Or convert to a locking collar with a set screw. But there probably isn't much clearance so you probably need a custom thin walled collar.

 

[great white tj]

Ok Thanks guys, going to the shop.

 

[drivesitfar]

LF: do you have a picture of one or yours because I thought those kind of locking pins were only on the swivel bases? I know the Prentiss I posted a picture of the sleeve with the screw is only a 1920's vise and Prentiss was making vises a long time before that. did they change because I doubt my prior owner that bought this one I have in the 20's new did anything. in fact it has a swivel jaw that the 65 year old son that sold it to me didn't know swiveled.

 

[toomanytoyzz]

Sleipnir, it definitely has all the makings of a Charles Parker. I don't think I've ever seen one without some markings on it.

Does it have any pins in the areas I marked red?

 

[Low Friction]

Here's the original collar on my Prentiss 50.

 

[great white tj]

Low Friction is correct. what you need to do is either turn the vise over and re tighten the loose sleeve (not sure technical term) by turning the little screw into the main screw or replace screw if it is now missing.

or pull out the dynamic jaw completely and turn it upside down and snug up the sleeve before tightening. here is a picture of my Prentiss vise of the part we are talking about. I would pull out the front dynamic jaw all the way if it was me.

good luck

Done deal..... Thanks
Steve

 

[drivesitfar]

Great White: Awesome and glad to help if I did

LF: ok I've seen that nut on the swivels and haven't attempted to remove them yet. any idea how to remove them and especially the one on the main screw so maintenance can be done to it? or anybody else have the secret code??

 

[bigcaddy]

If I recall correctly, when Emmett put a serial number on a patternmaker's vise it was usually on the top edge of the front jaw. If you don't find one there, your might predate serial numbering.

I did some looking this afternoon at work and wasn't able to locate any serial number on any part of the vise

 

[Low Friction]

The fingers that are engaged or pressed into the slot/slots need to be bent straight. Use a some kind of bent tool. A mini pry bar.

 

[drivesitfar]

wouldn't that break them?? if they do break I guess a replacement sleeve with the screw might be the fix??

 

[Low Friction]

The collar is mild steel. You can reposition to collar several times and use a fresh unbent tab. You could also fab one of these with some tubing and hand filing.

My Prentiss 20 has a set screw locking collar made out of some thin tubing with a set screw. A normal thickness collar won't clear/fit. Not sure if this came with the vise new. Don't think so.

 

[Sleipnir]

Sleipnir, it definitely has all the makings of a Charles Parker. I don't think I've ever seen one without some markings on it.

Does it have any pins in the areas I marked red?

Yeah two of the spots show a pin but the other two spots are kind of been scraped with something so it seems like it would had all four (top left/bottom right are showing).

The plate that he had underneath has 6 holes slotted I think for screws, by putting the vise on it then the nut at the bottom it seems to be really secure. He had it with the plate underneath mounted with 3 screws. Is this thing a really big washer or something? And is it a big deal either way? The reason I did it differently is that the washer type thing makes the vise sit flush since its got a hole that fits with a protrusion from the bottom of the vise. The whole drilled into the bench would need to be counter sinked and idk if I have a bit for that size and don't want to make the vise sit oddly (may wobble if I really work with it?)

edit: oh there's a stamp of some sort on the static jaw but it seems like too many layers of paint to read anything on it. only the size of a few numbers

 

[eyeballengineer]

Another scrap pile find. Given to me by the coworker who found it. Might be small enough for my tool cart.

 

[eyeballengineer]

posted wrong pic

 

[Sleipnir]

How do I find these scrap piles.. lol

 

[toomanytoyzz]

Yeah two of the spots show a pin but the other two spots are kind of been scraped with something so it seems like it would had all four (top left/bottom right are showing).

The plate that he had underneath has 6 holes slotted I think for screws, by putting the vise on it then the nut at the bottom it seems to be really secure. He had it with the plate underneath mounted with 3 screws. Is this thing a really big washer or something? And is it a big deal either way? The reason I did it differently is that the washer type thing makes the vise sit flush since its got a hole that fits with a protrusion from the bottom of the vise. The whole drilled into the bench would need to be counter sinked and idk if I have a bit for that size and don't want to make the vise sit oddly (may wobble if I really work with it?)

edit: oh there's a stamp of some sort on the static jaw but it seems like too many layers of paint to read anything on it. only the size of a few numbers

I'd put my lunch money on the fact that this is a Charles Parker. I know other manufacturers from back then would sell their vises without putting the name on the side, but I've never seen a CP with no name. I'm sure some of the experts will chime in.

As for the washer design, here's a pic of my CP No. 2300. It has the original style nut/screw to make it swivel. I'm not sure if yours was put on by a previous owner or if yours was a newer version with that style?? Either way you have a really cool vise which you got for next to nothing. I'd give it a proper tear down and restore.

 

[Sleipnir]

Ha, thats why I got the littlestown, to do a resto on it first so any mistakes I make I hopefully don't repeat on the (what seems to be) parker.

So with that design of swivel, does the big washer go under the bench or the vise?

Currently I got mine under the vise and it seems to work fine

 

[454ragtop]

The big washer goes between the vise and the bench, probably meant to be screwed down thru the holes. Cool vise, not a fan of those lock under the bench vise swivels, but that one with the captive nut on the swiveling wrench is way cool. Might post a pic of the whole wrench and the other side of the large plate.
Jim

 

[Sleipnir]

Okay awesome, just wanted to know if I did it right.

Not really sure why he had it under the bench

 

[Outlawmws]

Does the seat washer for the base have some way to give a positive lock to the base of the vies itself? many do, and when they do the also often have a place for a wood screw to keep the plate from spinning.

With s a positive lock like that it works much better as a swivel vise than just a friction fit...

 

[Sleipnir]

Seems like just a friction fit. For my purposes, the weight of the vise should suffice

 

[CudaChick1968]

And for anyone looking for mounting ideas, here's how I did mine...

Started with a 1/4" plate of 7075-T651 aluminum...essentially it is used as a big washer:

Edges were bit rough though:

Sent the plate to Phoenix Specialty Coatings (forum member CudaChick1968 on here) to have it cleaned up and powder coated. She did a fantastic job cleaning up the edges and shot it with Wetstone Black wrinkle:

The vise base can be separated from the rest of the vise, making it easier to get everything in place and cinched down:

Picture of the through-bolts/nuts/washers from the bottom...had to do some careful measuring and drilling to clear the various obstructions that hide under the Lista cabinet tops, including the drawers:

I had to make a bit of a compromise on the mounting location...I could only get the static jaw to clear the bench on the front side. That's how it will be used the most, so I didn't mind:

Now let's see how long it takes to get some scratches in everything.

Steve, I have no idea how I missed your post and fabulous write up but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to thank you for it! It's an honor having a hand in such a fine looking -- and extraordinarily clean -- shop and workbench. I hope you enjoy many years of service out of it.

 

[p0lar]

As suggested in my Reed 3C restoration thread: So I restored this Reed 3C. It was so nice, that a hawk walked in the back door and hopped up to admire it. This was NOT a domesticated bird, this photo was NOT doctored in any way other than a reduction in size/resolution.

 

[oldldh]

I believe you...

Photos never lie...

 

[wrenchguy]

if it were better trained it'll be looking at us..... that kinda looks like a mocking bird. a good luck symbol 4 sure.

 

[p0lar]

I believe you...

Photos never lie...

I swear, I actually did restore that vise myself!

I didn't take my chances getting any closer to the bird, he seemed to have a pretty serious disposition that I didn't feel tempted to test. After some professional research D), I believe he was a red-tailed hawk - fairly common around here.