The VISES of Garage Journal

[GETRIDAONE]

I just got a little vice in the mail. It's pretty small compared to most on this thread, but its in great condition and I'm looking forward to repainting it and using it. I

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Welcome to the Vise page. I also have a 5240 and the paint appears to a lot darker shade of blue than yours. The thing I noticed about the vise is the handle seems to be to heavy duty for a small 3" vise. I guess it works though, my handle is as straight as an arrow. Attached is Outlaw's 1940 Craftsman page with the 5240 on it.

 

[zoomieport]

I saw this Morgan combo yesterday at one of my customers... No idea why they had the mirror clamped in it...

Take Care!
ZOOM

 

[Fretters]

INo idea why they had the mirror clamped in it...

They might just be posers.

 

[drivesitfar]

JJ: that desk you have your little baby bullet on looks awesome. any chance you can get a full picture to post or PM me with one. thanks for sharing and looks like you might be a new member so welcome to GJ.

Zoomie how big is that mirror holder? i'm thinking a 3 inch vise might have worked or did he need a little bigger one to allow for the handle of the mirror.

P0lar: great vise and aweome pics of that wild hawk sitting on the handle and stopping by for a few hours to gander at your cool stuff.

 

[Craptain]

How about a vise/anvil combo. And I mean anvil not just a small patch of metal.
I can't afford it right now or I would be on the road.

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/atq/4348126482.html

 

[zoomieport]

http://flagstaff.craigslist.org/tls/4353235854.html

Prentiss four inch adnustable jaw and swedge

THAT is a good deal...

Take care!
ZOOM

 

[Mark in Indiana]

How about a vise/anvil combo. And I mean anvil not just a small patch of metal.
I can't afford it right now or I would be on the road.

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/atq/4348126482.html

IMHO: I think it's a too high priced. Mostly because it has limited use for the average shop, unlike the standard bench vises. I've turned away a lot of anvil, blacksmith (post), saw sharpening, and leather worker vises because their uses are too limited and I just don't know their values.

I would say that it would look cool if it was restored and maybe to a specific collector, the price may be a good one.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

THAT is a good deal...

Take care!
ZOOM

+1! I'm impressed that the pivot jaw isn't seized.

 

[va.grouseman]

Originally posted by Zoomieport.


I saw this Morgan combo yesterday at one of my customers...
-------------------------------------------------------------

Nice Morgan Zoomie

Any idea what a 289 1/2 weighs.

There was a near mint 289 Aurora on Craigslist last year. Did you ever see it. Did it sell and who got it. It was a beauty but $500.00 was a little stiff. Think it was in Los Angeles or there abouts.

 

[zoomieport]

Originally posted by Zoomieport.


I saw this Morgan combo yesterday at one of my customers...
-------------------------------------------------------------

Nice Morgan Zoomie

Any idea what a 289 1/2 weighs.

There was a near mint 289 Aurora on Craigslist last year. Did you ever see it. Did it sell and who got it. It was a beauty but $500.00 was a little stiff. Think it was in Los Angeles or there abouts.

It was a pretty big fella... If I had to guess, I would say in the 120# range, but it's just a wild *** guess.

 

[Itinerant]

Picked up this 3 1/2" Wilton this morning. The previous owner painted the entire vise so there's extra clean-up to be done but the vise itself is sound.

 

[Sleipnir]

Before with (seemingly) the charles parker I got

After


Went for a john deere look

 

[bigcaddy]

Picked up this 3 1/2" Wilton this morning. The previous owner painted the entire vise so there's extra clean-up to be done but the vise itself is sound.

Thats a nice little C0 you have there. Whats even nicer is that its a Chicago marked one to boot. I bet that will look really nice if all of the paint is stripped and shot grey like the early ones were.

Check for a date code on the keyway. I bet its pre 1950

Do you plan on using it daily or will it be a collection piece? Its almost too nice to use

 

[drivesitfar]

Gotta love those JD colors on these old vises. nice restore and same color on the Parker?

Itinerant: very nice Wilton C0 I think under the gothic paint job. I love that style pipe jaws on those old Wilton vises.

anybody have a quick fix so I can get the main screw out of my Prentiss? I removed the set screw and there are chisel type marks now holding the sleeve in place so I can't pull the screw out. do I need to get a dremel inside there to grind them off or a chisel and hammer which seems like a little harsh to me?

thanks and i'll provide pictures if anybody needs them, but haven't downloaded off my phone yet?

 

[bigcaddy]

Gotta love those JD colors on these old vises. nice restore and same color on the Parker?

Itinerant: very nice Wilton C0 I think under the gothic paint job. I love that style pipe jaws on those old Wilton vises.

anybody have a quick fix so I can get the main screw out of my Prentiss? I removed the set screw and there are chisel type marks now holding the sleeve in place so I can't pull the screw out. do I need to get a dremel inside there to grind them off or a chisel and hammer which seems like a little harsh to me?

thanks and i'll provide pictures if anybody needs them, but haven't downloaded off my phone yet?

Clamp the part in your bigger vise and give the threaded rod a tap with a hammer and drift. I've had them to the same thing when a small metal burr flaked off and got wedged between the collar and shaft. It will go, just go slowly

 

[bluebolt]

THAT is a good deal...

Take care!
ZOOM

Oh I wish I was closer! A swivel jaw is one thing I do not have yet. Found one today, American Scale 4" swivel jaw swivel base, for $100 at an estate sale. But I have learned to look them over good before buying and this one the dynamic jaw was broken off the slide and brazed back together, jaw alignment was a little off too.

 

[zoomieport]

Oh I wish I was closer! A swivel jaw is one thing I do not have yet. Found one today, American Scale 4" swivel jaw swivel base, for $100 at an estate sale. But I have learned to look them over good before buying and this one the dynamic jaw was broken off the slide and brazed back together, jaw alignment was a little off too.

I'm actually more interested in the swage block, lol!

 

[CheckeredFlag]

Nothing special, but I have a Wilton 535 I bought in the mid / late 70s, when I worked as a Band Instrument Repairman for years (so I didn't need a BIG Vise)

Has severed me well over the years, and will be mounting it on a new Work bench this Summer.

And how crazy is this ?

I still have the original box + Warranty card

 

[Itinerant]

Thats a nice little C0 you have there. Whats even nicer is that its a Chicago marked one to boot. I bet that will look really nice if all of the paint is stripped and shot grey like the early ones were.

Check for a date code on the keyway. I bet its pre 1950

Do you plan on using it daily or will it be a collection piece? Its almost too nice to use

Itinerant: very nice Wilton C0 I think under the gothic paint job. I love that style pipe jaws on those old Wilton vises.

Thanks for the kind words and info guys. I was excited to get this one, the seller posted it on a local sales board about 5 o'clock this a.m., I happened to be surfing the listings and called him. He held it for me until a decent hour.

Caddy, I've got a 3 1/2" Craftsman for everyday use but after the resto I'll probably use it, although gently.

 

[drivesitfar]

Clamp the part in your bigger vise and give the threaded rod a tap with a hammer and drift. I've had them to the same thing when a small metal burr flaked off and got wedged between the collar and shaft. It will go, just go slowly

this is on a Prentiss #4 which is close to 100 pounds so it might sit on the edge of the bench or i'll clamp inside my Rock Island 577 like you suggest. gotta love having a big vise when you need one.

these ridges look like they were done at the factory in 1922 because one on each side. I think i'm going to dremel them off unless another person agrees with Caddy that I should chip them off. pictures aren't very good, but hard to get light into that spot.

 

[pdubss]

Gotta love those JD colors on these old vises. nice restore and same color on the Parker?

Itinerant: very nice Wilton C0 I think under the gothic paint job. I love that style pipe jaws on those old Wilton vises.

anybody have a quick fix so I can get the main screw out of my Prentiss? I removed the set screw and there are chisel type marks now holding the sleeve in place so I can't pull the screw out. do I need to get a dremel inside there to grind them off or a chisel and hammer which seems like a little harsh to me?

thanks and i'll provide pictures if anybody needs them, but haven't downloaded off my phone yet?

Thanks man, thats awesome. It does seem like a stout handle

Welcome to the Vise page. I also have a 5240 and the paint appears to a lot darker shade of blue than yours. The thing I noticed about the vise is the handle seems to be to heavy duty for a small 3" vise. I guess it works though, my handle is as straight as an arrow. Attached is Outlaw's 1940 Craftsman page with the 5240 on it.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

[Fretters]

anybody have a quick fix so I can get the main screw out of my Prentiss? I removed the set screw and there are chisel type marks now holding the sleeve in place so I can't pull the screw out. do I need to get a dremel inside there to grind them off or a chisel and hammer which seems like a little harsh to me?

For burrs and gouges, I always use a fine file. Just lightly stroke until they're level with the rest of the surface.

 

[zkling]

the second is a baby wilton bullet with a few mounting modifications.

Those little Wilton vises are so cool.

 

[Fretters]

Just on a tangent, I've kept looking at those Prentiss? pattern makers bench top type vices in this thread and wondering why the jaws were so large. The penny has finally dropped. Not something we tend to see across here, (or none that I've ever seen at least), so I was head scratching a bit over those until not long since. I bet those are handy things to have.

 

[drivesitfar]

they originally were made as "coachmakers" vises and woodworkers also used them. very handy indeed and I own one that I'm in process of restoring that also has the swivel jaw. pictures later I promise

Frett: also thanks for the filing tip and since I am not sure where my dremel is or if it will get in that space that is probably what I'll do since those nicks are fairly deep and wouldn't want to make them any deeper.

 

[Craptain]

After


Went for a john deere look

And a good look it is too. I see you fixed the paint boo boo.

 

[Fretters]

And a good look it is too. I see you fixed the paint boo boo.

It's turned out well has that one. Like you, I can't see any indication of that little incident either. Looks good.

they originally were made as "coachmakers" vises and woodworkers also used them. very handy indeed and I own one that I'm in process of restoring that also has the swivel jaw. pictures later I promise

I'll look forward to seeing those photo's.

Frett: also thanks for the filing tip and since I am not sure where my dremel is or if it will get in that space that is probably what I'll do since those nicks are fairly deep and wouldn't want to make them any deeper.

You're welcome. Try to use a file slightly wider than the widest gouge, and the file will literally guide itself. If you keep a finger on the back of the file, you'll feel the raggedness as you're filing down the burr. Once you've cleared it off, the file will then literally skate across the surface, so you know it's good. If you go with too thin a file, it can occasionally dig the edge in slightly if you're not careful, so light pressure and a wide'ish file and you'll have that fettled in no time.

 

[bluesurf]

My current

 

[G20-Budo]

Ok, well I got my older vise and figured I'd post a few pics.

It's a Holland 8, 24 1/2. It's got some pretty serious battle scars on it. I should be able to clean it up, fill in the cuts with JB Weld and paint it. It opens and closes very smoothly. The jaws also have teeth left in them.


What do you guys know about Holland? I've been trying to track down info on Holland vises, and not finding much.

From what I can tell, the 8 after the name Holland notes an 8" opening. The 24 1/2 I believe means 4 1/2" wide jaws, and the 2 infront of the 24 I believe means it is a swivel base instead of a stationary mount. I have no idea when it was made?

I also got this RR Track anvil.

 

[drivesitfar]

G20: Dayid's.org has a little information on some of the Holland's vises, but you are probably correct in thinking that the guys on GJ might know more. the 8 after Holland I think you see is actually a 's to make Holland's. I could be wrong and wouldn't be the first time.

looks like your Holland should serve you well.

Blusurf: your Wilton looks like one of the newer US made versions. can you tell us what the production date is on the slide? nice vise that is for certain.

 

[zoomieport]

G20: "The 8 after Holland I think you see is actually a 's to make Holland's.

+1
It's an "S".
Hollands are good vises, I use a 25 all the time, very solid.

Take care!
ZOOM

 

[zoomieport]

Zoomie how big is that mirror holder? i'm thinking a 3 inch vise might have worked or did he need a little bigger one to allow for the handle of the mirror.

Its seemed to be about the size of a Reed 3C, I'm guessing 5", unless the "1/2" on the model number stood for 4-1/2", that may be the case, but all the numbering I've seen on Morgans always used a "5" on the end for 1/2" sizes. Not as stout as a Reed, but the jaw towers were much taller in comparison, the pipe jaws were quite large too.

Take care!
ZOOM

 

[Outlawmws]

Just on a tangent, I've kept looking at those Prentiss? pattern makers bench top type vices in this thread and wondering why the jaws were so large. The penny has finally dropped. Not something we tend to see across here, (or none that I've ever seen at least), so I was head scratching a bit over those until not long since. I bet those are handy things to have.

they originally were made as "coachmakers" vises and woodworkers also used them. very handy indeed and I own one that I'm in process of restoring that also has the swivel jaw. pictures later I promise

Frett: also thanks for the filing tip and since I am not sure where my dremel is or if it will get in that space that is probably what I'll do since those nicks are fairly deep and wouldn't want to make them any deeper.

They were also popular with pattern makers for making patterns for sand casting in foundrys. (hence the "pattern maker" moniker) Essentially a large wood vise for holding larger wood things while shaping/carving.

I've seen them billed as sheet metal vises, probably due to the tall flat smooth jaws, but honestly, I've NEVER seen one in a sheet metal shop, and I've been in plenty. While the jaws make some sense for SM, the extra wide opening would never have been needed for sheet stock, and I can't imagine needing a vise to hold a fully fabricated SM part, since you would likely dent or crush it holding it firmly enough to not have it slip out...

 

[Fretters]

They were also popular with pattern makers for making patterns for sand casting in foundrys. (hence the "pattern maker" moniker) Essentially a large wood vise for holding larger wood things while shaping/carving.

I've seen them billed as sheet metal vises, probably due to the tall flat smooth jaws, but honestly, I've NEVER seen one in a sheet metal shop, and I've been in plenty. While the jaws make some sense for SM, the extra wide opening would never have been needed for sheet stock, and I can't imagine needing a vise to hold a fully fabricated SM part, since you would likely dent or crush it holding it firmly enough to not have it slip out...

I'd never seen one at all before this thread. Could imagine them not being much cop for most metalwork, as you say. Was cutting a template from 3mm ply last night, (around 8" x 4", so larger than I generally tend to cut), and appreciated the design concept whilst doing that. One of those tasks where metal vices don't have anywhere near enough clearance between the bed and jaws to hold it so that it wasn't flexing/vibrating whilst being cut, and where a standard bench woodwork vice would have the clearance but need a bit of farting about with, shifting the piece around.

 

[va.grouseman]

Originally posted by drivesitfar.

anybody have a quick fix so I can get the main screw out of my Prentiss? I removed the set screw and there are chisel type marks now holding the sleeve in place so I can't pull the screw out. do I need to get a dremel inside there to grind them off or a chisel and hammer which seems like a little harsh to me?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

drivesit. Had the same thing with a Prentiss Shepard I was working on. It had 6 of those gouges all around the shaft. And I agree, they look like there factory. Mine didn't even have a set screw, just the gouges. Seems like a pretty cheap way to anchor a collar, to deliberately disfigure the main source of strength. Anyway I took the whole dynamic out, put it in my bench vise and first took a punch and a real small ball pen hammer and commenced to gently bradding the raised burrs back down into the pits they came out of. When that would only go so far then I started with a small file and rolled with the contour of the shaft like Fretters said. Keep running your finger over it till you no longer feel a rise. Slap some grease on the shaft and start tapping the end of it with a dead blow or a brass/wood mallet, or put a board at the end and tap with a ball pen. Don't go back with that same cheap fix. I had to drill and install a pin.

 

[drivesitfar]

thanks VA, Fretters and Caddy. I was thinking of starting a thread with vise repair 101 because we are always running into something a little different that I know there is more help on this board than any book or manual we might find.

the other day Great White had a little issue with a sleeve that either had lost it's set screw or needed one tightened and he had it fixed in a matter of minutes by posting the issue on here.

by the way here is the wounded Prentiss #4 I'm pulling apart that needs a new jaw or jaws and the female thread piece is missing if anybody has the parts can PM me. also another picture of the Prentiss #21 "coachmaker's" vise i'm restoring. warming up around here so let the prepping and painting begin.

 

[bluesurf]

Blusurf: your Wilton looks like one of the newer US made versions. can you tell us what the production date is on the slide? nice vise that is for certain.

I pulled the dynamic jaw, and found a 5 that appears to be updated to a 6, with a 77 afterward, so May/June, 1977.

 

[drivesitfar]

with the angle of your first picture it was hard to read, but it is made in USA and for a 40 year old vise looks mint.

I have had some Wilton vises with dates on their slides that are the expiration date of their 5 year warranty period so it could be a 1972. until one of us writes a book on Vises or maybe just one on Wiltons or shares their knowledge then i'm not 100% sure what to tell you, but I can say they are great vises and yours is a keeper.

here's a 1957 C1 I owned that had an EXP 1962 on the slide.

 

[balane]

Just wrapped up a 1982 Wilton C1. 4 1/2" Jaws, 73 pounds. It's in very nice, light use condition thankfully. It was kind of risky because it had a good 1/4" of house paint on it when I brought it home. It looked like a big, red, featureless jelly bean.

.

 

[oldldh]

I've got to get me a "vise-display-stump"....

The stump is what I need....