The VISES of Garage Journal

[Fretters]

Hi all,

New member here. Picked up this Wilton a couple of weeks ago from the leftovers of a marine propeller foundry/machine shop auction. Got a great steal of a deal $10. Some damage (jaw rest broken off) and the jaws were badly beat up, but it turned out well.

Mike

Nice restore. Good to see you haven't tried hiding or removing it's usage marks either. Neat and authentic. Nicely done.

 

[Fretters]

Do you guys ever post wood working vises?

I have a side shot of an upside down one if that helps? Nice vice, btw.

 

[Rom'S]

I have also this little vise

 

[drivesitfar]

Roms: excellent way to take a picture of a little vise with that clamp. very clean shop too.

Fretters: again with another piece of quality old school laying behind a very nice wood vise. belt driven something in the background and i just picked up a little drill like that with a different name on mine.

Itinerent: went to buy a different vise and he just happened to have another maybe bigger swivel jaw one to sell you. i would like to go where you shop sometime and pick up the things you don't buy.

Arnad: another nice vise to add to your Wilton. i do like a good wood vise and thinking of maybe starting a thread just for wood ones since they are a bit different animal, but as said many times before a vise is a vise and we all like pictures of vises for our vice.

 

[White64Goat]

Hey everyone, new member here. Hoping to find some info for this vise I picked up at an auction about a week ago. Gentleman was a woodworker and I picked this up for $95. Does anyone know an approximate date (or is there a date stamped somewhere I should look?) I noticed the writing is stamped on sideways which seems strange but must help ID it's year of manufacture. What color would it have been new? It's a Reed #204 Thanks!!

 

[drivesitfar]

Reed's 204 #'s mean the following: 2 is for swivel base and 4 is for 4 inch wide jaws. i am not one of the Reed experts even though i own a few, but i would guess you have a pre 1940's vise and maybe early 1900's.

nice find because it looks like it has all the parts. since it isn't rusty maybe just pull it apart and grease it and then use it. not sure of original color so if you don't like that old look you have now paint it your favorite color and post another picture.

for you first vise you scored a nice one

 

[Fretters]

It's laid down 'cos it's too heavy for me to lift upright. That's a large Pollard Corona.

Do you have a photo of your hand drill? They're quite nice to use. Slow speed but quite a bit of grunt.

 

[Filson]

Hi all,

New member here. Picked up this Wilton a couple of weeks ago from the leftovers of a marine propeller foundry/machine shop auction. Got a great steal of a deal $10. Some damage (jaw rest broken off) and the jaws were badly beat up, but it turned out well.

Mike

Welcome to GJ and right off the bat, you'll get a big YOU ****! Very nice buy. And nice restore too bud!

 

[PghJKB]

Hey everyone, new member here. Hoping to find some info for this vise I picked up at an auction about a week ago. Gentleman was a woodworker and I picked this up for $95. Does anyone know an approximate date (or is there a date stamped somewhere I should look?) I noticed the writing is stamped on sideways which seems strange but must help ID it's year of manufacture. What color would it have been new? It's a Reed #204 Thanks!!

White64Goat
Looks like your Reed has 4 feet on the swivel base. To the best I have been able to determine the 4 footed bases were late 1930's through at least the 1950's(?).

Reed had a 1914 patent that would most likely have been displayed on models produced until at least 1931. They also had a 1938 patent that was on their re-designed model with the later tunnel shape. You have definitely have the pre-1938 tunnel shape.

I agree with drivesitfar on the pre-1940, but I think the mid 1930's would be the earliest due to the swivel base shape and lack of 1908/12/14 patents.

BTW - Great score, Reeds are my favorite and I have a real "thing" for the four footed base models.

Bidcaddy or Outlaw would know about a date stamp, I've looked, never found one.

JKB

 

[EOC_Jason]

Reed's 204 #'s mean the following: 2 is for swivel base and 4 is for 4 inch wide jaws. i am not one of the Reed experts even though i own a few, but i would guess you have a pre 1940's vise and maybe early 1900's.

I would agree... It's some time between 1900 - 1935...

 

[jakemac]

White64Goat
Nice find. I've been trying to find the four footed base for a 204 1/2 for almost a year now. Your's came complete. From where I'm standing - You **** ! (that's a good thing around here)

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Rom's, I like that small slide vise. is there a brand name on it.?

I bought a few moving carts so I wouldn't have to pick up or slide the big vises around. Weather was nice on Saturday so we took a ride to the driveway.

 

[drivesitfar]

Wow Getridofone that is some vise ****. care to share the specs on your Amercian Scale. even with a lighter on there it is too big to guess.

wait until Oldie sees this "Arrest me Red" vise.

 

[White64Goat]

Thanks, nice to know. Looked at a vise at my occasional job and it's a Columbian that someone beat the snot out of the back end of the dynamic jaw (the slide part). On the end, not the top surface. Would have to grind the **** out of the end to get it to slide out of the static section.

Hopefully someone can nail down a date for the Reed.

 

[FlyingLow]

Damn, you guys are bad influences! Some pretty cool stuff getting posted up, I'm heading for a couple days skiing and missing my garage already! Not a vise but I want it: http://nanaimo.en.craigslist.ca/tls/4379174924.html

 

[taumac]

Rom's, I like that small slide vise. is there a brand name on it.?

I bought a few moving carts so I wouldn't have to pick up or slide the big vises around. Weather was nice on Saturday so we took a ride to the driveway.

HOLY CHRIST, that's a big *** vise.



Have a good one, Gerard

Florida GJers ( FGJ)
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=117

The 5 Stitches Garage
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899

 

[aaronrkelly]

Aaron: that is a nice Wilton machinist vise and need to know the jaw width to tell you the model #. if it is a 3 inch i think the model # is 643, 4 inch is 644, and 5 is 645 and 6 is 646. i could be wrong, but i also think it was made in USA.

nice stand and did you get the vise like that or did you already spiff it up?

Clik: that big red vise has been for sale for maybe a couple years now.

4" jaws.....they open 5 1/2" - its stamped Made in USA on the side. Super smooth action - it was a ebay buy - I have about $100 in it.

The stand I welded together - my first welding project. I bought a Hobart Handler 140 before it got bitter cold, never got a chance to use it till then. Truck wheel with some pipe and plate. If I was doing it again I might swap the truck wheel for the a chevy flywheel....its be flatter and I could stand right up on it......but so far the wheel hasnt been a problem.

 

[oldldh]

Wow...wait until Oldie sees this "Arrest me Red" vise.

That ain't "Arrest-Me-Red"....


That's probably "Tie-Me-Up" Orange...


Or maybe just plain old "Orange"...


But it ain't "Arrest-Me-Red"....


To give you an example of two vises "Properly Restored"....


The one on the left is Orange, and the Gorgeous 5196 on the right is 'Arrest-Me-Red"....

 

[drivesitfar]

Aaron: looks like it should be a 644 but I'm not 100% positive, just like i just got called out for not knowing something was orange and not red.

in any case nice job on the stand and you should be in good shape with a nice vise that size for many years. we all don't need a 200 pound vise on a cart, but one would be fun to own. maybe give the grandkids a ride around on it.

Oldie now you are picking on another old guy that has ADHD (no pills growing up and self medicated), dyslexia and color blindness, but yes i now see that Get's vise is maybe a little more orange than red.

did you ever completely get rid of the shingles? also if you keep picking on my diseases the 5198 might find it's way to the Badlands for it's first stop around the vise community.

 

[Filson]

Aaron: looks like it should be a 644 but I'm not 100% positive, just like i just got called out for not knowing something was orange and not red.

in any case nice job on the stand and you should be in good shape with a nice vise that size for many years. we all don't need a 200 pound vise on a cart, but one would be fun to own. maybe give the grandkids a ride around on it.

Oldie now you are picking on another old guy that has ADHD (no pills growing up and self medicated), dyslexia and color blindness, but yes i now see that Get's vise is maybe a little more orange than red.

did you ever completely get rid of the shingles? also if you keep picking on my diseases the 5198 might find it's way to the Badlands for it's first stop around the vise community.

Uh oh... Them be fighten' words, I'm sure!

 

[GETRIDAONE]

"That's probably "Tie-Me-Up" Orange"
The color was paprika, it turned out more orange than I thought it would.
6" jaws & 180 lbs.

 

[CudaChick1968]

Glad you found something you liked out of that pile.

The 103-1/2R is one of the newer styles (I'm going to guess somewhere between 40's - 50's). The "R" was used when they were first transitioning to the new casting style but still had their old style for sale too. I really like those with the square fixed based.

You know you want to powder-coat that bad boy!

Thanks for the extra info too Jason -- I'm a total vise rookie but I'm willing to learn so I'm soaking up everything I can get my hands on.

OK Chick!! Back away slowly, u got signs of a cast iron disease known as "VISE vice". U might b 1 of its 1st female victims. u been warned.

I personally go with customizing the newer later vises and go with high detail paint jobs on the old antique y traditional ones. 2 me that reed needs high detail paint job. good luck.

Too funny wrenchguy!! I got infected with it the first time I looked at this thread and have been looking for a good candidate ever since. He had a Wilton too (and I've learned here they have a great rep) but there was just something about the Reed that called to me. Thanks for your input! Every opinion and factual research are really appreciated at this stage of the game.

Guys, I think we are about to go to school on a NICE powder coated Reed restoration. You go girl !!

Thank you GETRIDADONE!! It looks good in the pictures he sent but I won't know much about metal's condition until it's in front of me. Is it better to leave the "love bites" it's received over the years or make it as perfect as possible from a collector's viewpoint? (I know I'll hear "it's yours -- do what ya want" but I don't want to destroy or irreversibly alter it if I shouldn't.)

dumb me..... can cast iron be powder coated? i wanted a cast iron claw foot tub done and been told no several times. thanks 4 any help.

Probably because a cast iron tub needs enameling (not paint..) to hold up. I can't see why CI can't be powder coated, but I could be wrong...

Cuda Chick, definitely mask off the slide jaws and slide mating parts, and PC that thing! Go Wild! (Hmmm 'Cuda green? )

Cast iron turns out beautiful!! It's a bit more work to debur rough casting edges but the results are always spectacular.

As far as your tub goes wrenchguy, the refusal is more likely due to the total PITA and time the coater would go through removing any remaining enamel or porcelain the tub's already coated with. Powder coating adheres best when it has 'tooth' and the particulates can bond with the metal during the cure cycle. The prep work would probably be cost prohibitive; there are tub refinishers in most larger cities who come to you and redo old porcelain with wonderful results -- my parents had it done years ago.

Cuda: did you actually see in person what looked like a vise and tool museum or did you buy it from a picture that has yet to be picked up. looks like you got the best one of the bunch from what i remember. more pictures when you have it in your hands but it looks like it might almost be usable while you are contemplating the color to paint it. ...

I haven't seen it with my own eyes yet but John, the seller, has been outstanding to deal with so far and is beyond cooperative. He sent me quite a few pictures of it within a couple hours of asking the other day, complete with full details and measurements.





Don't worry, that's just a grease smudge on top there ...



Unlike the others displayed in his ad, 'my' Reed was still installed on his bench up until he took it off to weigh it for me so it IS in good working order. He told me he'd been collecting them for many years and it was just time to let them go help out other people since they'd served him so well. I was lucky I called when I did (about a half hour after Jason posted the link lol) -- he had a couple buyers within a few hours who didn't see my Reed because he'd already stashed it under a towel after our first phone call. Very nice guy!!!

You will be quite pleased with your new reed. I picked up a 203 R a few months ago and the first thing you will notice is how stout they are, even for such a small jaw size. If the price is right, grab the Athol and the one with the pennsylvania keystone on the cheek of the dynamic jaw. I don't remember what brand it is but it's good old USA iron

Thanks bigcaddy but I'm just a rookie at this and don't want to bogart all the good stuff. Just the Reed is thirty pounds from Ohio to Tennessee, and my so-called 'spare time' to work on personal stuff is really limited as it is ... I figured I'd start with one and see how it goes.

I vote for "CUDA GREEN".

There's a few lime green accessories around my bench Clik, and that custom in-house mix last month on the BMX frame was closer to my car's color than I ever imagined. Just might have to .... or keep it more original. I have much to read and learn in the meantime.

Yes, Reed's are definitely a tight fit, bare metal to bare metal is the best.

Good to know! I have visions of my buffer and polished cylinders and handles and ............. 6,500 colors to choose from. Holy $hit LOLLLLLL

Guys, thank you all SO MUCH for the wonderful encouragement and support!!! I'll try hard to make ya'll proud.

 

[wrenchguy]

uhhh? what might a readville pa. yost 207 vise weigh? thanks.

 

[Filson]

uhhh? what might a readville pa. yost 207 vise weigh? thanks.

Don't have any specs in front of me, but I'd bet in the 180-230lb range.

 

[Outlawmws]

Another tell tale on the Reeds is round or flattened main screw knobs. (flattened is older? can't remember, and it's not in my notes...)

I have a 403-1/2 R, with the 4 hole swivel base, and flattened nose.

W64G, Original color on most of the older vises was semi flat black. (boring!)

I don't think many vise manufacturers date coded the vises. Wilton and some of the Craftsman vises, at least certain Columbian made models, but possibly to have a date for the 20 year warranty.

 

[bl00]

In 1923 the Yost 207 weighed 234 lbs.

 

[drivesitfar]

Cuda: now that you have not only bought a quality vise and made some great posts your search for a "big" vise for the other side of your bench begins.

welcome to the Vise Gang which i'm still trying to work my way into and i own a few more vises than most.

glad to hear the Reed is finding a great new home and you might want to leave it as is for a while until one of those colors really sounds like the one.

 

[EOC_Jason]

uhhh? what might a readville pa. yost 207 vise weigh? thanks.

A Yost 207? Hmmm... 150... 160 lbs???

 

[wrenchguy]

In 1923 the Yost 207 weighed 234 lbs.

thanks.

 

[oldldh]

Uh oh... Them be fighten' words, I'm sure!

As they say across the pond---


Quite....


Now go outside, and practice falling down and bleeding---


I'll be the presently....

 

[wrenchguy]

************False alarm******** This turns out tobe a 106 with 5" jaws************** got it anyway.

Uhhh? what might a parker 108 weigh?

 

[Filson]

Uhhh? what might a parker 108 weigh?

You'll have to take it to the post office and ask them to weigh it and figuring shipping to my neck of the woods.

Where the heck you finding all these big vises?!?

 

[wrenchguy]

You'll have to take it to the post office and ask them to weigh it and figuring shipping to my neck of the woods.

Where the heck you finding all these big vises?!?

never mind i was able to open dayids, 245Lbs.

i guess i better take the truck.

 

[Filson]

never mind i was able to open dayids, 245Lbs.

i guess i better take the truck.

I would say so! Go get it!

 

[oldldh]

Das a bigun, Bubba!!!

 

[KMScott]

never mind i was able to open dayids, 245Lbs.

i guess i better take the truck.

Wow, nice vise, I just was working on two of them that looks very similar. It sure looks like the 978, The picture is from a friend of mine in Tucson I wonder which one is older, same weight too. You are in a good vise area, and taking advantage of it. Good find. I hope you ended up with it.

 

[Craptain]

Good to know! I have visions of my buffer and polished cylinders and handles and ............. 6,500 colors to choose from. Holy $hit LOLLLLLL

Guys, thank you all SO MUCH for the wonderful encouragement and support!!! I'll try hard to make ya'll proud.

I can only dream of what you could do to it.

I have no doubt you will make yourself proud.

 

[joe.striper]

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/tls/4374289063.html

i know you guys like BIG vises so here you go. Too big for me.

 

[Craptain]

Here is my latest free vise. A Baker clamp on. So far I have found absolutely nothing about it. No COO and it seems to be a pretty cheap vise. However for the price I will at least clean and check it out for a possible re-do. Any body heard of it?

 

[oldldh]

Joe----Believe it or not, but that big dude, in that condition, is probably worth something close to that...

$200.00 to $ 350.00 would probably be more realistic, but someone will pony up the money...