The VISES of Garage Journal

[Fretters]

Wilton 450 picked this up tonight from C/L it was kind a cool talking with the guy he was a collector of antiques i told him i was in to old craftsman stuff i got the vise $75 cheaper then asking price the first day on C/L and he gave me this Sear/Craftsman catalog like brand new he would not take anything for it, just a good old guy he said he used this vise once in three years he said it was time to let it go this thing will clean up nice i am not even sure if there is a ding in the handle it was gently used

You lucky, lucky.... That's about as close to pristine condition as one could hope to get with something old'ish. That's very tidy.

 

[t4runner]

Looks tidy. What method did you use for cleaning the bare metal parts? Nice to see ones which haven't been cleaned and buffed/polished to excess.

I first wire wheel, then coat with a rust inhibitor.

 

[CudaChick1968]

Lunchtime browsing. Check out this beauty, offered by one of GJ's favorite sellers. I think my favorite is the hunk of ? just chilling on the top of the slide, completely painted over.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Craftsman-bench-vise-/141227546559?pt=US_Hand_Tools&hash=item20e1d157bf

Wow ... crapsmanship at its finest?!? I know of a couple car parts flippers who do the same kind of thing and always cringe when a customer buys something from them. No shame indeed!!!

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Hello Vise Friends,

Well I finally got my 1938 Cincinnati milling machine oiled up, set up and running. My first project is a small set of vise faces for a Harley themed vise that I'm working on. This machine is a hoot to work with and sounds so soothing, like a kitten purring. The only thing is that it leaks…like my Jeep and picker truck. I guess it feels right at home in my shop.

So…Chips-A-Hoy!

 

[exmaxima1]

Wow ... crapsmanship at its finest?!? No shame indeed!!!

Wow, that one looks like it still had dirt and dead leaves on it when he painted it!

 

[KMScott]

Hello Vise Friends,

Well I finally got my 1938 Cincinnati milling machine oiled up, set up and running. My first project is a small set of vise faces for a Harley themed vise that I'm working on. This machine is a hoot to work with and sounds so soothing, like a kitten purring. The only thing is that it leaks…like my Jeep and picker truck. I guess it feels right at home in my shop.

So…Chips-A-Hoy!

Hey Mark, looks great, need any drawings for jaws. I enjoy seeing others building jaws or jaw faces. I am up to my neck in jaw making. Just sold 80 pairs of Wilton baby serrated jaws. I did not think there was that many 2" vises out there.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Hey Mark, looks great, need any drawings for jaws. I enjoy seeing others building jaws or jaw faces. I am up to my neck in jaw making. Just sold 80 pairs of Wilton baby serrated jaws. I did not think there was that many 2" vises out there.

Thanks for the offer. The set that I'm working on are patterned off of the old ones. I wish I had the tool to make the cross hatched surface. However, since this is a themed vise, it will probably live on a shelf or coffee table.

 

[jakemac]

Hello Vise Friends,

Well I finally got my 1938 Cincinnati milling machine oiled up, set up and running. My first project is a small set of vise faces for a Harley themed vise that I'm working on. This machine is a hoot to work with and sounds so soothing, like a kitten purring. The only thing is that it leaks…like my Jeep and picker truck. I guess it feels right at home in my shop.

So…Chips-A-Hoy!

That machine isn't leaking ............ as the new machine in the shop, it's marking it's territory.

 

[69supercj]

Found this vise the other day in a antique shop. Has anyone else out there in vise land ever seen one like this?

 

[zkling]

Yes I've seen one. They were a combo anvil vise for blacksmithing. If it wasn't so pitted it would be a pretty good buy. It has a unique gear rack style back jaw. They are VERY old.

 

[sz0k30]

I'm hoping someone can help & educate me on a series of Wilton vises identical to the one pictured in post #3903 on page 196.

I believe I've seen them in 643/644/645. The actual jaw width is 1/2" larger than the last number. Is that correct?

I have seen 646, but in slightly different styles with the jaw width 6" not 6-1/2".
Is there a 646 in that identical style with the "WILTON" cast in both sides?

Thanks.

 

[bigcaddy]

Found this vise the other day in a antique shop. Has anyone else out there in vise land ever seen one like this?

If you bought it, your wife/GF could never say you didn't buy her a Diamond

 

[69supercj]

If you bought it, your wife/GF could never say you didn't buy her a Diamond

Hey thats a great point!!

 

[Craptain]

Oh Oh ! I bought another one.
I have been watching this little beauty for a couple of months but the seller always wanted too much. I couldn't get him down below $5. Well now he is closing shop at the flea market and we finally settled on 50 cents. When you see it you may think I was still ripped off, but I had to have it.

You will see that it has been damaged. OK it is broken in 2. But I intend to stick the pieces back together in a better fashion than the last (non) repair. Actually I could use JB Weld and do a better job.

But the reason I wanted it was that the engineering on it is superb. The casting, well.... There are no identifying marks but there are a couple of numbers in different places. The screw thread is fixed to the dynamic (rear) jaw of the vise and the static (front) jaw has a threaded barrel for adjustment. This leaves the screw totally protected in use. The jaw faces are keyed into the jaws and are once again extremely well engineered. That should be visible in the pics. There is a screwed in (anvil?) behind the jaws but when it is removed it appears to be an oil hole for the screw thread.

I have absolutely no idea yet who made it or for what purpose, though the style looks somewhat familiar, like some of the European vises. Anyone?
Any way I have it in pieces now and set up for repair. Wish me luck. I would hate to totally wreck it now. My plan is to braze it and to preheat the whole casting before applying a flame. Unless that is, anyone has a better suggestion. I am not sure that I would ever use this vise but I would like it to be functional at least for light duty.
I was going to use an industry standard Coke can in the picture but it was bigger than the vise.

 

[Outlawmws]

Actually I don't think that is that bad a price for it if the insides are not also rough, and work properly.

I doubt a real blacksmith would be caught dead using that, even back in the day. Definitely an occasional use tool for a homeowner. Heck I doubt many farmers would have bought one.

 

[bl00]

It looks like a Boley.

 

[Outlawmws]

Craptian, you were ripped, but I hate to see a fellow GJ member taken so bad, so I'l take it off your hands and reimburse you so you don't get hammered on by your Sig other...

 

[bigcaddy]

It looks like a Boley.

He's right, it's a Boley. I've got an identical vise that's marked Boley on the front of the slide and it's nickel plated

 

[msgtsmithret]

WTF is this vise? A post vise is used for what? http://raleigh.craigslist.org/tls/4387651064.html

 

[Craptain]

WTF is this vise? A post vise is used for what? http://raleigh.craigslist.org/tls/4387651064.html

Used quite a bit by blacksmiths. They were originally often built by the smith and can take a beating that a cast vise never could.

 

[Outlawmws]

Yep Blacksmiths Post vise's are forged, and the post transmits the force of the pounding to the floor, saving the vise itself. A lot of metal has been bent in those vises...

 

[jaker10]

Thought I'd ask about an old Prentiss I bought tonight. I'm going to post pictures after work tomorrow. It's marked on the main body 515, behind the handle is 515 over 525. The pads are 4 1/2 wide. There are no other marking on this vise except a brass medallion on the side that says Prentiss Bulldog New York. This one is in great working order. Still has some paint left. It is rusty but not heavy rust. Handle isn't even bent. Any idea when it may have been made. I haven't ever seen one with a brass medallion before, But I'm sure somebody on here has. Also There are no pat. dates on it that I have found.

 

[paigej]

I'm hoping someone can help & educate me on a series of Wilton vises identical to the one pictured in post #3903 on page 196.

I believe I've seen them in 643/644/645. The actual jaw width is 1/2" larger than the last number. Is that correct?

I have seen 646, but in slightly different styles with the jaw width 6" not 6-1/2".
Is there a 646 in that identical style with the "WILTON" cast in both sides?

Thanks.

Here's my 645 and it's exactly 5"

 

[Filson]

Man, I was gone for a few days (just moved into new place) and had a dozen pages or so to catch up on. A lot of great scores guys, thanks for sharing!

I have a "little Reed project" I'll be showing you guys in the next couple weeks when I get settled in.

 

[zkling]

Well now he is closing shop at the flea market and we finally settled on 50 cents. When you see it you may think I was still ripped off, but I had to have it.

That is cool, I too would have bought it for 50¢, had it brazed up the same night. Non clamp, non exposed screw tiny vises are cool. I didn't realize how small it was till I looked at the pics a 2nd time. If you use a flame torch for brazing I think the entire thing will be up to heat by the time the joint is.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Thought I'd ask about an old Prentiss I bought tonight. I'm going to post pictures after work tomorrow. It's marked on the main body 525, behind the handle is 515 over 525. The pads are 4 1/2 wide. There are no other marking on this vise except a brass medallion on the side that says Prentiss Bulldog New York. This one is in great working order. Still has some paint left. It is rusty but not heavy rust. Handle isn't even bent. Any idea when it may have been made. I haven't ever seen one with a brass medallion before, But I'm sure somebody on here has. Also There are no pat. dates on it that I have found.

I have one similar, it is a 4 1/2" jaw but no brass medallion. Could it be paint over the writing in the circle ? Mine has had a set of poor fitting smooth jaws refitted on it.

 

[jaker10]

I have one similar, it is a 4 1/2" jaw but no brass medallion. Could it be paint over the writing in the circle ? Mine has had a set of poor fitting smooth jaws refitted on it.

It's not paint. It looks like brass and it's arched. You can tap on it and feel and hear that it's thin It looks like it's glued into the circle. I wonder if it covers up the cast writing in the circle. I'll get some better pictures after work today. These are from Craigs list. and the colors are off. You can see the brass medallion but not very good

 

[skybar]

haven't seen many of these !!

 

[Mark in Indiana]

haven't seen many of these !!

For "wal-it's-worth" you did a great restoration job!

 

[epossum]

Hello Vise Friends,

Well I finally got my 1938 Cincinnati milling machine oiled up, set up and running. My first project is a small set of vise faces for a Harley themed vise that I'm working on. This machine is a hoot to work with and sounds so soothing, like a kitten purring. The only thing is that it leaks…like my Jeep and picker truck. I guess it feels right at home in my shop.

So…Chips-A-Hoy!

I'd like to see a pic of the Cincinnati! Spent a lot of hours on them and on K & Ts. I may have run one like yours - our shop had a lot of OLD machine tools, especially from around WW II. Some were from WW I or shortly after.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=3769653
I hope the link works. Odd way to move a mill but it worked
It didn't work so Mark will have to respond

 

[68 Coupe]

As I was warned, this may be the beginning of an addiction... It took me less than 36 hours from my original post on this thread to drag home another vise from almost 100 miles away! In my defense, I actually went down there to buy a Miller Trailblazer 280NT. While checking out the welder, I asked him what he was doing with the little vise in the corner, and he said I could have it if I bought the welder. So, this was either a freebie or a really expensive vise with a free welder
[URL=http://youUpload.org/wlu31i0] [/URL]
[URL=http://youUpload.org/a3mardw] [/URL]
[URL=http://youUpload.org/t09eq3i] [/URL]
[URL=http://youUpload.org/l05pl0z] [/URL]
As you can see, it is a Yost 203 1/2 that has seen better days. The lock down bolt for the swivel base has broken, but nothing is seized. It does not have removable jaws like the newer versions of the same model. Does anyone have any idea of an approximate age range? I think this will be a good one to practice restoring, but I would really like another Parker... Guess I will just keep looking!

I would have posted this sooner, but when I got back home Saturday afternoon the fire department was here telling me to evacuate due to the mudslide upstream. I decided to stick around, and spent a fair amount of time helping neighbors move things and making sure the important stuff in my shop was lifted up, just in case. I know a family that lives right by the slide area, and was relieved to hear that they were ok. Fortunately for those of us downstream, nothing catastrophic has happened yet, and the river seems to be working it's way through the blockage slowly...

 

[Mark in Indiana]

I'd like to see a pic of the Cincinnati! Spent a lot of hours on them and on K & Ts. I may have run one like yours - our shop had a lot of OLD machine tools, especially from around WW II. Some were from WW I or shortly after.

Here's a couple that I took yesterday.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=3769653
I hope the link works. Odd way to move a mill but it worked
It didn't work so Mark will have to respond

I couldn't bring it up but I'll post the hauling picture.

 

[Clik]

I'm in a Vise deadzone.

Nothing shows up around here. At least not within a day's round trip chase.

I'm wondering how did these old vises compare in strength to modern drop forged vises. Weren't most of these old vises just cast?

 

[oldldh]

As far as most of the posters on this thread go....


Old Iron Is The Best Iron!!!

 

[adstock]

Here's my Athol 617 that I just restored. Now, I just need to build a vise stand for this 195lb monster!
7" jaw width, ~12" jaw opening, ~29" total length IIRC.
I don't have any before pictures but it was covered in rust, dirt, and paint splotches. Here are a couple pictures after degreasing, electrolysis, resurfacing the anvil a little bit, and some wax and paint.

 

[zkling]

Man that thing looks like it has seen hell and back. Good job on the restoration. What would look awesome and just set it over the top is if you did the lettering in a silver or even black paint.

 

[G20-Budo]

adstock, that does look good!! And I agree with zkling, that vise look like it took a good beating. Looks much better now though.

 

[oldldh]

Adstock---


The old warrior looks much the better for your restoration...


Ya Dun Gud, Bubba!!!


That beast will see another hundred years!!!