The VISES of Garage Journal

[jpickar]

Cheers chaps.




It sounds like a portion of it is the "ooh, I want that" thing then? Was that an old or a newer Record vice which you let go, btw?




Cheers Mark. Sounds like they do tend to be a specific area/need type thing then, if they're reluctant to go. I was thinking I was overlooking something earlier when I was trying to figure out when a larger vice might be personally necessary, but it seems likely not.

Don't envy you moving that 8" around at that weight. That must be a fair monster of a thing, at that weight.




The 4" do seem to be a nice general size, don't they. Obviously I'm not the only one who's settled on that size as the main go to. What size is the C3, btw? I'm not too familiar with the Wilton sizing method versus models.




Cheers. I'll go have a read of that.

The C3 has 6 " jaws and weighs A LOT!!
John

 

[Outlawmws]

One thing I'd love to have would be a hoist. With only a 6' high ceiling in the shed though, and barely enough spare room to swing a cat, my hoist options are pretty much nonexistent. I always have to resort to old fashioned grunt, which limits my choices somewhat.
SNIP

Fretters, how clear is the ceiling area, and how large the shop? I'm imagining this is one of those tiny one car garage shops? You could rig a semi-lightweight Bridge crane:

4 (or more) posts, 2 rails and the bridge is a length of Unistrut with a Unistrut trolley, just clearing the ceiling. When not in use run it against one wall or another, and you won't be walking into it, but its there when you need to do some heavy lifting...

 

[Fretters]

The C3 has 6 " jaws and weighs A LOT!!

Cheers. Not something you tend to shift around much then.

Fretters, how clear is the ceiling area, and how large the shop? I'm imagining this is one of those tiny one car garage shops? You could rig a semi-lightweight Bridge crane:

Yup, it's pretty small. 16'x12' overall. It's a concrete sectional building. Started out as purely for storage a few years ago when I had a shedload, (literally), of stuff to store whilst I checked and/or repaired it, then it ended up migrating to being the workshop. Clearance wise, I could possibly fit a strut or two in there with a bit of creativity and shifting stuff around. Pretty much every ounce of floor, wall and usable ceiling space is used when it's not in the way of movement, (though I have cracked my head on the ceiling mounted air filter a few times ).

It's amazing how creative one can become with any available space when space is limited.

4 (or more) posts, 2 rails and the bridge is a length of Unistrut with a Unistrut trolley, just clearing the ceiling. When not in use run it against one wall or another, and you won't be walking into it, but its there when you need to do some heavy lifting...

Cheers. That sounds like it could be a feasible option. I'll have a look into that. It'd definitely save my back on occasion if I could fit something in there. Even if it was just a variant so that I could hook the ratcheting hand hoist up, (the existing roof trusses aren't exactly trustworthy for localised lifting of any notable weight), it'd be a boon.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Doh! I just emailed the seller a few minutes ago, hopefully they've still got it. I'd like it to be a little closer, but for whatever reason, we either don't see many locally, or they seem like they're overpriced.

I sent my E mail at 7:00 pm and haven't heard anything back. I bet it is gone by now.

 

[epossum]

Vise gender?

I always thought of my vises as some of the "guys". After reading a lot of posts here I'm beginning to think I may have been insulting my vises by thinking of them as guys instead of gals. It's kind of embarrassing if you know what I mean. I guess I got into that habit because I've always had or worked with the big ones. As a machinist I worked with some truly large and heavy vises. Anyone who has ever worked in the trade knows it's a solitary job - you almost always work by yourself. Running a machine tool is a one-man job, and if you want to talk to someone, too bad. So, you can always talk to yourself or your tools, and since they don't talk back you can call them whatever you want, right or wrong. No one ever told me a vise's gender, so please excuse my ignorance.

So, what's the bottom line on vise gender - guy or gal?

 

[FourOneTwo]

New member here. Just picked up a light duty "Elgin Windmill Company" Vise. Exposed lead screw. Member @drivesitfar believes its from anywhere between 40s and 60s. (On that note does anyone have more info on "Elgin Windmill Co." vises? No info when Googled. Thanks!).

 

[Fretters]

So, what's the bottom line on vise gender - guy or gal?

Generally, girl. Occasionally I'll refer to something as male, (usually a piece of cantankerous machinery), but most things are definitely girls. Probably the only way we get to be surrounded by that much totty and girls who don't throw the *** lip every moment of the day.

 

[EOC_Jason]

How big are the 4C's, approximately? The physical space taken is a good point too. With the points brought up, my hankering for an 8 is slowly diminishing unless I find actual need.

The jaws are 6" wide, they will weigh ~185 lbs... Overall size is about 28"L x 12"W x 20"H...

 

[Tejaas]

Vise gender?



I always thought of my vises as some of the "guys". After reading a lot of posts here I'm beginning to think I may have been insulting my vises by thinking of them as guys instead of gals. It's kind of embarrassing if you know what I mean. I guess I got into that habit because I've always had or worked with the big ones. As a machinist I worked with some truly large and heavy vises. Anyone who has ever worked in the trade knows it's a solitary job - you almost always work by yourself. Running a machine tool is a one-man job, and if you want to talk to someone, too bad. So, you can always talk to yourself or your tools, and since they don't talk back you can call them whatever you want, right or wrong. No one ever told me a vise's gender, so please excuse my ignorance.



So, what's the bottom line on vise gender - guy or gal?

I think traditionally the only "set" gender assigned to an object is watercraft being "she" with feminine names... I think that goes back to the Greeks naming their boats after female gods for good luck... But I'm not sure... It's weird cause I'm pretty sure I heard that women traditionally were considered BAD luck on a boat.

Kinda weird cause them dudes could be at sea for years away from home and their gals... You'd think they'd bend the rules in their favor, haha.

If your comfortable naming your vise "Hank" and enjoy fondling his handle, more power to ya, man! Haha!

I'd go generic... My dad's vises have always been referred to as "that finger biting son a *****" or the like.


~Tejaas~

WTB: Snap-On Orange Hard Handle SDD6 & SSDP63 in Very Good Condition!

 

[EOC_Jason]

Here's some good reading for you. Follow this link and scroll up a bit to the beginning. It's a 1929 test from the U.S. Bureau of Standards. They tested vise sizes from 9 lbs up to 282 lbs to see what was heavy enough for "typical shop operations."

Ah, so that explains why Banjo's Reed 109 was made... lol...

 

[GETRIDAONE]

That also confirms the Government was wasting money way back then on a bunch of BS reports that didn't mean awything. All that scientific data has really advanced the vise in the last 85 years don't you think.

 

[CudaChick1968]

... If your comfortable naming your vise "Hank" and enjoy fondling his handle, more power to ya, man! Haha! ...

LMAO!!! Maybe I need more coffee here but all I can think of is "Oh Reed baby, you slide in and out so smoothly!!!!! Open up more, more, more!!!!"

That settles it. Mine's gonna have a guy's name, I don't care.

 

[epossum]

LOL - I haven't gone as far as naming any of them, but yeah, I like fondling them a little bit. Since you put it that way I think they're gonna be gals from now on, or at least gender-neutral for some of them! Good idea.

Oh yeah, since I haven't named any of them it will make it easier to think of them as big ole friendly gals from now on.

 

[organ]

Doh! I just emailed the seller a few minutes ago, hopefully they've still got it. I'd like it to be a little closer, but for whatever reason, we either don't see many locally, or they seem like they're overpriced.

Good luck. Seems like a great deal. I emailed him before realizing how far north he is but I haven't heard back yet. PM me... if he emails me back first I can give you his information and then you guys can take it from there.

 

[epossum]

Hi to all - I finally got it together enough to post some pics of a vise I would like to ID. I suspect is must be an import as there is no Made in USA to be found on it. The quality isn't too bad and it's survived being used by someone.

The only markings that stand out are a "B" on both the slide and the body casting. The swivel base mounting lugs are the thinnest I've seen so far. The handle ends have some kind of hard plastic washer instead of a steel knob.

Sure hope one of you can ID this. I'm going to get around to cleaning it up a bit. Not sure yet if I'll keep it.

Thanks!

 

[Mark in Indiana]

On the whole I don't think that could be further from the truth. Maybe on certain vises, but old iron on the whole, lots of people way over value. Not realizing what time, effort and resources are needed to bring something back to working condition. And this is coming from someone that has an entire shop built around vintage machinery.

That is like saying my rusty, unrestored corvette is worth the same as a fully restored piece. Granted the time, effort and resources to restore a vise vs a car are vastly different, but still the same principal applies.

I apologize if I mis-spoke. I wouldn't expect someone to pay retail for a rusty barn find but if the equipment has been properly restored it will be more reliable, of higher quality, and more aesthetically pleasing than a comparable new item. Granted that this may not true for all tools and equipment but as far as vises go, I like the old stuff.

 

[bl00]

That also confirms the Government was wasting money way back then on a bunch of BS reports that didn't mean awything. All that scientific data has really advanced the vise in the last 85 years don't you think.

What?! This is one of the most important topics ever researched by the government second only to How Many Reed 209's Can a UFO Carry at Area 51. Unfortunately they never had funding for the follow up study: What Color Should I Paint my Vise? People would still be referencing that one today. If only I had been in charge.

 

[Clik]

Styled like a German Brockhaus Heuer. I had never heard of them until one of our Viseroys here posted a reference.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Here's a question for the owners of pivot jaw vises:

What work pieces have you have clamped in your vises that you couldn't do without the pivot jaw?

 

[gasgunner]

Here's a question for the owners of pivot jaw vises:

What work pieces have you have clamped in your vises that you couldn't do without the pivot jaw?

Not that it couldn't be done without it, but the swivel makes it a lot easier and provides uniform clamping on tapered parts. I tinker with a lot of firearms. Barrels, buttstocks, forends, are all tapered to some extent. In the little I have used it so far, it works much easier and handier than trying to wrap more rags around the small end to compensate. Also, it should help with the problem of the end of the jaw marking the larger end of the tapered workpiece. But no, there is probably nothing it will do that couldn't be done in a standard vise.

Since when was not being able to do a job without it a criteria for buying a new tool?

John

 

[epossum]

Here's a question for the owners of pivot jaw vises:

What work pieces have you have clamped in your vises that you couldn't do without the pivot jaw?

At home - none.

In the machine shop - Occasionally if the workpiece was of an unusual shape. Even then I honestly didn't use a bench vise with a swivel jaw; instead I used a vise designed for that kind of work. Been a while but it basically had at least three swiveling jaws, one or more on the fixed (static) side and a couple on the slide. The jaws weren't straight but maybe round, oblong, teardrop shaped or something like that. I think at least one of the vises might have even had two or more of those jaws stacked on top of each other. Now I feel the need to see if I can find a picture of one of those vises.

 

[balane]

Here's a question for the owners of pivot jaw vises:

What work pieces have you have clamped in your vises that you couldn't do without the pivot jaw?

When we trim the toenails on our otherwise-squirmy Chihuahua he seems to appreciate the more comfortable grip of a pivoting jaw.

 

[jakemac]

Do you clamp your Chihuahua paws up, or paws down ?
I just had a mental image of a tail's up dog in a vise giving you "THAT LOOK" !

 

[epossum]

Since when was not being able to do a job without it a criteria for buying a new tool?

John

One exception to "Never!": it sounds good if you need to get it by that significant other! It just got me a set of taper pin reamers! LOL

 

[Mark in Indiana]

When we trim the toenails on our otherwise-squirmy Chihuahua he seems to appreciate the more comfortable grip of a pivoting jaw.

Well…I laughed so hard, I fell out of the chair.

 

[zkling]

When we trim the toenails on our otherwise-squirmy Chihuahua he seems to appreciate the more comfortable grip of a pivoting jaw.

I hope you use some sort of soft jaws for that.

 

[bigcaddy]

I really had to force myself to buy this little guy but figured that it would be worth it in parts alone. I might use the jaw screws but the rest ill part out.

Too bad it was brutalized the way it was........it would of been a great little vise

Rock Island 571 3" jaws

 

[Fretters]

Too bad it was brutalized the way it was........it would of been a great little vise

I'd say brutalised is a tad critical with that one. Judging by the general condition, that looks like it was more the victim of a numpty moment. I actually think it seems a shame to part that one if you can at least break even with it as a whole.

 

[Fretters]

I suspect is must be an import as there is no Made in USA to be found on it. The quality isn't too bad and it's survived being used by someone.

...

Sure hope one of you can ID this. I'm going to get around to cleaning it up a bit. Not sure yet if I'll keep it.

No idea what make or origin that is, but I actually quite like that. It definitely has a quirky design, and one might even say it's somewhat flimsy looking in places, but that vice has an appeal all of its own, IMHO.

 

[bigcaddy]

I'd say brutalised is a tad critical with that one. Judging by the general condition, that looks like it was more the victim of a numpty moment. I actually think it seems a shame to part that one if you can at least break even with it as a whole.

I don't have my Cockney to English translation dictionary with me but if "numpty" means ******* caveman with a cheater bar, then we are on the same page. The jaws don't line up face to face or side to side. It looked good at first but the precision is gone.

 

[zkling]

What all happened to it? Hard for me to see from the photos, but is the front jaw welded back onto the slide? :

 

[oldldh]

Vise naming!!!

Vise gender!!!

Dog toenail trimming!!!

Damn, look what an old man misses, when his internet crashes, due to 4" of rain in 24 hours, and he says---"Oh the hell with it---nap time..."

The only one I gave a name was the Craftsman that I stubbed my toe on in the dark...my wife still hasn't forgiven me for that outburst...

 

[bigcaddy]

What all happened to it? Hard for me to see from the photos, but is the front jaw welded back onto the slide? :

Its got a massive braze weld on the dynamic jaw. If it was a gold vein, i would be rich from all that metal. You can see the burns on either side of the welds, (the rusty part) from where they heated it up to put it back together. Its about ¾" wide and sticks up ¼" in some places.

I would take more pictures but its like examining a dead body and i don't want to look closely

 

[epossum]

No idea what make or origin that is, but I actually quite like that. It definitely has a quirky design, and one might even say it's somewhat flimsy looking in places, but that vice has an appeal all of its own, IMHO.

I find it becoming more appealing every time I look at it, Fretters. If no one can ID it that might be a good reason to keep it. After all, I can't go and try to sell a vise I can't even name the manufacturer of.

 

[zkling]

Its got a massive braze weld on the dynamic jaw. If it was a gold vein, i would be rich from all that metal. You can see the burns on either side of the welds, (the rusty part) from where they heated it up to put it back together. Its about ¾" wide and sticks up ¼" in some places.

I would take more pictures but its like examining a dead body and i don't want to look closely

You really don't like repaired vises do you? How do you think it failed? Fall over? I remember back Autopts? had one like that. In use the screw would keep it in compression, so I kinda doubt if it was broken like that from over tightening?

 

[zkling]

Been working on cleaning up a sad Prentiss 53 for welding table use. Got it stripped down last night. It's really not that horrible all things considered. Although who ever brazed it was not stingy with the braze. Two questions for the experts please.

1.) It appears there was a lead? washer between the dynamic jaw and the screw retainer. Any issues if I just replace this with a bronze washer?

2.) The first thread in the nut has cracked and pulled away from the rest of the nut. Amazingly the screw and remaining nut threads are in good condition. I plan on just cutting the nut back one thread where it is not cracked and getting a fresh thread start. Any problems with that? It's going to be used on a welding table for holding hot things. Not heavy press work. It was a $5 beater so please keep that in mind.

 

[bigcaddy]

You really don't like repaired vises do you? How do you think it failed? Fall over? I remember back Autopts? had one like that. In use the screw would keep it in compression, so I kinda doubt if it was broken like that from over tightening?

I mentioned to Fretters earlier that it was caused by a caveman with a cheater bar. They had something clamped in the vise and were pulling towards themselves and snapped the jaw right off.

 

[jpickar]

LMAO!!! Maybe I need more coffee here but all I can think of is "Oh Reed baby, you slide in and out so smoothly!!!!! Open up more, more, more!!!!"

That settles it. Mine's gonna have a guy's name, I don't care.

LMAO.............this forum never ceases to amaze me.

John

 

[Fretters]

I don't have my Cockney to English translation dictionary with me but if "numpty" means ******* caveman with a cheater bar, then we are on the same page. The jaws don't line up face to face or side to side. It looked good at first but the precision is gone.

Cockney my bottom. They're Southerners. Pretty much close enough for numpty on the translation. The pictures don't do the damage justice, by the sounds of it. Can make out the large run of braze easily enough, but alignment doesn't look that bad in the photo's. A shame is that, the extent of the damage.

I find it becoming more appealing every time I look at it, Fretters. If no one can ID it that might be a good reason to keep it. After all, I can't go and try to sell a vise I can't even name the manufacturer of.

Sounds a good enough excuse to me. That vice is akin to an old Austin Mini. Looks a bit unusual, drive is nothing to write home about, performance ain't great, yet they're just one of those cars you want.

1.) It appears there was a lead? washer between the dynamic jaw and the screw retainer. Any issues if I just replace this with a bronze washer?

Unless they have some really funky setup, that'll work fine.

2.) The first thread in the nut has cracked and pulled away from the rest of the nut. Amazingly the screw and remaining nut threads are in good condition. I plan on just cutting the nut back one thread where it is not cracked and getting a fresh thread start. Any problems with that? It's going to be used on a welding table for holding hot things. Not heavy press work. It was a $5 beater so please keep that in mind.

It won't make a jot of difference. The nuts are so long on most vices that there's a good 50%+ more thread than is actually necessary for acceptable use.

 

[Fretters]

Well, those two vices turned up today. Rarely a good sign when you're greeted by a box looking like this.

The packing for each vice consisted of this, (one piece per vice).

With a final packing of this.

I do wish some people would learn to appreciate the fact that it ain't acceptable to pack anything like that. Sturdy vices may be, but they can be damaged just like owt else. That last photo is the complete packaging they arrived with. The vices were flopping around in the box like there was no tomorrow.