The VISES of Garage Journal

[WallynSC]

Just curious. Been making swivel clamps lately and keep getting surprised by all the different thread size's Wilton used on their vises. Made this set tonight for my 925 Wilton.

Nice work.

 

[Craptain]

Just out of curiosity, (just one of those questions rattling around my head for no good reason ), those of you who restore your vices, how many of you paint the underside and other parts which aren't readily visible?

I always put something on it to stay the rusting. If I am taking the trouble to de-rust I am going to take a little extra to (try) keep it that way. And in any case with a spray bomb it takes hardly any paint and hardly any time.

 

[JasonJ]

Too provide you with a modicum of solace, the first picture is a pristine 5196 that brought a tad less than $ 300.00 on Ebay, and the second is a properly restored 5196 in an appropriate color...

That "properly restored" vise has been my goal to surpass with my 5196. Hopefully this weekend I will be able to post a new picture that you can use for a properly restored 5196.

Fils on : that ***** about yours. If you ever decide to part it out, let me know. I'd be interested in the jaws and the screws.

 

[McBrownie]

Well, we finally got good enough weather in Northeast Ohio to allow me to put the finishing touches on a Parker 974. First a before picture to set the stage:

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This was a CL find and, although rusty, seems to have had a pretty easy life. The handle was a little bent, more on that later, and it was institutional green over black, over a few spots of what I think was the original slate gray.

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Now for the "after" photos. I stripped it down, leaving a little of the slate gray on for historical purposes , and primed and painted it Rustoleum Hammered Gray. I thought the color would be a little darker, but I kind of the like the fact that this is very close to a bare metal look. What I'm not happy about is that is chipping already! With all of the talk of powder coating around here, that may be an option. Time for a group buy from CudaChick!

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I'm sure you noticed the awesome handle made by fellow member RitzBlitz. Very solid stainless steel and a fast turn-around, as well. Highly recommended. Because the handle is so smooth, I used a small plug of oil-soaked leather on the detent spring instead of a piece of metal. It holds just fine and doesn't scrape. I really like the look and feel of the handle over the original "swedged" ends that were on the post-Patent 1930 974's. This is how it should have come from the factory, IMO.

The front collar was "twisted" like a casting defect (they don't make 'em like they used to ) and didn't fit right. I did lot of grinding, fitting, and got it tuned up to where it has less that 1/4 turn of backlash now. While I was in there, I also fitted the dynamic jaw with a bronze motor bushing to get rid of spindle slop like others have done around here. Those little details made a big difference.

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The jaws were in really good shape with a fairly good serrations still left on the pads. Sure there is a ding or two, but not bad for being 60 years old. A light touch on a sanding disc is all it took to get them cleaned up. I did drive out the pins and replaced with new. They were .207" which turns out to be #4 Oil-Hard Drill Rod. A quick call to Graingers and $7 later and I had 3ft of it at my front door. Could not find that stuff locally, btw.

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Here it is on the bench next to displaced Wilton 9300 and a Wilton 7" wood vise for size comparisons. With all of the talk of 6-8" vises here, it's important to realize how big this 4-incher really is. Don't worry, the Wilton is happy in its new space at the other end of the bench.

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In the queue is a Parker 203 that needs some serious attention. More to come on that one later.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Nice Work

 

[CudaChick1968]

Ooohhh, nice job on the Parker! I'm digging on RitzBlitz's handle too (I contacted him about my Reed's perfect-on-one-end-and-pitted-to-Hell-on-the-other and was impressed to start with).

As far as the group buy goes, bring 'em on!!! It's probably a much better idea though to give me a little time to get up to speed on my warm up vises so I don't have to practice on yours. Heh hehhhhhhh Either way it'd be fun.

 

[CudaChick1968]

Depending on how you feel about evilprey:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Pho...299?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item417fa6b63b

IMHO, a bit on the high side, but Phoenix is very readable.

There is another Phoenix vise listed, but the fuzzy focus images give me great pause...

JKB

Oh God, despite the high price tag on this one JKB it's pretty obvious I'm turning into a die hard vise addict. Late at night reading my email while Billy's watching Two and a Half Men five feet behind me, I get "Oh God, more VISES?!?!?! Not AGAIN! Back away from the computer baby!"

I've already restored it in my head at least three times. The seller is going to post some better pictures for me ... sighhhhhhh ... the name alone is enough to sway me, but that little guy was also built on Billy's birthday (albeit 129 years earlier) so that's not helping me look the other way either.

Somebody throw me a rope! I'm going under ...

 

[Filson]

Thanks for all the uplifting comments guys. LOL

JasonJ - I'm gonna hang onto her for awhile I think, and see if I can find a part to replace the broken one with. If I decide to part her out, I'll let you know though.

 

[Filson]

Oh God, despite the high price tag on this one JKB it's pretty obvious I'm turning into a die hard vise addict. Late at night reading my email while Billy's watching Two and a Half Men five feet behind me, I get "Oh God, more VISES?!?!?! Not AGAIN! Back away from the computer baby!"

I've already restored it in my head at least three times. The seller is going to post some better pictures for me ... sighhhhhhh ... the name alone is enough to sway me, but that little guy was also built on Billy's birthday (albeit 129 years earlier) so that's not helping me look the other way either.

Somebody throw me a rope! I'm going under ...

You know you want it... Come on... It'll be fun... Treat yourself... Give in to the addiction... Haha, hey, someone had to be the evil voice.

 

[CudaChick1968]

"Not the original handle, but it works ..." Geeeeeee, ya think???? LMAO!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rmsg0040]

Before my trip to Buffalo, I ordered some new jaw plates + fiber grips for my Record #5 vise, grand total $30.21 from absupply.net

If I were to have bought the new jaws alone from ackland grainger in Canada it would have cost me $50

New jaw plates were a direct fit and the fiber jaws were surprisingly made in England

 

[LShee778]

That might be a Millers Falls. Most manufacturers a hundred years ago were using round knobs on the front and on the handle ends. Millers Falls had a lot of vises with cylinders instead of round knobs. Here are two that are similar to yours.

I've done some more research and mine does look VERY similar to the old Backus/Millers Falls vises. You may have hit the nail on the head there, but what about the similarities to this Reed:

Mine (for reference):

Lshee: it has the same handle as my LM & V vise i just posted. it also looks like the main screw is bolted on the end like mine should be and PGH's he just posted a couple days ago. can you take a couple pictures of the back so we can see how it is bolted and also some with the jaws open?

are those homemade jaws taken off easily because it doesn't look like the vise needs them to work correctly. or the original ones might have broken off and these were the owner's idea of a good fix.

B100 might be wright, but the Millers Falls vise doesn't look like the screw is bolted behind the dynamic jaw. there have been quite a few vises that were made with no name on them because i think the makers let the stores put their own labels on them which probably were not meant to last 100 years.

Provincial: you are right about the size of the threads being a lot bigger on my LM & V screw. i'll clean it up with a wire wheel to get the dirt and old dried grease off of it and take a better picture and try to find some of my thread pitch gauges that i think are buried in a box somewhere.

I will try to take some pics of the backside and how the main screw is bolted in.

That big support under the dynamic jaw screams Athol/Starrett to me.

You would think that they would've branded it somewhere though right?

 

[McBrownie]

Here it a C-0 great shape I picked up today under 200 almost mint.

That is a nice Wilton. Great buy on a barely-used vise.

 

[McBrownie]

So, $125 bucks for a broken Craftsman 5196. The only thing I can hope to do, is find another with a broken dynamic jaw that I can buy on the cheap, and use for parts.

Don't beat yourself up. I can think of worse ways to spend $125. At least you got a good story out of it. Also, oldldh is right, you will be able to pick up another half broken vise and combine them to make one completely broken vise.

 

[AndrewH]

Just finished scrubbing the slide of my Parker 105, didn't have primer on hand so I coated it in compressor oil until I can paint it.

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[McBrownie]

Scored this Parker 974 off CL tonight. look forward to getting it stripped and spruced up. everything is in great shape for $60. Should look good on the other end of the bench from my Yost.

That is a nice Parker and a deal at $60. Good job!

 

[indianbullet]

^^^^^^^ Thank you Brownie. I hope it looks half as good as the one below it when I'm finished.. That is a beautiful resto.

 

[Fretters]

Just finished scrubbing the slide of my Parker 105, didn't have primer on hand so I coated it in compressor oil until I can paint it.

You could have gone straight on with the paint. Primer is vastly over-rated, IMHO. Unless you're going onto a smooth surface and want to cover imperfections, straight paint is fine. You have a damn good key with cast. Provides a nicer finish too, I think. Doesn't sanitise the surface, so you get to see the cast.

 

[oldldh]

Also, oldldh is right, you will be able to pick up another half broken vise and combine them to make one completely broken vise.

No---No---


You're supposed to make one UNbroken vise!!!


Then you pile the left over parts in the corner, and trip over them for the next ten years!!!


Too many young whipper snappers need Adult Supervision!!!

 

[va.grouseman]

Seems like Mr. Filson is being consoled with some very humorous barbed wire.

 

[AndrewH]

You could have gone straight on with the paint. Primer is vastly over-rated, IMHO. Unless you're going onto a smooth surface and want to cover imperfections, straight paint is fine. You have a damn good key with cast. Provides a nicer finish too, I think. Doesn't sanitise the surface, so you get to see the cast.

I should have also mentioned that I don't have the paint either lol plus I haven't decided on a color scheme for it yet!

 

[IROC-Z28]

Before my trip to Buffalo, I ordered some new jaw plates + fiber grips for my Record #5 vise, grand total $30.21 from absupply.net

If I were to have bought the new jaws alone from ackland grainger in Canada it would have cost me $50

New jaw plates were a direct fit and the fiber jaws were surprisingly made in England

Nice!

 

[Outlawmws]

Oh God, despite the high price tag on this one JKB it's pretty obvious I'm turning into a die hard vise addict. Late at night reading my email while Billy's watching Two and a Half Men five feet behind me, I get "Oh God, more VISES?!?!?! Not AGAIN! Back away from the computer baby!"

I've already restored it in my head at least three times. The seller is going to post some better pictures for me ... sighhhhhhh ... the name alone is enough to sway me, but that little guy was also built on Billy's birthday (albeit 129 years earlier) so that's not helping me look the other way either.

Somebody throw me a rope! I'm going under ...

Chick, that is a Colton Pat. vise made under a number of different brand names cast in place. nice vises, I have two... I can post more info on it when I'm not at work...

And just tell Billy Boy that at least is a vise spelled with an "s" and not a "c"

 

[Fretters]

I should have also mentioned that I don't have the paint either lol plus I haven't decided on a color scheme for it yet!

That's does kind of put the spanner in the works then.

And just tell Billy Boy that at least is a vise spelled with an "s" and not a "c"

Not if one's English.

If I was CC, I'd make him regret saying that. Next time he was feeling a little frisky, it'd be: "Oh God, Not AGAIN! Back away from the goods baby!".

 

[Fretters]

Cheers for the replies regarding painting/coating the hidden bits chaps.

What I'm not happy about is that is chipping already! With all of the talk of powder coating around here, that may be an option.

Vice looks tidy. Wouldn't worry about the chipping. IMHO, a pristine paint job is akin to a tidy bench, as in it infers it isn't used.

 

[va.grouseman]

Here is some more big vise bait. 5.4 lbs.-----2 1/4'' jaws-----swivel base-----swivel jaw.

















Has a removable grooved steel block that I assume is for holding round stock.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm going to tie it to a fishing line-----And I'll be trolling for a 209.
If I hang a 2, or a 408------I'm throwing them back, I'll keep the bait.
I'll try it again another time-----It's just got to be a 209.

 

[C.BRAXMAIER]

Cuz your a County Sheriff, that's why

Lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Outlawmws]

VA. you have that chisel on the wrong side of the beveled jaw. I have a smaller version of that vise. They are handy!

 

[Outlawmws]

That's does kind of put the spanner in the works then.




Not if one's English.

If I was CC, I'd make him regret saying that. Next time he was feeling a little frisky, it'd be: "Oh God, Not AGAIN! Back away from the goods baby!".

But he's probably not...

And I'm not going NEAR that last comment! What goes around comes around!

 

[exmaxima1]

Before my trip to Buffalo, I ordered some new jaw plates + fiber grips for my Record #5 vise,

It's too bad you're in Canada, as I have a spare original swivel base for your Record #5

 

[EOC_Jason]

Filson - Do you have any high-res images of your sign? I think I might try to get one printed, I think Reed has some logo artwork on their site so would help out some.

 

[rmsg0040]

It's too bad you're in Canada, as I have a spare original swivel base for your Record #5

I actually have the swivel base and original mounting bolts to go with it, I decided to mount the vise to a bench grinder stand that is bolted to the floor.

 

[bigcaddy]

Thanks for all the uplifting comments guys. LOL

JasonJ - I'm gonna hang onto her for awhile I think, and see if I can find a part to replace the broken one with. If I decide to part her out, I'll let you know though.

Hey bud,

I checked the graveyard and don't have any spare Craftsman 519X vise parts laying around. If i come across any, ill let you know asap.

 

[bigcaddy]

I have many things going on right now and do not have the time I would like to restore some of the vise I have, so I have not posted any to date.

But for me, this was a great weekend!

I found a little Hercules (Canada) vise for $5, looks very much like a Littlestown #112, but that is not what made it a great weekend.

Not my biggest or oldest, but when I saw this for sale a little over an hours drive from my place, I freaked! A Reed 224!

I just took a look at my pile and my vise is indeed a Reed 214. The jaw towers don't stand as high so it seems they had 3 different styles of patternmaker vises. Nice find.

 

[Rust]

Finally done.



The problem is... it looks better than the bench.
Those are 8" lags into the 6" x 6" post.

 

[riggs1117]

Just picked up this Athol Starrett model 015 today. Seems like it must be a newer model as it appears not to be abused too much. Jaws are 5"

 

[AndrewH]

Got home from work and pulled out the other half, it turned out great! I just put the handle it but that will be polished, along with the jaws but I gotta get the rust off first!

 

[Fretters]

Finally done.

That looks lovely. Nicely done.

Just picked up this Athol Starrett model 015 today. Seems like it must be a newer model as it appears not to be abused too much. Jaws are 5"

That's a cute looking thing. Nice catch.

Got home from work and pulled out the other half, it turned out great!

Are you trying electrolysis out on this one?

 

[oldldh]

This beast is on Ebay for almost a grand...

I thought I'd post it to cause a little angst, and to give an old man a laugh...

Mercy, but I'm such a tease!!!

The photos are saved as close209 and close2091

The "Ever Elusive" 209 and his minion, the Craftsman 5198, shall be found, I hope...

 

[Jobes]

Looking for mounting options for my Wilton C1. I'd like a floor mount and bolted to the floor. Would this Jet model for grinders be safe or no?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331164735501