The VISES of Garage Journal

[JeremyBurke]

Thanks
Think just brush the dust off it and rub a little spit into it and call it a day?
I am pretty excited to have it. And it weighs far more than it looks like it should.

If I bead blasted it would it stay looking "fresh" for a while still? I'm just not one for the rusted look in my garage, lol.

A lot of the guys here use E-Tanks to get the rust off as well. There is a pretty great thread HERE. Hope it helps.

 

[bgarrett]

Ugly!

LOL nice find on your Wilton.

Mine one will clean up nice.

hahaha Thanks
I got a case of gearlube for $20 too

 

[drivesitfar]

Oldie: Kevin provided a nicer fix on the back of his truck than what that old vise you saw on Ebay would end up like even with his magic hands and tools.

Mr. Scott: more good vise **** per the usual and if Oldie doesn't end up wanting that nice Reed please PM or email me. very clean looking big Reed.

EgaPGT: wish you lived closer and you could have your pick of several for temporary bench time in your shop.

Outlaw: i'm afraid your old "great" eyes are probably right on with my half busted Rock Island vise. i think the back of the dynamic might have welds on top and side and when i get time to pull the screw i'll see for sure. in the meantime here are some better pictures of what not to buy. For $25 i probably have a good screw, vise nut and swivel base. the jaws on the beat up other parts i wish i could swap out onto another vise, but heck it works so i just might grease it up and put it outside on a bench that is a little under an eave of my house.

 

[drivesitfar]

it's been a few days since i posted a vise that didn't need anything but a little new grease so here is a Morgan Aurora that might have had the easiest life of any maybe 40 year old plus vise i know of.

any guess to the age of this one? it's 4 inch wide jaws and just like all my Morgan vises they open very wide and have a nice shelf to hold the dynamic jaw on to help with those big jobs. it weighs in at 39.2 pounds.

 

[Outlawmws]

Hi Jeff000,

Please DON"T us a sand or media blaster, as that would ruin any patina (And no it won't keep that look long...). I agree the thing is a brute. I think a bath in an E-tank, a session with a fine wire wheel, and then oil it; Leaving it naked, would suit its look extremely well...

 

[McBrownie]

I finally went and took the vice from my old mans garage for my garage. It was his fathers. I would guess from the 50's at least.

It's a Northern King, and Made in Canada.

I'd love to make it look all pretty again, but how? And does anyone know what color it used to be?

That is a nice old piece of iron! Being from the '50s, it could have been a drab institutional gray. Whatever color you decide on, I think it deserves a Maple Leaf front and center on the dynamic jaw.

 

[McBrownie]

Hello everyone. I'm new here (obviously) and I was hoping you guys could help me out. I am in the process of building a steel workbench at a buddy of mine's shop.

The top of the bench will be 1/4 inch mild steel. I bought a vise on ebay the other day to mount to this bench. The vise is a used Wilton of indeterminate age. I know absolutely nothing about vises, but after lurking this forum for the past week (stealing ideas for my workbench), I know you guys are experts. Anyway, the vise I bought is a "WIlton #4. 4 1/2" swivel vise". According to the seller it was made in the USA and there is a stamped number on the bottom - 76653-03.

Now, for my question. I want to drill mounting holes in my bench while it is still at my friend's shop. However, it is leaving the shop tomorrow night and I won't get the vise until next week. I was trying to figure out the exact model of vise so that I could maybe mock up a template of the base so that I can drill the holes without having the vise. I have attached the images from the ebay listing.

I really hope you guys can help. Thank you very much!

Frank

Welcome! Here is what I see in my crystal ball:

1) You ARE going to have a steel top workbench.
2) You ARE reading "The VISES of Garage Journal"
3) You WILL be bolting down a 150+ pound piece of old iron in the near future.

 

[zkling]

Hi Jeff000,

Please DON"T us a sand or media blaster, as that would ruin any patina (And no it won't keep that look long...). I agree the thing is a brute. I think a bath in an E-tank, a session with a fine wire wheel, and then oil it; Leaving it naked, would suit its look extremely well...

How about a nice coat of hot pink paint?

 

[balane]

It's been a while since I've seen a Northern King vise with original paint but I'm decently confident they were darker red, maybe a brick red. Can you strip it apart and see if you can find any spots with some paint left?

 

[McBrownie]

It's been a while since I've seen a Northern King vise with original paint but I'm decently confident they were darker red, maybe a brick red. Can you strip it apart and see if you can find any spots with some paint left?

Aha! A white Maple Leaf would fit perfectly!

 

[autopts]

S. Wilton 9-500 5" bullet, Guar Exp date 12 50, Chicago "

Nice old bullet. Did you actually see "GUAR EXP DATE" stamped on the keyway? I didn't think Wilton started that until about 10 years later

 

[75R1]

Just picked up another small Parker over the weekend for $25! Model 973. Should fit right in with the 954 and the 974 1/2

 

[zkling]

Just picked up another small Parker over the weekend for $25! Model 973. Should fit right in with the 954 and the 974 1/2

Very nice. Is it missing a swivel lock down or is that an optional alternative location?

 

[bluebolt]

Nice old bullet. Did you actually see "GUAR EXP DATE" stamped on the keyway? I didn't think Wilton started that until about 10 years later

Oh mighty Autopts is correct, a re-examination of the date reveals it is actually 12 31 59, not 50. It does say GUAR EXP DATE making this being sold on the last day of 1954 if I remember my info right.

I blame the crappy antique store lights!

Side note do they keep antique stores dark so you don't see the flaws LOL.

 

[331CID]

I think this is a china cheapie, but I don't know much about vises. Let me know, paid 20 for it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bluebolt]

Yep China cheapie but if you didn't have a vise it's usable until you find a good USA vise!

 

[dismayed]

Found a nice Craftsman with 3.5" jaws today that matches my larger 5" jaw version! It is missing the handle for the base, not sure what I'll do for that but I'm super happy to find this one (and for free!) I saw this as I picked up some other hand tools and asked about it; it was the guys' grandfathers and he was packing up the house. I asked him if he'd sell it and he said, $10 but I only had a $20 so he said "you must really like these, so just take it!"

 

[mike5511]

New one. Ductile steel, not cast. More vise than I'll ever need!

 

[jeff000]

Hi Jeff000,

Please DON"T us a sand or media blaster, as that would ruin any patina (And no it won't keep that look long...). I agree the thing is a brute. I think a bath in an E-tank, a session with a fine wire wheel, and then oil it; Leaving it naked, would suit its look extremely well...

Hmm oiled would look ok too.

That is a nice old piece of iron! Being from the '50s, it could have been a drab institutional gray. Whatever color you decide on, I think it deserves a Maple Leaf front and center on the dynamic jaw.

Love the Maple leaf idea!

How about a nice coat of hot pink paint?

I do have hot pink marking paint in the garage.... And the wife would let me buy more tools if they came in pink I am sure. lol.

It's been a while since I've seen a Northern King vise with original paint but I'm decently confident they were darker red, maybe a brick red. Can you strip it apart and see if you can find any spots with some paint left?

I'm just heading out of town, but I'll strip it when I am back on the weekend and see if I can find anything left. But a nice red with a white maple leaf would look pretty good either way.

 

[Egapgt]

Parker 974 Tuneup??

Looking for some opinions on what to do (if anything) about a small amount (1/32" +/- as measured at the back end) of slide wobble left to right as the spindle is turned. It sure looks like more than a 32nd but the ruler tells true. I thought the bushing I put in where the spindle enters the movable jaw would eliminate it, but no.
1. Is this just normal and the answer is to leave well enough alone?
2. Should a shim be installed within and at the bottom of the fixed jaw casting? (A 0.016 feeler gauge was temporarily installed and the wobble disappeared to the eye.)
3. Some other way.

I suspect the root cause(s) are are a combination of things. Heck, I'm not quite 70 and have more wobble than the vise!

 

[bluebolt]

Very nice. Is it missing a swivel lock down or is that an optional alternative location?

It's probably neither, if it's like my Parker that is the anchor for the unique drum brake style swivel lock mechanism.

 

[Pyromancer]

Welcome! Here is what I see in my crystal ball:

1) You ARE going to have a steel top workbench.
2) You ARE reading "The VISES of Garage Journal"
3) You WILL be bolting down a 150+ pound piece of old iron in the near future.

Thanks for the prediction McBrownie, didn't realize it was a crystal ball type question.

Since you are talking about a 150 lbs. vice in my future, I am assuming you think I won't be keeping this vise for very long (unless I am very wrong, I can't see the vise I bought being 150 lbs.). Should I take that to mean I bought a piece of junk? Maybe I should have tried to buy one from one of the members on this forum.

 

[McBrownie]

Thanks for the prediction McBrownie, didn't realize it was a crystal ball type question.

Since you are talking about a 150 lbs. vice in my future, I am assuming you think I won't be keeping this vise for very long (unless I am very wrong, I can't see the vise I bought being 150 lbs.). Should I take that to mean I bought a piece of junk? Maybe I should have tried to buy one from one of the members on this forum.

Nope, not saying it is a piece of junk at all. I have yet to see anyone, who is on this forum, stop at just one vise. Just my opinion, but my guess is that as you see some pictures you will start to think "I could really use one of those, or one like that." Or, "OH, I have to have That One!"

And, since you will have a nice strong bench, I'm thinking it will be a big one.

 

[Pyromancer]

I think you speak wisdom, McBrownie. Once I start looking into things I can get a little obsessive about them.

Which brings me back to my earlier question. Any "Wilton #4" I've seen is a bullet vise (which this isn't), and that part number (76653-03) only brought up hits for a Craftsman vise, which really doesn't make sense to me. Could it be some type of common swivel base used by more than one vise company? Would Wilton (or Craftsman) do that?

Thanks.

 

[Alexbn921]

I picked this Reed 204 1/2 the other day. It is in pretty good shape for its age. I date it 1914-1925. It came from a building built in late 1910's.
One of the balls on the handle is loose so I will have to do something about that.

 

[jakemac]

Sweeeeeeeet !

 

[drivesitfar]

New one. Ductile steel, not cast. More vise than I'll ever need!

this is a Yost version of the import versions we usually see so many of that are cheap and broken. yours is an awesome looking vise and if i'm not mistaken a US made one. if i needed that style of vise and couldn't find one over 60 years old yours would be the one i'd buy. nice choice and don't use it as an anvil or a press and that one should last for your grandkids i think.

Pyro:Craftsman never made any of their own vises that i know of, but i don't think Wilton ever made any for them. Reed, Starrett and Columbian vise company's did. if i remember your first post correctly the vise you have is fairly common and found for reasonable pricing on Craigs so maybe you can find a donor one to make one good vise. by the way welcome to Garage Journal and i hope you learn what you need to know and teach us something you might know that will help us.

 

[Filson]

Pyro:Craftsman never made any of their own vises that i know of, but i don't think Wilton ever made any for them. Reed, Starrett and Columbian vise company's did. if i remember your first post correctly the vise you have is fairly common and found for reasonable pricing on Craigs so maybe you can find a donor one to make one good vise. by the way welcome to Garage Journal and i hope you learn what you need to know and teach us something you might know that will help us.

Rock Island did as well.

So who made the 5196/7/8?

 

[drivesitfar]

Starrett made the Craftsman 5196, 7 and i'm guessing the 8 if it was ever made. when did Rock Island make vises for Craftsman? any pictures of any to share of one or more of them?

 

[joe.striper]

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/sys/4468906342.html

Athol 614 in original condition. About 1 mile from my house, no swivel base so no interest from me. Putting it out there, saw this in the flesh, looks good. I can accommodate anyone on this board if they are interested.

 

[oldldh]

Drivesit---

Outlaw is the resident Guru on all things Craftsman...

And he thinks the 519X series were made by Columbian...

I have always gone that way, but there is a bit of "Reedness" about them...

And they were a lot heavier than Columbian's own, similar sized vises...

I wouldn't have any better guess...the vises that followed the "Ever Elusive" 519X series do look like Columbian products, so that's what we've gone with...

If anyone has any more accurate knowledge on their origin, we'd love to hear it...

 

[gear_driven]

Here is a pic of the vise I use, I got it from my grandfather, its missing the handle, so I use an extension in its place.

 

[454ragtop]

Thanks for the prediction McBrownie, didn't realize it was a crystal ball type question.

Since you are talking about a 150 lbs. vice in my future, I am assuming you think I won't be keeping this vise for very long (unless I am very wrong, I can't see the vise I bought being 150 lbs.). Should I take that to mean I bought a piece of junk? Maybe I should have tried to buy one from one of the members on this forum.

Pyromancer, I'm pretty sure that is a Wilton 654. I posted pics of one I picked up a couple weeks ago. Somewhat of a light to medium duty vise, made in USA. Strangely it says 4" cast right in the side of it, but it actually measures 4-1/2", go figure.
HTH, Jim

 

[McBrownie]

Just picked up another small Parker over the weekend for $25! Model 973. Should fit right in with the 954 and the 974 1/2

Very nice 973. That size is perfect for home use, in my opinion. I wanted one of those, but jumped on this old tired 203. I'm beginning to think the 203 needed me more than I needed it.

 

[McBrownie]

Drivesit---

Outlaw is the resident Guru on all things Craftsman...

And he thinks the 519X series were made by Columbian...

I have always gone that way, but there is a bit of "Reedness" about them...

And they were a lot heavier than Columbian's own, similar sized vises...

I wouldn't have any better guess...the vises that followed the "Ever Elusive" 519X series do look like Columbian products, so that's what we've gone with...

If anyone has any more accurate knowledge on their origin, we'd love to hear it...

Oldldh, do you know when that add was published? I guessed 1965 and calculated (or let an app calculate) the cost of that elusive one in today's dollars. $54 in 1965 is worth $406 today. There is no way that was a big seller back in the day. Do you think they sold zero? I don't think so. It had to be a small run, but some must have been made. The search continues.

 

[FMC1959]

I think this is a china cheapie, but I don't know much about vises. Let me know, paid 20 for it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It has certain European lines to it, or as you suspect made in China. One thing for sure, it isn't old Made in the US vise. With the numbering schemes on the old US vises, this would suggest a 6" and any old US 6", you would have put a serious dent on that trunk lid!

 

[McBrownie]

It has certain European lines to it, or as you suspect made in China. One thing for sure, it isn't old Made in the US vise. With the numbering schemes on the old US vises, this would suggest a 6" and any old US 6", you would have put a serious dent on that trunk lid!

I had a Dodge with that same paint job. My guess is that it was special option, but I got it for free.

 

[FMC1959]

Oldldh, do you know when that add was published? I guessed 1965 and calculated (or let an app calculate) the cost of that elusive one in today's dollars. $54 in 1965 is worth $406 today. There is no way that was a big seller back in the day. Do you think they sold zero? I don't think so. It had to be a small run, but some must have been made. The search continues.

That is a 5"vise that weighs 107 lbs, that is a very stout vise. In today's market you would be looking at the highest end machinist or combo vise by Wilton or Yost, which are easily double $406. So they would have been decent price at $54 back in the day.

I would guess that Craftsman catered more to the homeowner, the serious shop or MFR would look to buy from names like Yost, Wilton, Columbian and whatever the big names were in the day. These names made 6" to 9" vise for businesses, while the odd business may have bought Craftsman, I don't think they made the big vises because 5" is bigger than most homeowners would buy (crazy CG members excluded of course).

Again, just my guess, but the reason they may be so scarce is that the 5198fell into the in-between no man's land of to big for the average homeowner, and not many businesses would look at Craftsman.

 

[bl00]

I have always gone that way, but there is a bit of "Reedness" about them...

Nothing intelligent to add, but I also think Reed was the OEM. No one else that I know of has ever used the oil holes on the side.

 

[McBrownie]

That is a 5"vise that weighs 107 lbs, that is a very stout vise. In today's market you would be looking at the highest end machinist or combo vise by Wilton or Yost, which are easily double $406. So they would have been decent price at $54 back in the day.

I would guess that Craftsman catered more to the homeowner, the serious shop or MFR would look to buy from names like Yost, Wilton, Columbian and whatever the big names were in the day. These names made 6" to 9" vise for businesses, while the odd business may have bought Craftsman, I don't think they made the big vises because 5" is bigger than most homeowners would buy (crazy CG members excluded of course).

Again, just my guess, but the reason they may be so scarce is that the 5198fell into the in-between no man's land of to big for the average homeowner, and not many businesses would look at Craftsman.

You got me thinking. With all of our "productivity" gains in our global economy, we should be getting more for less, right? So a quick look for a 5" Wilton Mechanics vise on Amazon turns up this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009SBFJNA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

$412 including shipping. Darn close to the same price BUT!!!! - its only 48.6 pounds. Hmmmm. Think it is as strong as the old 5198? We have to wait for Oldldh to find one, then we can have a vise showdown.