The VISES of Garage Journal

[HoosierMark]

I see his ad is now off CL Indianapolis so I assume he has sold it . His price was $80. I was hesitant to post the link as I did not want someone to slip in and acquire it. When I looked at it he did say he had another party interested but gave me first look since I was 10 miles away. Thanks for the comments.

 

[AndrewH]

Andrew, if you want me to go take a look at that Hollands just let me know. I work about 15 minutes away from Tallmadge (home of Summit Racing). Don't worry I won't buy it out from under you

I'd totally ask you to go get it and hold onto it for me but I don't have any way of sending you the money as I don't use PayPal and $250 is a lot to cover until I can get down there. Thank you though, it's much appreciated!

 

[wrenchMONKEY_]

Tagged as a reminder to put up pictures of my Brockhaus Heuer Vise 140

 

[Fretters]

but eventually after about a week I prevailed with a very large sledge. When I got to that point I didn't care if I broke the entire jaw off, I just knew that flippin' pin was coming out one way or another!

It's no fun when something gives you a whipping like that, is it. Not vice related, but I once lost patience somewhat with a crank on the end of a tapered shaft. That ****** just would not come off, over the space of several weeks, no matter what I tried. Lost patience a tad one day and got a 2.5lb hammer on it. Still didn't budge. Ended up being a fairly simple process to remove in the end, using a method I'd already tried and failed with. I just needed to beef up the parts I used for the process somewhat. Saying that though, I say simple, but I dread to think how much pressure I had to apply to it before the seal cracked and they parted company. It was in an enclosed space, hence pullers etc. were useless, and a piece of 3mm steel plate I'd used to bridge the gap on a previous attempt had almost been punched through due to their being so much pressure applied against it.

Ended up with a half inch bolt and a corresponding sleeve for it to slide into, sat on a piece of 10mm thick plate. Think of something akin to a machinist jack on steroids. A second nut on the threaded portion of the bolt was then used to jack it up, so to speak. Even then, I had to really lean on the spanners before that seal between the two cracked. I'd reached that point where you're applying so much pressure that I was half expecting one of the spanners to actually start bending or the bolt/nut to round, so you can fair guess how much I was leaning on them. I had my full bodyweight on one of the spanners, so if something had given way, I'd have likely ended up with some form of rather embarrassing injury to recount. It wasn't helped by the fact that I only had a gap of a few inch between the end of the tapered shaft and an upright which the opposite shaft sat in, hence why pullers etc. couldn't be used. Nothing standard would fit in there.

Anyhows, getting back on track, and to my point, you'll usually find that there is some subtler way to achieve a result than pounding on something. As much as certain things can drive you to it on occasion, (as we've both obviously encountered ), it's always worth stepping back and getting a second opinion if possible, before resorting to a large hammer, as that method does have a high possibility of causing damage to something. We were both lucky on one occasion, but it will happen eventually with the BFH method.

 

[McBrownie]

Here is a good vise story for a Friday. I work in Cleveland for a prominent Cleveland healthcare provider. For the past year or so, I have been working not in the state of the art medical facilities, but in a 100 year old factory in East Cleveland. This is the original factory where they used to make fine automobiles like Chapmans, Loizers, and Hupmobiles. If you are familiar with Cleveland, you know that the city of East Cleveland (yes, it's a separate municipality) is not a desirable locale - high crime rate, drugs, etc.. It was also the home of the Columbian vise company back in the day. (a little foreshadowing in case you didn't catch that )

We are finally moving out of this location and for the past month or so, the downstairs has been getting cleaned out to the point where there is some room to walk around. During lunch today, I decided to go see how that clean up has been going. I was able to see a part of the building that I usually couldn't get to:

Oh yes, it's there. You just can't see it in the gloom.......
View media item 41296
When I walked into the darkness, it appeared!!!
View media item 41297
Oh my!!! A Columbian!!!
View media item 41298
Look at the size of those jaws!!!
View media item 41299
It's a 606!!!
View media item 41300
It's mounted on a about a 24" tall piece of what appears to be 10-12" pipe. It's sits kind of low. The handle must be an 1" in diameter and still moves smoothly. It's a swiveling beast!!!

Here is my thought. I bet that vise was picked up from the factory years ago (which was only a few miles away), bolted down, and has never moved again.

The question is: Can this vise be had? I don't know the answer to that - yet. I will investigate.

 

[drivesitfar]

McB: Well that is a great story and i hope it has a happy ending. the stand needs to be with the vise and will look great with your block grinders.

my guess is the reason the vise is a little lower to the ground is because the heavy items the workers put inside it they didn't want to lift too high. if the back slide isn't cracked i'd say a trade for clean up time for the vise might be deal your boss or the owner might consider.

good luck

 

[jsharpphoto]

3-1/2 Fuller Japanese vise arrived today. The listing said "new in box". They weren't kidding.




Not the greatest vise on the planet, but good enough for household use. It doesn't take up much space on the bench, so it won't be in the way.

 

[AndrewH]

I can't imagine a health care provider needing a vise, so your odds are probably pretty good! Hope you get it!

 

[McBrownie]

McB: Well that is a great story and i hope it has a happy ending. the stand needs to be with the vise and will look great with your block grinders.

my guess is the reason the vise is a little lower to the ground is because the heavy items the workers put inside it they didn't want to lift too high. if the back slide isn't cracked i'd say a trade for clean up time for the vise might be deal your boss or the owner might consider.

good luck

I went down again and double-checked - no cracks. Having never seen a vise this size in person before, I had to clamp something in it. I grabbed a piece of pipe and when I tightened it down I heard the vise say in a very low voice - "Pooowwwweeeerrrrrrrrrr". Man, this thing does not fool around. Makes my Parker 974 seem a little, well, little. The stand is great. The pipe is welded to some thick diamond plate and it is not currently bolted to the floor. It must have been moved at some point. Maybe, I'll just throw it in my backpack.

 

[drivesitfar]

McB:I have a 205 M2 Columbian that is a beast and weighs 80 pounds so maybe if they don't go for the trade for your time how about offering up the little Wilton Bullet vise you just shined up.

Gotta love those 100 plus pound 70+ year old US vises and they don't have to be a 209 or a 5198 to get your attention. also i bet the stand weighs as much as the vise so if you don't have a cart or a fork lift you might want to pull out the dynamic all the way and remove the vise from the stand and carry home in 3 parts.

JS:it looks like you found a nice option to buying a new Tekton vise you were talking about buying. you've probably heard or read this before, but if you are cutting anything that your vise has in it's jaws or if your shop is fairly dusty you should put a rag over the open screw on your vise so all the crud and dust don't make it's way inside your vise nut.

 

[Steve V.]

The question is: Can this vise be had? I don't know the answer to that - yet. I will investigate.

I would be asking about those cabinets also. And anything else that I wanted. It's always free to ask. Even if you don't need the cabinets or have room you know some of your buddies do. Beats them going to a scrapper.

Steve

 

[PinchPoint]

Here's my newly refurbished Craftsman 0591 bench vise. This one has 6 49 stamped into the beam top. It was very clean to start with. The beam has a few blows to the left side. And a chip to the edge of the hammering pad.

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I bought this to sell! It was tore completely apart painted and lubed. This is as found no mud or welds. 125.00 would take it from my grubby hands...

 

[nine4gmc]

McB, nice find, hope you get to bring it home!

Pinchpoint, good looking Craftsman

 

[McBrownie]

McB:I have a 205 M2 Columbian that is a beast and weighs 80 pounds so maybe if they don't go for the trade for your time how about offering up the little Wilton Bullet vise you just shined up.

Gotta love those 100 plus pound 70+ year old US vises and they don't have to be a 209 or a 5198 to get your attention. also i bet the stand weighs as much as the vise so if you don't have a cart or a fork lift you might want to pull out the dynamic all the way and remove the vise from the stand and carry home in 3 parts.

it has my attention. I can't stop thinking about it! There is something mystical about the big iron. It must be like seeing Big Foot. I don't have a fork lift, so taking it apart is the only option. And, yes, that stand must stay with the vise. In fact, I consider it part of the vise. What a piece of history and it is literally right down the street from the original manufacturer. Columbian's last Cleveland address was on Bessemer Ave. (really bad neighborhood). Does anyone know where their foundry was?

 

[PinchPoint]

Here's a couple tradesman's I also have.

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A 1750 and 1760 By Wilton...

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Here is a good vise story for a Friday. I work in Cleveland for a prominent Cleveland healthcare provider. For the past year or so, I have been working not in the state of the art medical facilities, but in a 100 year old factory in East Cleveland. This is the original factory where they used to make fine automobiles like Chapmans, Loizers, and Hupmobiles. If you are familiar with Cleveland, you know that the city of East Cleveland (yes, it's a separate municipality) is not a desirable locale - high crime rate, drugs, etc.. It was also the home of the Columbian vise company back in the day. (a little foreshadowing in case you didn't catch that )

We are finally moving out of this location and for the past month or so, the downstairs has been getting cleaned out to the point where there is some room to walk around. During lunch today, I decided to go see how that clean up has been going. I was able to see a part of the building that I usually couldn't get to:

Oh yes, it's there. You just can't see it in the gloom.......
View media item 41296
When I walked into the darkness, it appeared!!!
View media item 41297
Oh my!!! A Columbian!!!
View media item 41298
Look at the size of those jaws!!!
View media item 41299
It's a 606!!!
View media item 41300
It's mounted on a about a 24" tall piece of what appears to be 10-12" pipe. It's sits kind of low. The handle must be an 1" in diameter and still moves smoothly. It's a swiveling beast!!!

Here is my thought. I bet that vise was picked up from the factory years ago (which was only a few miles away), bolted down, and has never moved again.

The question is: Can this vise be had? I don't know the answer to that - yet. I will investigate.

I wish I had your problem. Because by hook or by crook, that vise would join my family!

 

[AndrewH]

I don't want to say too much until it's in my car, but I believe I will be bringing something quite special home with me tomorrow, besides my 975!

Oh yeah, McB, after you get that Columbian home and decide it's more vise than you need, I have plenty of smaller ones that would suite your needs much better that I would gladly trade you for it

 

[AndrewH]

I didn't want to say anything before I had it in my possession, but, I am now apart of the Craftsman 5197 owners club! Found it sitting on CL for 3 days before i contacted him! The jaws look good, and overall the vise looks great, unfortunately it's missing the Craftsman badge though. Here's the CL pictures, I won't have better ones for a few hours.

 

[Outlawmws]

Oldldh is going to die, first PinchPoint with a nice 4" and now Andrew with the 4-1/2" 5197...

But Andrew, you don't want that < 6" pos..

So Andrew, fess up: what did they nick you on that? Oh' and did you hurt your back?

 

[AndrewH]

Oldldh is going to die, first PinchPoint with a nice 4" and now Andrew with the 4-1/2" 5197...

But Andrew, you don't want that < 6" pos..

So Andrew, fess up: what did they nick you on that? Oh' and did you hurt your back?

I paid $100, and yes I know, no one has to tell me that I overpaid! 77 lbs of greatness, it's not my largest but it's definitely my most stylish!

 

[wrenchguy]

I didn't want to say anything before I had it in my possession, but, I am now apart of the Craftsman 5197 owners club! Found it sitting on CL for 3 days before i contacted him! The jaws look good, and overall the vise looks great, unfortunately it's missing the Craftsman badge though. Here's the CL pictures, I won't have better ones for a few hours.

real nice. close but no cigar........ on the 5198, i don't think they ever sold 1.

good luck.

 

[AndrewH]

I didn't want to say anything before I had it in my possession, but, I am now apart of the Craftsman 5197 owners club! Found it sitting on CL for 3 days before i contacted him! The jaws look good, and overall the vise looks great, unfortunately it's missing the Craftsman badge though. Here's the CL pictures, I won't have better ones for a few hours.

real nice. close but no cigar........ on the 5198, i don't think they ever sold 1.

good luck.

Considering I wasn't looking for either one of them, I'll take it!

 

[drivesitfar]

Andrew:nice find on the 5197. when you first saw it did your heart skip a beat thinking you found the 5198?

mine did each time when i found my 5195, 5196 and my 5197 and still waiting to find the Holy Grail that might be sitting in some old falling down barn or shop.

the way you are accumulating iron i'm thinking if anybody will find the 5198 first it might be you. it also might still be in the original box since nobody ever bought it from the store.

keep up the great work and would love to see you do your magic shining up the 5197 to bring it back to life. i wonder if you can borrow a label/badge from a saw or another machine for your vise since some are laying around as parts machines now?

 

[william.m.hamilton2]

Can anyone send me some pictures or dimensions on pipe jaws to fit a Monarch No. 402? It may be similar to a prentis, not sure about that. I have checked the swap thread and nothing is listed. Any help would be appeciated.

 

[oldldh]

I am now apart of the Craftsman 5197 owners club! Found it sitting on CL for 3 days before i contacted him! The jaws look good, and overall the vise looks great, unfortunately it's missing the Craftsman badge though.

Ya Dun Gud, Bubba!!!


The 519X series are the most stylish vises ever, in a lot of folks' opinion, but they are very substantial, too...(Your 5197 doesn't weigh 77 pounds---the missing badge takes it down to 76.96 lbs!!!)...


Now, a "loaded with photos" restoration would be nice...


And, (no doubt, you can see this coming---) may I recommend a color???


A pale pink, perhaps, or a lightly tinted rose blush, maybe???:supergay:


Oh, by the way, at $ 100.00, considering the rarity, and the selling prices these generate (over $ 300.00 on Ebay for a 5196, last year), and how hard I've been searching for one---I'll say it---


YOU ****!!!

 

[oldldh]

Pardon me, fellow vise junkies...


I think my envy was showing in my last post...


I've taken my medication, and now I feel much better...


I think I'll go oil up my "HooDoo VooDoo Doll" pins...

 

[jakemac]

I didn't have a camera with me, but at an estate sale this morning I found a Rock Island 577 (6" jaws, swivel base, bulbous nose) on a homemade 8" steel pipe stand. The vise was in excellent condition. No cracks, welds, or dings. The red paint was still bright.

My blood pressure shot up, my hands got sweaty, and I got all excited.

"How much for the vise ?"

"Not for sale."
AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! View media item 38438

 

[mtesh73]

witlon vises on craigslist

is it me or is everyone else coming across wilton bullet vises, that should have a swivel base without it? and people are asking insane money for them, "stationary base" the posts state, i dont get it.

 

[AndrewH]

Ya Dun Gud, Bubba!!!


The 519X series are the most stylish vises ever, in a lot of folks' opinion, but they are very substantial, too...(Your 5197 doesn't weigh 77 pounds---the missing badge takes it down to 76.96 lbs!!!)...


Now, a "loaded with photos" restoration would be nice...


And, (no doubt, you can see this coming---) may I recommend a color???


A pale pink, perhaps, or a lightly tinted rose blush, maybe???:supergay:


Oh, by the way, at $ 100.00, considering the rarity, and the selling prices these generate (over $ 300.00 on Ebay for a 5196, last year), and how hard I've been searching for one---I'll say it---


YOU ****!!!

Unfortunately it's not all happiness in paradise, it looks like someone tried and failed to remove the jaws so the phillips heads are all mangled up. I'll have to carefully drill them out, does anyone know if the screws are tapered? I've tried those stupid Grab It extractors, those things are a joke. It seems the only reliable way is to drill until the head disconnects from the body of the screw and then use a pair of vise grips / Kroil to remove the rest of the screw. Unless anyone else has a reliable GOOD idea?

 

[oldldh]

Can't get the jaw screws out, huh???


Goodie!!! Goodie!!!


I hope they're welded in with "Unobtainium Kryptonite"...


Serves you right, you Communist!!!!

 

[Outlawmws]

Somebody's blood pressure is up today...

 

[AndrewH]

Somebody's blood pressure is up today...

Can you blame him though? Everyone but him is finding 5197's

 

[oldldh]

If I croak...

It'll be your fault!!!

The northern part of this country is where all the manufacturing was, therefore most of the "good" vises migrated that way...

Down here, big vises are hard to come by...I mean, how big a vise do you need to hold a cotton ball...or an alligator...or a fish...

I'm not that upset about the 5197...

Hell yeah, I am...

 

[Outlawmws]

Can you blame him though? Everyone but him is finding 5197's

Everyone? Hmmm... did I miss something? (turns pockets out; finds only pocket lint and ancient cough drop...)

Dang it; now I'm pissed!

 

[JeremyBurke]

I disassembled my old Craftsman vise for cleaning and refurbishing today.



Not that there was any doubt who made these but this was on the main nut.


Here is the static as well if that gives anyone an idea of a manufacture date I would love to know.

 

[jakemac]

Long C logo and blue paint = late 30's to late 40's IIRC. Someone else will be by to refine it.

 

[oldldh]

Jeremy--

That series Craftsman are definitely "Reedy" looking...

Stout vises, those are...

 

[JeremyBurke]

I got a little more cleaning done. Does this mean the base fit the reed 204R of the same vintage?


Everything cleaned and ready for on e-tank tomorrow.

 

[antolod]

Peoria Illinois Craigslist has a craftsman 5162 listed for $50.00. I'd go buy it but can't I'm leaving for Florida. I don't know how to post a link but the ID is 4526887259

Thanks for the heads up. I'm headed over to pick it up tomorrow.

 

[AndrewH]

Here's a 6" vise posted in the Chicago CL, not sure of brand though. Might be worth checking out!

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/tls/4531573509.html

A Craftsman 5196 posted in Dayton area CL for $125

http://dayton.craigslist.org/tls/4531240340.html

Also a Parker 973 1/2 for $75

http://dayton.craigslist.org/tls/4532423034.html

And last but not least, a 4" Wilton non swivel for $75

http://dayton.craigslist.org/tls/4531791511.html

Whoever lives in Dayton is SLACKING!