The VISES of Garage Journal
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mtesh73
Well-known member
kevin what are the actual knob "doughnuts" you are using in picture 1. is it something you machined or something that can be purchased?
drivesitfar
Well-known member
KM: nice pictures as usual and i'm really surprised you don't own a lathe with all that awesome metal that comes out ready to use from your shop. 
Getridofone: Balane's restorations sitting on his stump look pretty nice, but i'm always impressed with the shiny things you post on whatever stand you have handy. also i'm more than just a little jealous of a guy's driveway that is cement without a crack or weed and that's bigger than my house and yard combined.
I'm also curious what you and KMScott used to make the handle ends. any pictures of before and after that an old guy with a couple power tools can make???
Ritzblitz makes really nice handles if you might need one for you old or new vises. sorry i don't have a picture of one but McBrownie posted a couple of his Parker vises with new handles made by Ritz on them.
Getridofone: Balane's restorations sitting on his stump look pretty nice, but i'm always impressed with the shiny things you post on whatever stand you have handy. also i'm more than just a little jealous of a guy's driveway that is cement without a crack or weed and that's bigger than my house and yard combined.
I'm also curious what you and KMScott used to make the handle ends. any pictures of before and after that an old guy with a couple power tools can make???
Ritzblitz makes really nice handles if you might need one for you old or new vises. sorry i don't have a picture of one but McBrownie posted a couple of his Parker vises with new handles made by Ritz on them.
KMScott
Well-known member
I make them from bars, they match the vise knobs I replace. I have all different sizes and shapes but I am thinking of making a standard size like the Craftsman 51xx series or the Starrett design since I can make those on my CNC, I do not have a lathe and rent one when I need to make handles. Here is a drawing of a 800 handle I am making for a GJ member. I did not like the original knob end and talked the owner into this design, he wanted to add bumper's.
Drive, I have no room for a lathe or I would have one. I use my wood working lathe for polishing, I fit a three jaw chuck on it.
Drive, I have no room for a lathe or I would have one. I use my wood working lathe for polishing, I fit a three jaw chuck on it.
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drivesitfar
Well-known member
KM: I like the bigger knob better in your design because the original just doesn't look right.
do you ever get tired of looking or working on 6 inch and larger vises and especially the 8 inchers?
or anybody else??
I've yet to see an 8 inch one in person and maybe some day i will, but i do like looking at my little 6 inch ones that sit quietly on the benches, shelves, and stands around the shop ready to work. some of my smaller ones get my attention especially my Wilton Baby bullet, but the big ones are just cool dudes.
Anybody here or know the person that bought this Parker that Kevin made the 8 inch jaws for? it's at the top of the heap in the looks department and would be my Avitar if I owned it. i owned a 70 Mach 1 with a 428 a hundred years ago that didn't look this nice and it was about the same cost in 1977 with 30,000 miles on it.
do you ever get tired of looking or working on 6 inch and larger vises and especially the 8 inchers?
or anybody else??
I've yet to see an 8 inch one in person and maybe some day i will, but i do like looking at my little 6 inch ones that sit quietly on the benches, shelves, and stands around the shop ready to work. some of my smaller ones get my attention especially my Wilton Baby bullet, but the big ones are just cool dudes.
Anybody here or know the person that bought this Parker that Kevin made the 8 inch jaws for? it's at the top of the heap in the looks department and would be my Avitar if I owned it. i owned a 70 Mach 1 with a 428 a hundred years ago that didn't look this nice and it was about the same cost in 1977 with 30,000 miles on it.
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GETRIDAONE
Well-known member
Drivesitfar, I don't know who ended up with it but my last conversation was $1800.00 and I pay the freight. He really didn't want to ship it so I bet it is someone in the Arizona area.
Only that side of the house has new concrete. I wanted a larger parking area in front of the garage. The other side of the house is cracked and has weeds I wanted a basement and my wife wanted a house, you know who won that battle 
I look for old tire irons and pry bars at estate sales.
Only that side of the house has new concrete. I wanted a larger parking area in front of the garage. The other side of the house is cracked and has weeds
I wanted a basement and my wife wanted a house, you know who won that battle I look for old tire irons and pry bars at estate sales.
joe.striper
Well-known member
I thought it might be German, the initials standing for some monstrously long German name...but every every European tool I've ever seen has been metric and this vise is 100% SAE including the threads. Yes the jaws are 4.5"
Of course it could be English, they use SAE and of course the dreaded Whitworth. You know, you'd figure that Whitworth would be close to metric or sae, but as I recall nothing was even close!
It is an interesting vise and as I stated earlier, since it has -0- value I'm just going to hammer on it, but I will have to do something about that handle.
va.grouseman
Well-known member
Originally posted by Fretters.
Just out of curiosity, which fares better overall in the quality department; York or Wilton? I'm guessing the former has the edge.
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Fretters, I have 4 York's-----1-60,-----1-100,-----2-150's, and 3 bullet Wiltons and have never used either. How about that for a shame? But I've heard good reviews from people on both sides of the isle. Of course there are far more Wilton users than York on this side of the pond.
One case in York's defense is the shop where we take our cars for minor repairs. They use a 125 York. It's the only vise they have, and they've used it for 40 years. And the guy swears by it. Says it's just as tight and stout today as when they installed it. They pinch a lot of stuff in that thing. As a collector, I like both. Would have no problem using either, just always had something else bolted down at the time.
GETRIDAONE-----Beautiful job on your York by the way.
balane-----Another Rembrandt.
Drivesit.-----Don't know who got that 978, but I offered a fellow in Pa. $2100.00 for a 978,--NOS,--shelf stored,--near mint. He sold it for $3000.00.
Which one of you fellows got the bicycle vise. May as well fess up. If I wasn't paying for one right now, that one would be heading to Va. Whoever you are, I don't think I like you.
Just out of curiosity, which fares better overall in the quality department; York or Wilton? I'm guessing the former has the edge.
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Fretters, I have 4 York's-----1-60,-----1-100,-----2-150's, and 3 bullet Wiltons and have never used either. How about that for a shame? But I've heard good reviews from people on both sides of the isle. Of course there are far more Wilton users than York on this side of the pond.
One case in York's defense is the shop where we take our cars for minor repairs. They use a 125 York. It's the only vise they have, and they've used it for 40 years. And the guy swears by it. Says it's just as tight and stout today as when they installed it. They pinch a lot of stuff in that thing. As a collector, I like both. Would have no problem using either, just always had something else bolted down at the time.
GETRIDAONE-----Beautiful job on your York by the way.
balane-----Another Rembrandt.
Drivesit.-----Don't know who got that 978, but I offered a fellow in Pa. $2100.00 for a 978,--NOS,--shelf stored,--near mint. He sold it for $3000.00.
Which one of you fellows got the bicycle vise. May as well fess up. If I wasn't paying for one right now, that one would be heading to Va. Whoever you are, I don't think I like you.
FMC1959
Well-known member
drivesitfar, I thought you had a Prentiss 57 (7")?
AndrewH
Well-known member
That's still not an 8" vise lol
There truly is something impressive about an 8" vise, i know my Morgan 80 is truly a sight to behold.
zoomieport
Well-known member
I had to buy it, I think I have it's "Brother".
The "FRONT (dynamic)-swivel jaw" and "spring-loaded swivel base release" together were way too rare to be a coincidence to me. They have to be related...
I waited until this morning, hoping one of you guys woud buy it and save me the money.
But I woke up and it was still there, so I figured "what the hell"...
Take care!
ZOOM
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ganymede
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va.grouseman
Well-known member
Well I know it's got a good home Zoom. Good to know a true collector got that one. That's a rare piece. The total package. Wasn't kidding about pulling the trigger on that thing, but I don't like to pile up vise debt. I always figure that if you miss the boat that there'll be another ship leaving port eventually. There's not too many vises out there, that if you don't grab it, you'll never see another one like it. Although yours might be one. Just kidding about the not liking part.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Zoomie: nice purchase and how does that yard look in person or did you have it shipped?
Ganymeade: somebody else posted that stand with the Parker on it, but before anybody shells out $1500 clams for it look close. one of the jaws is missing on the vise and there is a huge weld/braze on the stand where i'm sure it was broken. it looks like a machine gun mount?
i did save the picture to my vise stand folder on my laptop just for the cool factor.
FMC: sorry no 7 inch or 8 inch Prentiss vises here and just a Prentiss #4 that has a swivel jaw, but it's missing a jaw insert and a vise nut before i can use it. still would like to see an 8 in person and several at once would be nice, but Virginia is a little far for a road trip with $4 per gallon.
All: anybody in Washington or Oregon own an 8 inch vise other than Filson who moved across the state 6 hours away now before i saw his Reed 208 in person? by the way where is Filson and JasonEOC?
Ganymeade: somebody else posted that stand with the Parker on it, but before anybody shells out $1500 clams for it look close. one of the jaws is missing on the vise and there is a huge weld/braze on the stand where i'm sure it was broken. it looks like a machine gun mount?
i did save the picture to my vise stand folder on my laptop just for the cool factor.
FMC: sorry no 7 inch or 8 inch Prentiss vises here and just a Prentiss #4 that has a swivel jaw, but it's missing a jaw insert and a vise nut before i can use it. still would like to see an 8 in person and several at once would be nice, but Virginia is a little far for a road trip with $4 per gallon.
All: anybody in Washington or Oregon own an 8 inch vise other than Filson who moved across the state 6 hours away now before i saw his Reed 208 in person? by the way where is Filson and JasonEOC?
SASORacing
Well-known member
Im considering getting this 6.5" Matco red vice, thoughts?
http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/MV6B/6-1-2-MECHANICS-BENCH-VISE/
http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/MV6B/6-1-2-MECHANICS-BENCH-VISE/
AndrewH
Well-known member
Don't. For $150 I just bought a Parker 956 (6" jaws, 142 lbs, Made in USA), and if you don't NEED a vise with 6.5" jaws you can find a bunch of sweet older vises on CL for less than the cost of that import.
ganymede
Well-known member
Oops . Sorry for the repost.
Didn't see the weld but I did notice the missing jaw and if It was less money and closer I'd still buy it and have a jaw made for it.
Didn't put 2 n 2 together and think that it could be a old mg mount but you could be right .
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Hello Friends,
Been working a lot so no time for vices. However, I found a CL vise ad that I thought was a hoot. Sorry, I don't know how to attach CL ads to the forum. It can be found on Louisville, Ky. Craigslist.
So here is the description:
KEEN KUTTER BENCH VISE / MAKE OFFER - $350 (SOUTHERN INDIANA)
Happy trails.
Been working a lot so no time for vices. However, I found a CL vise ad that I thought was a hoot. Sorry, I don't know how to attach CL ads to the forum. It can be found on Louisville, Ky. Craigslist.
So here is the description:
KEEN KUTTER BENCH VISE / MAKE OFFER - $350 (SOUTHERN INDIANA)
Happy trails.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Mark: i guess he wants more for the antique factor and the nice crack on the back slide. Some People's Kids
Gany: i'm not on duplicate post patrol and those kind of pictures can be posted several times in my opinion.
Get and Va: thanks for the heads up that i need to sell a couple kids to get an 8 incher. i guess i'll have to keep buying little ones and maybe some day trade 100 of them for a monster. still looking for the new owner of the Parker in Tuscon. i bet he has it barked next to his Old cars in a 20 car garage in Arizona.
Gany: i'm not on duplicate post patrol and those kind of pictures can be posted several times in my opinion.
Get and Va: thanks for the heads up that i need to sell a couple kids to get an 8 incher. i guess i'll have to keep buying little ones and maybe some day trade 100 of them for a monster. still looking for the new owner of the Parker in Tuscon. i bet he has it barked next to his Old cars in a 20 car garage in Arizona.
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joe.striper
Well-known member
oldldh
Well-known member
8" vises are nice...
The other day, I carried out the Craftsman 519X series to the "what if stage"...
As in, "What if they had made a Model 5201???"---
An 8" 519X series would have weighed, if they had kept at their 78% weight increase/per inch, an 8" would have weighed around 600 pounds!!!
Never would have happened, of course, but "Delusions-R-Me"...
Hell, I can't even find a 5" 5198!!!, and it's raining 5197's all over the place...
Well, there's always the search for the "Equally Elusive" 209...
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Joe---A Parker 974 is a day-um nice vise...
Brother Kevin Scott is our resident expert on Parker jaws...I do know that they're expensive, complicated to make, and not easy to fit...
Why do you want to change them??? In the photo they don't look too bad...
The other day, I carried out the Craftsman 519X series to the "what if stage"...
As in, "What if they had made a Model 5201???"---
An 8" 519X series would have weighed, if they had kept at their 78% weight increase/per inch, an 8" would have weighed around 600 pounds!!!
Never would have happened, of course, but "Delusions-R-Me"...
Hell, I can't even find a 5" 5198!!!, and it's raining 5197's all over the place...
Well, there's always the search for the "Equally Elusive" 209...
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Joe---A Parker 974 is a day-um nice vise...
Brother Kevin Scott is our resident expert on Parker jaws...I do know that they're expensive, complicated to make, and not easy to fit...
Why do you want to change them??? In the photo they don't look too bad...
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mtesh73
Well-known member
Picked up a C1 yesterday and got started on it>>>
here are the progress pictures since yesterday. i got a lot done in two days.
i had to make the lock down bars, the nuts were present but bars were not. thanks again to autopts (nick) for his tutorial on how to do this. it made making these a breeze. i used a wire wheel on the lock down nuts and main handle, wow what a difference from a 3M pad. i wanted to keep the vise as raw looking as possible so i went rustoleum antique pewter. this color is as close as i have seen to bare metal.
here are the progress pictures since yesterday. i got a lot done in two days.
i had to make the lock down bars, the nuts were present but bars were not. thanks again to autopts (nick) for his tutorial on how to do this. it made making these a breeze. i used a wire wheel on the lock down nuts and main handle, wow what a difference from a 3M pad. i wanted to keep the vise as raw looking as possible so i went rustoleum antique pewter. this color is as close as i have seen to bare metal.
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mtesh73
Well-known member
Steevo
Well-known member
As much as I would LOVE to have a big *** vise on a machine gun tripod, that one is a bit messed up.
Way cool idea though!
ganymede
Well-known member
I know, right.? I wonder what kind of gun if it was for one.
Looks kinda heavy for field use. Maybe a fortification or ship.
joe.striper
Well-known member
I just want to know if they are fiddly to remove and then return to the vise. I'll want to paint this one and refinish the jaws off the vise and then return them. There have been some REALLY nice Parkers on this site and this will be my first one, if I can get it for the right price that is.
Fantastic restoration (as usual)
Do you have any before pics?Great job on the restoration and swivel fab.
Every time I see one of those bullets restored I begin lusting again. 
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AndrewH
Well-known member
Getting closer to paint time!
However.. I finally got all the screws out of the static jaw in order to remove the jaw pad. I plan to see if it can be milled flat or just buy a new set from Morgan because the jaws meet at the top but there's about an 1/8" space on the bottom. I used the old weld a nut on trick on all three screws...
The problem is.. After getting all the screws out, I can NOT get the jaw pad off, I've beat it with a dead blow, and a 3 lb sledge. I don't want break the vise. Does any one have any ideas on how to get the damn thing off?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I'd like to finish this one up soon!
However.. I finally got all the screws out of the static jaw in order to remove the jaw pad. I plan to see if it can be milled flat or just buy a new set from Morgan because the jaws meet at the top but there's about an 1/8" space on the bottom. I used the old weld a nut on trick on all three screws...
The problem is.. After getting all the screws out, I can NOT get the jaw pad off, I've beat it with a dead blow, and a 3 lb sledge. I don't want break the vise. Does any one have any ideas on how to get the damn thing off?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I'd like to finish this one up soon!
drivesitfar
Well-known member
have you tried a little heat? i had a set of jaws held on with JB Weld and maybe your prior owner did that or has some epoxy glue holding them on.
if it's only rust then maybe some PB blaster or Kroil?
if it's only rust then maybe some PB blaster or Kroil?
AndrewH
Well-known member
Welding the nuts on caused the jaw pad to be way too hot to touch. Heat was applied from the beginning.
Last resort is going to be drilling a hole in the side of the jaw pad that I can get a punch into so it won't jump around and whacking the hell out of it.
Edit: 100% positive there was/is no JB Weld, it'd be pointless as the three screws are just fine, threads are good, they will certainly hold the jaw pad all on their own. Just stripped out on the slotted part, thus requiring the welding.
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Rusty Musket
Well-known member
drivesitfar,
I have an 8", 300 pound Parker #978 down in Portland. You are welcome to check it out next time you are in town.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3000042&postcount=7836
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That looks really clean, what method did you use to strip it to that point?
As for the stuck jaw I'd try slowly going at one end with a small cold chisle and hammer. If you could get it broken loose by opening up one end and gently prying I bet it would come free. Or you could try working up a slide hammer arrangement to pull it off, but that would probably marr up the jaw a good bit. Reminds me of those dang hub dust covers that are so challenging to remove.
First I'd start with a good night or two of a soak in ATF/Acetone.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Andrew: Maybe the cast and the steel became one over the 100 years and are stronger now than they would be if you take them off and put them back on. are you trying to flip them or replace or??
Rusty: we'll have to make that happen and thanks for offering. i might be down your way sometime in July and i'll try to give you a little notice. PM or post any of my vises you might like me to bring that I own.
Rusty: we'll have to make that happen and thanks for offering. i might be down your way sometime in July and i'll try to give you a little notice. PM or post any of my vises you might like me to bring that I own.
AndrewH
Well-known member
That looks really clean, what method did you use to strip it to that point?
As for the stuck jaw I'd try slowly going at one end with a small cold chisle and hammer. If you could get it broken loose by opening up one end and gently prying I bet it would come free. Or you could try working up a slide hammer arrangement to pull it off, but that would probably marr up the jaw a good bit. Reminds me of those dang hub dust covers that are so challenging to remove.
First I'd start with a good night or two of a soak in ATF/Acetone.
I've tried the whacking it from the side, that was the first thing I did because that always works on Parker jaws. I may give my cold chisel a shot.
In order to get that finish, I let it sit in an electrolysis bath for 2 weeks.. After it came out I wasn't satisfied with the results so I let it dry after wire wheeling it, then I threw it in the blast cabinet and hit with 60 grit glass bead. Once that was done, I hit it with the wire wheel again to smooth it back out. Needless to say, I've got a ton of time invested in this bad boy and don't want to crack it now!
Andrew: Maybe the cast and the steel became one over the 100 years and are stronger now than they would be if you take them off and put them back on. are you trying to flip them or replace or??
Rusty: we'll have to make that happen and thanks for offering. i might be down your way sometime in July and i'll try to give you a little notice. PM or post any of my vises you might like me to bring that I own.
As I said in my previous post, I'm going to see if I can mill them flat and if that fails, I'll buy a new set from Morgan, there is no flipping them as they are U shaped. Unless you meant making the bottom the top, in which case that would only put the gap at the top instead of the bottom.
Where the heck have you been? Your 5184 is about to get thrown in the blast cabinet and painted with whatever color I have on hand, maybe even a 2 tone!
You've missed my recent buys, to make it short, I've picked up a Parker 976 and 956 as well as a Craftsman 5197 plus a few others since you've posted in here!
Rusty Musket
Well-known member
I got a 6" bullet from a buddy yesterday. It has been sitting out in the rain for a few years and it was frozen up pretty solid. I worked on it for a few hours last night and finally got it freed up this morning.
It's a #60 with no date on the slide so if anyone can help out with some history, I would appreciate it.
I am guessing that this is a replacement collar since all my other bullets have 3-screw solid collars and this one is a 4-screw split collar.
Here is it cleaned up a bit with the collar removed. Looks like someone filled the original holes and tapped new ones?
I'll get some more pics as the restore progresses
It's a #60 with no date on the slide so if anyone can help out with some history, I would appreciate it.
I am guessing that this is a replacement collar since all my other bullets have 3-screw solid collars and this one is a 4-screw split collar.
Here is it cleaned up a bit with the collar removed. Looks like someone filled the original holes and tapped new ones?
I'll get some more pics as the restore progresses
AndrewH
Well-known member
Rusty Musket - I'm pretty positive that's a custom job, and it looks like you're stuck with it as it was quite thorough. I believe that is a very early model, wish I could give you a better time frame. I'm sure autopts will be a long sooner or later.
She appears to be in pretty rough shape, looks like a good challenge! Looking forward to seeing more as you progress.
She appears to be in pretty rough shape, looks like a good challenge! Looking forward to seeing more as you progress.
