Simplex
Maybe I'm a bit cranky this morning, but I think the Simplex looked fantastic in bare metal--a bit of wax/oil and it would have been PERFECT.
(Not a fan of painted slides or painted handles).
The VISES of Garage Journal
- Thread starter mjozefow
- Start date
Maybe I'm a bit cranky this morning, but I think the Simplex looked fantastic in bare metal--a bit of wax/oil and it would have been PERFECT.
(Not a fan of painted slides or painted handles).
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Chuck: nice job on your Simplex and it does look 100% better than when you started working on it. your vise means your color so if you like it that's all that counts and the red, white and blue is pretty patriotic.
also that is a very nice looking Reed 214 Coachmaker's vise. we don't see many of those so take care of that one. take a look at Carla's Reed vises she posted on page #56 and #77of the Vise Repair 101 thread if you want to see what an old Reed vise can look like shined up by a very talented member.
Bortez: where are you located? your English is a lot better than some of the members so no apology necessary and welcome to Garage Journal and glad to you joined to post that old gem. it has an interesting design and maybe our European members might have more to say about it because with the 100 on the side that is probably from over there somewhere. my guess is closer to 100years old than 40 and be careful putting too much pressure on it because it looks like part of your vise nut has broken off.
also that is a very nice looking Reed 214 Coachmaker's vise. we don't see many of those so take care of that one. take a look at Carla's Reed vises she posted on page #56 and #77of the Vise Repair 101 thread if you want to see what an old Reed vise can look like shined up by a very talented member.
Bortez: where are you located? your English is a lot better than some of the members so no apology necessary and welcome to Garage Journal and glad to you joined to post that old gem. it has an interesting design and maybe our European members might have more to say about it because with the 100 on the side that is probably from over there somewhere. my guess is closer to 100years old than 40 and be careful putting too much pressure on it because it looks like part of your vise nut has broken off.
jakemac
Well-known member
Andrew - Braze the nut. It's going to be hidden inside the vise where no-one will see it anyways.
Yes, I know - You'll know it's there. But you can clean it up with a dremel if it bother's you. And, it's small enough to fit in a toaster oven for pre-heating when no-one is home to see you do it.
Yes, I know - You'll know it's there. But you can clean it up with a dremel if it bother's you. And, it's small enough to fit in a toaster oven for pre-heating when no-one is home to see you do it.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Chuck: those coachmaker's vises have been known to be used for wood along with the leather, steel and other items that those bigger jaws can hold. I've got a Prentiss #26 that also is a Coachmaker's vise and it also has the swivel jaw. I'm probably going to set mine up to work on wood too when i get it spiffed up.
if you do check out the Vise Repair 101 thread if you have more pictures of the before and after of your recent vise restoration would you please post the before in one post and the after in the next? also any challenges or things you did to get from start to finish will help me and others. i saw the little dentist metal pick on the bed of your pick up so i know you didn't miss too many details.
if you do check out the Vise Repair 101 thread if you have more pictures of the before and after of your recent vise restoration would you please post the before in one post and the after in the next? also any challenges or things you did to get from start to finish will help me and others. i saw the little dentist metal pick on the bed of your pick up so i know you didn't miss too many details.
bl00
Well-known member
Chuck, yours was sold by Reed as a filers or toolmakers vise. It's essentially the same as the machinist vise, but with taller jaws.
Thanks for the info
drivesitfar
Well-known member
B100: thanks for the correction and i learned something already today. 
GarrettWeidman
Active member
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2013
- Messages
- 43
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Garrett: not sure of the value because not many of those come up for sale in my area if any. i can tell you i'd like to own it if that helps and the stand is worth something and it might even be adjustable height too. didn't he have it for $350 last week or a few days ago when you posted it?
AndrewH
Well-known member
I'd probably pay $200 for it especially with the stand. Maybe even $225.
As an aside, why do Simplex vises look remarkably like Parker vises: same spindle screw head, same spindle collar, etc? Were they both made by Parker at some point?
i am happy you like it...your welcomeBortez, cool vise, I have never seen one like that, thanks for sharing.
i am from Iran...
thank you very much because of your word! it will increase my self confidence to speak English...
before i be a member of forum i saw many pages and i really liked you and other members interesting action in resurrecting old tools!
I am a ma (IT) student but i have an small garage in my home and doing lots of hand works in my free time spatially making knives!
I think your guess is right! today i showed it up to an old man and he said that he remember a vise the same as mine in a old factory before, and like you he said that its at last for more than 60 years ago and was probably made in Germany...
i think there will be no pressure on there because the broken is more than 1 inch away from the nut section,but i have to remember to pay attention to your advice...
nice to meet you,thanks
AndrewH
Well-known member
As far as I know, no they were never made by Parker, not even in the same state. Parker vise were made in Meriden, CT and Simplex vises were made in Urbana, OH. I'm guessing they look similar to be competitive and familiar to those that are buying them, plus there's only so many ways you can do the handle and mechanism to move the dynamic jaw so some are bound to look alike.
sz0k30
Well-known member
Just been looking, admiring and learning & I recently noticed that Reed 204's came with 3 and 4 hole swivel bases. Was there an option or was there a particular year or series that the switch happened? Thanks.
I'm guessing they look similar to be competitive and familiar to those that are buying them, plus there's only so many ways you can do the handle and mechanism to move the dynamic jaw so some are bound to look alike.
The C-shaped spindle retainer ring looks virtually interchangeable between those vises----looks like a blatant copy.
Fretters
Well-known member
Welcome. Looking at that one, and as someone else mentioned, I'd be thinking that's quite a lot older than 40 years. Seems that type of styling was a transition from the blacksmith leg vices to what is the more conventional bench vice style of today. There seem to be various styles similar, and all generally bear that leg vice jaws versus bench top mount combination styling, with parts being bolted together.
That's a nice vice and tidy work, by the way.
AndrewH
Well-known member
Agreed, the shape is very similar but I have multiple Desmond Stephan and Parker vises and the retainers are much thicker and squared edges than those on a Parker, so without some serious grinding, they wouldn't fit, and even then I'm not sure you could actually get one to work, but maybe. Hmm maybe I'll check it out tonight when I get home.
PghJKB
Well-known member
Reed used a three foot design on their earlier models, from what I can gather, they made the change to four foot bases circa 1935.
The Reed "R" series all have four footed bases, they date to circa 1938.
JKB
AndrewH: I called Morgan Vise Company recently to replace the nut in my Morgan Chicago 60 vise. They informed me I would have to buy the nut and the spindle to repair the vise. They changed from a Square Thread to an Acme Thread sometime over the years. That may be the same scenario for your Morgan 150 vise.
AndrewH
Well-known member
Did you buy them both? According to my price sheet that would have cost you $251!
Though on a 6" 145 lb vise it would probably be worth it to repair it.
Thanks for the heads up though, but I don't believe the crack to be detrimental to its use, as I suspect it's been that way for 20 years or more.
AndrewH
Well-known member
Well, since it's been a pretty quiet day in here, I'll post pictures of my newly painted Morgan 150, mocked it up tonight just to see how it looked. Granted it will look WAY better once I finish the handle / lock downs and get new jaws, will add contrast! However, even without that I think it looks great!
KMScott
Well-known member
Andrew, it might save you some work if you tape the jaw area on your next painting. I am pretty sure the paint thickness will interfere with the jaws machined area, most I've measured and fit are about .005 clearance. You are doing a great job on your painting and especially the lettering.
Working on four Colombians when I get vise time in my shop, sure makes it easy to have a mill to drill the slotted set screws on the spindle collar after the screw driver slot gets ruined. Three out of four had to be drilled out, I noticed two of the 5/6 screws were pinned in with a punch, they must get loose over time. My eyes are not as good as they used to be, missed centering the center drill for spotting but still got away with it.
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schor
Well-known member
I have lived with a very small 3" record No 1 vise forever. I finally got a deal on it's bigger brother a No 3.
Not sure yet if I will refurbish them both or just let them be what they are.
Not sure yet if I will refurbish them both or just let them be what they are.
truckinduc
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2013
- Messages
- 105
Here is my plain Jain vice
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Truckin: plain jane 6 inch Wilton bullet and maybe a 100 plus pound anvil. the real kicker is what ship did you cut apart to make those stands. very cool looking?
Schor: great vises and i agree just grease em up and use them because they look like they are ready to work. i do like the bottom Beach tool box and those others are not too shabby either. very nice.
KM: is that an easy out bit or please do tell how you finished getting the screw out by drilling a hole in it?
Nines: too bad about that big Parker and good thing you saw it before you had taken a drive or bought it. you'll land a big one soon and i'm pulling for you.
Schor: great vises and i agree just grease em up and use them because they look like they are ready to work. i do like the bottom Beach tool box and those others are not too shabby either. very nice.
KM: is that an easy out bit or please do tell how you finished getting the screw out by drilling a hole in it?
Nines: too bad about that big Parker and good thing you saw it before you had taken a drive or bought it. you'll land a big one soon and i'm pulling for you.
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AndrewH
Well-known member
That's a nice 600N you've got there! I just bought the swivel version, can't wait to get my hands on it! Granted I'm not a machine grey type so it'll be a more eye pleasing color (to me anyway) once I'm done!
KMScott I totally agree, the only reason reason I painted them was because I sanded them to a mirror finish and it's going to be a couple weeks before I can get new jaw pads so I don't want it to rust after all my hard work! I'm hoping a few taps with a deadblow will seat the new ones on there without too much trouble! Thank you for your kind words, I'm certainly getting better as time goes on.
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schor
Well-known member
With the matching patina, I think I would rock them as-is until refurb is necessary. They look good.
I was thinking the same thing, I could make them look the same and all shiney and new, but they already look the same.
Copper jaws for one of them, maybe the little one.
schor
Well-known member
That Beach is actually a mastercraft from Canadian Tire. Looks exactly like a beach and is a great box IMO. Got it with a beach topper for $60.
Here is a real sad one I got the other day. Parker 271.5 I figured by the U clamp it had seen better days but for $5 it clamped and I needed something ASAP. I've done quite a bit of vise welding but this one looks like it will be a challenge. I'd venture to guess that someone tried to bend something in the vise and swivel jaw as well as the dynamic jaw both let go (dynamic jaw has been brazed to the slide). 
About the only 100% parts are the swivel base and screw.
Anyone repair a swivel jaw like this before? Tips or suggestions would be appreicated. It will be a while before I get to work on it, but till then...
About the only 100% parts are the swivel base and screw. Anyone repair a swivel jaw like this before? Tips or suggestions would be appreicated. It will be a while before I get to work on it, but till then...
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Alienbaby17
Well-known member
Got these as part of a trade deal with a friend. Both need a little help but the price was right and hoth are still savable. Looking forward to restoring each.
One is a 3" the other a 3.5".
One is a 3" the other a 3.5".
Welcome. Looking at that one, and as someone else mentioned, I'd be thinking that's quite a lot older than 40 years. Seems that type of styling was a transition from the blacksmith leg vices to what is the more conventional bench vice style of today. There seem to be various styles similar, and all generally bear that leg vice jaws versus bench top mount combination styling, with parts being bolted together.
That's a nice vice and tidy work, by the way.
thanks for your helpful comment,i did image search"blacksmith leg vices" and find this ! its almost the same as what i have...
