The VISES of Garage Journal

[jakemac]

Maybe not a 1000 lb vise, but 1000 lbs of vices? You KNOW someone here has that much.

Don't count the weight of the chains or padlocks. That would be cheating.

 

[FMC1959]

Maybe not a 1000 lb vise, but 1000 lbs of vices? You KNOW someone here has that much.

1000 lbs of vise, good idea but many can easily qualify for that. On the other hand, page 1000 would also bring up post 20,000 (actually last post on page 999). Can anyone produce 20,000 lbs of vise?

I do not know if anyone can (think 100 vise averaging 200 lbs or 200 vise averaging 100 lbs), but there are a select few that could have that kind of hidden stash.

That quickly come to mind, Getridaone, Va.Grouseman, and Zoomie all have pretty big collections (I think). Someone I have not seen on here for quite a while Demoman (Brad?). He had a collection of 30+ 8 & 9 inch.

There are others with very large collections, getting to 20,000 lbs would be quite remarkable, but not impossible on this thread.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

FMC1959,
I heard Bigcaddy's load of vises is what caused the earthquake on the west coast. I would maybe only make a quarter of that 20K mark. I might have that much in spare GTO & Firebird parts

 

[exmaxima1]

and missing a jaw. It's a Cadet model from the 80's or '90's I'm guessing. Put a $40 set of jaws on, repaint it, and you'll have something worth $40-$50. I would pass and wait for a real bullet.

I think it would be great with some soft jaws, like aluminum or brass. Might be worth $40 to a person that has a mill and some scrap metal.

 

[garthg]

This is probably a "Duh?" question for the vise veterans here, but I have to ask.

Is there any way to lube the screw and slide on my Wilton 1750 without disassembly? I don't see any obvious way. It's never been lubed since new (Ca. 1990).

Thanks.

 

[EOC_Jason]

This is probably a "Duh?" question for the vise veterans here, but I have to ask.

Is there any way to lube the screw and slide on my Wilton 1750 without disassembly? I don't see any obvious way. It's never been lubed since new (Ca. 1990).

That's kind of the point of the bullet being a totally enclosed screw to keep debris out.

Probably easiest to just take the front collar off, then unscrew it all the way out (but leave the jaws closed). Put some grease on the screw and put it back in, then put the collar back on.

 

[drivesitfar]

another idea is to screw out the dynamic jaw all the way out, put some grease in the vise nut and maybe a bit on the bottom slide that goes in the slot and some on the slide, then screw the dynamic jaw back in and maybe go in and out a few times.

 

[va.grouseman]

Another Wilton question.---What is the approximate date of a baby bullet with no date or markings in the keyway?---The key just had two pilot pegs on it that matched two holes in the keyway.

 

[drivesitfar]

VA: the Chicago Pat. Pend vises are their first vises so approximately 1941 should be your date when it was made. is your key off the vise or can you take a few more pictures of that to show what you are mentioning?

i'm still trying to find good information on when they started stamping them with the 5 year warranty date and not the manufacture date. some say they started the 5 year dating in 1941 so my farm fresh Wilton bullet stamped October 1946 would be one of the first vises.

i know at some point Wilton put EXP in front of their dates and they started stamping without warranty and actual dates in maybe the early 60's. of course some of the Wiltons don't have a date at all on them and that might be because of use that wore them off in years of use.

my Baby bullet is actually stamped with 2 dates 3/46 and 7/48 so that lends to the idea it might have been on the shelf for a couple years and then re stamped when sold to a customer to validate the new owner's warranty. my Baby B doesn't have your casting of the Pat Pend and just Chicago which makes yours older.

 

[FMC1959]

FMC1959,
I heard Bigcaddy's load of vises is what caused the earthquake on the west coast. I would maybe only make a quarter of that 20K mark. I might have that much in spare GTO & Firebird parts

20k might be a bit much, but there are some big collections out there. You mention BC, I know over the years he has bought many, of course some people sell, but don't always tell us, so it is hard to know what everyone has.

On this link alone, Demoman lists 26 vise with weights.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3399595&postcount=10772

The last Reed 108 he doesn't give a weight. I put it at 250 lbs, giving a total of 6550 lbs for the 26 vise. That is an average of 251.19 lbs per vise, nice haul if you have a truck to hold that weight.

I know he has other vise, big and small, if anyone would get close to 20k ,my money is on him.

Although not a production vise, this guy has a 1000 lb vise
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1915964&postcount=3273

 

[va.grouseman]

Drivesit----Here's the key and keyway.---Couldn't get the light just right, so not to good.

 

[drivesitfar]

VA: that shows me what i was asking. since your baby bullet is only lite duty the loose keyway probably isn't a big deal. i bet if KMScott sees that he might know the fix if you want to pin it back on the dynamic.

i'm guessing new pins a bit larger or maybe the option of tapping and threading and putting a headless screw in there might be an option?

Nice "little" vise VA.

 

[KMScott]

VA, A good way to tighten up the hole is to get a ball bearing, make sure the ball bearing is two nominal size's larger. I am guessing a 5/16 ball bearing, let it rest in the hole then give it a slight tap with a piece of brass to close the hole some. Do it to both holes then after cleaning and stoning your groove and bar, tap in the bar carefully with a punch over the dowel pins and force the pins back in the hole. It will hold good. This is a trick when I ream a dowel pin hole with a new reamer and it reams just a tab bit to large for a light press fit.

When you see a Baby Wilton with the square block either silver soldered or brazed on then you know it is a old one. This one I have is not stamped either and has the 1/8 thick horse shoe washer which changed to 5/32 thick, when I do not know.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

While the discussion is about Baby Bullets, Did Wilton make about a million castings with Chicago on them and had enough to last for years and years or just never retooled the mold after the move to Schiller Park. My 2" is dated 1977 with Chicago on it.

 

[McBrownie]

Maybe not a 1000 lb vise, but 1000 lbs of vices? You KNOW someone here has that much.

You read my mind. We could make it a competition. The person who hits 1000 lbs with the fewest vises wins. Like Jake said - No chains or padlocks. Tie breaker would be handled by the person who goes over the 1000 lb mark by the most.

 

[Outlawmws]

While the discussion is about Baby Bullets, Did Wilton make about a million castings with Chicago on them and had enough to last for years and years or just never retooled the mold after the move to Schiller Park. My 2" is dated 1977 with Chicago on it.

This ^^^

 

[BFBOB]

Nobody has anything to say about the Parker 83 on eB? Guess that's why it didn't get any bids--along with its condition and price. Seller claims original color was silver. True?? My Parker 94 appears to have been dark blue originally and it looks like there's some dark blue on the dynamic jaw of the 83. My Parker 63 1/2 on the other hand was a wine-red. Do you detect a trend here? I like the art-deco look.

 

[oldldh]

Now, Grasshoppers, I know how to win the 1,000 pound vise challenge...

With only THREE vises...

All someone needs to do...

Is pony up the...

THREE CRAFTSMAN 5168'S they've got stashed...

345 pounds X 3 =1.035 pounds!!!

NO BS Question---Has anyone got one of these behemoths????

 

[oldldh]

5198 Notes:

The seller said the the vise was on his late Father's workbench, "For as long as I can remember..."Could be a "One Owner"!!!

Now, that may be a clue to more discoveries!!!

ESTATE SALES!!!

Mount up!!!

Get thee hither!!!

 

[FMC1959]

Nobody has anything to say about the Parker 83 on eB? Guess that's why it didn't get any bids--along with its condition and price. Seller claims original color was silver. True?? My Parker 94 appears to have been dark blue originally and it looks like there's some dark blue on the dynamic jaw of the 83. My Parker 63 1/2 on the other hand was a wine-red. Do you detect a trend here? I like the art-deco look.

I can't help you with the original colors, I can give you my thoughts on why the lack of interest.

I have a 63 1/2, I thought it had a nostalgic kind of look to it, similar to some of the Montgomery War vises. But Parker made many models, and the vast majority are strong, solid heavyweights, that along with Reed and a few other makers, define the old US iron vises. The 63 1/2, the 94, and I assume the 83 (haven't seen a pic) are exposed screw, homeowner type vise, which just don't have the grunt factor.

Nothing wrong with liking them; you should be happy. If it were a nice 6-9" beast, everyone and their mother would bid on it or it would be priced beyond reason.

 

[FMC1959]

You read my mind. We could make it a competition. The person who hits 1000 lbs with the fewest vises wins. Like Jake said - No chains or padlocks. Tie breaker would be handled by the person who goes over the 1000 lb mark by the most.

I have what has to be one of the least impressive collections of vise (weight wise). I have 27 vise and I am pretty sure I have more than 1000 lbs, but it would take close to all 27 to get there, maybe 25 of them.

My biggest vise is a 96 lbs Yost 33C, then Parker 954, Record No 6 with Swivel, Parker 205 & 974 and a couple of others in the 60- 90 lb area. I have just enough over 50 lbs to make up for the below 50 lbs to get me above 1000 lbs.

 

[va.grouseman]

Drivesit and KM.---Thanks guys, but the key is realy tight.---I had to pry on one end and tap on the other to get it out so I could see what was under it. And pretty sound tapping to get it back in.---But good fixit ideas anyway.


Oldldh.---If someone came forward and said they had one, it would be like Sutter's Mill right to their door.---Wouldn't that be a shame, to have the Holy Grail and not be able to tell anybody.

 

[FMC1959]

Now, Grasshoppers, I know how to win the 1,000 pound vise challenge...

With only THREE vises...

All someone needs to do...

Is pony up the...

THREE CRAFTSMAN 5168'S they've got stashed...

345 pounds X 3 =1.035 pounds!!!

NO BS Question---Has anyone got one of these behemoths????

345 is a serious side of beef. I think a Reed 209 was listed in the 330 range. The only one I recall being over 340 like the Sears was a Prentiss, maybe the 98?

 

[oldldh]

Oldldh.---If someone came forward and said they had one, it would be like Sutter's Mill right to their door.---Wouldn't that be a shame, to have the Holy Grail and not be able to tell anybody.

Something smells here...


Are you trying to tell us something, my Son???

 

[zoomieport]

1000 lbs of vise, good idea but many can easily qualify for that. On the other hand, page 1000 would also bring up post 20,000 (actually last post on page 999). Can anyone produce 20,000 lbs of vise?

I do not know if anyone can (think 100 vise averaging 200 lbs or 200 vise averaging 100 lbs), but there are a select few that could have that kind of hidden stash.

That quickly come to mind, Getridaone, Va.Grouseman, and Zoomie all have pretty big collections (I think). Someone I have not seen on here for quite a while Demoman (Brad?). He had a collection of 30+ 8 & 9 inch.

There are others with very large collections, getting to 20,000 lbs would be quite remarkable, but not impossible on this thread.

Let me "throw in" my Anvil Collection and I might be in the running...

 

[GETRIDAONE]

This ^^^

Thanks for the info !!!

 

[oldldh]

Let me "throw in" my Anvil Collection and I might be in the running...

You'd better change your locks...


And...


Get a bigger dog!!!

 

[BFBOB]

I can't help you with the original colors, I can give you my thoughts on why the lack of interest.

I have a 63 1/2, I thought it had a nostalgic kind of look to it, similar to some of the Montgomery War vises. But Parker made many models, and the vast majority are strong, solid heavyweights, that along with Reed and a few other makers, define the old US iron vises. The 63 1/2, the 94, and I assume the 83 (haven't seen a pic) are exposed screw, homeowner type vise, which just don't have the grunt factor.

Nothing wrong with liking them; you should be happy. If it were a nice 6-9" beast, everyone and their mother would bid on it or it would be priced beyond reason.

Yes, they are pretty light duty, along with the similar Wilton Shop Kings. Even the 5" Shop King weighs only 30 lbs. Since I do consider function along with form, I think the asking price IS beyond reason. None of these could be considered a workhorse.

 

[jakemac]

Piecing it together one part at a time.

The Reed 204 1/2 I picked up about a year or so ago. And a swivel base that finally showed up on ebay recently.

Now I only need to come up with the center bolt and locking parts to get it working again. Maybe I'll order new ones and see if they'll work.

One step closer to getting this beauty mounted on a bench (that hasn't been built yet).

 

[Outlawmws]

Time to fix your sig Jake!

 

[wrenchguy]

You read my mind. We could make it a competition. The person who hits 1000 lbs with the fewest vises wins. Like Jake said - No chains or padlocks. Tie breaker would be handled by the person who goes over the 1000 lb mark by the most.

this might not work when a stand is included, i suggest vise only AND, OR largest combination of freestanding components. no benches.

this is 1300 lbs combination of vise, stand and 1" thick x 36"x36" base on casters.

 

[wrenchguy]

Piecing it together one part at a time.

The Reed 204 1/2 I picked up about a year or so ago. And a swivel base that finally showed up on ebay recently.

Now I only need to come up with the center bolt and locking parts to get it working again. Maybe I'll order new ones and see if they'll work.

One step closer to getting this beauty mounted on a bench (that hasn't been built yet).

u settled 4 a 3 footer?

 

[drivesitfar]

Jake: i think i just found a 4 foot Reed swivel. just kidding. did you finally decide to use a 3 footer until a 4 footer shows up? i think you had that in your sig line for maybe a year now?

Wrench: that qualifies and nice looking vise. have you landed any other big guys lately or just those huge farm machines this summer?

Get: I bet the little Baby Bullets are a bit easier to store so you and Outlaw are probably right. i wonder if they didn't sell very many of them to have them last 20+ years after they moved to Shiller?

Zoomie: we haven't seen any posts of yours for a while since your 800 so any volume shots to post or a few of your anvils? sounds awesome.

Oldie: still crossing my fingers for the unicorn. good luck.

ALL: I have 3 Rock Island 577's that could sit in my "little" cabinet to make 1000 pounds. does that count because I don't have a chain or lock on it??

 

[Filson]

So my 1 1/2" table top with attached 6" leg vise doesn't count??

 

[bigcaddy]

Piecing it together one part at a time.

The Reed 204 1/2 I picked up about a year or so ago. And a swivel base that finally showed up on ebay recently.

Now I only need to come up with the center bolt and locking parts to get it working again. Maybe I'll order new ones and see if they'll work.

One step closer to getting this beauty mounted on a bench (that hasn't been built yet).

If you can't find a Reed for parts, Rock Islands are nearly identical when it comes to the pivot bolt, locking cleat and lockdown ask me how I know

 

[jakemac]

Time to fix your sig Jake!

Not until I have all the parts and am certain that they'll work.

u settled 4 a 3 footer?

It was the only one that I've found so far that might work, and I'm tired of not being able to use the vise. If a 4-footed base turns up later, maybe the vise will get a facelift. Or if a 6" or 8" Reed, or a 209 or a Cman 5198 (I hear there's one in CA for sale) perhaps it will get replaced.

Jake: i think i just found a 4 foot Reed swivel. just kidding. did you finally decide to use a 3 footer until a 4 footer shows up? i think you had that in your sig line for maybe a year now?

1 - You're a cruel man.
2 - see above response.
3 - I think it's only been about 6mos, but I thought it would take longer to find something I'd settle for.

 

[jakemac]

If you can't find a Reed for parts, Rock Islands are nearly identical when it comes to the pivot bolt, locking cleat and lockdown ask me how I know

Thanks BC, I'll keep it in mind. So far I haven't seen any RI's in these parts, but who knows, one might turn up.

 

[bigcaddy]

Thanks BC, I'll keep it in mind. So far I haven't seen any RI's in these parts, but who knows, one might turn up.

I just took a look and only found a no name clone with a fixed base so it's no help. However, I did find a smaller unmarked Prentiss with a swivel base/rear jaw for 40.00. Get your **** in gear and pick that thing up!

 

[drivesitfar]

Jake: i might be able to do a test and get some information and pictures to offer you. I do own a Rock Island vise that has some issues and i have a Reed with a swivel base i can try some of the RI's parts on and maybe see if they swap out as easily as BC says they will.

BC: no fair to breed vises in your museum and absolutely no more cross breeding.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

oldldh,
I have a vise guard dog / basement assitant, shes not big but will bark at any noise from miles around it seems.
I have had to fix more stuff on this Parker 289 1/2 than any other vise I have worked on. The slot the spindle nut slides in was cracked on both sides, fix was weld a 1" extension on the back of the nut. The pin now goes through the extension instead of just behind as usual. The pin hole was off center and on an angle to make things worse. Next up was the loose
handle knob which I welded and smoothed down. I made a new 3/4" handle from old rod I had. A new screw, spring, brass block, for the handle holding feature. The swivel base is from a 976 and the diameter is perffect except the holes in the base didn't align with the lock down nut and the pin inside. I had to grind a little off one side of the clevis pin. The original base was the old type bolt up through the bench. The threads were stripped and I fixed it using a piece of spring like a helicore. After some bushing and center bolt issues I got it to work. I made the pipe jaws out of 1/2" plate I had and the pins out bolts with the heads rounded off. Last thing was the hold down handle I made out of a broken handle from a drill press table.
I let it sit in Evap-O-Rust overnight so it would have an even finish on it. I finished it with boiled linseed oil.