The VISES of Garage Journal

[va.grouseman]

Drives, ---Mine is solid brass.---I'm making a set of brass pipe jaws as we speak, and it's no picnic.---Mine came off a mine sweeper.





It don't look brass in these pics, but everything is brass on it.

 

[drivesitfar]

Jake & Joe: thanks for sharing the pictures and since i own a few double swivelers i might have to find some brass or stainless chain and some clasps and a screw to make that part of my vises.

VA: do you have any pictures of your brass vise spiffed up? if you do please post some or what method would you use to polish brass? is the screw brass because it looks like steel?

BC: i bought a Vanderman #1 a couple months ago and i bet it was sitting on wood bench of the steel company where i bought it for maybe 70 years. it's a stout vise and i'd never heard of them or thought about paying the kind of money i did for an open screw vise. i think it weighs 100 pounds. not that you have to say, but how many vises do you own if you can just put 100 pounders upside down in a little shed? or were those your Dad that might even have more than you?

 

[XCMTB83]

Not really here nor there but for those of you who may want to refinish an original mint-green, early Chicago bullet this is the most original paint I've ever seen on one. May be useful for color matching. This one isn't mine, just found the photos on line. Still, Valspar Satin Leafy Rise is the closest I've found.

.

Thanks for sharing. I will have to check that paint out.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Something small and American arrived for me today The damage to the sides looks far worse in the pictures than in reality.

 

[va.grouseman]

Drive,---Everything is brass,---the screw,---the screw handle, the screw collar, the collar retaining screw,---jaw inserts,---jaw insert pins,---pipe jaw set screws,---lock down handle,---lock down bolt,---base,---main base swivel bolt.

Haven't started cleaning yet.---Still making pipe jaws.---Will never attempt that again.---If I wasn't over half way done, I would scrap this project.---Going to do a vinegar test, but might wind up in the E- bath.---I will take some pics of it dismantled.

 

[XCMTB83]

XCM: first things first. congrats on your first (second and third) old US vise purchase. the Wilton bullets of those years sometimes came with 2 nuts on the swivel bolts and it looks like maybe one was upgraded and the pin went MIA. several of our members make their own swivel pins and since you are a machinist i'm guessing you might. or if you don't want to reinvent the wheel PM KMScott or order a pair off his website. Balane has mentioned the closest green color for those older Wilton bullets and i think he just posted one yesterday or earlier today. good luck and plenty of help you need any on the vise repair 101 thread or here if you need some just ask.

the American Scale is (was) a nice vise and you can either try to fix or ask for parts or put up your parts in the vise parts thread for others to fix their vise. your swivel base looks ok, main screw and vise nut probably ok and it looks like the jaws got hammered so they are scrap unless you have the time and talent to fix them.

now your Oswego vise looks pretty good except that might be a huge braze/weld on the dynamic jaw under the jaws. is it or am i just seeing some crud?

nice finds and welcome to the vices for a vise bunch

Thanks for the congrats and the welcome.

I am not sure if I will put a quick swivel lock feature back on or not. For me a wrench is always near by so I may just use the heck nuts or get some acorns. I have seen KMScott's parts, they seem top notch. I have been machining long enough to know when to buy instead of reinvent the wheel especially if they already have the item dialed in. I will probably pick up some new hardened jaws too.

Of all three of the vises I gotta admit I like the casting on the Scale the most. It is too bad I got a lemon...I guess I will have to make lemonade and do something with it.

I cycled the Oswego through its range. I think you are seeing some gunk that built up from moving the dynamic.

 

[vintage nut]

I would recommend against using the e tank for brass. I have heard it isn't good for soft metals, and I'm not sure if they included brass in that. Wouldn't want to see you destroy that vise. Maybe test it on another part first.
Personally I would use paint stripper to remove the paint, and then depending how it looks and how you want it to, procede from there. I have worked with brass a lot in knifemaking, so I can probably give you some tips if you need any. If it was me, I would probably get a bar of 240 grit greaseless compound, a bar of tripoli, and a bar of white, and a whole bunch of small mounted wheels and felt bobs for a die grinder, and polish the whole thing like a mirror. Would be a lot of work, and the end result wouldn't be very practical, but I couldn't resist having a gleaming brass vise lol

The alternative that would look pretty good is to find someone with a blasting cabinet (assuming you don't have one) and glass bead blast it. They did that when I had my cutting torch rebuilt, and it looks great. Unless I was planning on using it as a living room decoration, I would probably bead blast it instead of miror polishing it...

If it was a small vise I'd use use my baldor buffer and do it like a knife blade, but I think that one would probably need doing with a die grinder

you can never have too many tools

 

[vintage nut]

Here's bead blasted brass

That's an old purox, but I imagine a vise would look just as good

you can never have too many tools

 

[drivesitfar]

VA: From all the reading I've done on Electrolysis i'm not sure i'd put your brass vise in a tank either so i'm in the same corner as VN with using other options. unless another member has cleaned up some brass in a E tank and has something good to say about the results i'd hold off dunking it.

BTW any pictures of your brass pipe jaws even if not completed yet? best of luck and sounds like they are not as easy to make as some members make it look. how are you making them because if i remember correctly you don't have a lathe or CNC?

XC: 2 good vises out of 3 and a good parts vise to put on the shelf isn't a bad haul for your first try. good luck and post your restorations up on the vise repair 101 thread if you have time or need help.

CW: nice simple looking drill press vise. any idea on the age and how much does it weigh?

 

[CwazyWabbit]

DIF: Not sure on weight. The jaw has 'Pat MAR 6-05' on it and the advert is from my 1930's catalogue so I guess the date would be after 1905 at some point. It has a nice quick action sliding jaw .... not that it needs to be quick action for it's tiny opening!

EDIT: If I opened my eyes I'd have seen the weight in the 1930's advert. 4 1/2 lbs

 

[drivesitfar]

CW: if i would have opened my eyes and looked a bit closer at your old ad i wouldn't have asked the weight.

cool little vise

VN: i bet that old torch was a bit less shiny and more of a brown before you did your magic too it. very nice.

VA: that's hard to believe you own a big brass vise and even though you are having a problem making the new pipe jaws i bet it will be one of a kind when you are finished. have you seen another one or does another member own one?

 

[vintage nut]

I wish I could take credit on the torch, but that was the work of my local welding shop's rebuilding guy. Anything dealing with pure oxygen is about the only stuff I won't work on. I just posted that as an example of bead blasted brass.

you can never have too many tools

 

[vintage nut]

This is stuff I can take credit for though!

you can never have too many tools

 

[bagged89s10]

Does anyone recognize this drill press vise?









~Veeps

 

[Outlawmws]

VA, if that thing is brass, I'd also be using paint stripper or maybe Simple Green at least on he outer layers of spray bomb...

If you DO E-tank it, you will need either graphite anodes or brass.


That thing would be awesome polished up with Mothers!

 

[Outlawmws]

Bagged, No clue on the DP vise, but is the screw/handle plated? if so I'd be suspicious it had Asian origins...

 

[bagged89s10]

Bagged, No clue on the DP vise, but is the screw/handle plated? if so I'd be suspicious it had Asian origins...

Yeah it looks chrome. I think I'm going to pass on it. I'm on the hunt for a decent vise for my drill press.


~Veeps

 

[wrenchguy]

Drive,---Everything is brass,---the screw,---the screw handle, the screw collar, the collar retaining screw,---jaw inserts,---jaw insert pins,---pipe jaw set screws,---lock down handle,---lock down bolt,---base,---main base swivel bolt.

Haven't started cleaning yet.---Still making pipe jaws.---Will never attempt that again.---If I wasn't over half way done, I would scrap this project.---Going to do a vinegar test, but might wind up in the E- bath.---I will take some pics of it dismantled.

I would say its some kinda bronze alloy, its not magnetic, easy to cast, a lot of marine hardware is made of naval bronze. Its stronger than brass, plus u can weld bronze not brass. there is a difference between welding and brazing. I wonder what that cost the taxpayer. It was on c-list, right?

 

[joe.striper]

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/tls/4957808895.html

in my backyard. anyone want it? i'll pick it up for you.

 

[Fretters]

The electrolysis vat will work fine for brass/bronze without any special setup or cautions.

 

[va.grouseman]

Vintage, Drives, Outlaw,---Thanks fellows for the tips.---I didn't know exactly how to broach the situation.---I did know that Vintage was right about hand polishing the whole thing, and that it would be a whopping big job, so I was looking for a short-cut.---I'm kind of afraid that vinegar will soften and cut into the brass also.

Got lucky on the Columbian.---Back on page 1097, post 21950, Zkling posted a picture of a Craigslist ad about a brass vise that looked like a hoax.---But I had's to know, so I called and the guy swore it was brass.---I asked what parts were brass, and he said everything.---I took the gamble.---And I asked, "oh by the way, how many calls have you had on it", and he said "one other person called and said I was asking way too much for it".

Drive,---It's the only one I have ever seen, but I'm sure there are several around the country.---No telling how many collectors there are that are not G.J. members.---With that said, I know that there are a lot of G.J. members that don't divulge everything their holding either.

Vintage,---Respect for the love of knives and knife making.---A knife-maker is a sculptor and an artist.---I made the blade for my biggest knife with a Dremel tool and 1 1/2'' cut-off wheels, because I didn't have a jig.---Friend had the elk horn and affixed it to the blade.---That's another project I will never attempt again.

Here's my only attempt at knife-making.














Here's some I've collected.

 

[vintage nut]

Very nice!
I do trade for tools or vises haha
I actually built a 2x72 belt grinder for grinding the blades out. I have made a few from old files, but currently I'm mostly using O1 and A2 tool steel.
Been taking a little break from it lately, but I'm probably going to be making some more soon.

you can never have too many tools

 

[va.grouseman]

Vintage,---Here's another batch of them.

 

[vintage nut]

Very nice collection!

you can never have too many tools

 

[balane]

Here's another vise that seems like a real bargain!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111636044410

 

[Fretters]

The 8A is cleaned up now. Before and after side by side shots with the No.7.

Nothing more than a scrub with kerosene and a nylon scourer on the paintwork and slide. The inserts and handles went in the vat. Finished off with a coat of raw linseed.

 

[trainman1385]

I just completed this beauty I picked it up for $20
https://scontent-lax.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/10447736_10206190024170242_4224941914522571447_n.jpg?oh=43f5a3721b5d177161a525ea0401c35b&oe=55BBC7D5
https://scontent-lax.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/17414_10206190024050239_5527214886806689515_n.jpg?oh=1bf36e85bfc21f1312c9f57c8f6f3f1c&oe=55B4FF71

 

[zkling]

Here's another vise that seems like a real bargain!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111636044410

The bolt for the swivel handle is a nice touch.

I just completed this beauty I picked it up for $20

Great job What did you use on the handle?

 

[loudog212]

Thought on this vise. Its on CL for $35. Seller sent me a better picture and all its says it

AM CO ATHOL
MASS
USA

 

[vintage nut]

I'd buy it without a thought

you can never have too many tools

 

[firemanast]

Thought on this vise. Its on CL for $35. Seller sent me a better picture and all its says it

AM CO ATHOL
MASS
USA

Buy it !

 

[zkling]

Thought on this vise. Its on CL for $35. Seller sent me a better picture and all its says it

AM CO ATHOL
MASS
USA

Eh, how wide are the jaws? 4"+ I'd buy it if needed a vise.

 

[bagged89s10]

What vise is bigger? Parker 974 swivel or Parker 22x swivel?


~Veeps

 

[zkling]

The 974, should be a 4" where as the 22x is 3.75" IIRC.

 

[cretedog]

This is stuff I can take credit for though!

you can never have too many tools

Nice skinner Vintage!

 

[loudog212]

Eh, how wide are the jaws? 4"+ I'd buy it if needed a vise.

Thats the problem... i don't "need" it

 

[454ragtop]

If it's a 4 incher, I've had its twin on my bench for close to 30 years. One of the first vises I ever bought, never been restored, or even painted by me. Has been in constant use doing everything, including the things that would make some here cringe, bending steel with a BFH, pressing, hammering etc. Takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. The slide rod on the handle is worn so smooth it almost looks like chrome. I actually felt bad for it a couple weeks ago and pulled the slide and greased up the screw, can't remember the last time, if ever, I did that. Only thing I won't do is use a cheater on the handle. Just a great vise.
Jim

 

[trijeff]

LuMax: The suspense is killing us (me)! Did you get the big Columbian 8"er this morning?? I still see the ad up .... hopefully the guy is just lazy in taking down the ad and this monster is already on your bench

 

[bagged89s10]

If it's a 4 incher, I've had its twin on my bench for close to 30 years. One of the first vises I ever bought, never been restored, or even painted by me. Has been in constant use doing everything, including the things that would make some here cringe, bending steel with a BFH, pressing, hammering etc. Takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. The slide rod on the handle is worn so smooth it almost looks like chrome. I actually felt bad for it a couple weeks ago and pulled the slide and greased up the screw, can't remember the last time, if ever, I did that. Only thing I won't do is use a cheater on the handle. Just a great vise.

Jim

I want a Parker swivel and saw both a 974 and 22x for $150 and. $ 125 respectively. Both look restored but the guy with the 22x said he'll take $85. Trying to see if he's willing to meet me during his lunch break from work.


~Veeps

 

[Steevo]

I recently posted here about the refurbishing of a Wilton C1 I bought at auction last week.
I was searching online for replacement jaws for this vise, because mine were in bad shape. Lots of cutting torch damage, and overall wear and tear.

When I saw what replacement jaws are selling for, I reconsidered my options.

I decided to weld up the holes and see if I could save my jaws.
Filling in the voids:

Ground them back to shape:

Used a 60 degree triangle file to re-cut the faces of the jaws (this took about six hours to do both jaws):

And they are more than good enough to last another forty years or so:

So, then I swapped the Wilton onto my workbench, in place of the Athol I had there:

And I was going to swap the Athol onto my welding bench in place of the Craftsman that currently resides there:

But the more I looked at it, the less I could see any reason to replace the Craftsman. It has better jaws than the Athol, and is the same size, and has served me well as a welding bench vice, so I decided to keep it there.

So, my 4-1/2" Athol is now homeless, relegated to storage status. Oh well, I only paid $20 for it anyway.