The VISES of Garage Journal

[Outlawmws]

BTW Dan, that model series of Craftsman vise is arguably the best of breed Craftsman ever sold for machinist's vises, so good on you, and well worth the effort to get it right again.

 

[ViseSquad]

Question about Reed vises: I recently bought this Reed swiveling bench vise from a friend. It has June 30 1896 patent date, however I cannot find any vise patent for anywhere around that time, or any other vise patent which appears related! Was this a phony patent date?

This is the vise and it seems to be a "No.2" from the lone "2" cast into the jaw. Must weigh a good 70lbs and jaws are about 4½" wide IIRC.

Does anyone know more about this model and is this one complete?

I have an idea there was a larger base piece that is missing - the pipe plug with a hole bored though it is obviously just a spacer someone put on.

TIA

 

[va.grouseman]

Thanks KM, but I think I'm over the hump.---The whole slab of brass that I cut into 3 pieces was about a 1/32'' too wide so I'm having to flat sand the broad side of each one that much.---They're going to look far from a machined job, but a little better than no pipe jaws at all.---Maybe.

I'll take pics of the jaws and screw and collar in the morning.

 

[trijeff]

Dear 3M ScotchBrite EXL Deburring Wheel Inventor,

Thank you.

Best regards,
Former sander

 

[Lu-Max]

I have a small stack of 3M debur wheels in my shop. I love then but they can make a mess if your shop vac filter gets clogged.

 

[trijeff]

ViseSquad: I'm no Reed expert at all, but my best guess is that is a super early version of what would be the 2C today. I've never seen that writing style on a Reed of any variety. I would agree that it is missing the original swivel base, or at least part of it. Guessing that is it a split collar with welded/cast jaws? I say NICE FIND!!

 

[balane]

If I ever put together a coffee table book about vises it would be entitled, "Where Did All the Pipe Jaws Go?" I just know that somewhere, probably an eastern bloc country with a name nobody can remember off the top of their head, is a giant mountain of old pipe jaws for vises. It's far worse than the single missing sock in the laundry issue. I've had a frustrating couple of days making longish drives out to houses only to find vises that were missing too many parts to be worth the pickup at the prices they were being sold for.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Question about Reed vises: I recently bought this Reed swiveling bench vise from a friend. It has June 30 1896 patent date, however I cannot find any vise patent for anywhere around that time, or any other vise patent which appears related! Was this a phony patent date?

This is the vise and it seems to be a "No.2" from the lone "2" cast into the jaw. Must weigh a good 70lbs and jaws are about 4½" wide IIRC.

Does anyone know more about this model and is this one complete?

I have an idea there was a larger base piece that is missing - the pipe plug with a hole bored though it is obviously just a spacer someone put on.

TIA

Are the pipe jaws made of little pieces of metal held together? The same patent date is present on some Reed pipe vises so I was wondering if the patent date might just be related to part of the vise? i.e the pipe jaws.

Perhaps US Patent 563040?

http://www.google.com/patents/US563040

 

[jreb10]

Outlaw ,,

I added a side view image of the nut to my original post, here also.

Thanks

I have a 5195 in pieces awaiting refurbishment. It has the same nut as you show. I put the nut back in and the tolerances are much smaller than what I see in your photo.

I think the "shimming" suggestion is a promising direction to take.

 

[FMC1959]

Question about Reed vises: I recently bought this Reed swiveling bench vise from a friend. It has June 30 1896 patent date, however I cannot find any vise patent for anywhere around that time, or any other vise patent which appears related! Was this a phony patent date?

This is the vise and it seems to be a "No.2" from the lone "2" cast into the jaw. Must weigh a good 70lbs and jaws are about 4½" wide IIRC.

Does anyone know more about this model and is this one complete?

I have an idea there was a larger base piece that is missing - the pipe plug with a hole bored though it is obviously just a spacer someone put on.

TIA

I can't speak about the patent but Reed started as a company in 1896, so you have what has to be one of their first models.

 

[bagged89s10]

Should I buy this parker 22x for $85?







~Veeps

 

[va.grouseman]

Blane,---I had rather find a mountain of pipe jaws than a thick vein of gold.---I fear that all the pipe jaws are train tracks now.

ViseSquad,---If there is a raised hump on the bottom of the STATIC that matches the notches in the swivel plate, then you are complete above bench.---All you need is a big plate washer to go under bench, over rabbit ear nut.--Very nice find, very old, AND HAS THE PIPE JAWS.

Here's the brass jaws I'm making and some parts---Not cleaned yet but you might can tell their brass.

 

[vintage nut]

I'd buy that parker. But we never see them so I'm not really a good judge

you can never have too many tools

 

[bagged89s10]

What did the parker 26x have for swivel locks? I found this one for sale for $125 but the handle has a nut and there is no swivel handles or wrench. It's a big boy though. I don't need a vise this big. 26"x6"x14"







~Veeps

 

[bagged89s10]

Blane,---I had rather find a mountain of pipe jaws than a thick vein of gold.---I fear that all the pipe jaws are train tracks now.



ViseSquad,---If there is a raised hump on the bottom of the STATIC that matches the notches in the swivel plate, then you are complete above bench.---All you need is a big plate washer to go under bench, over rabbit ear nut.--Very nice find, very old, AND HAS THE PIPE JAWS.



Here's the brass jaws I'm making and some parts---Not cleaned yet but you might can tell their brass.

Nice jaws. How did you cut the jaw teeth?


~Veeps

 

[vintage nut]

I'll second what was said earlier and say thats bronze. Not as yellow as brass would be

you can never have too many tools

 

[vintage nut]

Nice work on the jaws though!
I probably wouldn't have the patience to do that without the mill haha

you can never have too many tools

 

[BJ42LX]

If I ever put together a coffee table book about vises it would be entitled, "Where Did All the Pipe Jaws Go?" I just know that somewhere, probably an eastern bloc country with a name nobody can remember off the top of their head, is a giant mountain of old pipe jaws for vises. It's far worse than the single missing sock in the laundry issue. I've had a frustrating couple of days making longish drives out to houses only to find vises that were missing too many parts to be worth the pickup at the prices they were being sold for.

The same place as all the bench grinder tool rests...

 

[Steevo]

steevo, this is how I cut mine.

I remember seeing a milling machine in your shop, hand filing is hard on your fingers. These three pair take 45 minutes to serrate.
Curious to what type of welding rod you used and did it get pretty hard after welding. Nice work.

VA, you need some help??

I originally wanted to use the mill to cut the serrations, but could not find any end mill or cutter in my collection that was the right shape to make the small "vees".

I used a wire welder to fill the holes, and when filing, could tell that the welded up areas were harder than the rest of the metal, but not dramatically so.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Question about Reed vises: I recently bought this Reed swiveling bench vise from a friend. It has June 30 1896 patent date, however I cannot find any vise patent for anywhere around that time, or any other vise patent which appears related! Was this a phony patent date?

This is the vise and it seems to be a "No.2" from the lone "2" cast into the jaw. Must weigh a good 70lbs and jaws are about 4½" wide IIRC.

Does anyone know more about this model and is this one complete?

I have an idea there was a larger base piece that is missing - the pipe plug with a hole bored though it is obviously just a spacer someone put on.

TIA

The plate with the notches looks a little small. The ones I have match the diameter of the bottom of the base. As VA said The notches should line up on both pieces. The bottom washer on the left is a Parker, middle is from a H B Smith, right is a J S vise. They are all about the same age as yours.

VA, don't laugh at my **** engineered set up to cut the teeth in my pipe jaws. I could at least get them spaced the same every time. You just got to use what you have on hand to get the job done

 

[bagged89s10]

The plate with the notches looks a little small. The ones I have match the diameter of the bottom of the base. As VA said The notches should line up on both pieces. The bottom washer on the left is a Parker, middle is from a H B Smith, right is a J S vise. They are all about the same age as yours.



VA, don't laugh at my **** engineered set up to cut the teeth in my pipe jaws. I could at least get them spaced the same every time. You just got to use what you have on hand to get the job done

I like the ingenuity.


~Veeps

 

[bagged89s10]

What did the parker 26x have for swivel locks? I found this one for sale for $125 but the handle has a nut and there is no swivel handles or wrench. It's a big boy though. I don't need a vise this big. 26"x6"x14"







~Veeps

Maybe Joe will buy this thing?

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/tls/4960238424.html




~Veeps

 

[vintage nut]

Steevo, does your mill have a rotating or tilting head? The one my dad and I have is basically the grizzly small knee mill in different colors. You can rotate the head up to 45 degrees from the table. I would probably put a normal straight end mill in it, and turn the head so the corner of the endmill would do it. Now ignore what I said if you have the fixed head benchtop mill. My idea would only work with a tilt or nod equipped knee mill

you can never have too many tools

 

[danstead]

CM 5195;

J.S If the lash adjuster is what secures the spindle nut (sq. head bolt) then yes I tightened it down. Problem then, with all the play between the spindle nut and the Main housing, it seems to put a lot more torque on the main handle when you try to open and close the dynamic jaw. So I find the vise opens and closes much easier / smoother if the part that secures the spindle nut is just snug.


I want to measure the widest feature on the base of the spindle nut and see if it's close to what other guys have.

I really love this vise and want to get the correct parts installed, or replaced if need.

Thanks Outlaw, TP101, J.S> and Jrebio !!!

DIF, maybe you have some input to share?

 

[wrenchguy]

Here's the brass jaws I'm making and some parts---Not cleaned yet but you might can tell their brass.

Is it ok that I don't believe that the original pipe jaws were made of brass or bronze? If they were, thats why they're missing.... they would not hold up. I believe that vise was built for a corrosive environment (salt air) not for its non sparking qualities. If the steel pipe jaws degraded to a point needing replacement because of corrision it would be a easy job with off the shelf parts. good luck with ur project.

 

[joe.striper]

Maybe Joe will buy this thing?

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/tls/4960238424.html




~Veeps

thanks bagged. Bought it.

 

[vintage nut]

My guess is if it came off a minesweeper, its due to its non magnetic qualities. They try to have the absolute minimim iron on board. To the point of a Canadian one at the local navy base still has a wooden hull. A few engine parts are probably the only steel on board. All the plumbing would be bronze or copper, all the fasteners on the ship brass or bronze, likely an aluminum engine block. And judging by the fact its a bronze vise, I'm guessing that apart from the drill bits, and a tap and die set, all the tools on board were likely bronze or beryllium copper.

you can never have too many tools

 

[vintage nut]

No magnetic stuff, nothing to set the mines off

you can never have too many tools

 

[jreb10]

CM 5195;

J.S If the lash adjuster is what secures the spindle nut (sq. head bolt) then yes I tightened it down. Problem then, with all the play between the spindle nut and the Main housing, it seems to put a lot more torque on the main handle when you try to open and close the dynamic jaw. So I find the vise opens and closes much easier / smoother if the part that secures the spindle nut is just snug.


I want to measure the widest feature on the base of the spindle nut and see if it's close to what other guys have.

I really love this vise and want to get the correct parts installed, or replaced if need.

Thanks Outlaw, TP101, J.S> and Jrebio !!!

DIF, maybe you have some input to share?

I just measured mine at the base of the angular foot. Of course it is a casting so there will be some variation. The "front" measured at .098 to .099". The "rear" measured at 1.03" or so.

 

[wrenchguy]

My guess is if it came off a minesweeper, its due to its non magnetic qualities. They try to have the absolute minimim iron on board. To the point of a Canadian one at the local navy base still has a wooden hull. A few engine parts are probably the only steel on board. All the plumbing would be bronze or copper, all the fasteners on the ship brass or bronze, likely an aluminum engine block. And judging by the fact its a bronze vise, I'm guessing that apart from the drill bits, and a tap and die set, all the tools on board were likely bronze or beryllium copper.

you can never have too many tools

sounds very plausible, thank u 4 the information.

 

[drivesitfar]

VA: your brass pipe jaws look great. how do they fit? it looks like your sleeve and set screw are behind where the set screw should sit inside the hole for it in the screw. or is there another sleeve not showing. nice looking vise and whether it's bronze or brass or where it actually came from is a nice story to search, but for now a one of a kind and just damn awesome that you own it.

Get: i had to save your picture and then blow it up to see what you have set up to make pipe jaws. i can't see anything setting your air grinder in new positions, but i'm guessing it works and an amazing creation of using what tools you already own. i'm guessing the clamp is holding 3 jaws together because you already had them cut to size?

Dan: I like the shim idea Joe mentioned because it sounds like tightening it doesn't allow it to work as well. sorry i have my 519x's buried and trying to resolve that soon. i'll PM a member that i sold my 5195 to and see if he has a different measurement than JReb does, but it looks like you have an original 519x series vise nut. here's picture of my 5196 i had saved in case that might help. you might try shimming on th sides of the vise nut instead of the bottom, but i'd try both and see which works better.

 

[bluebolt]

CM 5195 vise

Hello CM vise guru's, I recently picked up a 3.5" CM vise and have a few questions. The vise seems to open and close quite smoothly but the spindle nut seems to have a lot of lateral play in the main dynamic housing. I'm not sure if this is from general wear since 1955 or could this be a nut from a different vise? Green arrows on image show the gap I'm referring to.

The Reed 104 I picked up in January does not have this much play between the nut and housing-- very minimal.

Thanks!!

Dan, in your first pic it looks like the vise nut is installed backward, did you try it the other way?

 

[drivesitfar]

Dan: yes BB is correct the screw should be towards the back of the vise. I was looking at the gap around the foot so much sorry didn't see that.

 

[danstead]

Thanks guys, will try all of your suggestions!

Beast of a small 3.5" vise!

 

[oldldh]

Thanks guys, will try all of your suggestions!

Beast of a small 3.5" vise!

The Craftsman 519X series are some serious clampers...

The attached ad from Outlaw's bottomless "Bin of Craftsman Minutiae", will give you the weights and prices...

They were not cheap or flimsy...

The other photo is Big Caddy's 519X collection...

He's a greedy B@#tard...

Enjoy your 5195..that's as good a 3 1/2"'er as you're going to find...

 

[jakemac]

Dan - If you do end up shimming the nut. Try using a larger shim and wrapping it around the dovetail so that one shim covers both sides and the bottom. That will raise the nut and fill in the space with a thinner shim.

 

[balane]

danstead. Here's what you want to do. Measure the distance from the bottom of your dynamic jaw to the center of the spindle hole. Then shim the nut (Red = shims) in the stationary jaw so that the distance between its threaded center and the slide rails is equal to the measurement in the dynamic jaw. See diagrams below. This will give you the best results.

.

 

[bagged89s10]

My Parker 22x



I need a Parker 7/8"wrench if anyone has one.





The lip on the handle, I don't know the correct terminology, is cracked but it doesn't affect the operation. I might me able to repair/weld it up.


The lettering on the collar is really rough. Replace or learn to carefully paint the letters? The handle is rough and I might have to make a new one. It will probably be easier to repair the broken part of i chuck it up in the lathe with the handle removed anyway.


Not bad for $75. I'm going to keep this one and sell the oswego and athol I have. I think.



~Veeps

 

[oldldh]

GASP!!!

Sell???

Are you mad???

 

[bagged89s10]

GASP!!!



Sell???



Are you mad???

Lol . Didn't you see the "maybe"


~Veeps