The VISES of Garage Journal

[FMC1959]

please also note the angular shaped cast base, not circular like we kinda take for granted. unique 4 sure.

I saw that and had never really noticed a vise with like you say, angular base (till Jason's Picture). BTW WG, as has been said before, your Ridgid is a great vise, but the finishing job you did is just amazing

Am I seeing things, or is that Simplex welded to the spacer/base plate?

I also noticed that and the question is why .

Yup, just looking at the pic, can't see the reason or need to have done that.

Anyone in search of a Parker No. 2 vise. I have a local lead but I don't have the need for a stationary 4" vise. Seller only wants $60




~Veeps

You know the sickness is terminal when you just can't say "no"

 

[drivesitfar]

Vintage: i might have something pretty heavy for you so expect an email with some pictures.

Baggged: I'm guessing you are at a vise a day pace which i can remember well and the only way i slowed down was to buy bigger tools and machines and rarer vises. have fun because you are buying some quality old US steel. also just an FYI you might still want to pull them apart to check vise nuts and screws condition as well as for cracks and welds so you can pass on some quality vises when you want to thin the heard. I've probably sold ten vises to GJ members and another couple on Craigslist, but they sort of become like family especially the ones coming from friends and old clients I've known.

McGee: hard to pick which vise i'd want to have mounted on the truck, but i'm sure i'll figure out something and find a good spot when i get the truck situated and running great.

 

[bluebolt]

ALL: I've paid more for vises than i did for this truck i bought yesterday, but now i can haul almost any size vise and maybe a few of them. it runs decent and i drove it 5 miles home, but i need a good truck mechanic in case any of you are or know one in my area just to give it a general look over so i don't hurt myself or anybody else on the road.

Decent C-series Ford Drives! You could also put it in the fabrication section as you show how you mounted a swivel hoist on the right front of the bed, tommy gate or ramps and other updates.

 

[bigcaddy]

The sales are slim this weekend due to it being Easter but I was able to fine one decent Wilton Easter egg this morning.

A little paint and polish and it will like like new

 

[bagged89s10]

Vintage: i might have something pretty heavy for you so expect an email with some pictures.



Baggged: I'm guessing you are at a vise a day pace which i can remember well and the only way i slowed down was to buy bigger tools and machines and rarer vises. have fun because you are buying some quality old US steel. also just an FYI you might still want to pull them apart to check vise nuts and screws condition as well as for cracks and welds so you can pass on some quality vises when you want to thin the heard. I've probably sold ten vises to GJ members and another couple on Craigslist, but they sort of become like family especially the ones coming from friends and old clients I've known.



McGee: hard to pick which vise i'd want to have mounted on the truck, but i'm sure i'll figure out something and find a good spot when i get the truck situated and running great.

Drives, I've been pulling them apart for the most part. I passed on a few today. There are a few used tool dealers near me that sell vise fairly cheap. I could have picked up a few today but I resisted. There was a cool little Erie tools vise for only $22 but I didn't. The only bad thing about selling online is the shipping cost. I am going to sell some to fund other garage necessities that I need.


~Veeps

 

[topop101]

The sales are slim this weekend due to it being Easter but I was able to fine one decent Wilton Easter egg this morning.

A little paint and polish and it will like like new

candy from a baby.... lol

 

[vintage nut]

Drives, that vise is bigger than my ex!

you can never have too many tools

 

[bigcaddy]

candy from a baby.... lol

I think it was the only deal there at the sale too! Every other single item seemed to start at $100 and go up from there

 

[drivesitfar]

Bagged: you are not the first guy or gal on this thread to do exactly that so best of luck.

VN: you're welcome and she must have been a looker. hopefully this one will stay with you to pass on to your grand kids.

BC: not your usual haul, but maybe it will pay for your gas when you spiff it up and move it down the road. any new pictures of the Craftsman family to update all our files?

Zoomie: i do like the different vises you seem to acquire.

 

[xxaler]

If one is looking to sell a few vices, where would they be best posting them? Namely a Charles Parker 104 and a Reed 214R? Need to fund buying a New-Old-Stock Starrett 626.

 

[vintage nut]

That vise is going to be all fixed up, and have a good home for at least as long as I'm around. Don't know whos goimg to get it, but they better like tools, because they are probably going to get about 2 machine shops, two cabinet shops, and 3-4 mechanics shops worth of stuff collected by 2 generations of vintage tool collectors

you can never have too many tools

 

[drivesitfar]

**: make more posts and a few of those vises and once you get a 100 posts you can post here on the classifieds. my guess is they might sell on craigslist or your version of it that i think is Kijji or something like that. or let me buy the Starrett and you won't have to sell those vises.

VN: it's always good to know one of my family members will have a happy home and i'll have to see if i can still lift the little guy.

 

[zoomieport]

Zoomie: i do like the different vises you seem to acquire.

Thank you, Sir!

 

[Fretters]

Fretters: Burgundy is your colour or i guess a little BLO or regular linseed oil would do.

It's kind of like my signature now then?

Fretters and CW: nice thoughts about the vise companies. i bet a couple World Wars that were actually in your country played a lot to do with the steel manufacturing businesses. Didn't Paramo become a company because England wanted Record not to be the only vise company during WWII?

Par(r)amore's was founded well before WWII. They'll have been tasked with the cloning of the Record stuff because they weren't too far away from Record's factory, but they were far enough away from Sheffield centre to avoid the occasional bombing runs which Sheffield suffered, (I'm working from recollection of stories from people who were around during the war for this info regarding which towns were and weren't targeted, and why, btw), due to it consisting primarily of steelworks. Par(r)amore's foundry/factory was in Chapeltown, which is smack next to Barnsley. Apparently our town was left pretty much alone due to us being primarily a mining/pit town. Either our town was classed as no threat else there's no point bombing the coal pits which you'll need for fuel, if you're planning on invading. Hence, theoretically, they were in a fairly safe spot unless Germany specifically targeted their factory.

Everyone who was around during WWII always had their own tales to tell and personal take on everything, so how true the reasoning and method behind it all actually was is anyones guess.

 

[Fretters]

I'll think about it over night .... Don't see many 8a's

I'm with Dutch on this one. If it doesn't go silly on price, that appears a decent buy. Can't say as I've personally noticed owt in the photo's which raises any red flags, but it's worthwhile you giving the photo's close scrutiny before deciding for definite.

Normally I personally wouldn't consider paying that much for any vice, (what can I say. I'm a typical Yorkshireman ), but knowing what the 8A's are like now that I have one here, I can say honestly say that's quite a lot of vice for not a vast amount of money, (at the current price).

I like Fortis .... nowhere near as rough as a Swindens

The more I look at this particular Fortis, the more I'm believing they both must have had the same bloke working in their foundries.

 

[bagged89s10]

Bagged: you are not the first guy or gal on this thread to do exactly that so best of luck.



VN: you're welcome and she must have been a looker. hopefully this one will stay with you to pass on to your grand kids.



BC: not your usual haul, but maybe it will pay for your gas when you spiff it up and move it down the road. any new pictures of the Craftsman family to update all our files?



Zoomie: i do like the different vises you seem to acquire.

Drives, it all started because off all the cool old American tools on GJ. Then I stumbled upon the vise thread. I learned about Wiltons thru this thread but I didn't see as much about Parkers. One of the local tool dealers had and still has the first Parker visr that I saw a few months ago. It said Meriden, CT, which is the town I live next to. I didn't know Parkers were anything special until I researched further. Then I saw a Parket vise with a patent date of Novrmber 22. Why is that date special? Well November 22 is my birthday. So the hunt started looking for a Parker swivel vise with the Nov 22 patent date. I didn't sNt to and still don't want to spend eBay type prices on a restored one.

So the more I was in this thread, the more I learned.

Found a Wilton 1760 dirt cheap
Found an Athol 623
Found an awesome Wilton 9-500 for $125 which is the most I've spent on a vise.
Sold my import wilton combination vise
Picked up at Oswego 88.
Sold the wilton 1760 pretty much by accident and bought a lathe.
Picked up a Parker 22x and No. 2 this week.
Getting another Parker on Monday.

But the hunt for the perfect Charles Parker with the November 22 date continues.

It's very hard to say no to a nice Parker or Wilton vise that is priced low.



~Veeps

 

[Fretters]

It's very hard to say no to a nice Parker or Wilton vise that is priced low.

Or any decent vice which is priced low.

Btw, it's vise and vises over your side of the pond, in relation to your question earlier.

 

[bagged89s10]

Or any decent vice which is priced low.



Btw, it's vise and vises over your side of the pond, in relation to your question earlier.

True. Us Americans like to be difficult.


~Veeps

 

[Fretters]

Some better photo's of the Fortis.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

That's a beefy little vice

btw I got the pins out of the Wilson

 

[Bill Ramsey]

This is columbian d43 1/2 on my computer desk, picked it up for less than $10, removed rust, tig welded crack on the base, decreased it, regressed and separated down with dry lube, replaced some of the hardware, works like charm. I'm keepin the patina.

Love the lines of that one.

 

[balane]

And yet another incredibly exciting update on converting my fixed base Parker to a Wilton 800S swivel base. The swivel base fits perfectly. The inner hardware from the 800S fit OK but not perfectly. It was held in place but didn't enjoy the actual swiveling activity very much.

I contacted everybody's favorite machinist for hire, Kevin. (KMScott) I contracted him to cut me a disk and a centering peg. The steel disc was to be 1/4" thick and the center post 3/4" diamter & 1 3/8" tall. He did fabulous work and sent it to me. The mailman dropped it off today.

I knew things were going to be tight and I'm not comfortable with my precision measuring so I thought it would be best to drill the holes for the swivel bolts myself. Kevin also included a perfect bit for the job. I hand drilled these holes because my cordless goes a lot slower than my old Craftsman DP. With a little oil each hole took 5 to 8 minutes. Not bad.

You can see the process below in the photos. The carriage bolts have a small tack weld underneath the bottom lip to hold them in place. There's a yellow light in my garage that can make some metal look rusty. It isn't.

It all works like a dream and my Parker now swivels like it came that way from the factory. I'm super happy with it. Thanks to Kevin for his always amazing assistance.

.

 

[topop101]

I think it was the only deal there at the sale too! Every other single item seemed to start at $100 and go up from there

Better than the one I went to today. They posted 3 wilton vise's on the sale bill. I get there and it's all made in china ****. They are just using the wilton name as a draw. The only good thing is it was within a quarter mile of home.

 

[bagged89s10]

Through a little research I found out that a Wilton 800S swivel base (8" jaw Machinist monster bullet.) fits the bottom of my Parker vise perfectly. Tracking one down took some time but ultimately I got my mitts on one. Here it is all sitting there precariously because I'm still waiting on some hardware to finalize the installation. I'm pretty stoked about the extra height it gives me, right where I like it now. I was lucky to get this vise for $20 but I've put about $300 more into it on improvements. (New handle, swivel base & hardware, KMScott brass thrust washer.) Still, I couldn't be happier with a vise. Can't wait to get this project wrapped up and be a full time swivelin' *******.

.

It came out nice and I bet it swivels nicely with the new plate. Did you make a new handle?

 

[topop101]

And yet another incredibly exciting update on converting my fixed base Parker to a Wilton 800S swivel base. The swivel base fits perfectly. The inner hardware from the 800S fit OK but not perfectly. It was held in place but didn't enjoy the actual swiveling activity very much.

I contacted everybody's favorite machinist for hire, Kevin. (KMScott) I contracted him to cut me a disk and a centering peg. The steel disc was to be 1/4" thick and the center post 3/4" diamter & 1 3/8" tall. He did fabulous work and sent it to me. The mailman dropped it off today.

I knew things were going to be tight and I'm not comfortable with my precision measuring so I thought it would be best to drill the holes for the swivel bolts myself. Kevin also included a perfect bit for the job. I hand drilled these holes because my cordless goes a lot slower than my old Craftsman DP. With a little oil each hole took 5 to 8 minutes. Not bad.

You can see the process below in the photos. The carriage bolts have a small tack weld underneath the bottom lip to hold them in place. There's a yellow light in my garage that can make some metal look rusty. It isn't.

It all works like a dream and my Parker now swivels like it came that way from the factory. I'm super happy with it. Thanks to Kevin for his always amazing assistance.

.

A hundred years from now some one is going to ask, Did this parker come with a swivel base??? It sure looks factory. Very nice job. !

 

[balane]

Thanks guys.

Bagged, there is a new handle on the vise. It was an earlier project. See here if you wish to read about it.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264541

 

[bagged89s10]

Thanks guys.

Bagged, there is a new handle on the vise. It was an earlier project. See here if you wish to read about it.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264541

Thanks for the info. I'm going to make a new handle for my Parker 22x and now I have an idea how to make it. Won't be as nice as yours but I'll see what I come up with. Looks like a trip to the steel yard is in store this week.


~Veeps

 

[danstead]

Balane,
Awesome how you converted the Parker to a swivel base, Nice work by KM!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[McBrownie]

Thanks for the info. I'm going to make a new handle for my Parker 22x and now I have an idea how to make it. Won't be as nice as yours but I'll see what I come up with. Looks like a trip to the steel yard is in store this week.


~Veeps

Bagged,

Before you make a new handle for your Parker, take a look at the one in my avatar. It looked like yours before I shined it up. Don't give up on the old steel too easily.

 

[Junebuggy]

Jeepers....there's a big Rock Island 7 inch (200lb) vise up for sale on ebay for you "biggun" vise likers....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-ROCK-IS...544?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19fe138530

 

[KMScott]

Just wrapped up this Hollands today. But first I wanted to mention that just about every vise I work on needs some kind of repair, some major. I have the equipment that makes the repairs much easier to do. The craftsman are you guys that repair these vises with hand tools, shucks I would fail at drilling holes with hand drills, would not have the patience to hand file serrations, rework the screws with those god awful 60 degree angles and all the other repairs you guys do listed in these posts. Balane, Nick and all you others have earned my respect, so when I can I really enjoy helping you guys that are repairing these awesome vises. Thanks to you all that appreciate these repairs and alterations.

Any way back to this 3-1/2 inch Hollands. I am impressed with the Hollands, this 23-1/2H is another quality vise. I found another vise company on my favorite list, I think It came out pretty nice.

I can not wait to get to my Reeds, old Yost's and Prentiss vises, some day I will pick one of these vises to be my new bench model. I also have a Record that I have been itching to get to because of what I hear about them. I will say I use my Record woodworking vise on every bench vise that I restore. I really like the quick release and also respect the quality that the English used in this vise.

 

[balane]

That's a real gem Kevin. Somebody is absolutely going to love owning that one. It's art. What color is that? Is it Deep Green Hammered Finish? Stunning vise.

And thanks for the kind words but I can tell you I don't feel very much like a craftsman when blood is dripping off my fingertips onto the floor and my dog is scared to come in the shop because I'm swearing up a storm out there.

I only know that you're the guy I turn to when I need help.

 

[bagged89s10]

Bagged,



Before you make a new handle for your Parker, take a look at the one in my avatar. It looked like yours before I shined it up. Don't give up on the old steel too easily.

Mine is really badly worn. Looks like a crackhead was gnawing on it.

The smallest diameter off the handle is 0.555" and the largest is 0.620" (don't quote me on these numbers as I'm going off memory)



I also have to fix the lip behind the spindle.


It's going to be easier to first cut the handle in half and remove it from the spindle. I want to try to save the ends of the handles. I should be able to chuck each half in my lathe to clean up the ends and make them into threaded ends. Then I can chuck the spindle assembly into the lathe to cleanly cut off the broken lip and clean polish the spindle. Then machine a new bushing/lip, slide it on, and carefully weld it on. Sounds like it should work. What do you think?


~Veeps

 

[econotrk]

Beautiful job Kevin, I really like the color and the way you did the jaw faces.

 

[Fretters]

If I didn't know that wasn't an original swivel base Balane, I'd swear it was to look at it. Nice work.

I really like the quick release and also respect the quality that the English used in this vise.

QR makes opening/closing a vice almost pleasurable, doesn't it. It always does surprise me that it was never widely adopted anywhere bar here.

That vice looks gorgeous btw Kevin.

 

[KMScott]

That's a real gem Kevin. Somebody is absolutely going to love owning that one. It's art. What color is that? Is it Deep Green Hammered Finish? Stunning vise.

Yes you nailed it balane. Thanks, coming from you means a lot.

Beautiful job Kevin, I really like the color and the way you did the jaw faces.

Thanks econotrik, the jaw faces needed truing up, they were pretty out of kilter. I did them on a surface grinder. I really like the color of this paint too.

 

[Fretters]

And thanks for the kind words but I can tell you I don't feel very much like a craftsman when blood is dripping off my fingertips onto the floor....

The old style fabric plasters, (do you call them plasters across there?), are worth their weight in gold when you're doing work like that. The newer waterproof type work too, but you get far better grip with the fabric type. I much prefer being a wuss and putting plasters on my fingertips than having to spend days waiting for fingertip flesh to grow back so that you're not wincing every time you touch something.

 

[vintage nut]

Just for my reference to ensure my vises do live a good life, what would the line be between use and abuse for a heavy 6" vise? Obviously no cheater pipes or sledgehammers, but what level of beating and prying is acceptable?
Like could you possibly hurt a 150# vise with a 24oz ball peen hammer?

you can never have too many tools

 

[vintage nut]

Although most of what my vises get used for is holding parts while tapping holes. Giant vise would just be useful for holding stuff that doesn't fit in my records

you can never have too many tools

 

[balane]

Just for my reference to ensure my vises do live a good life, what would the line be between use and abuse for a heavy 6" vise? Obviously no cheater pipes or sledgehammers, but what level of beating and prying is acceptable?
Like could you possibly hurt a 150# vise with a 24oz ball peen hammer?

you can never have too many tools

Vintage nut, that is a loaded question!! I imagine all of us, at one time or another, have done things to our vises we shouldn't. But that's why we like the good ones, they're more forgiving to the occasional errant swing of a five pound mallet. The best advice I can offer is; Don't push your luck!! There are worse things that can happen than damaging your vise.

.