The VISES of Garage Journal

[va.grouseman]

originally posted by CwazyWabbit

Looks to me like a Dohm turret vice 40 miles from me so might be worth a punt .... unless you are going to make the journey from the smoke Fraggles in which case I'll leave it for you to bid on.
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You limeys speak in unknown tongues, but I like it.---I don't understand any of it, but I like it.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Fraggles is in London hence 'the smoke' as it used to be smokey. A punt would usually mean to have a try at something, in this case winning the auction.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Third picture is next to the Record No.6 I use everyday at work.

Right now the 634 is in a light coat of primer under my bench, ordered some fancy Record blue in hammer finish from your side of the pond, waiting on it to show up. Going to do a little body work with JB weld and clean it up very nice around the base. A lot of casting imperfections around the bottom.

Could I trouble you at some point for some pictures of the static pipe jaws removed from the vice? Measurements would be nice in case they are the same size as the 633, they are missing from the 633 and I'd like to make some for it. No rush as the vice will be making a slow journey to me.

 

[xxaler]

Could I trouble you at some point for some pictures of the static pipe jaws removed from the vice? Measurements would be nice in case they are the same size as the 633, they are missing from the 633 and I'd like to make some for it. No rush as the vice will be making a slow journey to me.

I had one pipe jaw, and one vice jaw missing so I grabbed two chunks of A2 tool steel to make them.

pipe jaw is 3.75"x2.875"x.720". I'm not mapping out all the notches though.. haha.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

I had one pipe jaw, and one vice jaw missing so I grabbed two chunks of A2 tool steel to make them.

pipe jaw is 3.75"x2.875"x.720". I'm not mapping out all the notches though.. haha.

Cheers Sir you're a star there seem to be more of these records your side of the pond .... Looks to be in pretty good condition, mine will no doubt take a lot of feeling to get it anywhere near yours.

 

[xxaler]

Cheers Sir you're a star there seem to be more of these records your side of the pond .... Looks to be in pretty good condition, mine will no doubt take a lot of feeling to get it anywhere near yours.

There are definitely a lot here. We have 5 Record No.6 in our machinist cage, and another 6 throughout the rest of the shop floor. Everywhere I go on service seems to have them too.

Guess it's one of those industrial money making things, when you know Murica' has the money to spend, why not make sure they want to buy it? I understand there were a ton of North American vise manufacturers, I'm still not sure why over seas vises were such a big hit though.

Another thing I don't understand, how companies like Wilton who still make vises can still be in business when they're selling 6" machinist vises for upwards of $1500 new, when you can buy an old vise for peanuts that works just as good...

 

[zoomieport]

Another thing I don't understand, how companies like Wilton who still make vises can still be in business when they're selling 6" machinist vises for upwards of $1500 new, when you can buy an old vise for peanuts that works just as good...

Government purchases that require the products be made in America...?
Companies of any "size" aren't going to made tool purchases from a Craigslist ad...?
They are "NEW", have a valid warranty and no hidden damage...?

 

[xxaler]

Government purchases that require the products be made in America...?

Good point.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Record/Irwin still make vices that retail at over £1100, I wonder how many they sell a year?

 

[FMC1959]

Will be getting this vice picked up for me later ..... Thanks go to Dutch for finding it and letting me know

It has 5" jaws and is a record 633









This is a proper saved from the scrapper job as it's at a metal recycling yard.

Third picture is next to the Record No.6 I use everyday at work.

Right now the 634 is in a light coat of primer under my bench, ordered some fancy Record blue in hammer finish from your side of the pond, waiting on it to show up. Going to do a little body work with JB weld and clean it up very nice around the base. A lot of casting imperfections around the bottom.

Great looking vises the both of you have. I would love to get my hands on one.

 

[FMC1959]

Here's a 40's style Morgan Chicago less than 10 minutes walk from my house:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/tls/4953052407.html

Is it worth it?

exmaxima1, did you end up getting this one?

 

[dutchgray]

Could I trouble you at some point for some pictures of the static pipe jaws removed from the vice? Measurements would be nice in case they are the same size as the 633, they are missing from the 633 and I'd like to make some for it. No rush as the vice will be making a slow journey to me.

Unless I'm very stupid, there is one pipe jaw still in that vice.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

I was curious as to whether the double one for the static jaw was different from the single one in the dynamic jaw.

 

[dutchgray]

I was curious as to whether the double one for the static jaw was different from the single one in the dynamic jaw.

I expect they are the same profile and once you have the vice all will become obvious. These combinations always seem to be missing pipe jaws though. I still maintain £25 is ****** cheap for one of these, even if its only good for parts.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Mate, I reckon it was an absolute bargain hopefully I'll be able to do it justice and get it looking ship shape again

 

[bigcaddy]

It was a busy morning with 3 killer stops but I was able to dig out a few gems. There's more coming....

Tools will be posted in the g sales thread

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Fretters & CW

I think i'm going to pass on the Dohm turret vice . The description says the lead screw is not original

Though I'm tempted by this 35 to sit between my 34 and 36

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Record-No-35-Vice-/281657857841?

I've had a response from the seller about the lead screw.....

When I bought the vice it didn't have the lead nut with it. I fitted a screw and nut from another vice so as to make it useable. There's no damage to it AFAIK and if a suitable lead nut can be found, or made, then the original screw could be refitted.

The main difference is that the new thread is a bit coarser than the old one so it clamps up a bit faster.

....

 

[RivennHewn]

Brought home a nice little weekend project:

It's seen more neglect than use.

 

[balane]

It was a busy morning with 3 killer stops but I was able to dig out a few gems. There's more coming....

Tools will be posted in the g sales thread

In a row like that it's ham.

Hollands
Athol
Morgan

Riven, I saw that 5" Cman on Craigslist for $50. Seems like a good price as it's large and seems to be in decent condition. Nice pickup.

 

[jreb10]

Saw a CL posting a while ago. Guy was selling 3 vises, 2 small and 1 larger 4" vise. His poor photo showed all the vises, but none of them had the side up that showed the maker.

After a week I tried to figure out what they were. One was obviously a Littlestown. I could not figure out the 4 incher that looked USA-made. His prices were OK, so I finally called him and went to see him, about 35 miles through the heart of Minneapolis (ugh).

The Littlestown was a 112, a bit dry but in decent shape. The other small one was a Wilton homeowners vise, 3.5 inch jaw, #121068:



The larger one turned out to be a Yost, with what looks like original paint! But it does not have a model number anywhere.



I bought them all as a package deal for $50.

Once home I looked at the Yost and became uncertain if the swivel base was original. The base of the static jaw is not round, rather sort of egg-shaped. After I took it apart I became more convinced it was the original base.






Anybody recognize the model of this Yost?

 

[zoomieport]

In a row like that it's ham.

Hollands
Athol
Morgan

 

[FMC1959]

The larger one turned out to be a Yost, with what looks like original paint! But it does not have a model number anywhere.

Anybody recognize the model of this Yost?

It's a machinist vise and has a swivel base, probably a 204?

 

[BlueBomber]

I missed these on Craigslist by minutes...there were six of them at $30 each.
View media item 49918
Plus two Columbians....

View media item 49919
They were mine for eight minutes (time between the first text and the second saying hubby had gotten home and already sold them).

 

[bagged89s10]

I missed these on Craigslist by minutes...there were six of them at $30 each.

View media item 49918


Plus two Columbians....



View media item 49919


They were mine for eight minutes (time between the first text and the second saying hubby had gotten home and already sold them).

The Wiltons pictured look like the jaws were welded so you didn't miss much at least.


~Veeps

 

[zoomieport]

They were mine for eight minutes (time between the first text and the second saying hubby had gotten home and already sold them).

Good miss!

 

[balane]

Refinished a Versa-Vise this evening. These are fun to do. I definitely like the older bulb-style hub better.

.

 

[tedsters]

Refinished a Versa-Vise this evening. These are fun to do. I definitely like the older bulb-style hub better.

.

wow this is an art with you balane, that looks fantastic as always

 

[Recordus]

To CwazyWabbits post of the Irwin/Record catalog a few days back...

The Irwin/Record Chinese-manufactured garbage seems to have disappeared from the stores I frequent in California and Oregon. I recall seeing THREE Irwin/Record vises on display at a Home Depot (huge home center/retailer) a few years back, and ALL THREE of the vises had broken castings in the display!

Some of those vises look pretty similar to the old English-manufactured Records, and some look completely Asian. Are any of the Record tools made in Great Britain nowadays? Or is it even possible to learn the country of origin? In the US goods are supposed to be make with their COO (although compliance is spotty at times) but is showing where a product is made required in the UK?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[zoomieport]

Refinished a Versa-Vise this evening. These are fun to do. I definitely like the older bulb-style hub better.

.

Pro...

 

[CwazyWabbit]

To CwazyWabbits post of the Irwin/Record catalog a few days back...

The Irwin/Record Chinese-manufactured garbage seems to have disappeared from the stores I frequent in California and Oregon. I recall seeing THREE Irwin/Record vises on display at a Home Depot (huge home center/retailer) a few years back, and ALL THREE of the vises had broken castings in the display!

Some of those vises look pretty similar to the old English-manufactured Records, and some look completely Asian. Are any of the Record tools made in Great Britain nowadays? Or is it even possible to learn the country of origin? In the US goods are supposed to be make with their COO (although compliance is spotty at times) but is showing where a product is made required in the UK?

Thanks,
Brian

COO marking isn't a legal requirement in the UK except for some food, although it is illegal to have a false COO or to put something suggesting a false manufacturing location like a UK flag on the label of something made elsewhere.

Having a look on Farnells website, which is one of the few that list the last significant country of manufacture for products they sell, I'd say all Record/Irwin vices including the top of the range products are made in either India or China

I've only bought one new Record vice and that was nearly 20 years ago. Since then I've only bought used.

 

[dutchgray]

Irwin sent all of the Record group manufacturing abroad, there is no factory here in the UK now. All that's left is Clico which split off from Record in the 80's, they make rivet tools and forged auger bits etc and used to make Clifton hand planes, but they sold them on.
The really cheap bottom of the range vices are best avoided, they are just the same China junk available elsewhere for much less. I suspect the expensive ones are ok but why risk it when good used ones are mostly easy to find and cheaper.

 

[PCO6]

... I suspect the expensive ones are ok but why risk it when good used ones are mostly easy to find and cheaper.

That's true in Canada too. They are plentiful and inexpensive. I have 8 Record vices and the most I paid was $80 for a No.8.

 

[topop101]

Refinished a Versa-Vise this evening. These are fun to do. I definitely like the older bulb-style hub better.

.

Great looking. Do you have any idea on the age of the bulb or pear shaped VV ?

 

[Fretters]

Great looking. Do you have any idea on the age of the bulb or pear shaped VV ?

If it's similar to across here, the round/teardrop ball on a vice usually indicates pre 60's, and parallel 60's onwards, or thereabouts.

 

[bagged89s10]

Refinished a Versa-Vise this evening. These are fun to do. I definitely like the older bulb-style hub better.



.

That looks awesome cleaned up! What paint did you use?


~Veeps

 

[KMScott]

Refinished a Versa-Vise this evening. These are fun to do. I definitely like the older bulb-style hub better.
.

Nice job balane, the master at work again. It's amazing how many of these Versa Vises you find.

 

[topop101]

If it's similar to across here, the round/teardrop ball on a vice usually indicates pre 60's, and parallel 60's onwards, or thereabouts.

I think one of your fellow countrymen helped me establish pre 1955 with an ad he had showing the non pear shape. I'm just trying to narrow the window a bit from 1900-1955. Thanks for your help Fretters.

 

[balane]

Thank you everybody. I appreciate the nice comments.

The color is Rustoleum Hammered Finish Deep Green. I used it on a Wilton several pages back and Kevin used it on a Hollands not that long ago himself. A while ago I was ordering a case of the Verde Green for bullets. I saw on the web site if I spent $75 that shipping was free so I also ordered six cans of this paint to try out. These are two colors that just aren't available through any brick and mortar so I'm glad to have some on the shelf.

I have no clue on Versa Vise dating. As far as I know they were never stamped. Will Burt in conjunction with Columbian was granted the patent in 1901 as co-manufacturers. I'm not able to locate any dating information after that. The bulb shaped spindle hub versions are older and, to me, more handsome. This is the only Versa Vise I've had in this style.

This is my sixth Versa Vise over the years, not sure if that's a lot or not. They're a lot of fun to do because the before/after really seems to be dramatic on them. They're not heavy so my arms aren't killing me when I'm done and they fit in a flat rate box which is reasonably priced and simple to package up.

Can't wait for the next one!

 

[firemanast]

Refinished a Versa-Vise this evening. These are fun to do. I definitely like the older bulb-style hub better.

.

Another great job with excellent craftsmanship!

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Third picture is next to the Record No.6 I use everyday at work.

Right now the 634 is in a light coat of primer under my bench, ordered some fancy Record blue in hammer finish from your side of the pond, waiting on it to show up. Going to do a little body work with JB weld and clean it up very nice around the base. A lot of casting imperfections around the bottom.

Found some extra info on the 63* series of vices that might interest you.