The VISES of Garage Journal

[Fretters]

Made a slight modification to that Fortis so that the spring is under slightly less tension. Seemed excessive the way they'd done it, and during reassembly, the original setup made it a cow to fit the front plate, whereas now the spring aids assembly slightly by closing the plate rather than pushing it open, as the end of the spring sits at the other side of the plate from where it was originally. I've literally just bent the end of the spring in the opposite direction and fitted a 2BA brass screw to act as a retaining pin and clamp.

The finished vice. Glad to finally get this one sorted. No major problems, but it's just been one of those pain in the **** type affairs to sort.

As it arrived:

Now:

The shade of green is actually slightly darker than it appears to be in the photo's.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

CW: since you have beer cans over in your part of the world that might hold a gallon or liter of beer it's hard to tell how big your new little Record vise is. i'm guessing maybe a 2 inch jaw and maybe a 5 or 8 pound vise? nice addition to your growing family.
......

2 1/4" Jaw and 5 1/2 lbs

It's a 440ml can so a touch less than a pint But you are right, we used to have a 7 pint can over here.

 

[drivesitfar]

Fretters: i know you have done some green on your other tools, but was liking your Burgundy colour for your vises. maybe that one is heading down the road? your fix for the spring looks like one for the vise companies to copy and happy to hear you sorted it out.

that Fortis' casting is a bit rough as you said. maybe because some of the vise making equipment was destroyed during the war so they were doing the best they could until the factory's new equipment could be bought? Since the war was in your backyard there had to be some collateral damage to those big companies either with missing workers or equipment. don't the newer Fortis vices have a better casting with cleaner lines and lettering?

cheers and nice work

 

[Fretters]

It's stopping here. It's merely green because the young'un complains like a girl if I paint a Military vice burgundy, (when he can be arsed to pay any interest/attention, that is).

A bit rough is an understatement. Wiping ones backside with Izal would seem positively smooth and painless in comparison to the roughness of that casting, and anyone who has ever used Izal will tell you that means it's really rough. It appears, from what CW has said, that it's the older castings which were better quality. I've personally no basis for comparison as this is the only Fortis I've ever had so far, but it appears this was either a Friday afternoon affair else the quality went downhill somewhat in later years.

 

[drivesitfar]

Fretters: i learned another word from you today. IZAL when i googled it came up with a singing group which i'm guessing sound like **** since IZAL is your side of the pond's is their old toilet paper. sounds like we call it sandpaper and don't use it for our backsides. colourful descriptions about your vices as per the usual and if anybody wants to read what Google found about IZAL here's the link.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...h-institutions-izal-toilet-paper-1727294.html

the Burgundy will grow on the younguns because you and they start getting smarter when they approach 30 years of age. isn't it amazing that we knew everything at 13 and now we learn something everyday? cheers

CW: 7 pint can of beer sounds like i better re tune up my bladder for when i visit my vise (vice) friends across the pond.

 

[Fretters]

Definitely not the group. One site I find amusing on the subject of Izal is this one:

http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/household-products/izal-toilet-paper/

There's at least one review/story on page two which makes me chuckle. Those reviews aren't much, if any, of an exaggeration btw. That disinfectant smell and the 'pleasure' of actually using that stuff are two things you never forget, even years later. It used to be the stuff of choice in school and public bogs years ago, so you had no option but to suffer it at some point in time.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

The attempts to turn it from a non stick shiny surface to a vaguely usable one by repeatedly screwing the paper up is something you never forget....

 

[bubinga]

Wonder if he'll be phoning Joe later, asking Joe if he wants to pop round and look at the 406R bolted on his bench.
Nice work on that vice btw.

Thanks,

The best way I've found for finding the true end of a crack is to wipe the surface over with a rag soaked with white spirit/stoddard solvent/turpentine substitute, and then wipe the excess off the surface. As the solvent on the surface evaporates, you'll usually be left with an easily visible wet line where the solvent has crept into the crack, as it evaporates far more slowly from there. The end of the wet line should be the true end of the crack.

Good idea.

Aye, asking a favour like that is a good way of either losing or half killing friends. That 00 is a cutey.

 

[Fretters]

The attempts to turn it from a non stick shiny surface to a vaguely usable one by repeatedly screwing the paper up is something you never forget....

The good old: "handful of broken glass" technique. Makes you wonder how many people must have been chuckling away merrily to themselves after they gave people that advice, knowing the inevitable outcome. It's like those people who would give you a cup of cold water to 'cool' your mouth after they'd just given you a Fishermans Friend.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Lol, imagine the chuckling of the manufacturer when they decided one day 'Lets make toilet paper, but lets make it non stick!'

 

[vintage nut]

Drives, having the drawings made it at least 10,000 times easier for me! I'm not sure I would have taken that on without having the vise here unless I had the diagram.

you can never have too many tools

 

[rbannon]

This one is a better deal for 150.00 in your area

http://images.craigslist.org/00M0M_1r2wmEA5aSR_600x450.jpg

Is that a Morgan vise or some other USA maker in the link above or a Chinese clone?

 

[drivesitfar]

Fretters and CW: hanging with you guys and having a few pints i'd probably pee my pants because you are both too dang funny.

BTW we used maple tree leaves in emergencies, but that was alongside the road or in a remote area. the ones that might have had a bug or two on them could have been an issue. I bet your government has done some strange things over the years and while we laugh now that couldn't have been a fun thing with the Izal as standard stuff in the public johns.

Vintage: KM does pretty good without a lathe doesn't he?

RB: it could be almost any # of vises from that picture. the picture you posted of the Wilton bullet on the bench for $150 probably was a good deal if a real Wilton bullet. here's what a rusty 1946 Wilton looks like that has 4 inch jaws which might be what that vise is on the bench.

 

[vintage nut]

Decided instead of using the threaded inside to hold it, I would get out the collet block, and hold it with a 5c collet. Don't have a collet nose for the lathe... Yet... Lol

After some turning

Bit of lathe filing

And the finished cap! I decided to polish it like a mirror while it was on the lathe, just because I thought it would look good. Seeing how it turned out is making me want to find a baby bullet!

you can never have too many tools

 

[dutchgray]

CW
Nice Record 00, I have a rougher one with a broken jaw insert, which seems fairly common, some time I will get another like it and then soft jaw one.
Got 2 Woden 00 as well, I find the little 00 and 0 sizes hard to resist

 

[jr3ruffneck]

My 4" Littlestown vise got a new set of jaws today courtesy of Mountain Product.

 

[ZRX61]

Bought a '50's Craftsman toolbox at an Estate sale this morning. Dragged it home & started emptying all the **** out of it...... & discovered this in the bottom of it:

 

[ChargerRT]

Vintage that looks amazing!! Can't wait to get it on the vise!

 

[nickelTwin]

I got this Columbian 6" vise today at a garage sale.
The nut for the screw was loose. I couldn't tell when I was there if the nut was broken of or the bolt came loose.

I asked the guy for the price and he said $10.00. I took the chance. I got home and turns out the bolt was loose. Screwed it back together and it's fine.

 

[colin39]

2 1/4" Jaw and 5 1/2 lbs

It's a 440ml can so a touch less than a pint But you are right, we used to have a 7 pint can over here.

Wow the party 7 , that was a fun pint. Lol remember jim davidson sketch involving chalky and a party 7

Watneys party 7

 

[bigcaddy]

Man, these Wilton's just keep following me home

400S Machinist vise. 1/78 stamp

 

[drivesitfar]

BC: nice Wilton looks like the $50 one you praised another member about last week. tell us you got it for free? amazing how those quality vises turn up in the back of your truck. BTW you haven't posted up either a new big Craftsman family picture or an updated museum one lately so please do if you have time.

cheers

Colin: why so many glasses? i thought those 7 pint cans come in a 6 pack for you vice guys across the pond. yes??

JR: I'm guessing when you say Mountain products you are talking about KMScott's jaws? very nice improvement.

 

[jr3ruffneck]

Yes I am Dri. I'm very pleased with the quality

 

[colin39]

BC: nice Wilton looks like the $50 one you praised another member about last week. tell us you got it for free? amazing how those quality vises turn up in the back of your truck. BTW you haven't posted up either a new big Craftsman family picture or an updated museum one lately so please do if you have time.

cheers

Colin: why so many glasses? i thought those 7 pint cans come in a 6 pack for you vice guys across the pond. yes??

JR: I'm guessing when you say Mountain products you are talking about KMScott's jaws? very nice improvement.

Yea know what ya mean, currently supping stella's but moving on to apple pie shine shortly. Lol. Party 7s or watneys went outta business years ago in 1968 they introduced the party 7 and ran till late 70's

 

[JZiggy]

My little baby Record No.00 arrived today, it's a tiddler for sure

Hey Wabbit,

I got a Woden 186B/00 in the mail a couple days ago:

It has the stamp "54" on the bottom so I guess it's a 1954!

The feature in the handle spindle (the little groove) tells me that this Woden is halfway to being taken over by Record. My other Wodens do not have this type of spindle.

Also it just says "B/00" on the side and not "186B/00" so it is on the newer side for a Woden.

 

[JZiggy]

Also, I made a swivel base out of a steel disc and an Irwin/Record swivel base. Now I can use my old oval-slide Erie Tool Works 4" with a bit more versatility.

 

[jwicker]

Hi all. I was sent here from the vintage tool forum. Seems you folks are the vise-gurus.

I picked up this 'refurbed' Wilton from CL. Seller has several nice old ones on there now. (Cole, bulletts, American Scale).

He estimated it late 70s early 80s US made. No castings or standings with COO at all.

Was told it might be a little sprung but I wouldn't know.

airbuff101 has one on Garage Gazette that is identical but with OEM red paint (?).

Anyway, I'm sure it will serve me well if it came from US or China... But I'd sure like to know for sure.

Thoughts??

 

[jwicker]

 

[jwicker]

Sorry something weird making me have to upload in individual posts.

 

[jwicker]

 

[jwicker]

 

[bubinga]

ziggy that swivel you made is a nice job.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Vintage,
Nice work!

ZRX,
Very cute vise. I'd be tempted to clean it up as is.

 

[^&right]

During my garage shop build I approached my grandfather and asked if he had an old vice I could have to use in my shop. He lived on a farm that goes back to my great grandfather, with the clutter to show it. Lots of junk but a few jewels. I found a few old vices and am giving one to my cousin. Grandpa told me of one that sounded cool and unique that could not be located. My Dad finally found it lying outside of one of the barns under lots of debris. Who knows how many years its been out there. Turned out to be a Columbian leg vice. Jaws are smooth, but from what little research I've done, it looks to be a great tool.

Down side is that it is completely seized. Solid. It is pitted and so forth, but I'm sure I can get it working again. The spring is pretty beat up, so that may need replacing, but otherwise appears to be servicable with some TLC and a few gallons of penetrant. There is supposed to be an anvil out there somewhere. Could be half buried, but I am determined to find that and add some more family history to the shop. These are the same tools that kept some old Oliver tractors running.

 

[bubinga]

re the leg vise.
Sweet.
use electrolysis rust removal.

 

[drivesitfar]

&Right: how do you pronounce your handle or what does it stand for? in any case nice find on the old Blacksmith or leg vise and don't give up on looking for that anvil. weather won't ruin an anvil much, but a fire would so it sounds like it might have some value as a working anvil if you find it.

as far as using penetrant to un seize your vise that might not work well. do you have a bucket of diesel or putting it in a big tray with a few gallons of vinegar should get it un stuck. if you do use vinegar make sure to not leave it in there more than a week or so because the vinegar will start eating the cast iron. once you get it un stuck rinse off the vinegar and dry it off completely as best you can.

spring looks ok from my angle so get it working and greased and see how it works before replacing the spring. nice find and keep us posted as to the progress on making it work like it did in the past either here or on the vise repair 101 thread that could use a few blacksmith vise restorations.

JW: some of the guys using their cell phones have issues with posting more than one picture at a time so they use Tapatalk that you can load or a online picture holding site like Photobucket where they can pull links to their pictures over into their posts. i'm guessing that your vise was made in China if it doesn't say made in USA on it's side. it's a decent vise and i can't see where it's sprung or bent, but if one of the vise guys noticed it on other pictures you posted on your thread then i might be. does it close and hold your projects like it should? if so it's a working vise and nice job painting it.

 

[UserNameAttempt3]

That is too cute. I want one.

 

[ZRX61]

Almost forget..... Welder friend of mine was at a scrap yard & picked up a cherry 6in Wilton bullet for...





ya sitting down..?












Seven freaking dollars...

 

[XCMTB83]

I received more pictures of the mystery Wilton on the bench I posted about awhile back.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4809511&postcount=28983

It is an older Chicago model. The owners "thinks" the jaws are 3". I don't think they are that small. In the pics you will notice their is a pin in the jaw. Is this telling at all? The vise isn't local to me but I have family in the vicinity. Here are the pics...

 

[jakemac]

.............Turned out to be a Columbian leg vice. ................

I love hearing about family tools being put back into service.
Once you get it working again, make sure you put a block of wood under the leg when you mount it to a bench. It will help absorb some of the shock of being hammered on and help relieve the stress of the abuse.