The VISES of Garage Journal
- Thread starter mjozefow
- Start date
Fretters
Well-known member
I'm not the only saddo to notice things like that then.
Seeing the replies and how many of us would keep that repair as is, I'm thinking that way too many of us are reaching that inevitable sad stage.
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vintage nut
Well-known member
I'm gonna differ with everyone here haha
If it was me I'd remove every trace of the repair, plug the holes drilled in it, machine a new lug matching the originals, and braze it on, essentially try to make it look like it was never repaired after it's all painted up. A lot of work? Yes worth it? Probably not
I'd just take it as a challenge and try to make a fun project out of it.
you can never have too many tools
If it was me I'd remove every trace of the repair, plug the holes drilled in it, machine a new lug matching the originals, and braze it on, essentially try to make it look like it was never repaired after it's all painted up. A lot of work? Yes worth it? Probably not
I'd just take it as a challenge and try to make a fun project out of it.
you can never have too many tools
jakemac
Well-known member
.............. I'm thinking that way too many of us are reaching that inevitable sad stage.
I'm not sad, I'm just feeling a little down.
Maybe if I buy another vise it will make me feel better.
bigcaddy
Well-known member
I'm not sad, I'm just feeling a little down.
Maybe if I buy another vise it will make me feel better.
I think that is what the junkies say when they are in need of a fix
Just one more......
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
That's another good option. I've started to buy the "challenged" vises to see if they can be repaired.
CwazyWabbit
Well-known member
Fretters: Lol, I also noticed the square head bolts on that repair I doubt the original repairer would ever have dreamed his repair would be subjected to international scrutiny
Anyone that's interested: I've finally got around to reassembling the Wilson Riley vice Needs a little wipe with some white spirit when I find it to remove some BLO that got on the paint work but other than that it's pretty much done.
I doubt the original repairer would ever have dreamed his repair would be subjected to international scrutiny Anyone that's interested: I've finally got around to reassembling the Wilson Riley vice
Needs a little wipe with some white spirit when I find it to remove some BLO that got on the paint work but other than that it's pretty much done.CwazyWabbit
Well-known member
Yep, I guess you could call it that.
With the handle pointing up the dynamic jaw can be slid in and out freely. As you lower the handle the cam raises the short piece of toothed track up engaging it with the long piece and at the same time the spiral profile of the cam draws the dynamic jaw towards the static.
With the handle pointing up the dynamic jaw can be slid in and out freely. As you lower the handle the cam raises the short piece of toothed track up engaging it with the long piece and at the same time the spiral profile of the cam draws the dynamic jaw towards the static.
trijeff
Well-known member
CwazyWabbit
Well-known member
ROFL .... It might look nice but I've put it together wrong!!!! What an idiot, I only just noticed!
I'll put some pictures up in a sec when I've put it back together properly Lol
I'll put some pictures up in a sec when I've put it back together properly Lol
vintage nut
Well-known member
Very nice!
I'd love to try to salvage a really destroyed vise sometime. Even those are hard to find here!
Well at least ones that the finished product would be worth the work. Seen a couple broken chinese vises, but those belong in the scrap bin....
you can never have too many tools
I'd love to try to salvage a really destroyed vise sometime. Even those are hard to find here!
Well at least ones that the finished product would be worth the work. Seen a couple broken chinese vises, but those belong in the scrap bin....
you can never have too many tools
CwazyWabbit
Well-known member
Now assembled correctly
Fretters
Well-known member
Looks good CW. What shade of green is that?
What shade of green is that?CwazyWabbit
Well-known member
It's the Mid Brunswick Green I bought for the Swindens, this vice was coated in thick black over a duck egg blue primer (well very thin coat anyway) originally. Didn't like the idea of black and every time I buy a pot of enamel it's enough for 4 or 5 vices ... so green it was.
Mid Brunswick is a bit darker in real life than the photos, the flash on my phone seems to make it lighter.
Mid Brunswick is a bit darker in real life than the photos, the flash on my phone seems to make it lighter.
Fretters
Well-known member
Good choice of colour. That's the same shade of green I normally use. A classic colour if ever there was one. I did this Swindens in that colour.
On a tangent regarding the Swindens, I noticed the other day that the earlier one of the two actually has Swindens in raised, cast lettering on the front of the front jaw, whereas the later one doesn't. I'd honestly never noticed that until the other day.
On a tangent regarding the Swindens, I noticed the other day that the earlier one of the two actually has Swindens in raised, cast lettering on the front of the front jaw, whereas the later one doesn't. I'd honestly never noticed that until the other day.
bagged89s10
Well-known member
CwazyWabbit
Well-known member
Fretters: I'll have to look at my Swindens tomorrow and see if it says it on mine. Have you noticed the jaw size is also written on the side? On mine you can make out a number 4 if you look hard enough at the poor casting.
Fretters
Well-known member
Can't say as I've noticed that, though if I recall, there are several things stamped into the jaws. I'd just assumed they were Ministry/Military marks, so hadn't paid them too much heed. I'll have a proper look and see though. The first number of the serial also denotes the jaw width, if I recall correctly.
This is the other Swindens. You can just see the name, (it's poorly cast), on the left hand, larger jaw, underneath the bolt holes.
Just noticed when looking at that photo that there's some lettering on the front of the pipe jaw side too. I'll have to see if I can make out what that says.
This is the other Swindens. You can just see the name, (it's poorly cast), on the left hand, larger jaw, underneath the bolt holes.
Just noticed when looking at that photo that there's some lettering on the front of the pipe jaw side too. I'll have to see if I can make out what that says.
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CwazyWabbit
Well-known member
It's the main body that the 4 is cast into if memory serves me right.
Fretters
Well-known member
I'll be going out to the workshop shortly, so I'll check them both out. You wouldn't happen to remember whereabouts on the body? Is it raised cast or recessed?
Edit: Scrub those questions. Just been looking at the photo's, and here it is on the earlier one for definite, underneath the pinch bolt assembly.
Edit: Scrub those questions. Just been looking at the photo's, and here it is on the earlier one for definite, underneath the pinch bolt assembly.
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shockwave
Well-known member
dngrmse
Well-known member
Here's a Wilton I picked up last October; finally got a chance to work on it today, all grinding and paint work courtesy of my father. He still has to finish the swivel base. Some before and after pictures- the color is Rosemary Green in hammered finish. Before:
After:
After:
arthur6569
Member
I picked up my $25 craftsman 5182 today 
The guy I bought it from kept his word and held it for me! The first thing he said to me was "I hope you know I am practically giving you this vise" . I agree, this vise is very nice, just filthy. On my way home I was scanning the side of the road as I usually do and I see something that looks like a ...VISE ??? So I turned around and sure enough, half of a Wilton? vise. It looks like I need to do some searching for some parts.. 
The guy I bought it from kept his word and held it for me! The first thing he said to me was "I hope you know I am practically giving you this vise" . I agree, this vise is very nice, just filthy. On my way home I was scanning the side of the road as I usually do and I see something that looks like a ...VISE ??? So I turned around and sure enough, half of a Wilton? vise. It looks like I need to do some searching for some parts.. Attachments
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bigcaddy
Well-known member
Can't say as I've noticed that, though if I recall, there are several things stamped into the jaws. I'd just assumed they were Ministry/Military marks, so hadn't paid them too much heed. I'll have a proper look and see though. The first number of the serial also denotes the jaw width, if I recall correctly.
This is the other Swindens. You can just see the name, (it's poorly cast), on the left hand, larger jaw, underneath the bolt holes.
Just noticed when looking at that photo that there's some lettering on the front of the pipe jaw side too. I'll have to see if I can make out what that says.
It looks like Pat'D or Pat Pend.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Arthur: I can't say that I've ever seen or found a vise in a ditch. Nice find and it looks like a dynamic jaw and main screw of a Wilton C1. BTW your craftsman was made by rock island vise company in probably the 1930's. I do like their quality as I'm sure you will to.
arthur6569
Member
This was my first roadside vise find, my wife looked at me like I was losing it when I turned around, when I pulled up to it she just shook her head. Do you know if the craftsman has a date stamp?
Should be stamped on the top of the slide ~ half way back.
FMC1959
Well-known member
Now assembled correctly
Cool vise and nice restore on it
Here's a Wilton I picked up last October; finally got a chance to work on it today, all grinding and paint work courtesy of my father. He still has to finish the swivel base. Some before and after pictures- the color is Rosemary Green in hammered finish. Before:
After:
I really like this color. It almost looks like bare metal, yet stands out, very nice
McBrownie
Well-known member
So I turned around and sure enough, half of a Wilton? vise. It looks like I need to do some searching for some parts..
I bet the other half is still bolted to the bumper of a truck!
Fretters
Well-known member
Very close. Just had a proper look at it whilst I was out there, (sad, I know, being out in the workshop painting something at 2a.m, whilst also checking what's written on a vice
), and it's patent. The E is only partial, and the N seems to be completely missing, but the final T is intact.Not directly vice related, but this is what I was just chucking a coat of paint onto. Was thinking this might make a useful swinging arm assembly for mounting a small vice or similar. Both pieces are cast iron.
They're parts of a heated sleeve board assembly from an industrial ironing board. A bit of wood bolted to that flange assembly should make a nice mounting plate. It'd only be any good for a smallish vice and light work, but being able to swing one around somewhat could be handy. Thought I'd give an old tin of Fordson Empire Blue I was given a while ago an outing.
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Fretters
Well-known member
I picked up my $25 craftsman 5182 today
That vice looks to be in quite good condition Arthur. That should clean up a treat.
picked this ugly C1 up today, pretty much got the paint off down to the green. why this guy painted it with flat black i will never know, probably all he had at the time.
i sure am not gonna complain about the paint for what i got it for
i sure am not gonna complain about the paint for what i got it for
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Fretters
Well-known member
You just did, in the preceding sentence.
Personally, I think black never looks out of place on anything. It just works with everything. Looks to be in quite decent nick?
$100 3 miles away, I know.
oldldh
Well-known member
trijeff
Well-known member
In my hunt for the ever elusive Prentiss 98 catalog/ad, ran across this interesting tidbit - from 1876 to at least 1912 the Bagley & Sewall company in Watertown, NY was making vises for Prentiss. Don't know if it was all Prentiss vises at the time, but have never previously heard that Prentiss did any contracting with other companies. Click here to see a passage from the book Through Eleven Decades of History: Watertown, a History from 1800 to 1912.