zoomieport
Well-known member
Wrench, do you go the the one in Buckley, Michigan?

DR: both the Wilton and Morgan look ok to me and we know how to remove rust and one way is Electrolysis and here's a thread that will help if you haven't tried it.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=237752
why do you think the ad is a fake? hope it's not because that's a good buy for those two vises and they need to be saved.
BC: here's an assist to post the actual picture and if you have more post them after work if you can.
TJ: i can't tell you how many times I've watched Tom Rush's memory song, but i get the same big smile on face each time i hear it. glad you liked it too.![]()
Lobo, like Drives was saying, where you live does have a bearing on price and how easy it is to find old vises. (Check CL for NY as an example, crazy choice and prices).
For 4" or less, aside from a Wilton Bullet, my personal opinion is that $90 for a 3 1/2" Reed is a bit high. I picked up a Reed 204 for $50 and a Parker 974 for $40. But I have also paid double what the normal rate for vises that many would pay because the opportunity was there and I really wanted it.
Any Reed is a great vise, what is the right price only you can decide. The attached brochure has both of the vises in question



I just discovered a crack in the morgan. Right side of the jaw shelf on the dynamic jaw. My guess is someone hit the top of the jaw with a big hammer. I'm not too worried, as it is something I can easily fix, but it shows how hard to spot this stuff can be! I have been looking it over for probably two weeks now, and only just noticed it. It was impossible to see until I removed the jaws and thoroughly cleaned it.
Drives, I'm not unhappy at all about this. There is no way you could possibly have seen it. It took me two weeks and powerwashing it to find it. All part of restoring old tools!
Good lesson why not to beat on a vise though! It's hard to imagine a vise more overbuilt than this morgan, and even it was damaged! I can easily see absolutely destroying a smaller vise (or even most other 6" vises) by beating on it
you can never have too many tools
OK, starting to lose faith that the GJers in TN will find the 700# RR vise because this 8"er has been sitting there on CL for nearly 2 weeks. SLEEPING ON IT people! $100 OBO. OBO people!! Obviously Katie (the seller) has no idea of the true weight of that thing. Just look at the 2X4 framing and the cinder block wall (16" standard length) for scale ... that has GOT to be an 8"er.
EDIT: And let the races begin, I just confirmed with her it is a Columbian 608 and is still available. So disappointed in the TN GJers lol (all in good fun - hope someone enjoys!!!)
Bought this today for $15 today. Parker Vases No. 123 1/2. Works pretty good so I'm trying to find a place to bolt onto it.
I've lost count how many times how useful a vise would have come in handy while working on stuff. I finally have one. I didn't plan on buying a vise today, but once I saw it, I asked the price. $15? Couldn't resist.
Just finished final assembly on this 835 tonight. It's kinda piece mill . The swivel base I robbed from a #4 that I sold As a fixed base . The lock downs came from a 645 with a broken base that I also sold as a fixed base. Altogether I think I improved the 835. The date was posted when I bought it this winter . It's a 12-63.
Wow, heck of a job If it was new out of the box it couldn't look any better.

Went back again today did not have time to make an offer. It is a 103 1/2. The 207 was hand stamped in a couple of different places on the vise (like maybe and inspection number) But I don't know. It does appear to be in pretty nice shape. Worked it through the full length. The jaws line up nice top to bottom and side to side. The face of the jaws do not show much wear at all. The teeth (sorry if that's not the right term) on the jaws look sharp. I'm not an expert but I did not see any cracks anywhere. It does not look like it was abused. I would say normal to less wear. I was thinking of a starting offer of $40. Maybe lower? thanks. Joe

TJ: even with Fastenal's shipping costs of about $150 to anywhere in the US with that 8 incher at $100 it's still a great deal. i'm just not a Columbian or Parker fan because i'm still married or i probably would have all the old pre 1960 made vises i could afford.

Tall jaw versa vise from a local auction but no base. No idea what the other clamp vise is, any ideas? It doesn't really open, just closes.
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Hand saw sharping vise. Is it a Disston?

No markings that I've been able to find. Thanks for the info everyone! Anyone have a versa vise base for sale?![]()
If it was broken right off I would probably do that. However, it's just a crack in one corner and it's all still together well. I'm pretty confident that it would have even been fine left alone, as the jaw really reinforces that area. I really doubt I'll ever have an issue from it, but if I do I'll pin it and silver solder it. I just wanted to avoid removing the piece from it to do that. I'm going to be using this vise for the rest of my life, and I'm very confident I can make it outlast me.I have seen these kind of repairs when the jaw insert support has broken off. I always thought that if I was to have that issue with a vise instead of a new support I'd would first try a different style of jaw insert. More of a Parker style. Just a thought...






Wrench, do you go the the one in Buckley, Michigan?

This is my first post ... My son asked me to make a little replacement handle for his vise restoration project and suggested I post some pictures of the project. So here they are ...
Shaft is 3/8" drill rod with a 3/16" hole drilled in each end. Then I turned the little knobs from 9/16" drill rod, turning down a little stub so as to make a light press fit into the 3/16" holes. Then a drop of red loctite and squeeze it all together on the arbor press. Maybe an hour's work. I hope he likes it [emoji3]
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Wrench: i know you had a thread starting up your 3 phase huge grinder with a power source that would light up a city so have you started any threads with your steam engines? and if not please do if you have time. very cool to own one and know how it works.

This is my first post ... My son asked me to make a little replacement handle for his vise restoration project and suggested I post some pictures of the project. So here they are ...
Shaft is 3/8" drill rod with a 3/16" hole drilled in each end. Then I turned the little knobs from 9/16" drill rod, turning down a little stub so as to make a light press fit into the 3/16" holes. Then a drop of red loctite and squeeze it all together on the arbor press. Maybe an hour's work. I hope he likes it [emoji3]
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The morgan is definitely getting new swivel handles! Yes they still work, but to me they are just infuriating to use having to rotate them around and push and pull every half turn.
They are being made from W1 drill rod. Partly because it already has a really nice finish, and also because it's probably a bit stronger than mild steel, although I'm not sure how much of a difference there really is unless I heat treat them (which I'm not going to)
you can never have too many tools
Trijeff,---That's a good looking Columbian, but I'm not sure it is a 608.---I have a 608 on my bench and it's 180 lbs. with 2 swivel lock downs.
(I think that is my new forum tagline
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I don't own a Columbian, I have always been a little worried about the cavities - in the marketing pieces I've seen regarding this issue they always claim that characteristic actually makes them stronger, which seems a little counter intuitive to me, but I want to hear your thoughts on that as an actual owner. I will try to find one of the ads that says that and post it.