The VISES of Garage Journal

[zoomieport]

zoomie I cant imagine it only weighs 160lbs. last year I sold a newer style Columbian 508 that weighed in around 180. and that was without the swivel base. it didn't have the "T" style jaws, it had jaws similar to the wilton bullets. it was about 20-25 years old. came out of an old factory and was never used. but anyway, the Columbian I mentioned earlier was much older. the guy who has it now is in his 60's, and it belonged to his grandfather a long long time ago. it had the "T" style jaws and I watched him measure them. they were 8 1/4 inches across. with the swivel base added it had to be way over 180lbs. it really makes my reed 108 and parker 958 look small. that's why I was hoping someone would have an old ad with this vise in it. if I had to guess I would say its probably in the 250-300lb range.

Here you go...

http://www.scuttle.dayid.org/wiki/index.php/Columbian_Vise

I'm not sitting here making stuff up, next time I'll save the time, sorry.

 

[meatsis]

Zoomie thanks but I've seen that page. And there's nothing on there that's even remotely close to what I explained to you guys before. That's why I'm trying to find more ads from columbian. The only one on there that's close is the #408. Weighing in at almost 250lbs. But the one near me doesn't have the swiveling rear jaw. And the jaws are 8 1/4 instead of 8 inches across

 

[zoomieport]

Just trying to help, sorry...

 

[drivesitfar]

VA: anything bigger in the Chain gang with Columbian on it's side?

Meatsis: we forgot or didn't know you really knew what a big vise is since you own a Reed 108 and Parker 958. some members post on here and say they saw a vise that was the biggest thing they could imagine sitting on a bench and it's a 5 inch 80 pounder.

Since Columbian is still making vises maybe under the Wilton corperate name maybe a call to them might get you somewhere with a catalog? since i'm not a huge fan of columbian vises because i need to stop wanting to own every vise made is the reason i don't even own even one Columbian vise currently. i did have a nice 205 M2 that weighed in at 80 pounds that was pretty big that sits on another GJ members nice steel bench now.

if you say it's 250+ pounds how about a few pictures of it if you get invited back?

have you posted up your big vises and even if you have can you post them in your next post just because 8 inch vise **** is the best.

good luck in your search

 

[Junebuggy]

Whoa...I don't think I'd care to work in a shop where they needed to use a 250lb. vise..... says the tuckered out guy flexing his old shot arms in the air... "This left arm... I call the "Runaway coal train"...this right one here...well, even I'M afraid of it."

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Columbian 408 perhaps?

 

[zoomieport]

NOPE, those only have 8" jaws!!!

 

[CwazyWabbit]

NOPE, those only have 8" jaws!!!

Some vise manufacturers aren't particularly accurate on measurements .... but 247lb according to that ad sounds heavy enough, but perhaps it's a misprint.

 

[FMC1959]

Took another trip down to the Milwaukee Tool and Equipment plant today. I needed to pick up a swivel base for a 4 1/2 I'm gifting to my dad for his anniversary. Asked if I could take a few pics this time and the plant manager, a real cool guy, said he didn't care. They also have a lot of replacement parts for the Chicago vintage vises. I may go back in a while and pick up some jaw inserts for my Chicago 145, they are all in stock. He had a pallet of 80s ready to ship out, so I started asking who buys them and if they sell a lot. He said they sell a ton of them, mainly going on Navy ships (domestic and foreign), and merchant ships. The best seller is the 40. They also still make and sell a ton of the combos, 87, 88, 288, 289s. I was reading back over a thread and I think it was oldie that was amazed they still make it, and its still completely serviceable. Anyways I got a pic of the outside (the shop is in the red wood building on the left), a pallet of 60s and a pallet of 80s. The 80s are on the left and the 60s are the 2 pallets to the right.

Very cool pics

 

[meatsis]

Definitely not a 408. It didn't have the swiveling rear jaw.
Drives I'll try to get some pics of the big boys I have asap

 

[topop101]

Close up

Nice job ! great detail work. Did you have enough fun to do more?

 

[drivesitfar]

CW: so now I've added a Columbian 408 247 pound swivel jaw vise to my bucket list. damn you and i'll have to hide that one from my wife, but where because i told her i didn't like all vises. Nice find, but not Meatsis' vise he saw. keep checking and get back to us.

JB:

 

[Fretters]

Some vise manufacturers aren't particularly accurate on measurements ....

That's the truth. Seems like a few enjoyed rounding anything upto 3/4" up or down occasionally, when they saw fit.

 

[Fretters]

Finished up my Armstrong pipe vise.

Very nicely done.

 

[FMC1959]

Zoomie thanks but I've seen that page. And there's nothing on there that's even remotely close to what I explained to you guys before. That's why I'm trying to find more ads from columbian. The only one on there that's close is the #408. Weighing in at almost 250lbs. But the one near me doesn't have the swiveling rear jaw. And the jaws are 8 1/4 instead of 8 inches across

Don't forget, looks can be deceiving. Like VA was mentioning about the hollowed towers on his 8" Columbian, it can look like a beast but could be suffering from iron deficiency

Like at the 8" Wilton Tradesman 1780, very impressive in size but weighs just over 100 pounds. The smaller 6" Wilton C3 is a beast at over 200 pounds.

Meatsis, the Columbian you saw could be a 200-300 pound beast, but don't take it for granted that it is on looks alone.

 

[drivesitfar]

FMC: did you see Meatsis owns a Reed 108 (maybe 240 pounds) and a Parker 958 that is in the same weight and size range as his Reed? i bet he might know what a big heavy vise looks like and if he owns 2 just imagine how many he might have seen before he found one in good enough condition to buy?

just saying

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Was there a swivel base version of the Columbian 108 1/2 ? 8 1/2" jaws, 13" opening and 265lb

 

[meatsis]

FMC I had a columbian 508 that I sold because of that reason. The hollow parts. The size of the vise was impressive. But not the weight. I only paid $100 for it. Sold it a few weeks later for $500. The columbian I'm referring to was WAY bigger than that 508. He doesn't even keep it bolted to the bench because it just stays there in place. (It really doesn't get used anymore either). Maybe I'll try to go over and talk to him. Maybe take some measurements and some pictures.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

ALL: Been doing quite a bit of work on the Prentiss 98 lately and found some interesting markings after e-tanking. They are on the bottom-front of the slide and back-top of the dynamic. Not sure if they are dynamic/slide pairing numbers or IDs/serial numbers of some type. You will clearly see a “3”, the other mark looks a little like a “1” but is really some sort of crosshatch or similar. Anybody have any ideas or seen similar on their Prentiss??

On my 98 the number is 20 in both spots. (about 1/2" high ) I'm thinking when they machined the castings each slide was fitted to a main housing and stamped so it could be later matched up after other machining operations.
I think mine has taken more of a beating than yours. Check out the casting hole that had been cleaned up and filled, it came out in one chunk after the pressure washing. I drilled and put in a few tacks to keep the epoxy putty in place a little better.

 

[bl00]

Definitely not a 408. It didn't have the swiveling rear jaw.
Drives I'll try to get some pics of the big boys I have asap

meatsis, here are a few ads for the Columbian 108 1/2 or 108. It was a good deal heavier than the 508. The ads show the weight varying between 255 and 268 lbs.

 

[jrobb316]

I need to make a serious post. After moving, or rather i'm in the process of, its become apparent I have a vise vice. I admit, I have a problem. After lugging all the old iron from one garage to another its become apparent. Now, do I just embrace it and carry on? Or do I thin the herd significantly? I believe any vise 5" and up should be kept, as those are hard to find. But the 3" - 4.5" range is what i'm talking about. What do you guys think? How many do you keep around, or am I just delirious from hauling metal around?

 

[zoomieport]

I need to make a serious post. After moving, or rather i'm in the process of, its become apparent I have a vise vice. I admit, I have a problem. After lugging all the old iron from one garage to another its become apparent. Now, do I just embrace it and carry on? Or do I thin the herd significantly? I believe any vise 5" and up should be kept, as those are hard to find. But the 3" - 4.5" range is what i'm talking about. What do you guys think? How many do you keep around, or am I just delirious from hauling metal around?

200ish...

 

[drivesitfar]

JRobb: it's either thin the herd or you might end up with a similar collar around your neck that your cute husky is wearing in your Avitar.

for me i just tried to post my top 5 which turned into my top 6 and another 14 that were close to making the top 5. as i mentioned earlier today maybe pick a brand you like if you want to keep more than a couple and pass on the others to GJ members that can't find any in their areas like i'm doing. that way you can still search Craigslist and auctions for vises and old tools and buy them knowing a fortunate GJ member will be receiving one soon.

I'm positive there are members in Ontario and other parts north of the border north of you that would love to have some of your inventory and you get to see a cool part of the world when it's not 50 below zero degrees in the winter.

my 2 cents

PS I agree with Zoomie if you want to slow down a bit. funny your saying this after leaving a factory full of awesome Made In the US vises.

Get: have you tried that with metal screws or maybe some small drill bits and wire? i'm guessing you don't weld or was that too big a hole to fill with weld? good luck and thanks for sharing your tricks.

 

[jrobb316]

yeah but they just move them around with forklifts I do have a nice array of really nice Prentisses that are smallish ones, I can see 2 or 3 of them hitting the road. My other line of thought is, why have so many? Pass on to kids? Maybe. Flip, maybe? Garage art? Anyways, sticking with your theme -
My top 5:
Parker 436 combo
Morgan Milw. 50
Parker 235 (big bear service vise)
Prentiss 20
Rock Island 94

Problem with the great white north is that there are 3 really large lakes in the way, some call them great.

And my Malamute, he is a cone head right now. Thankfully he was spared last week, due to an incident where he lost 1/2 his blood. Thats him on the way home from the ER after a 2 day stay. He's back to normal and making a full recovery. It was a miracle.

 

[va.grouseman]

Cwazy,---Saw the Columbian AD and it leaves me puzzled and needing answers.---The ad says the swivel 608 is 160 lbs., and Dayid's list has it at 160 also, although the one he is showing is a 608 swivel with out the base.

Before I loaded mine up with lead I weighed mine and it weighed 180 lbs.---Also BanjoSavesTheDay has one posted on page 11, post 206, and on post 208 he said his weighed around 180 lbs.---Don't know where the discrepancy lies.

Here's some more interesting stats.---Just went to the shop and measured the length of the 608 and it measures 31 inches long and 15 inches high.---I measured the Reed 208R and it also measures 31 inches long and 15 inches high, but weighs 291 lbs.---That's 111 lbs. difference with the same measurements.---Also measured the Yost 208, and it measures 32 inches long and 15 inches high, and also weighs 291 lbs.---So the Yost is an inch longer than the Reed but weighs the same.---The Yost has small voids in the towers but nothing like the Columbian.---Like FMC said, Iron deficiency can cause one to be deceiving.

 

[oldldh]

Iron deficiency is not a problem with the Craftsman 519X series...

Or...

The (Sasquatch) Reed 209 (327 lbs) or the 345 pound Craftsman (that I can't remember the model number of)...

 

[va.grouseman]

Just saw B100's AD and it says the 608 weighs 170 lbs.---Would someone please make up their mind.

 

[Lu-Max]

If anyone wants to thin an old, un-restored C-0 out of their collection please PM me.

 

[zoomieport]

The swivel base on those things are paper thin, they don't add much to the total.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Get: have you tried that with metal screws or maybe some small drill bits and wire? i'm guessing you don't weld or was that too big a hole to fill with weld? good luck and thanks for sharing your tricks.[/QUOTE]
Drives:
It took about 10 minutes to drill & tap the little square pegs in the round holes, mix the the epoxy putty, spread and smooth and coat with cast iron drilling dust to add some texture back.
The welding isn't a problem, grinding it back down is a PITA

zoomie is right, it's fun just looking at them and you never know when you might need a hundred or two.

jrobb, I hope your dog makes a full recovery soon.

 

[econotrk]

Thanks to those who suggested I start a thread for the restoration of my 5198, here is the link.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=291812

 

[FMC1959]

Just saw B100's AD and it says the 608 weighs 170 lbs.---Would someone please make up their mind.

Some manufacturers were not that consistent with weights in their brochures.

I am not sure if the weights actually changed over years of production, or inconsistent marketing specs, or like McBrownie had once surmised, that sometimes they are giving shipping weights (even though it might not be indicated in the ad).

 

[FMC1959]

I am just remembering a couple of weeks ago the subject was a large Prentiss, some had brochures showing about 205 pounds, other brochures were up in the 270 pound range...that's quite a swing!

 

[zoomieport]

That was my Prentiss #23, I always said I didn't belive it was 270#'s. It's the only glaring error I have found in DAYID'S.

 

[JeremyBurke]

If anyone wants to thin an old, un-restored C-0 out of their collection please PM me.

I would second this for myself and would extend it to C1.

 

[vintage nut]

They sure didn't scrimp on iron in my morgan 160! Nearly 150 pounds for a 6 inch. I'd love to see a morgan 180 someday. That's got to be quite the vise!

you can never have too many tools

 

[econotrk]

And my Malamute, he is a cone head right now. Thankfully he was spared last week, due to an incident where he lost 1/2 his blood. Thats him on the way home from the ER after a 2 day stay. He's back to normal and making a full recovery. It was a miracle.

Beautiful dog, glad to hear he's ok, what happened?

 

[zoomieport]

I've got all the Morgan's, I think the 180 is 210-220lbs. Certainly nothing like a 500# columbian!!! Actually I've got three #150's.

 

[vintage nut]

I'm surprised it's that light! I guess the 180 isn't nearly as overbuilt for its size as the 160 is. If I recall correctly from the kbc catalog, the morgan 160 has at least 30 pounds on the equivalent yost.

you can never have too many tools

 

[jrobb316]

Morgan 80 is listed at 187/210 wo/w swivel base.