The VISES of Garage Journal

[FMC1959]

Saw this also, looks kind of homemade. If it is, decent work on it.

 

[va.grouseman]

Joe,---you know I didn't see it, or it would have had a bid.---Was it all to pieces or what?---Or you just yanking my chain?

 

[jakemac]

Joe,---you know I didn't see it, or it would have had a bid.---Was it all to pieces or what?---Or you just yanking my chain?

No, it was real. I emailed the listing in private to Joe in case he wanted a second chance at one, but forgot to list it here after he told me he was out. Sorry.

It was the same seller as the first one. It came up on ebay as a relisting of the first 439, but it was a different one in worse shape. Here's the completed listing.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHAS-CHARLES-PARKER-Meriden-Ct-439-BENCH-VISE-VINTAGE-VERY-HEAVY-/291487094047?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=mUMWr7Vw%252Fn6Yzrkqy7QK1abn0wI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

[jreb10]

anybody have more info on this Athol?? Owner says its 5in and from the 60's. He's guessing its 1962 because of the number 62 on it.

"AM Co" stands for Athol Machine Company. I believe Starrett bought this company around 1900 but kept the name intact as a subsidiary. In 1930 the Athol Machine Co. name was changed to The Athol Machine & Foundry Co.

So that vise is much older than the owner thinks.

 

[va.grouseman]

Yea Jake I saw that one.---Clicked away from that it like it was a Washington Press Conference.---Old Joe was yanking my chain.

 

[flavc3]

"AM Co" stands for Athol Machine Company. I believe Starrett bought this company around 1900 but kept the name intact as a subsidiary. In 1930 the Athol Machine Co. name was changed to The Athol Machine & Foundry Co.

So that vise is much older than the owner thinks.

i thought so....does anybody know roughly what year??

 

[bigcaddy]

Anyone seen a stand like this? I'm thinking about bidding for if it's cheap but I can't figure out what the stand is actually from.

The stand is on eBay right now and ending in about 20 minutes. Its up to 21.50 as i post this.

 

[bagged89s10]

The stand is on eBay right now and ending in about 20 minutes. Its up to 21.50 as i post this.

Yeah I was going to bid but I don't know if I can make the stand work with a vise.

 

[joe.striper]

Yea Jake I saw that one.---Clicked away from that it like it was a Washington Press Conference.---Old Joe was yanking my chain.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHAS-CHARLE...047?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43ddfc151f

Wow VA, I'm shocked you didn't bid, that was a NICE early Parker 439, and for $99 and $60 shipping a real deal. The first one was really sweet though. I called the seller and he agreed to email me on every vise before he lists it in order to avoid Ebay fees. He's only an hour from me so it is easy peasy...

He just put up a nice early Reed 104. starting bid $99.

 

[joe.striper]

The stand is on eBay right now and ending in about 20 minutes. Its up to 21.50 as i post this.

I bet you the seller reneges, he didn't have a reserve and sold the vise AND stand for $30.00. Idiot! It was on CL up here for $200 and 3 miles from me. I emailed the guy 3 times to see it in person but he wouldn't give me his address. I would have offered $125 for both all day long.

 

[bagged89s10]

I bet you the seller reneges, he didn't have a reserve and sold the vise AND stand for $30.00. Idiot! It was on CL up here for $200 and 3 miles from me. I emailed the guy 3 times to see it in person but he wouldn't give me his address. I would have offered $125 for both all day long.

I bid $29 but didn't want to deal with him after what you told me about him so I didn't up it. He will probably cancel the sale.

 

[bigcaddy]

Yeah I was going to bid but I don't know if I can make the stand work with a vise.

I saw a table built around a 300lb anvil when i was in Newfoundland last week so it can be done

The anvil was in a shipyard and on a nice base but i guess the guy wanted more "whacking" area so he fabbed up some posts and a plate across the top of the anvil as a support. Bam, instant 2'x3' whacking area

I would of loved to of bought the anvil but what do you do with a 300lb chunk of iron, in a foreign country, on an island!! I don't even think there was a way to get into that yard and talk to whoever what in charge considering the security. I'm sure Canadian jails are nice but that penitentiary in town didn't look too fun.

 

[Shiftless]

I bet you the seller reneges, he didn't have a reserve and sold the vise AND stand for $30.00. Idiot! It was on CL up here for $200 and 3 miles from me. I emailed the guy 3 times to see it in person but he wouldn't give me his address. I would have offered $125 for both all day long.

Yeah...30 bucks is an unbelievably low price. I guess there are not enough locals to bid up the price for the local pickup only requirement.
I once won an auction for a 3 inch Prentiss local pick up only in Indiana, but I convinced the woman selling it that it would fit into a flat rate box if she took it apart. She didn't know it came apart.

 

[bagged89s10]

Yeah...30 bucks is an unbelievably low price. I guess there are not enough locals to bid up the price for the local pickup only requirement.
I once won an auction for a 3 inch Prentiss local pick up only in Indiana, but I convinced the woman selling it that it would fit into a flat rate box if she took it apart. She didn't know it came apart.

Hopefully for the buyer, the sale sticks. The jaws look to be unevenly worn like a typical old Parker. Just not worth my time on that one. Too many vise projects right now and I don't want a rough one like that Parker right now.

 

[dutchgray]

View media item 51254View media item 51253Had to go in the farmers work shop at work yesterday, used to contain a decent English vice which he managed to break, now there is that 6" Chas parker in there, no Idea where it came from but knowing the guy it would have been extremely cheap. I will have to ask him about it when I see him next. First Chas Parker I have seen in person over here.

 

[bagged89s10]

View media item 51254
View media item 51253
Had to go in the farmers work shop at work yesterday, used to contain a decent English vice which he managed to break, now there is that 6" Chas parker in there, no Idea where it came from but knowing the guy it would have been extremely cheap. I will have to ask him about it when I see him next. First Chas Parker I have seen in person over here.

How often are American vises found in England?

 

[Fretters]

How often are American vises found in England?

Not oft, in my experience. I'd say probably a handful per month tops turn up on the likes of Ebay.

 

[Fretters]

Had to go in the farmers work shop at work yesterday, used to contain a decent English vice which he managed to break, now there is that 6" Chas parker in there, no Idea where it came from but knowing the guy it would have been extremely cheap. I will have to ask him about it when I see him next. First Chas Parker I have seen in person over here.

A farmer being a tight git? Perish the thought. How do they seem in the flesh compared to the English styles? Do they appear equally robust in construction, or a bit slimmer?

 

[drivesitfar]

Dutch: it looks like somebody took a BFH to the back of the static of that Parker vise because it looks like a huge weld and maybe a missing piece? or is that just slag or paint? BTW is that a 956 or 958 and either are good size vises.

i had a Parker 956 that was a beast and i think it weighed just about 130 pounds and if that is a 958 it would probably be closer to 200.

 

[dutchgray]

I got 2 American ones, both from ebay, they usually go for decent money if they get noticed by the collectors, but they are pretty rare.

 

[dutchgray]

A farmer being a tight git? Perish the thought. How do they seem in the flesh compared to the English styles? Do they appear equally robust in construction, or a bit slimmer?

It's ****** massive, compared to an No6, thing is he is employed, its not like its his money or anything but not a lot of money gets spent on farm items, we have been working on their house since 09 and they don't do cheap.

 

[dutchgray]

Dutch: it looks like somebody took a BFH to the back of the static of that Parker vise because it looks like a huge weld and maybe a missing piece? or is that just slag or paint? BTW is that a 956 or 958 and either are good size vises.

i had a Parker 956 that was a beast and i think it weighed just about 130 pounds and if that is a 958 it would probably be closer to 200.

I didn't look too hard TBH as I had work to do, I did wind it out a bit and there is quite a bit of wobble in the dynamic. It looks like its had a hard life.

 

[bgarrett]

My best friend got a horrible piece of broken up junk for $5. No jaws and all the corners were busted off so I did a little welding and painted it. 5"

 

[meatsis]

Drives the Parker 958 is definitely over 200lb. If I remember correctly I believe mine was right in between 240-250 lb before mounting it on tv stand

 

[meatsis]

The stand, not tv stand lol

 

[jakemac]

A farmer being a tight git? Perish the thought. How do they seem in the flesh compared to the English styles? Do they appear equally robust in construction, or a bit slimmer?

Are you asking about the Farmer or the Vice ?

 

[Lobo74]

I Like My Vise. I may have paid too much for this Wilton 1644 at the flea market shop--$53.16 including tax but that was 15% off the asking price of $59.00. I brushed it up a bit and wiped it off with some Rem oil. I think it looks aok to me. It' s going to suit my purposes in my garage. I guess I could have paid about the same for a brand new vise from Lowe's, Harbor-Freight or Home Depot. But I think it has character and you can't buy that. And thanks to a member of this forum I'm going to have a replacement for the missing half of the pipe jaws (Thanks Topop). Mounted it on my workbench today.

 

[mdlave]

Picked up an old Buffalo drill press. This vise was on it. Circa 1940s, by Modern Machine Tool or Sprague-Hayes Mfg. You can see a couple "oops" marks in the pic with the jaw open, but opens fine and closes really solid.
http://www.datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?pn=1341841&id=50263&set=2

<iframe src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=A8495913435240EC&resid=a8495913435240ec%21329&authkey=ABYNCxqQpXr0EAA" width="181" height="320" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

<iframe src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=A8495913435240EC&resid=a8495913435240ec%21328&authkey=AHzG1O8C-gCCqH8" width="181" height="320" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

<iframe src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=A8495913435240EC&resid=a8495913435240ec%21325&authkey=AD-idJex-Mm87K4" width="320" height="181" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

<iframe src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=A8495913435240EC&resid=a8495913435240ec%21322&authkey=AAEdCg9Mekq3l7Q" width="320" height="181" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

 

[Outlawmws]

"AM Co" stands for Athol Machine Company. I believe Starrett bought this company around 1900 but kept the name intact as a subsidiary. In 1930 the Athol Machine Co. name was changed to The Athol Machine & Foundry Co.

So that vise is much older than the owner thinks.

I didn't know Starrett was founded by buying Athol...

L. S. Starrett Company (NYSE: SCX) is an American manufacturer of tools and instruments. Its products are well known among machinists and tool and die makers. The company was founded when businessman and inventor Laroy Sunderland Starrett (1836–1922), who was born in China, Maine, bought the Athol Machine Company in 1905. The company patented such items as the sliding combination square, bench vises, and a shoe hook fastener. They make precision steel rules and tapes, calipers, micrometers, and dial indicators, among many other things.

 

[Outlawmws]

i thought so....does anybody know roughly what year??

1905 according to the quote above (Wikip...)

 

[Outlawmws]

Picked up an old Buffalo drill press. This vise was on it. Circa 1940s, by Modern Machine Tool or Sprague-Hayes Mfg. You can see a couple "oops" marks in the pic with the jaw open, but opens fine and closes really solid.
http://www.datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?pn=1341841&id=50263&set=2


<iframe src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=A8495913435240EC&resid=a8495913435240ec%21322&authkey=AAEdCg9Mekq3l7Q" width="320" height="181" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

I would love to find one of those turn table DP vises!

Well done!

 

[Craptain]

Picked up an old Buffalo drill press. This vise was on it. Circa 1940s, by Modern Machine Tool or Sprague-Hayes Mfg. You can see a couple "oops" marks in the pic with the jaw open, but opens fine and closes really solid.
http://www.datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?pn=1341841&id=50263&set=2

<iframe src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=A8495913435240EC&resid=a8495913435240ec%21329&authkey=ABYNCxqQpXr0EAA" width="181" height="320" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

<iframe src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=A8495913435240EC&resid=a8495913435240ec%21328&authkey=AHzG1O8C-gCCqH8" width="181" height="320" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

<iframe src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=A8495913435240EC&resid=a8495913435240ec%21325&authkey=AD-idJex-Mm87K4" width="320" height="181" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

<iframe src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=A8495913435240EC&resid=a8495913435240ec%21322&authkey=AAEdCg9Mekq3l7Q" width="320" height="181" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

That is an amazing vise. It would be perfect for my drill press. I can honestly say I have never seen one before like that.

I love this forum. I see new to me stuff almost every time I log on.

 

[Matthew3901]

Here is mine

 

[Shiftless]

Here is mine

Matthew : Nice vintage Craftsman. I used to have one just like it. Mine was made in the '70s with foundry mark BF under the base. That was a quality foundry in Japan. Is yours USA?

 

[va.grouseman]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHAS-CHARLE...047?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43ddfc151f

Wow VA, I'm shocked you didn't bid, that was a NICE early Parker 439, and for $99 and $60 shipping a real deal. The first one was really sweet though. I called the seller and he agreed to email me on every vise before he lists it in order to avoid Ebay fees. He's only an hour from me so it is easy peasy...

He just put up a nice early Reed 104. starting bid $99.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Joe, I went back and looked again at the link Jake posted and realized I hadn't scrolled all the way to the bottom of the page.---I never saw the 439, just looked at the 7 across the top and assumed it was referring to the C.P. Swivel Jaw, with a broken slide, priced at $100.00.---Till just a minute ago, I still thought it was a botched advertisement.---after seeing it, I can't believe it never got a bid.---Yea it had some issues, but nothing that couldn't be resolved.---The post said it ended at 6:29 am., but I'm retired, I don't get up till 10:00 am..---That's how I missed it.---Some are just going to slip through the cracks I guess.

 

[Matthew3901]

Good question, the vice in question is a Christmas gift I did not look to see the manufacture. I will have to find out. I am not sure how old it is given it has been recondition.

Matthew : Nice vintage Craftsman. I used to have one just like it. Mine was made in the '70s with foundry mark BF under the base. That was a quality foundry in Japan. Is yours USA?

 

[va.grouseman]

Originally posted by Outlawmws

I didn't know Starrett was founded by buying Athol...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Outlaw---L.S. Starrett had a pretty thriving business before he bought Athol.---Looks like his inventions just about made the Athol Co. what they were, when he was working for them, and then they showed him no reverence, just the door.---They even tried to sue him into bankruptcy.---Pure jealousy.---He just bought them out.

http://www.starrett.com/docs/educational/starrett-story---bulletin-1216.pdf

 

[Shiftless]

Speaking of Ebayers sleeping... I did get the opportunity to bag this little guy not too long ago for $2.50 (plus some more for shipping of course)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-MER...NlmbHLWMHTtBGgNUzqZes%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Mercury clamp on vise with original paint and portions of the decal present.

Anybody know anything about Mercury vises?

Here is a pic of the little guy. 2 inch jaws

 

[Shiftless]

Another pic of the little Mercury clamp on sitting on a 4 inch jaws Prentiss

 

[Fretters]

It's ****** massive, compared to an No6

I'd love to see an American one in the flesh. Sounds like photo's don't do their size/build justice.

Are you asking about the Farmer or the Vice ?

Definitely the vice.