Need Vise Help!
- Thread starter oholto
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drivesitfar
Well-known member
OH: buy it for $40 if there isn't any cracks or welds. it looks like a pre 1930's Rock Island vise which is a keeper. the back of the dynamic slide looks a little beat up, but i don't see a crack. if i was closer i'd buy it and i don't need another 4 inch vise.
good luck and post up better pictures if you didn't miss out by waiting.
good luck and post up better pictures if you didn't miss out by waiting.
Oh I did end up buying it, I should have mentioned that earlier. From a quick glance-over, I do not see any welds. There are no markings on it which made it hard to identify. That is why I need the pros of garage journal like yourself drivesitfar!
drivesitfar
Well-known member
OH: it could also be an old Morgan brand vise too and either company made awesome vises. Prentiss made some of their vises without anything on them and we all think it was because they made them for stores or companies that put their own stickers on them or in a box with that company's label on it. i can't say I've seen a Morgan or a Rock Island vise not marked but both made vises for the government too.
in any case that is a great vise and a great buy so carefully take it apart to clean and re grease it so you can use it until you pass it on to one of your grand kids.
nice eye
in any case that is a great vise and a great buy so carefully take it apart to clean and re grease it so you can use it until you pass it on to one of your grand kids.
nice eye
Pretty sure it is a 2nd gen rock island (possibly craftsman, does it have a handle brake spring?). The earlier Rock Islands had non replaceable jaws where as that one has the later replaceable. The older one would have been a 93 for a fixed base 4", that might be a 593.
DWise
Well-known member
G_P
Well-known member
The copper/brass jaw pads are likely worth more than $40. Thats a good vise that should last you a lifetime.
BD1
Well-known member
bigcaddy
Well-known member
Its a casting part number ID There should be another behind one of the jaw inserts to note that the pieces are "mated" and assembled as such.
Did you happen to notice a small "x" one the dynamic jaws "cheek?" I'm sure its a Rock Island and they all have that mark. It will will be in the lower corner but it might be obscured with paint. take a look.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
OH: it sounds like you now own the vise. are you planning on stripping the green paint off of it? if so how about posting up a bunch of pictures so we can have a better look at it. is there any writing on the vise on either side?
Like BC mentioned that was probably a part # so probably another one on the other parts.
Like BC mentioned that was probably a part # so probably another one on the other parts.
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drivesitfar
Well-known member
OH: Even though the copper jaw pads are Reed's brand the vise isn't. it's most likely a Rock Island, but there's a slim chance it could be an early Morgan. it seems like Morgan had a few other vises that looked like other manufacturers vises back in the early 1900's.
I agree the jaws and body look like a Morgan, but I've never seen a spindle head like that on a Morgan. That looks like Rock Island or Reed to me.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Ex: Morgan did make the round head on some of their older models. here's a Morgan i bought from a 95 year old that had this as his only vise in an airplane hanger where he built several planes at a time and the hanger had 4 airplanes in it when i bought this vise. he was selling everything because he was terminal and only had a few months left and he wanted to see the vise find a good home.
I'm about 99.9% that OH's vise isn't a Reed.
I'm about 99.9% that OH's vise isn't a Reed.
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bigcaddy
Well-known member
I happen to be 110% sure its not a Reed
and definitely a Rock Island. The mounting feet are another dead giveaway. Take a look at another Rock Island fixed base. the tabs are perfectly round unlike American scale/Athol and others with a slight peak to them.Thanks for the education on Morgans. I've owned many, but never one as old as yours.
BTW, note the round mounting tabs on your Morgan----just like the Rock Island. Is it possible that Morgan had the vises made for them by RI when they first started out?? Even the sculpted area behind the jaws on your Morgan looks like RI.
And check out this old Morgan Chicago---it has jaws like a Parker!!
http://scuttle.dayid.org/wiki/index.php/File:Morgan80.jpg
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bigcaddy
Well-known member
Take a look at the rear mounting tab and rounded support gusset on Oholto's vise.
Its more pronounced then a Morgan fixed base
drivesitfar
Well-known member
BC: i wasn't saying it was an Athol or American scale. i agree it looks like a Rock Island, but there are similarities to the Morgan. yes?
without the name or any #'s it could be like our 519x vises that we are not 100% sure who made it. my Morgan has similarities and differences, but i know Morgan copied Parker's #88 when they made their own #88 as pictured and their removable jaws are pretty close to Rock Island's already.
i'm not saying you are not right because you and ZK could have the make and model exact. it's just the vise companies before WWII seem to almost be related and maybe it was a compliment to copy another vise company's product for a small sale.
Also Rock Island and Morgan built vises for Uncle Sam so maybe the reason for no name on this one because it came off a scrapped ship or from an old fort.
without the name or any #'s it could be like our 519x vises that we are not 100% sure who made it. my Morgan has similarities and differences, but i know Morgan copied Parker's #88 when they made their own #88 as pictured and their removable jaws are pretty close to Rock Island's already.
i'm not saying you are not right because you and ZK could have the make and model exact. it's just the vise companies before WWII seem to almost be related and maybe it was a compliment to copy another vise company's product for a small sale.
Also Rock Island and Morgan built vises for Uncle Sam so maybe the reason for no name on this one because it came off a scrapped ship or from an old fort.
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drivesitfar
Well-known member
Ex: i can't remember if i still own that Morgan vise i posted, but if i do i'll post more pictures of the jaws cleaned up. you'll see that the top behind the jaws is in the cast similar to the green one we are talking about then my Morgan has the same Morgan jaws as the blue Morgan #88 i posted pictures of.
we just keep learning a little bit each day about these old tools which makes it fun (at least for me). you are welcome if i added a little wisdom to your Morgan vise data base.
we just keep learning a little bit each day about these old tools which makes it fun (at least for me). you are welcome if i added a little wisdom to your Morgan vise data base.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Oh: that was a fun thread and you are right that might be the first white vise we've seen here. any guesses on who made it after you've spent quality time with it or did you just name it and put it to work?
looks great.
looks great.
bubinga
Well-known member
unknown maker vise week , l just picked up a pretty good size vise, with no maker on it anywhere that l can see.