It's the only setup I know of. They can be expensive if you get large tanks. There are actually 2 setups available locally on CL which is rare. It's an essential tool here anyways for working on stuff.
The VISES of Garage Journal
- Thread starter mjozefow
- Start date
It's the only setup I know of. They can be expensive if you get large tanks. There are actually 2 setups available locally on CL which is rare. It's an essential tool here anyways for working on stuff.
joe.striper
Well-known member
. Got me on that one Drives!! Funny i dont count that little one as a 'vise'. I know it is a vise. And yes I did paint it. It has very loose tolerances and was painted when i got it.Fretters
Well-known member
I'm guessing it's only that top rail, which is clear of paint, which makes contact on that, and not the sides. The overspray which hasn't been removed on the bottom surfaces of the slide definitely won't be improving things though, until it eventually wears off. You've also missed the underside of where the inserts are too Joe. Looks like at least the front one has only had a vague dusting of paint. Little things like that, (as does the subject of rounding edges and surfaces which ZK brought up the other week), matter to a discerning eye. Same as coating the unseen surfaces with something for protection, even if it's not paint, makes a difference.
End of the day, your pieces your choice, but when you're supposedly aiming for the discerning customer, a discerning eye is needed when doing the work too. There's more to it than just making them look flashy. Have a look at Balane's work as an example of doing things well, (I still think those USA stickers look a bit tacky on old iron though
). Although Balane does tend to make things a bit too flashy for my personal tastes, one cannot say that his workmanship is anything less than exemplary, judging from all of his pieces I've seen so far.We all have our own way of doing things, and we all likely have some folk look at our work and think it just looks wrong, but the simple fact is that what has gone is gone for good, i.e: poorly removing sound metal to attempt prettying jaws and anvils up, and new paintwork, even if not perfect, should at least be thorough and consistent. As I say though, each to their own, and just my personal opinion.
bagged89s10
Well-known member
It's like my little 3" Parker No. 33
very loose like a ........
I will be painting most of the slide on that one.
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Drives:
How about a 3/4" hole saw (unless your hole has to be precise). As far as that drill, I assume that it's electric. Once the bit grabs the steel, the drill motor torque will skyrocket and try to break your arm. Not a deal breaker, but be careful. That's why I like an air drill.
bagged89s10
Well-known member
Yeah you don't want a broken wrist or broken drill bits. I wish I had an air drill when I was drilling large holes in frame rails instead of using my electric dewalt drill.
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drivesitfar
Well-known member
Mark and Bagged: i know we are getting a bit off topic, but most of us need to drill through steel plate for our vises at some time in our lives.
Brown wrists? yes i do have electric drills and no mag drill yet. what is an air drill? holes don't need to be precise because i have washers.
i'm fairly strong but i do know not to mess with the kickback of a power tool. hell an upright on my commercial steel rack took a whack at my finger under a little tension and my finger hurt for 2 days and that didn't have a motor on it.
thanks
Brown wrists? yes i do have electric drills and no mag drill yet. what is an air drill? holes don't need to be precise because i have washers.
i'm fairly strong but i do know not to mess with the kickback of a power tool. hell an upright on my commercial steel rack took a whack at my finger under a little tension and my finger hurt for 2 days and that didn't have a motor on it.
thanks
bagged89s10
Well-known member
Typo. Broken wrist. An air drill aka pneumatic drill. Just another air tool like an air impact or air ratchet.
ironhorsemachinery
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- May 20, 2015
- Messages
- 64
tips.
All: I'm looking for more tips if anybody has any because i need to drill 3/4 inch holes in 1/4 and thicker steel plate soon. anybody want to warn me about using a 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch 50 year old drill with new drill bits?[/QUOTE]
The most important thing is to be CAREFUL! Take your time and don't force anything. Those big drills have a LOT of torque and will spin your arm around easily if the bit gets jammed. Bits are most likely to get bound up just as the bit exits the bottom of the hole - they tend to grab on the little ring of material just as the bit emerges from the bottom.
There are two things you can do that help a lot
1. Make a drill guide out of a block of wood (preferably a hard wood) by drilling a straight hole in the block. Best if you do this in a drill press to get it nice and vertical, but you can do it with your hand drill and keep checking your alignment with a small square. Securely clamp this block over the spot you are going to drill your hole and it will keep things aligned and less likely to bind. Step drilling in 1/4" increments is good, so pre-drill your guide block with all the sizes you will need to step your way up to the final size. To get things aligned, put your drill through the guide block, centre up on the hole and then clamp in place.
2. When you get near the bottom of the hole (you will feel it) back off on the pressure to avoid the bit grabbing.
Make sure you are standing and holding the drill in such a way that you can let go and be out of the way of spinning handles if it does bind. Cutting oil and good quality, well-sharpened bit helps.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
All: I'm looking for more tips if anybody has any because i need to drill 3/4 inch holes in 1/4 and thicker steel plate soon. anybody want to warn me about using a 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch 50 year old drill with new drill bits?[/QUOTE]
The most important thing is to be CAREFUL! Take your time and don't force anything. Those big drills have a LOT of torque and will spin your arm around easily if the bit gets jammed. Bits are most likely to get bound up just as the bit exits the bottom of the hole - they tend to grab on the little ring of material just as the bit emerges from the bottom.
There are two things you can do that help a lot
1. Make a drill guide out of a block of wood (preferably a hard wood) by drilling a straight hole in the block. Best if you do this in a drill press to get it nice and vertical, but you can do it with your hand drill and keep checking your alignment with a small square. Securely clamp this block over the spot you are going to drill your hole and it will keep things aligned and less likely to bind. Step drilling in 1/4" increments is good, so pre-drill your guide block with all the sizes you will need to step your way up to the final size. To get things aligned, put your drill through the guide block, centre up on the hole and then clamp in place.
2. When you get near the bottom of the hole (you will feel it) back off on the pressure to avoid the bit grabbing.
Make sure you are standing and holding the drill in such a way that you can let go and be out of the way of spinning handles if it does bind. Cutting oil and good quality, well-sharpened bit helps.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Bagged: that makes more sense. Auto correct spelling is a wonderful thing isn't it. DUH about an air drill, but i don't own any air tools yet to speak of other than a few nailers and an impact.
IH: awesome idea and good warning tip too.
thanks guys
IH: awesome idea and good warning tip too.
thanks guys
Do old vises have value? It's labeled Athol M & F Athol Mass.
Sure. Clean that one up and ask $100
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Drives,
"Air drill" was my bad. I should have stated pneumatic. Many times, I usually assume that people will know what I'm talking about, especially when I use abbreviations. Air drills are great, and the cheap ones (HF, W-Mart, etc.) will surprisingly last long.
IMO: They are great to have, because they are easier to control than their electric counterparts. I also like to use them for polishing certain vise details.
I would recommend that you have a large enough compressor to handle the air volume usage (2hp or larger) and be sure that the drill has a reverse valve.
joe.striper
Well-known member
Do old vises have value? It's labeled Athol M & F Athol Mass.
Grand, Athol was a vise manufacturer located 60 miles north of me. They were bought out by Starret just after 1900. As regards your little Athol vise. I'll take it off your hands for $20 because I feel sorry for you.
Actually your Athol looks like a very clean 4"er to me. Very nice. Value is harder to calculate, it depends where you are. Up here, a 4" Athols nice and clean like that...80-120. Any other opinions?
I've attached a pic of my Athol 626. 6" 185-190 lbs
Attachments
joe.striper
Well-known member
Do old vises have value? It's labeled Athol M & F Athol Mass.
If you do clean that one up be careful to try and preserve its patina. That has a nice old natural finish. I'd just degrease is and lightly wire brush with a very soft bristle brush and then oil rub it. Look at those old hold down bolts, square heads!
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Grandall: Old dirty vises didn't usually have much value, but since this thread and 30,000 posts were made on it over the years they seem to now. if you have a few days or a month to read and catch up you might see a few cousins that look like your Athol on it.
where you live would help determine the value, but Ex is in the ball park. it looks like it has had a fairly easy and lonely life on that old bench. can you go in your GJ profile and put in your location and maybe one of the guys or me would be able to hand you some cash if you don't have a use for your vise any longer.
JR: thanks for posting that and compressor is on my list too right after mag drill, miter saw, 211 Miller welder, oxy/acy set up and so on. looks like i'm going to have to start selling homes again instead of gym equipment or tools.
Mark: thanks for the heads up
cheers
where you live would help determine the value, but Ex is in the ball park. it looks like it has had a fairly easy and lonely life on that old bench. can you go in your GJ profile and put in your location and maybe one of the guys or me would be able to hand you some cash if you don't have a use for your vise any longer.
JR: thanks for posting that and compressor is on my list too right after mag drill, miter saw, 211 Miller welder, oxy/acy set up and so on. looks like i'm going to have to start selling homes again instead of gym equipment or tools.
Mark: thanks for the heads up
cheers
bagged89s10
Well-known member
Do old vises have value? It's labeled Athol M & F Athol Mass. Located in Granby MA if anyone is interested in it and/or the bench
That's a nice vise. I'd keep it.
Grand, Athol was a vise manufacturer located 60 miles north of me. They were bought out by Starret just after 1900. As regards your little Athol vise. I'll take it off your hands for $20 because I feel sorry for you.
Actually your Athol looks like a very clean 4"er to me. Very nice. Value is harder to calculate, it depends where you are. Up here, a 4" Athols nice and clean like that...80-120. Any other opinions?
I've attached a pic of my Athol 626. 6" 185-190 lbs
How many of your vises do you keep/flip? Do you have a regular user?
ironhorsemachinery
Well-known member
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- May 20, 2015
- Messages
- 64
One other tip ... it helps if you clamp a backup block under the hole you are drilling. Hardwood is good, a scrap of heavy aluminium is even better if you have it. This provides some 'back pressure" on your drill as the bit emerges from the hole you are drilling and keeps the bit from biting aggressively on that last little ring of steel I mentioned in my initial post. It really helps a lot...
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
joe.striper
Well-known member
Jrobb, I have over 30 vises in my little 2 car garage. At this moment I have 8 over 6", a smattering 5-6" and bunch of smaller various sizes. In my collection that I'm holding I have an Emmert 6A, a Parker 439, Millhoff vise (I LOVE this vise), a 1930s Grand vise, an Athol 626, a Fisher Norris 7" dual post, 7 & 8" Post vises and a 6" York in gorgeous condition that I want to attempt to finish and paint like a Bugatti vise!
Next to restore is a Wilton 5" bullet, Prentiss #5 Fixed base, Prentiss 6" swivelin Bench vise, Monarch 6.5" and Reed 106 fixed.
On their way to me are 2 Reed 206R vises , a Wilton C2, a Wilton 600 fixed base, a Wilton 9300 swivel and a Fisher Norris #2, so I have a lot in my little 2 car garage space.
I am not a collector. I stopped collecting when it wasn't fun for me anymore. Think of me as a Vise *******. I pick 'em up, play around with them then send them down the road (some would call me a vise *****). If I collected I'd be well over 100 vises right now, selling is the only way to control the flow in my shop. I LOVE putting big iron back to work and I make a lot of people very happy with my vises. I sell a lot to artists, garages, machine shops.
Please don't call me a flipper. I hold a lot of my vises for a while and I restore 90% of what I sell unless a GJ member wants something I have and then I ship them raw to them. I prefer restorer.
My daily user is the Millhoff. I don't think I'll ever sell that one. Super strong, has no value, very well made. My big go to vise and the one with the most emotional attachment is my Athol 626. I'll never sell that. Woman who sold it cried as I loaded into my car as it belonged to her husband who had recently passed.
P.S. I am jonesing for a Sawyer, but one before Balane sprinkled his fairy dust on it. Man I NEVER see those up here.
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topop101
Well-known member
topop101
Well-known member
Picked this 403 1/2 from someone who attempted to restore it. He wondered why it wouldn't sell. I've been watching it on cl for months. He finally dropped the price to $50 so I felt I better go save it.
I managed a few other things while I was out including a 3 3/4 Columbian post vise and a 70 lb Armstrong Vulcan anvil
I managed a few other things while I was out including a 3 3/4 Columbian post vise and a 70 lb Armstrong Vulcan anvil
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balane
Well-known member
jakemac
Well-known member
^^^^ Too Funny ^^^^
topop101
Well-known member
Ok now that's cool ! You have some "MADcomputer skills !
Look at this on eBay: 
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=111712289438&globalID=EBAY-US
HUGE 265 lb. PRENTISS # 58 CHIPPING MACHINIST BENCH VISE Blacksmith Anvil
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=111712289438&globalID=EBAY-US
HUGE 265 lb. PRENTISS # 58 CHIPPING MACHINIST BENCH VISE Blacksmith Anvil
topop101
Well-known member
Look at this on eBay:
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=111712289438&globalID=EBAY-US
HUGE 265 lb. PRENTISS # 58 CHIPPING MACHINIST BENCH VISE Blacksmith Anvil
I think that has DRIVESITFAR wrote all over it
drivesitfar
Well-known member
ALL: i heard my name or thought i did anyway. i don't see any 300 pound swivel jaw vise so i guess it wasn't me.
Matchless Antiques does have some awesome anvils and vises and he does command the big bucks.
Balane: Nice
Matchless Antiques does have some awesome anvils and vises and he does command the big bucks.
Balane: Nice
drivesitfar
Well-known member
TOP: between you and Joe i'm sure who's buying and selling more and some more nice finds that i'm sure you'll have sold tomorrow.
any chance you can list your top 5 or 10 vises in order of how much you like them?
any chance you can list your top 5 or 10 vises in order of how much you like them?
ironhorsemachinery
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 20, 2015
- Messages
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trijeff
Well-known member
Fretters, you are a muppet*. But that's just my personal opinion
The highly controversial 1740 is already in the hands of the new owner (at nearly $15 a pound, I might add) so unfortunately I'm not able to post new pictures of that one any longer. However, I'm in the process of restoring a Wilton C2 and a Wilton C3 is next in line. In other words, I have already "poorly" removed metal from the C2 but the C3 is completely untouched so far. In the photos below you will see that, FROM THE FACTORY, the bottom inside edge of the jaws (the part that sits in the shelf) is *** GASP *** not square. Whether you want to call it broken, beveled, rounded, deburred or whatever is up to you. But look at the C2, which has been "poorly" restored, and the C3 which has not been touched at all. Most here will agree that those angles and the amount of metal left on each of the jaws is pretty much identical. An optical comparator might show slight differences but we are not talking about parts for the international space station here. The C2 jaws do not "scream sloppiness" any more than the factory untouched C3 jaws. You must know by now that it is a long-standing practice of GJ vise heads to "flip" the jaws over when the tops have been abused. Well, I hope you and ZK can now see why what is now the new top seems rounded - the shots I have provided here are obviously much closer than in the previous whole-vise shots of the 1740 and also not in the sun, so it is much easier to see that it is actually a broken, etc. edge rather than rounded.
Original bottoms with broken edge:
Original tops:
Here's another (not mine) 1740 Tradesman without the jaws flipped - the broken edge on this type of vise is for some reason different (not a regular broken edge, but broken nonetheless), but now maybe you can see why you thought the back tops of my 1740 were rounded once they had been flipped.
Here's a Tradesman from Balane from last year this time. This isn't to throw Balane under the bus or get him involved at all - like you, I think he always does fantastic work. But you are saying that the rest of us can all take pointers from his awesome work and, well, he is doing the same damn thing!!! But maybe it takes a "discerning eye" to notice these things
All my personal opinion of course
* I hope you see the humor in this, your similar line about Jake has to be one of my all time favorite quotes
EDIT: Fretters and I are both laughing along with this thread - it's funny how he's trying to set hooks for Joe but I'm the one that keeps taking the bait!!! But we do both stand by our messages and everyone please note that this is all good-natured ribbing
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joe.striper
Well-known member
So awesome! BALANE, NICE PIC OF YOU DUDE!
topop101
Well-known member
Fretters, you are a muppet*. But that's just my personal opinion
The highly controversial 1740 is already in the hands of the new owner (at nearly $15 a pound, I might add) so unfortunately I'm not able to post new pictures of that one any longer. However, I'm in the process of restoring a Wilton C2 and a Wilton C3 is next in line. In other words, I have already "poorly" removed metal from the C2 but the C3 is completely untouched so far. In the photos below you will see that, FROM THE FACTORY, the bottom inside edge of the jaws (the part that sits in the shelf) is *** GASP *** not square. Whether you want to call it broken, beveled, rounded, deburred or whatever is up to you. But look at the C2, which has been "poorly" restored, and the C3 which has not been touched at all. Most here will agree that those angles and the amount of metal left on each of the jaws is pretty much identical. An optical comparator might show slight differences but we are not talking about parts for the international space station here. The C2 jaws do not "scream sloppiness" any more than the factory untouched C3 jaws. You must know by now that it is a long-standing practice of GJ vise heads to "flip" the jaws over when the tops have been abused. Well, I hope you and ZK can now see why what is now the new top seems rounded - the shots I have provided here are obviously much closer than in the previous whole-vise shots of the 1740 and also not in the sun, so it is much easier to see that it is actually a broken, etc. edge rather than rounded.
Original bottoms with broken edge:
Original tops:
Here's another (not mine) 1740 Tradesman without the jaws flipped - the broken edge on this type of vise is for some reason different (not a regular broken edge, but broken nonetheless), but now maybe you can see why you thought the back tops of my 1740 were rounded once they had been flipped.
Here's a Tradesman from Balane from last year this time. This isn't to throw Balane under the bus or get him involved at all - like you, I think he always does fantastic work. But you are saying that the rest of us can all take pointers from his awesome work and, well, he is doing the same damn thing!!! But maybe it takes a "discerning eye" to notice these things
All my personal opinion of course
* I hope you see the humor in this, your similar line about Jake has to be one of my all time favorite quotes
EDIT: Fretters and I are both laughing along with this thread - it's funny how he's trying to set hooks for Joe but I'm the one that keeps taking the bait!!! But we do both stand by our messages and everyone please note that this is all good-natured ribbing
Now not to start a fight or any thing
But I have never been able to turn jaws upside down without leaving a gap , especially if they are worn. To flip means , as I have always understood it to mean, is to change from the serrated side to the smooth side. The tradesman jaw inserts are countersunk on both sides to conceal the hardware.
Any way The rounding issue , as I seen it wasn't with the inserts them selves but more with the tops of the actual jaw were it meets the inserts.
No big deal either way. I'm sure we all do something wrong or could do it better. Heck, I paint most of mine while others think they should be covered in farmers oil as I call it. BLO: willy_nil
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CwazyWabbit
Well-known member
On some of the decent English vices you can't flip the jaws top to bottom as the mounting holes are set towards the bottom of the jaw.
topop101
Well-known member
Hey Joe be careful. With those computer skills he could put you in a grass skirt juggling coconuts next to obama
bagged89s10
Well-known member
Fretters, you are a muppet*. But that's just my personal opinion
The highly controversial 1740 is already in the hands of the new owner (at nearly $15 a pound, I might add) so unfortunately I'm not able to post new pictures of that one any longer. However, I'm in the process of restoring a Wilton C2 and a Wilton C3 is next in line. In other words, I have already "poorly" removed metal from the C2 but the C3 is completely untouched so far. In the photos below you will see that, FROM THE FACTORY, the bottom inside edge of the jaws (the part that sits in the shelf) is *** GASP *** not square. Whether you want to call it broken, beveled, rounded, deburred or whatever is up to you. But look at the C2, which has been "poorly" restored, and the C3 which has not been touched at all. Most here will agree that those angles and the amount of metal left on each of the jaws is pretty much identical. An optical comparator might show slight differences but we are not talking about parts for the international space station here. The C2 jaws do not "scream sloppiness" any more than the factory untouched C3 jaws. You must know by now that it is a long-standing practice of GJ vise heads to "flip" the jaws over when the tops have been abused. Well, I hope you and ZK can now see why what is now the new top seems rounded - the shots I have provided here are obviously much closer than in the previous whole-vise shots of the 1740 and also not in the sun, so it is much easier to see that it is actually a broken, etc. edge rather than rounded.
Original bottoms with broken edge:
Original tops:
Here's another (not mine) 1740 Tradesman without the jaws flipped - the broken edge on this type of vise is for some reason different (not a regular broken edge, but broken nonetheless), but now maybe you can see why you thought the back tops of my 1740 were rounded once they had been flipped.
Here's a Tradesman from Balane from last year this time. This isn't to throw Balane under the bus or get him involved at all - like you, I think he always does fantastic work. But you are saying that the rest of us can all take pointers from his awesome work and, well, he is doing the same damn thing!!! But maybe it takes a "discerning eye" to notice these things
All my personal opinion of course
* I hope you see the humor in this, your similar line about Jake has to be one of my all time favorite quotes
EDIT: Fretters and I are both laughing along with this thread - it's funny how he's trying to set hooks for Joe but I'm the one that keeps taking the bait!!! But we do both stand by our messages and everyone please note that this is all good-natured ribbing
As my buddies and I do in the garage. Busting balls.
All in good fun at the end of the day.
Nuts
Well-known member
Drives, as to the large hole drilling. Toughen up, gird your loins, buy some beer and have at least two friends over to help.
Nuts
Nuts