The VISES of Garage Journal

scooternut · Jul 8, 2015

bagged89s10 said:
The stand I got with a block grinder yesterday. I think if I replace the adjustable tube with one solid tube, and add weight to the back this thing, it will be pretty nice for a vise. I might even throw a bench grinder on the back. Maybe even a round thick steel plate on the bottom for more stability.

I use this same craftsman stand for a small lightweight portable craftsman 5180 (reed) setup. Picked it up NIB off craigslist awhile back for cheap. It works well for that purpose. It's a nice stand.

scooternut · Jul 8, 2015

Uh oh on the big Reed 206. Looks like a repair to me, though I've no experience.. I don't understand where and how they fail so maybe some could help here. It looks like a ground down repair on top, where the slide meets the dynamic is my concern. Then some roughness on the one side. But, the other side, and the dynamic the rest of the way around look great. I guess I assumed that a break would be, well, a break, like all the way around. This thing lived in some sort of foundry fab shop, then brought home by a tool maker.

So, where do we go now? Paint and display, or clean it up and use? How well do the repairs work? for those with experience.

drivesitfar · Jul 8, 2015

SN: your Reed's repair if that's what it is looks ok and maybe repairing a small crack instead of a break. any chance you can get a few pictures of the inside after taking the screw out of the dynamic? a welder won't usually clean that area up as much so maybe we can see if the crack was all the way through or how big. from my chair clean it up and use it and as you learn you can maybe figure out how to straighten out the jaws a bit more. i'd use 6 inch copper wilton jaws on it so if you can find a pair reasonable or make a pair you'll get plenty of grip with them on that vise. here's a picture of my Reed 106 which needs some jaw help and it's sitting on a shelf patiently waiting for me to get some tools and skills to do something about it. good luck and your Reed 206 still looks like a functional vise.

Demo: it's hard to be disappointed when you find a 400 pounder, but it isn't a 695 pounder so i do feel a bit of your pain and joy. good luck and hope you get that no name monster back home. that one looks like it would be hard to carry in two pieces so hopefully there is a lift table or a fork lift handy.

BB: interesting about Columbian and let us know if you find anything else.

bagged89s10 · Jul 8, 2015

Anyone have info on an athol 615x?

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1436372599.904988.jpg

I didn't know athol made removable jaw vises. This one might have a stripped screw though. I was offered it at $100 but I passed based on the condition of the jaw.

drivesitfar · Jul 8, 2015

Bagged: some of the guys like Kevin are able to fix vises like that and that one would be worth fixing once you learn the skills and tools or at the rate Joe's going maybe he'll have them first to stop by his place. it's not a common vise and a 5 incher is a great size as you already know with your Wilton. Starrett owned Athol and not sure when they went to removable jaws, but Starrett vises have them. see if you can get it for a bit less mentioning the jaw and or maybe he has some other rusty steel that could be thrown in the deal if he's stuck at a Benjamin like that engine hoist or some steel to make a stand or bench.

your call, but i'd consider that one.

trijeff · Jul 8, 2015

demoman said:
Yes this is the vise it thought might be a pittsburgh so I was a little let down but it still is a big vise.

Looks like my hats are safe for now!!

Nice find, Demo ... can't wait to find out more about this one as you do [emoji106]

trijeff · Jul 8, 2015

My $40 morning:

Parker 954
Littlestown 400
Cleveland Jordan Special 3.5
Columbian C43.5 (100% boat anchor)
American Scale No. 3 pipe vise

Really like the lines on the Jordan Special for an exposed screw vise and nice that it still has the rest-on-screw pipe jaws.

My first dedicated pipe vise, wasn't aware that American Scale made them.

zkling · Jul 8, 2015

scooternut said:
Uh oh on the big Reed 206. Looks like a repair to me, though I've no experience.. I don't understand where and how they fail so maybe some could help here. It looks like a ground down repair on top, where the slide meets the dynamic is my concern. Then some roughness on the one side. But, the other side, and the dynamic the rest of the way around look great. I guess I assumed that a break would be, well, a break, like all the way around. This thing lived in some sort of foundry fab shop, then brought home by a tool maker.

So, where do we go now? Paint and display, or clean it up and use? How well do the repairs work? for those with experience.

Hard to tell from that pic. As drivesitfar said, take a picture from the inside of the casting. Also very lightly take a file and run it across the perceived brazed area. If you get yellow colored chips you'll know it has filler in there.

bagged89s10 said:
Anyone have info on an athol 615x?

I didn't know athol made removable jaw vises. This one might have a stripped screw though. I was offered it at $100 but I passed based on the condition of the jaw.

Fixable if the dynamic jaw is the only problem; but at the price I'd pass too, unless I wanted that specific vise and had nothing else to do.

Edit, actually never mind, it looks like the dynamic jaw tower has been reattached to the slide. Run

scooternut · Jul 8, 2015

Thanks everyone for helping with the Reed 206. You guys are great, but totally feed my addiction at the same time.

Inside the slide pics are proving to be very difficult. Though I see nothing in there that concerns me, just rough casting, but consistently rough throughout.

I filed the perceived repaired area and posted the pile of shavings, which look silver to me. No gold at all that I can see. It cut easy, but other areas did as well with this very sharp new bahco file.

I need to learn how to post thumbnail pics. Got it! So much better for everyone.

15til3 · Jul 8, 2015

for those restoring their vices what are they using? Wire wheel? Sandpaper? Soda/sand?

Outlawmws · Jul 8, 2015

Fine Wire wheels and Etank. Nothing really abbrasive

joe.striper · Jul 8, 2015

scooternut said:
Uh oh on the big Reed 206. Looks like a repair to me, though I've no experience.. I don't understand where and how they fail so maybe some could help here. It looks like a ground down repair on top, where the slide meets the dynamic is my concern. Then some roughness on the one side. But, the other side, and the dynamic the rest of the way around look great. I guess I assumed that a break would be, well, a break, like all the way around. This thing lived in some sort of foundry fab shop, then brought home by a tool maker.

So, where do we go now? Paint and display, or clean it up and use? How well do the repairs work? for those with experience.

It might be someone repairing damage from a torch or repairing a void. If there is no damage on the sides, and it doesn't appear to have any, I'd say you are good. The jaws line up correctly right? then don't sweat it. they are old vises after all.

Fretters · Jul 8, 2015

scooternut said:
Thanks everyone for helping with the Reed 206. You guys are great, but totally feed my addiction at the same time.

Inside the slide pics are proving to be very difficult. Though I see nothing in there that concerns me, just rough casting, but consistently rough throughout.

I filed the perceived repaired area and posted the pile of shavings, which look silver to me. No gold at all that I can see. It cut easy, but other areas did as well with this very sharp new bahco file.

I need to learn how to post thumbnail pics. Got it! So much better for everyone.

Personally, I don't think that is a repair or pool of weld. I'm thinking that may just have been the product of a void in the mould, which they didn't clean up properly on finishing the vice. Depending on which angle you see it from, it appears different. Like Joe says, it may also just have been filler for a void in the cast.

Fraggles · Jul 8, 2015

Finally got a Swindens. :bounce:

Flat jaws = 6"
Curved jaws = 5"

Really chuffed to bits with it. :lol:

It's in tip-top condition. Also has the key/spanner

Must weigh atleast 90lbs (40kg) as it feels heavier than my Record 36,

Came securely packaged in a custom made crate too. :thumbup:

drivesitfar · Jul 8, 2015

15: check out the vise repair 101 thread and a link is in my signature and the members have a lot of help in that thread for the novice to the expert restorations. also if you search Homemade electrolysis you can check out why Outlaw recommends that method.

SN: it looks like a weld repair or could be just weld material that might have dripped down from above, but definitely not a major repair if it is welding a crack. others might have a different take on it because i'm not a welder (yet), but I've seen a lot of welded vises.

i'd say clean it up and start using that beast. does it weigh about 140 pounds?

Fraggles: Awesome and seller did a great job packaging it to ship. Ebay??

joe.striper · Jul 8, 2015

Went to the local scrapyard trying to buy a 3/4 hp buffer but they wanted way too much $$. Oh well! BUT I did stop by another scrapper and found this beautiful 3.5" Athol double swiveler. Very, very clean. Paid only $25 which is good considering the ridiculous amount they wanted for this other ****!

Oh, and I bought that 4" Athol vise that Doug posted a couple of days ago here on the board. Paid $80, but it was sooo clean and I really like Athols...did I tell you I have issues? :beer:

Fretters · Jul 8, 2015

Fraggles said:
Finally got a Swindens.

Flat jaws = 6"
Curved jaws = 5"

Really chuffed to bits with it. It's in tip-top condition. Also has the key/spanner

Must weigh atleast 90lbs (40kg) as it feels heavier than my Record 36,

Came securely packaged in a custom made crate too.

Nice.

You've done well getting the original spanner with it too. Plenty more photo's when you have a chance.

joe.striper · Jul 8, 2015

Fraggles said:
Finally got a Swindens.

Flat jaws = 6"
Curved jaws = 5"

Really chuffed to bits with it. It's in tip-top condition. Also has the key/spanner

Must weigh atleast 90lbs (40kg) as it feels heavier than my Record 36,

Came securely packaged in a custom made crate too.

Well, well, well. Did Swinden copy Emmert or did Emmert copy Swinden??

Fraggles · Jul 8, 2015

joe.striper said:
Well, well, well. Did Swinden copy Emmert or did Emmert copy Swinden??

That Emmert looks beautiful. Any idea of when that type were first made?

Swindens seem to have been formed in 1928 and revolving vice were used by the Minisgtry of Defence from 1930

http://www.swindens-vices.co.uk/history-reference.html

Fretters

I dismantled it straight away and put it in the e-tank. Couldn't wait to working on it :lol:

. Will post some more photos soon. :thumbup:

drivesitfar · Jul 8, 2015

Joe: I wish i had a spot like that to visit even if i didn't buy anything. one thing you might want to keep in mind if you see an old swiveler that they are going to scrap that has the pipe jaws grab them which might take a little effort. i also saw one of those huge wing nuts and plate on a old vise that had the pipe jaws and it looks like it's jaw is busted so grab parts when you can because if you can't use them later one of would love to have originals.

cheers

joe.striper · Jul 8, 2015

Fraggles said:
That Emmert looks beautiful. Any idea of when that type were first made?

Swindens seem to have been formed in 1928 and revolving vice were used by the Minisgtry of Defence from 1930

http://www.swindens-vices.co.uk/history-reference.html

Fretters

I dismantled it straight away and put it in the e-tank. Couldn't wait to working on it . Will post some more photos soon.

My Emmert is dated 1906 pat date

joe.striper · Jul 8, 2015

drivesitfar said:
Joe: I wish i had a spot like that to visit even if i didn't buy anything. one thing you might want to keep in mind if you see an old swiveler that they are going to scrap that has the pipe jaws grab them which might take a little effort. i also saw one of those huge wing nuts and plate on a old vise that had the pipe jaws and it looks like it's jaw is busted so grab parts when you can because if you can't use them later one of would love to have originals.

cheers

Drivesit, issue is price. See those ridiculous prices! If the vises were 10-20 I'd buy them, but 40 or 50? Don't think so! The old one with the butterfly nut had gorgeous original paint but the jaws were trashed. I wanted the pipe jaws but just too much!

drivesitfar · Jul 8, 2015

Joe: was thinking that maybe if you offered the $10 or $20 or whatever just for the parts it would be cheaper. scrap guy would get a lot more than what he paid for them. you know there isn't anybody going to pay that for a busted vise so as you get to know him better i was just putting the thought in your head which might have already been there.

happy hunting

fullthrottle24 · Jul 8, 2015

trijeff said:
My $40 morning:

Parker 954
Littlestown 400
Cleveland Jordan Special 3.5
Columbian C43.5 (100% boat anchor)
American Scale No. 3 pipe vise

Really like the lines on the Jordan Special for an exposed screw vise and nice that it still has the rest-on-screw pipe jaws.

My first dedicated pipe vise, wasn't aware that American Scale made them.

Can you post some more pics of that Cleveland Jordan vise? That is similar to the Craftsman version made in the 50's. It may help explain the mystery of their supplier when the 51xx vises were made.

JeremyBurke · Jul 8, 2015

scooternut said:
Uh oh on the big Reed 206. Looks like a repair to me, though I've no experience.. I don't understand where and how they fail so maybe some could help here. It looks like a ground down repair on top, where the slide meets the dynamic is my concern. Then some roughness on the one side. But, the other side, and the dynamic the rest of the way around look great. I guess I assumed that a break would be, well, a break, like all the way around. This thing lived in some sort of foundry fab shop, then brought home by a tool maker.

So, where do we go now? Paint and display, or clean it up and use? How well do the repairs work? for those with experience.

It is also possible that is just a repair made to the mold pattern to quickly patch an aging pattern.

Here is a picture of my Hollands 15 in primer and you can see a plate and 4 flat head screws cast into the side. Those are all just prints left in the sand that then transferred onto my vise body.

I say use it like you would any other vise. My $0.02. cheers.

trijeff · Jul 8, 2015

fullthrottle24 said:
Can you post some more pics of that Cleveland Jordan vise? That is similar to the Craftsman version made in the 50's. It may help explain the mystery of their supplier when the 51xx vises were made.

Here you go! Let me know if you want any others

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

jakemac · Jul 8, 2015

My neck hurts. :lol_hitti

zkling · Jul 8, 2015

jakemac said:
My neck hurts.

Just use one of your vises to clamp the monitor 90°. :thumbup:

drivesitfar said:
Joe: was thinking that maybe if you offered the $10 or $20 or whatever just for the parts it would be cheaper. scrap guy would get a lot more than what he paid for them. you know there isn't anybody going to pay that for a busted vise so as you get to know him better i was just putting the thought in your head which might have already been there.

happy hunting

Scrap people can be funny to deal with like that. I've met a few that were so stubborn to sell at 2x scrap value yet they take it to a yard and get paid half of that. :dunno:

I remember one guy wanted $20 for a rusty old hand plane because it "has brass and I'll get at least that in scrap value".

Maui · Jul 8, 2015

Here's another dreamer:

http://binghamton.craigslist.org/tls/5053008320.html

I would be very surprised if he got his asking price.

Maui

sbosecker · Jul 8, 2015

There is a Rock Island 572 on Macon GA Craigslist if anyone is interested.

http://macon.craigslist.org/tls/5108119206.html

Best regards,

Scott

Mark in Indiana · Jul 8, 2015

Hi Vise Friends,
Yesterday, I won a truck load of tools & equipment at an auction. The very last item was a little Red Arrow shop vise. Even though it is a home owner's quality vise, I like the embellishments, and for 3$, it would be an easy flip (1st & 2nd pictures).

So, I removed it from the work bench, put it in the truck, and left everything alone until this morning.

Soooo, this morning, cleaned off, lubricated, and tested some of the small items. When I got to the Red Arrow vise, I saw that the base was cracked!
It was also welded (3rd. & 4th pictures). :sad:

This story will have a happy ending when I give the vise a new live as an art project.

I wanted to post this to give an example of a broken vise that slipped by me.

Happy Trails!

oldldh · Jul 8, 2015

I know we've looked at a bunch of Parker vises... :beer:

This is on Ebay...

A Parker 794A...(I had a "Senior Moment" and saved them as 974A's... :dunno:

)

I have never seen one like this... :headscrat

That doesn't mean they're rare, it just means I haven't seen one before... :lol:

More streamlined???...It's a "Union" vise, so newer, rather that older...

4", 45lbs, too much money... :evil:

Doesn't look restored, so nearly new, or almost unused, I'd wager...

McBrownie · Jul 8, 2015

oldldh said:
I know we've looked at a bunch of Parker vises...

This is on Ebay...

A Parker 794A...(I had a "Senior Moment" and saved them as 974A's...)

I have never seen one like this...

That doesn't mean they're rare, it just means I haven't seen one before...

More streamlined???...It's a "Union" vise, so newer, rather that older...

4", 45lbs, too much money...

Doesn't look restored, so nearly new, or almost unused, I'd wager...

That has to be one of the last of the Union Parker's. Very clean. Funny how the bases never seem to have changed.

Hemi49 · Jul 8, 2015

scooternut said:
Thanks everyone for helping with the Reed 206. You guys are great, but totally feed my addiction at the same time.

Inside the slide pics are proving to be very difficult. Though I see nothing in there that concerns me, just rough casting, but consistently rough throughout.

I filed the perceived repaired area and posted the pile of shavings, which look silver to me. No gold at all that I can see. It cut easy, but other areas did as well with this very sharp new bahco file.

I need to learn how to post thumbnail pics. Got it! So much better for everyone.

I worked around iron castings for 30+ years......Many times a void in a casting would be welded if that procedure would render the casting suitable for it's intended purpose.....Ni55 was the preferred welding rod.....

Gazedo · Jul 8, 2015

First post on garage journal! My grandfather in law gave me a Columbian autocrat 415 cleaned it shimed the main spindle nut. Added a washer in front on the retention clip. With the slop and backlash resolved I fabricated some aluminum jaws then stripped the paint and shot primer. It stayed like that until I read the vices of garage journal. Then i shot it with some hammered rosemary Rustolium. Hit the action surfaces with a unitized disk then a buffer.

topop101 · Jul 8, 2015

Fraggles said:
Finally got a Swindens.

Flat jaws = 6"
Curved jaws = 5"

Really chuffed to bits with it. It's in tip-top condition. Also has the key/spanner

Must weigh atleast 90lbs (40kg) as it feels heavier than my Record 36,

Came securely packaged in a custom made crate too.

Very nice. Wrench included ! And well packaged to boot !

Mark in Indiana · Jul 8, 2015

Gazedo said:
First post on garage journal! My grandfather in law gave me a Columbian autocrat 415 cleaned it shimed the main spindle nut. Added a washer in front on the retention clip. With the slop and backlash resolved I fabricated some aluminum jaws then stripped the paint and shot primer. It stayed like that until I read the vices of garage journal. Then i shot it with some hammered rosemary Rustolium. Hit the action surfaces with a unitized disk then a buffer.

Welcome to the group. Very nice restoration. Also, very special.

Gazedo · Jul 8, 2015

Thanks now I just want an old chunk of a vice or 3

fullthrottle24 · Jul 8, 2015

trijeff said:
Here you go! Let me know if you want any others

Thanks, the craftsman has a covered screw and is beefer, but similar look. I'm wondering if Columbian made both these vises. After all, Cleveland Ohio wasn't a two vise company town, was it?

va.grouseman · Jul 8, 2015

Maui said:
Here's another dreamer:

http://binghamton.craigslist.org/tls/5053008320.html

I would be very surprised if he got his asking price.

Maui

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

Maui.---He must be starving his A.S. #79.---It's already lost 16 lbs.---And I'll bet you see another one for sale within 4 months on the outside.

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