The VISES of Garage Journal

[CRSINMICH]

I was so tired out from all that dusting yesterday that I decided to go easy on myself. Luckily, it only took a short time today to find this one. The more cynical among you may suspect that I’m just re-posting the Craftsman I restoed previously. Look closely! Neither the chevrons nor the lettering on the left side are gold: and there is no doily. In fact, this is only a 3½ inch Cman. The other one was 5 inches. This is the exact condition it was in when I bought it an hour ago for $22.

 

[CRSINMICH]

TO ALL: I've been away from the computer for a while and I'm going to leave again soon. I'm behind several Ya Dun Guds, Too Bads, and Wry Comments. I'll have to get to them later this evening.

TO OVERSEAS VICERS: Distance and oceans do not excuse you from the writing assignment. I'm expecting some pithy bon mots even If you have to stay up late.

 

[CoopVA]

I was so tired out from all that dusting yesterday that I decided to go easy on myself. Luckily, it only took a short time today to find this one. The more cynical among you may suspect that I’m just re-posting the Craftsman I restoed previously. Look closely! Neither the chevrons nor the lettering on the left side are gold: and there is no doily. In fact, this is only a 3½ inch Cman. The other one was 5 inches. This is the exact condition it was in when I bought it an hour ago for $22.

That is sweet...

 

[balane]

I was so tired out from all that dusting yesterday that I decided to go easy on myself. Luckily, it only took a short time today to find this one. The more cynical among you may suspect that I’m just re-posting the Craftsman I restoed previously. Look closely! Neither the chevrons nor the lettering on the left side are gold: and there is no doily. In fact, this is only a 3½ inch Cman. The other one was 5 inches. This is the exact condition it was in when I bought it an hour ago for $22.

Typically I'm not a huge fan of gloss paint on rough finish cast iron but that paint job looks really nice, like a shell even.

 

[nine4gmc]

Thanks guys, I noticed the chainsaws had "Beyond Repair" written on them and the Wright 3/4" set was all sockets and a breaker bar, no ratchet, I would have been out at $300 but decided last minute to run it up some more and another guy jumped in on the bidding so I dropped out. There were two more cabinets but they went $120, I figured the ones I won would have gone higher but luckily they didn't or I would have wasted my whole day for nothing.

 

[firemanast]

Just a few pic's of my 6" Wilton.

 

[mbsinmich]

I was so tired out from all that dusting yesterday that I decided to go easy on myself. Luckily, it only took a short time today to find this one. The more cynical among you may suspect that I’m just re-posting the Craftsman I restoed previously. Look closely! Neither the chevrons nor the lettering on the left side are gold: and there is no doily. In fact, this is only a 3½ inch Cman. The other one was 5 inches. This is the exact condition it was in when I bought it an hour ago for $22.

Man! I like the swivel nuts! Them's cool!

 

[Mr_P]

I was so tired out from all that dusting yesterday that I decided to go easy on myself. Luckily, it only took a short time today to find this one. The more cynical among you may suspect that I’m just re-posting the Craftsman I restoed previously. Look closely! Neither the chevrons nor the lettering on the left side are gold: and there is no doily. In fact, this is only a 3½ inch Cman. The other one was 5 inches. This is the exact condition it was in when I bought it an hour ago for $22.

CRS, that vise was actually intended to be a replica of the one you posted last month. You see, there is an imposter out there doubling as you in Southeastern Michigan! He's going around behind you at garage sales using the same jedi tricks you use, and sometimes finding the second most hidden vises which the owners were keeping from you!

He restored this particular vise similar to your style to throw you off your game; maybe some kind of message to scare you off. You better let him know who the real CRSINMICH really is, and claim your territory back.

 

[vintage nut]

Drives, once the guy with a broken ankle is back at work and I can get some time off we'll definitely have to figure something out!
Might actually drive down sometime and stop at some other places I want to see.
And of course partake in some international vise poaching!

Sent from my C1904 using Tapatalk

 

[vintage nut]

To anyone who has seen both, how do the wilton combination vises compare to the reed ones?
The only combination vise I've seen is my dad's reed 32? 4.25" pre c series with the through the table swivel. Weight 72 pounds.... I'd probably have more faith in that than the 8" chinese vises I saw in the princess auto catalog....
Definitely the most solid vise for it's size I've ever seen! I'm just wondering how the wiltons would compare


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[drivesitfar]

Vintage: i have a couple reed old c vises if you get down here ill show you. Had several wilton c1's and a c2 and they are the best wiltons except for my baby on a power arm. If i had to choose the late 40's early 50's reed c series would be my first choice.

 

[vintage nut]

Sounds good drives!
I think my dad's reed is earlier, probably 20s. It will be mounted on the new maple bench we're building. Now only if I can convince him to leave the vise on that bench when it comes with me when I set up my own shop.....

The only vise he would take in exchange is my rock island, and that's my most used vise haha

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[vintage nut]

Speaking of rock islands in use, here's mine in it's natural setting! I'd say it's probably held every knife I have worked on since I got it. Here it's being used to hold some little edc/utility knives while I file the Spanish notch.

Now that I do some tapered tang blades, I really couldn't function without my swivel jaw.... Ever try to firmly clamp something with a long taper so you can file it? That rock island is absolutely amazing for that work!

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[CRSINMICH]

on the hill: Thanks for letting me know about the followup.

Coop: That was a nice assortment of vises you picked up. Thanks for the compliment. It is kind of sweet. You should see the pair of them side by side.

balane: I agree about glossy finishes. Something just doesn't look right. The finish on this Cman does look like a shell. Might it be epoxy paint?

fireman: That No. 6 and those stands look terrific.

Mr P: You may be right. Believe it or not this is not the only copycat Cman I've seen. Someone else painted a 4 inch one exactly the same way.

 

[vintage nut]

I rather like glossy finishes. Although I do use a skim coat of an industrial epoxy mixed with 1000 mesh aluminum powder over all the flats and sand it all smooth before painting. My rock island is the first vise I used gloss paint on, and I didn't do that... If I didn't rely on that thing pretty much every time I'm in the shop I'd repaint it.... I've also found it to help to paint with a small artists brush rather than rattle cans. Seems to fill little imperfections much better. Although my dad did his reed with the spray gun he used for repainting his tractor, and it turned out really well!

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[vintage nut]

Everyone has their own taste though. Some guys love satin finish knives, whereas I like the flawless mirror polish myself.
Maybe I just like shiny things? Lol

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[rmalkow2]

Just a few pic's of my 6" Wilton.

Two very good looking Wilton's there. And equally nice job on the stands too!

 

[CRSINMICH]

Everyone has their own taste though. Some guys love satin finish knives, whereas I like the flawless mirror polish myself.
Maybe I just like shiny things? Lol

I go back and forth about glossy or not. I decided to take it on a case by case basis. I also don't generally like hammered finishes but I'm painting my latest resto hammered black. This vise just seemed to call for it.

Btw did you read my comments some months back about deco vises? I told Timbit about how when I left for Europe last July I jokingly told my brother, who likes deco vises, that I'd keep an eye open for an art nouveau vise. When I saw the RAE that Timbit was restoring I saw that it had art nouveau styling. Do you have one? If you paint your vises by hand with a brush you should be able to paint one in art nouveau colours. That's why I want one. Unfortunately there are not many on this side of the border. I did find an RAE pipe vise but that's not the same thing.

 

[autopts]

Here's a oddball. This Wilton 9450 is sitting very nicely on a 3 bolt base. If I didn't know better, I would have thought it was original to this vise. It locks down much better then the OE Base. Other then the markings, no name anywhere.

 

[KMScott]

That is a odd find Nick, Boyer Shultz is known for making surface grinders and I bet the Tee bolt came from a magnet hold down on one of their Grinders.

Took my Grandson today and drove the 100 miles to our hunting camp and finally picked up my base plate for my Prentiss #58. Gonna be a nice stand and heavy. Just like the originals.

 

[Mark97303]

ok, this one looks like a rock island but it has nothing cast into it. nothing at all on the sides. Does not appear to have ever been there. Anyone want to take a stab at what model and make this is. Its 5 1/2 jaws.
,thanks.

 

[diagnosis]

@firemanst, the bases on the Wilton really set your vices off, I may have to copy that design for the shop. Great job on the restoration.

I dropped by my Parents place tonight, and figured I'd snap some photos of my Fathers vise to share on here, and possibly gain some input on his 'Made in England' Samsonia 'Perfect' Vise. In my travels I've never seen another, as I would love to find one with the quick release option, it makes life so much easier when having to re-position work numerous times.

And his Record No.5 in the garage.

 

[Fretters]

I dropped by my Parents place tonight, and figured I'd snap some photos of my Fathers vise to share on here, and possibly gain some input on his 'Made in England' Samsonia 'Perfect' Vise. In my travels I've never seen another, as I would love to find one with the quick release option, it makes life so much easier when having to re-position work numerous times.

The QR mechanisms are lovely, aren't they. It's always surprised me why it never took off over there, to any real degree.

The Samsonia's were made by Parkinsons, (my personal favourite vice manufacturer). They're damn fine vices. The Samsonia's are the steel version of their cast equivalent. The No.7 Model F is the cast iron comparable of the No.37 Model J steel, for example. That one you have there is a 38A?, so 6" jaws. This is it's cast iron equivalent:

This is a link to a copy of Parkinsons 1940 catalogue, (thanks again to CW for getting hold of this ):

1940 Parkinsons catalogue

 

[diagnosis01]

Wow, thank you for posting that link to the Parkinsons catalogue. I've already forwarded it on to him, and he'll definitely enjoy the read over his morning coffee.
I'll find out some more info about it, and to how he acquired the Samsonia, as it's been bolted to his bench long before I was even an idea.

 

[vintage nut]

Never seen a rae vise here. The only Canadian made vises I have seen are a 4" terrier that I restored and gave to my uncle, and a 5" henry that has become my dad's main user. That thing is the most solid English style vise I've seen. They basically took all the good features from each of the British vises, and then made it with even more iron.

Sent from my C1904 using Tapatalk

 

[CRSINMICH]

ESSAY SCORES

As I suspected but was hoping not to find, this topic revealed a vein of naked greed that is not becoming to any of us (cough cough j, b, r, v). We all have it but it should be kept under wraps as much as possible.

Treepointer: You didn’t show personal greed and your thinking was original. Well done!

Rileysan: You are the winner of the James T. Kirk award for thinking outside of the vise jaws. Your response was well thought out and it was clearly organized and presented. However…

I have, in the past, mildly reprimanded you for not heeding my warnings about vise addiction. You are too far gone now and I blame myself but, in case there is a salvageable bit left within you, I refer you to grouseman’s post #36506. You too could be reduced to whimpering. I myself had a similar reaction to the pix of Diagnosis’ fathers Sampsonia. I gotta have one! Somebody help me please!

 

[firemanast]

on the hill: Thanks for letting me know about the followup.

Coop: That was a nice assortment of vises you picked up. Thanks for the compliment. It is kind of sweet. You should see the pair of them side by side.

balane: I agree about glossy finishes. Something just doesn't look right. The finish on this Cman does look like a shell. Might it be epoxy paint?

fireman: That No. 6 and those stands look terrific.

Mr P: You may be right. Believe it or not this is not the only copycat Cman I've seen. Someone else painted a 4 inch one exactly the same way.

Thanks

 

[firemanast]

Two very good looking Wilton's there. And equally nice job on the stands too!

Thanks

 

[bagged89s10]

Picked up a Reed 105R with smooth jaws and the flat nose. $80 seemed too good to pass up since I've been looking for a better replacement to the 104R I sold a couple months ago.

 

[CRSINMICH]

Picked up a Reed 105R with smooth jaws and the flat nose. $80 seemed too good to pass up since I've been looking for a better replacement to the 104R I sold a couple months ago.

That seems fair to me but what do I know?. I passed on a Reed 4C for $65 yesterday. I could probably get a few bucks knocked off that. I should go back and have another look. Unfortunately the place isn't open again until Wednesday. It fits in with my new approach to vises since it doesn't even need dusting. (I think it was a 4C. At first I read it as 40 but then I saw somewhere on this thread that Reed didn't make a 40.)

 

[joe.striper]

ok, this one looks like a rock island but it has nothing cast into it. nothing at all on the sides. Does not appear to have ever been there. Anyone want to take a stab at what model and make this is. Its 5 1/2 jaws.
,thanks.

The plate on the spindle screams Parker, originally there would have been a collar there but if they broke this was the normal repair. If I saw a close up of the jaws, top, bottom sides. I could be more definitive.

 

[Mark97303]

I'll get them for you this afternoon. Did not think of that. The shape of the body is just so rock island.

 

[joe.striper]

That seems fair to me but what do I know?. I passed on a Reed 4C for $65 yesterday. I could probably get a few bucks knocked off that. I should go back and have another look. Unfortunately the place isn't open again until Wednesday. It fits in with my new approach to vises since it doesn't even need dusting. (I think it was a 4C. At first I read it as 40 but then I saw somewhere on this thread that Reed didn't make a 40.)

Oooh, oooh, I could have had a date with Taylor Swift in her travel trailer yesterday, but I had to get home to do some work in the shop. I probably should I have gone with her. I should go back and have another look. Unfortunately the tour won't be back again until Wednesday. It fits in with my new approach to women since she doesn't even need makeup. (I think it was Taylor Swift, that was what the tour bus said but then I saw somewhere on this thread that she wasn't touring this year.....maybe it was Miley Cyrus? I don't know....

 

[drivesitfar]

CRS: Good one. I think either your old students stopped by with some great drugs or you are trying to self **** again just an fyi the reed 4c weighs about 190 pounds. I know reed has 30 series vises so they might have 40's.

Joe: You must have got into some of that legal medication I shipped you.

 

[va.grouseman]

Originally posted by CSRINMISH.

I passed on a Reed 4C for $65 yesterday. I could probably get a few bucks knocked off that. I should go back and have another look.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I'm sorry but I got to call BS on that one.---4C for $65.---If you passed, I'm the Pope.

 

[bagged89s10]

You guys are crazy. Lol

Here are better pics of the Reed

 

[CRSINMICH]

Originally posted by CSRINMISH.

I passed on a Reed 4C for $65 yesterday. I could probably get a few bucks knocked off that. I should go back and have another look.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I'm sorry but I got to call BS on that one.---4C for $65.---If you'd pass, I'm the Pope.

Well, Your Holiness, read the relevant part of my post that you missed then read Posts no. 15 and 16 of this thread.

(I think it was a 4C. At first I read it as a 40 but then I saw somewhere on this thread that Reed didn’t make a 40.)

EDIT: It's on the General Tool Discussion thread. Here's the link: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106930

 

[CRSINMICH]

drives: Thanks for the information about 4Cs. This one must be a 40 because it sure didn't weight anywhere near that much. I based my guess on Posts no. 15 and 16 of this thread. here's the link: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106930

 

[CRSINMICH]

MY MISTAKE AGAIN
It's not on this thread. It's on the General Tool Discussion thread - Very old Reed/Erie Vise! Post #15 and #16. Here's the link: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106930

 

[CRSINMICH]

bagged: You are right.Things are getting a little crazy. I didn't realize that I had made a preposterous mistake. That's the last I'm going to say about it. Nice Reed!