The VISES of Garage Journal

[paulm12]

Just got this Chas Parker 229x at garage sale. Need to read through the threads here on how to fix/maintain. Everything seems to move freely.

 

[bagged89s10]

Bagged are those jaws new or did you block them down to remove the pits? I Polish alot of stainless at work round parts can be very hard to get a shine on with out distortion and flats . I usually use a block or file angle grinder wet sand then 3 buff wheels.

Just sanded them down and buffed them. They are not perfect but really nice for a vise. I might have to quickly resand and buff them before I driver it.

 

[McBrownie]

Just got this Chas Parker 229x at garage sale. Need to read through the threads here on how to fix/maintain. Everything seems to move freely.

Paul,

Very nice and possibly 100 years old. You can get a replacement swivel lock handle from one of our resident experts here:

http://www.benchvisejaws.com/chas-parker-swivel-clamp-arm-5-inch/

Here's how they can clean up. But, once you start using them, they don't stay like this for long.

 

[Gazedo]

The parker jaws must be crazy hard or it had an easy life. What ever the case it looks great now! Try some flitz with a soft wheel or rag great Polish/protectant. My reed has been beaten with hammers and grinders on every remotely horizontal surface and handle the slide probably has 2 dozen 8s punched into it. Someday I will find a vise that has not been molested.

 

[zkling]

Just finished these up . Jaws by Kevin! Next stop...Ohio!

GO ROYALS!

Nice crsip edges! Beggs for the letterting to be done, black or orange.

 

[paulm12]

thanks McBrownie for the info and link. I'll take a look at them. And your restoration looks remarkable.

 

[econotrk]

Pictures of the little clamp ons reminded me of one I got a month or so ago. It is an Athol 703 2" wide jaw. It is the smallest rachet handle one I have seen.
I have a Stanley 741 with "Stanley" cast in the side. I would guess it is a later model but it also has the Sweetheart logo on the top of the slide.

Get, that little Athol is sweet!

 

[bagged89s10]

The parker jaws must be crazy hard or it had an easy life. What ever the case it looks great now! Try some flitz with a soft wheel or rag great Polish/protectant. My reed has been beaten with hammers and grinders on every remotely horizontal surface and handle the slide probably has 2 dozen 8s punched into it. Someday I will find a vise that has not been molested.

Yeah this one has the nicest jaws of all my Parkers. It only had very light file marks. The last Parker I did has more filing marks and took more filing/sanding to smooth out. This vise was bought from a former machinist. I've noticed the vises I buy from machinist are the ones taken care of and less abused than others.

 

[scooternut]

A Reed106, because I think I like it better than my newly restored 206. Preliminary looks good and operates smoothly. Paid less than 1/#, but wasn't free

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

 

[bagged89s10]

A Reed106, because I think I like it better than my newly restored 206. Preliminary looks good and operates smoothly. Paid less than 1/#, but wasn't free

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

Another big boy. Awesome! You **** if you paid less than $1/pound

 

[joe.striper]

That's a sweet looking sweetheart. (I can see the logo on the back of the slide)
I have 1-1/2" Stanley #741 w/ the sweetheart logo, but mine has the winged thumbscrew instead of the slide bar.

Here's some info that Outlaw had to offer when I first posted it.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4019542#post4019542

Here's a pic of it restored in Kona Brown paint (that was the closest rattle can I could find for the original color on mine)

Soo **** Jakey...mine is marked '661'. Very odd marking.

 

[CRSINMICH]

A Reed106, because I think I like it better than my newly restored 206. Preliminary looks good and operates smoothly. Paid less than 1/#, but wasn't free

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

scooternut: I second that YOU ****!

 

[topop101]

Bagged: WOW

TOP: You might know that i don't like painting vises, but TJ and now you have me thinking i'll need to paint at least one of mine that bright green. nice job and do tell the color and can you post a picture of the paint can. brush or spray paint or custom out of an air gun?

DRIVES This was a custom match color to the Snap-on Green. I have an old friend that owns at the local auto tool and paint store. He matched it by eye and put it in spray cans. It requires primer.

 

[jakemac]

Soo **** Jakey...mine is marked '661'. Very odd marking.

Hmmmmm, odd.
?????
The all the google searches I did for old ads only showed Stanley clamp-ons in the 7xx series.

 

[econotrk]

A Reed106, because I think I like it better than my newly restored 206. Preliminary looks good and operates smoothly. Paid less than 1/#, but wasn't free

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

Saw that one on Clist, nice get Scooternut, glad to see someone on here got it.

 

[scooternut]

Bagged: WOW

TOP: You might know that i don't like painting vises, but TJ and now you have me thinking i'll need to paint at least one of mine that bright green. nice job and do tell the color and can you post a picture of the paint can. brush or spray paint or custom out of an air gun?

DRIVES This was a custom match color to the Snap-on Green. I have an old friend that owns at the local auto tool and paint store. He matched it by eye and put it in spray cans. It requires primer.

That green reminded me of a green that I will be painting my Versa Vise, Rustoleum Grabber Green, LOL. Saw that color and it just screamed for my stripped Versa Vise. It looks very similar.

 

[CRSINMICH]

To all: Here are some more pictures of the Columbian 403½ I bought recently. The black gunk is wax and is already gone. The last picture shows the problem with the vise. The pin for the swivel jaw is messed up. It doesn't move or release the rear jaw. The jaw has some play in it so I know it's not frozen. Before I start hacking away at the pin, I would like to get some information about it and any of your ideas for dealing with it. Thanks.

 

[CRSINMICH]

Here's an extreme close up of the pin.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Get, that little Athol is sweet!

The only advantage I can see with the ratchet handle is that you could move it down and out of the way after tightening your work piece. The cog gears would be the weak link on larger models when putting a lot of pressure on something in the jaws.

 

[econotrk]

To all: Here are some more pictures of the Columbian 403½ I bought recently. The black gunk is wax and is already gone. The last picture shows the problem with the vise. The pin for the swivel jaw is messed up. It doesn't move or release the rear jaw. The jaw has some play in it so I know it's not frozen. Before I start hacking away at the pin, I would like to get some information about it and any of your ideas for dealing with it. Thanks.

When I picked up my Prentiss vise with a stuck pin, I was able to access it through the bottom. I removed the slide and the swivel base, used plenty of PB blaster and a long tapered drift pin. It took quite a few hard wacks so I made sure to support the rear of the swivel jaw so as not to cause a crack. If yours doesn't have an access hole I'd think of welding something onto your pin and use a slide hammer.

 

[AmericanMechanic]

To all: Here are some more pictures of the Columbian 403½ I bought recently. The black gunk is wax and is already gone. The last picture shows the problem with the vise. The pin for the swivel jaw is messed up. It doesn't move or release the rear jaw. The jaw has some play in it so I know it's not frozen. Before I start hacking away at the pin, I would like to get some information about it and any of your ideas for dealing with it. Thanks.

The pin looks like a piece of hex bar stock? Maybe someone replaced the pin at some point? There's not a lot of area to grab there, but I wonder if you could spin the pin after soaking in oil. I'd probably spin in counter clockwise just in case someone treaded the hole to keep the pin tight.

 

[econotrk]

The pin looks like a piece of hex bar stock? Maybe someone replaced the pin at some point? There's not a lot of area to grab there, but I wonder if you could spin the pin after soaking in oil. I'd probably spin in counter clockwise just in case someone treaded the hole to keep the pin tight.

I noticed that too, it almost looks like someone jammed an upside down spark plug in the hole. Weird choice whatever it is.

 

[bagged89s10]

To all: Here are some more pictures of the Columbian 403½ I bought recently. The black gunk is wax and is already gone. The last picture shows the problem with the vise. The pin for the swivel jaw is messed up. It doesn't move or release the rear jaw. The jaw has some play in it so I know it's not frozen. Before I start hacking away at the pin, I would like to get some information about it and any of your ideas for dealing with it. Thanks.

Nice. It's ironic that I saw a swivel jaw Columbian on CL the other day.



vintage LARGE Columbian vise w/ rare swivel pivot jaw parker $120
http://providence.craigslist.org/tls/5252710032.html

 

[bagged89s10]

Bagged are those jaws new or did you block them down to remove the pits? I Polish alot of stainless at work round parts can be very hard to get a shine on with out distortion and flats . I usually use a block or file angle grinder wet sand then 3 buff wheels.

By the way, on the swageloks. I've used those on my air ride for stainless line and they are the best!

 

[bagged89s10]

Just got this Chas Parker 229x at garage sale. Need to read through the threads here on how to fix/maintain. Everything seems to move freely.

Nice find. Why are the swivel handles always missing on the old pre wrench parkers?

 

[bagged89s10]

More Tubalcain vises...



(He's a fan of Columbian.)

The man is a genius. His videos are so informative.

 

[bagged89s10]

Just finished these up . Jaws by Kevin! Next stop...Ohio!



GO ROYALS!

Those would be mine!!!! Lol

I like green!

Nice work. How did that color become so popular with snap on fans?

 

[paulm12]

Nice find. Why are the swivel handles always missing on the old pre wrench parkers?

Bagged: I'm not very knowledgeable on these vises, though I keep reading more and more here. I was so happy to see a decent vise at this moving sale I just took it and ran. I didn't even think to look around for the swivel handle.

 

[drivesitfar]

CRS: your pin looks like a bolt was used maybe when the original pin was misplaced? some have been threaded, but most of the ones i've seen threaded are Wilton swivel jaw vises.

can you access the pin from below? Getridofone just posted his little make shift tool to push the pins out from down below I think on the Vise Repair 101 thread or maybe it was here. making a pin or even buying a pin from a member is an option once you get it out and i'd spray some PB or Kroil and let it soak for a couple days before attempting getting it out from below.

good luck and nice looking vise

 

[joe.striper]

Well Veeps the human vise vacuum stole another one from me. 4" Wilton bullet swivel... $125. ********!!

 

[Fretters]

The last picture shows the problem with the vise. The pin for the swivel jaw is messed up. It doesn't move or release the rear jaw. The jaw has some play in it so I know it's not frozen. Before I start hacking away at the pin, I would like to get some information about it and any of your ideas for dealing with it. Thanks.

Either get an open end spanner on it and turn, tap the centre hole and pop a bolt in, else shove a tight fitting rod down the hole and wiggle/tap it free.

 

[sandman54]

Some work in process, and another item I just found and had to take home with me.

 

[bagged89s10]

Well Veeps the human vise vacuum stole another one from me. 4" Wilton bullet swivel... $125. ********!!

What this?

Just another lightweight Wilton.

 

[drivesitfar]

Sandman: nice work on the big Reed. Cool organizer and stand too. Can you tell me (us) what kind of welder you are using to weld that thick metal and is it 3 phase?

Joe: Bagged has just begun to **** up vises that you cant get to quick enough.

 

[scooternut]

Found this in a scrap pile last night, I guess I need to find a Palmgren DP vise to match it now. The 6 inch Reed was probably easier to find

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

 

[bagged89s10]

Some work in process, and another item I just found and had to take home with me.

Very nice. What color is that?

 

[Lugnutz]

...I believe the technical term for that color is baby sh|t green. Very elusive. Unless my monitor is playing tricks??



I'll get my coat!



P.S. Tubalcain has a great YouTube channel. Tons of informative videos and a national treasure.

 

[vertguy]

Some work in process, and another item I just found and had to take home with me.

What model is that Reed as looks very similar to the 104-1/2 I just picked up?

 

[drivesitfar]

Very: Sandman's vise is a 280 pound Reed 208 so its about 4 times bigger than your nice 104.5. I don't know if he owns a vise without 8 inch wide jaws.

 

[CRSINMICH]

COLUMBIAN 403½ ADVICE

Econotrk: There is access to the bottom of the pin. I looked when I had the slide out. I’d have to take the swivel nut out first but that’s easy. I think you may be right about it being a spark plug. It looked vaguely familiar. There are remains of thread on the top, flats on the bottom and it’s hollow. Now I just have to figure out what’s holding it. Probably just jammed in.

AmericanMechanic: think you’re right too. The pin has been replaced (see above). I’m definitely going to give it a good soak before I start applying force to it either from above or below.

Bagged: Have you been checking CL for Metro Detroit for swivel vises? That’s where mbs and I found it. The guy actually had two and we got the last one. BTW METRO DETROITERS. That 4 inch Morgan in Lake Orion is still listed. https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/tls/5241010667.html

drives: I was wondering how to apply force to the bottom of the pin. I’ll check out what Getridofone has done.

fretters: I did put a spanner on it. I gave it a half-hearted try but I didn’t want to apply too much torque until I had a better idea of what I might be turning and what might be down there.

TO EVERYONE: Thanks for the input. I wanted to be cautious. I didn’t want to fix it to the point that it was unfixable. I’ll let you know how it turns out.