The VISES of Garage Journal

[KMScott]

When I replace the rear pins in a Wilton I am going to do it this way from now on so it will be easier to tear apart and a much better setup. After clamping the vise up to a angle plate I had to find the hole center line then and run a 5/16:18 tap through the Static portion. The 1/4 inch pin hole is the size of a 5/16:18 thread. On this C1 vise I rotated the nut 90 degrees because the 1/4 inch hole was all washed out, I had to drill and ream the new 1/4 inch hole. The wood shown in the picture was a wedge to press the nut and cap tight before locating the new hole.

 

[Kellaway]

Well picked this up the other week, bargin eBay find! Lovely made in England Record No 3


I've had it blasted and I've repainted it and have to say now it's lovely if I do say so.




Think the vice has to be knocking on 20+ years. Overall It's cost around £40, which is a lot of vice for the money. Considering new Record vices that are made in China are £135!

 

[topop101]

When I replace the rear pins in a Wilton I am going to do it this way from now on so it will be easier to tear apart and a much better setup. After clamping the vise up to a angle plate I had to find the hole center line then and run a 5/16:18 tap through the Static portion. The 1/4 inch pin hole is the size of a 5/16:18 thread. On this C1 vise I rotated the nut 90 degrees because the 1/4 inch hole was all washed out, I had to drill and ream the new 1/4 inch hole. The wood shown in the picture was a wedge to press the nut and cap tight before locating the new hole.

As some one who has tore many of these down I have often wondered why Wilton never did this on there own? Not being a machinist, I didn't even know that style of hardware existed ... Excellent JOB!

 

[exmaxima1]

As some one who has tore many of these down I have often wondered why Wilton never did this on there own? Not being a machinist, I didn't even know that style of hardware existed ... Excellent JOB!

If you're referring to the shouldered setscrews, they do not normally exist. You make them on a lathe or grinder depending on the hardness of the screws.

BTW, the older Tradesman vises (ie, 1750) use 3/16" pins so you would tap them to 1/4-20. You can run a tap directly in and use a full setscrew with no shoulder.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

.......
There is a record #4 and #8 swivel base also but no idea how the numbers work...?

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Check the link in my signature and there are a few record catalogues you can download which will show you all the different model numbers if you are interested.

 

[mike_paxton]

Other day when advertising on local radio show, got call from someone who had an "old sliding vise". Turned out when got there, to be an old woodworking vise, which was pretty rusty and not moving like it should.

Took it home and after wire wheeling it, found it to be a #3 E. H. Sheldon Woodworking Vise with a Patent Date of Aug 28, 1900 and found the Patent Number online of 656,793.

Jaws are 7 inches, with depth of jaw from bottom to top being 3 inches. Max opening of jaw is 8-1/2 inches. When fully closed, length is 16 inches long. Weight is around 25 pounds. Dog is on vise, but only way I could lock mine upright was by using a threaded bolt in the upper hole which was also threaded, to lock it in place.

When the handle is in the UP position, like you see in pic 1 , you can easily open up the jaws.

When the handle is in the DOWN position, like you see in pic 2 , the cam handle locks the upper/lower groove sections against each other to lock everything in place.

So, handle moves just a 1/4 of a turn only, to activate the quick or rapid release vise.

Did learn that it may be a bit more of a challenge to install Sheldon Vise, but found a link to help. http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/editors-blog/sheldon-vise-install-on-a-deadline

Mike

 

[joe.striper]

When I replace the rear pins in a Wilton I am going to do it this way from now on so it will be easier to tear apart and a much better setup. After clamping the vise up to a angle plate I had to find the hole center line then and run a 5/16:18 tap through the Static portion. The 1/4 inch pin hole is the size of a 5/16:18 thread. On this C1 vise I rotated the nut 90 degrees because the 1/4 inch hole was all washed out, I had to drill and ream the new 1/4 inch hole. The wood shown in the picture was a wedge to press the nut and cap tight before locating the new hole.

Always showing off aren't we Kevin!

 

[drivesitfar]

**: $95 might be high for your area, but I think it's only about $50 US so to me it was a deal.

I still like the huge Crafstman 5166 by Rock Island you bought for maybe $100 so have you set it up to use?

Kevin: great description and if you want to post all that over on the 101 thread it will really help some of the guys with their Wiltons. several other members have done the same fix and i agree Wilton should have done that way the first time. even though there are other posts of the same fix on the 101 thread you have a great way of speaking METAL that might help some of the machinists.

nicely done

 

[CRSINMICH]

A fellow member alerted me to a CL ad for a Yost near me (Thanks jcrapola!). Since Yost has been on my list since the beginning, I called immediately. When I got there this morning the seller was waiting in his open garage with the Yost and two other vises. He must have seen me coming because I drove away with all three. The first one is a Ward’s Deluxe Quality. I’m not sure but I think in belongs in my Depression Era sub-collection. The second one is an Eron No. 100 with 4 inch jaws. I know a lot of guys are stuck in the “Jap ****” mindset but I’m not one of them. This looks like a Record and seems to be solidly built. I’ll know better when I take it apart. The last one is a Yost No. 104 also with 4 inch jaws. The oval brass tag on the left side says 242. I wonder what shop it came out of. Total $80. Not a boffo deal, but I’m happy.

 

[Jcrapola]

A fellow member alerted me to a CL ad for a Yost near me (Thanks jcrapola!). Since Yost has been on my list since the beginning, I called immediately. When I got there this morning the seller was waiting in his open garage with the Yost and two other vises. He must have seen me coming because I drove away with all three. The first one is a Ward’s Deluxe Quality. I’m not sure but I think in belongs in my Depression Era sub-collection. The second one is an Eron No. 100 with 4 inch jaws. I know a lot of guys are stuck in the “Jap ****” mindset but I’m not one of them. This looks like a Record and seems to be solidly built. I’ll know better when I take it apart. The last one is a Yost No. 104 also with 4 inch jaws. The oval brass tag on the left side says 242. I wonder what shop it came out of. Total $80. Not a boffo deal, but I’m happy.

Nice work! love the ERON! and the Yost (Michigan local rt?)

You may recall my trip to Chicago at Xmas for a Reed 2c. Here is a pic of it spiffed up!

 

[CRSINMICH]

Nice work! love the ERON! and the Yost (Michigan local rt?)

You may recall my trip to Chicago at Xmas for a Reed 2c. Here is a pic of it spiffed up!

That really cleaned up nicely. Great color and the lettering really sets it off. Unfortunately, my Yost was made in PA not MI.

 

[jakemac]

Nice work! love the ERON! and the Yost (Michigan local rt?)

You may recall my trip to Chicago at Xmas for a Reed 2c. Here is a pic of it spiffed up!

Nicely done !
What color did you use ? (I may want to steal that look)

 

[Vantastic]

I heard there are a couple Wilton 400s parts listed on eBay.

 

[drivesitfar]

JC: i love the Reed 2C and maybe one of my favorites for daily use. nice color too. is it going on your bench or do you have another gifting in mind?

CRS: and you didn't even need to ask if he had more vises to sell. one day you'll spend that much and more for each of those vises and think you got a great deal. so have you got a shelf or bench full yet or have you been letting a few go as you pick a few up?

 

[Jcrapola]

Nicely done !
What color did you use ? (I may want to steal that look)

I cannot remember the name of the color, either ford or chrysler engine blue (i think it is Ford blue). I used Duplicolor engine enamel. Love the stuff! my painter buddy turned me on to it (buy it at the auto parts store). It has a very nice nozzle for a spray bomb, and it is super durable! chemical resistant even to gasoline.... my favorite spray paint.

 

[Jcrapola]

JC: i love the Reed 2C and maybe one of my favorites for daily use. nice color too. is it going on your bench or do you have another gifting in mind?

No gifting this one. It is for me. It reminds of the one my Grandpa had when I was a boy. He is the man that taught me the joy of doing! He has been gone almost ten years now, and i still think of him almost every time I am figuring out how to something! I miss him. But, it inspires me to teach similar lessons to my nephews...



Forgive my sappiness, I become more and more sentimental as i age

 

[CRSINMICH]

CRS: and you didn't even need to ask if he had more vises to sell. one day you'll spend that much and more for each of those vises and think you got a great deal. so have you got a shelf or bench full yet or have you been letting a few go as you pick a few up?

drives: In fact, I was planning on asking if he had any other vises. I believe he has sold a few before and knows how addicts think. At this point, the only vise on my bench is Grandpa's Columbian. All, and I do mean all, of the others are on shelves - except for all ones that are too big it fit on my shelves. I had to build a short platform to keep them off the floor.

 

[topop101]

If you're referring to the shouldered setscrews, they do not normally exist. You make them on a lathe or grinder depending on the hardness of the screws.

BTW, the older Tradesman vises (ie, 1750) use 3/16" pins so you would tap them to 1/4-20. You can run a tap directly in and use a full setscrew with no shoulder.

After looking closer at Kevin's pictures I seen that. Thanks.

 

[bagged89s10]

I cannot remember the name of the color, either ford or chrysler engine blue (i think it is Ford blue). I used Duplicolor engine enamel. Love the stuff! my painter buddy turned me on to it (buy it at the auto parts store). It has a very nice nozzle for a spray bomb, and it is super durable! chemical resistant even to gasoline.... my favorite spray paint.

Great restore. I used to use engine enamel all the time when doing chassis work. It always later down nice and smooth and was always very durable.

 

[Jcrapola]

drives: In fact, I was planning on asking if he had any other vises. I believe he has sold a few before and knows how addicts think. At this point, the only vise on my bench is Grandpa's Columbian. All, and I do mean all, of the others are on shelves - except for all ones that are too big it fit on my shelves. I had to build a short platform to keep them off the floor.

To be fair, i have witnessed you "letting a few go" recently.

 

[drivesitfar]

JC: guilty as charged, but might also have heard i'm trying to get DOWN to 20-30 vises.

any chance you still have that can of enamel blue paint to post a picture of for those of us that like to paint our vises? that blue does pop so did you bake it or just let it dry in your heated shop.

i probably won't sell my Reed 2C either in case that matters.

CRS: we're still taking votes for vise of the year for family photos if you have one or a couple to post here and there.

 

[Hemi49]

That really cleaned up nicely. Great color and the lettering really sets it off. Unfortunately, my Yost was made in PA not MI.

Yost
Meadville is to Yost vises as Chicago is to Wilton......It is where it all began in 1908...I'm not sure when Yost moved from Meadville, but I think there was some cross pollination with Reed an hour north in Erie......Yost seems to share quite a few Reed characteristics...
Hemi

 

[yossarian19]

Yost, Athol, Rock Island and Reed all look pretty darn close to my eye. I want to say the founder of Rock Island split off from either Athol or Reed at one point but don't quote me.

 

[Hemi49]

Growing pains......
Last summer I constructed a small set of shelves to accommodate my expanding vise collection......Well, it rapidly filled so I am now in phase II of shelving construction....The new shelves will provide 48 square ft of space......I have the framing mostly complete and will soon be adding the shelves....
Hemi

 

[Jcrapola]

Drives: i took a pic of the paint can for u (and a couple more of the vise). I painted it in the garage. Then i took it to work and baked it in our atmosphere chamber. Held it at 200F for about 4hrs. I have no scientific evidence, but it seems to improve the durability of spray paint.
Thanks for the compliments! Im pretty stoked about the way it came out! Even my wife commented that she liked the color.

I hear you about liking the Reed c vises. Love em! Any chance you would be willing to part with a reed 3C or 4C as part of your herd thinning effort?

 

[Jcrapola]

I guess im loading the pics 1 at a time. Poop

 

[Jcrapola]

Last one

 

[CRSINMICH]

Yost
Meadville is to Yost vises as Chicago is to Wilton......It is where it all began in 1908...I'm not sure when Yost moved from Meadville, but I think there was some cross pollination with Reed an hour north in Erie......Yost seems to share quite a few Reed characteristics...
Hemi

Hemi: Thanks for that information. I wondered when that change may have happened. Vise manufacture is more incestuous than that. Edgar H. Byer of Waynesboro PA. Was granted a patent for a machinist vise in 1903. Emmert Mfg. made that vise eventually. One of the witnesses for the patent application was G.M. Yost. Small world, eh?

 

[Hemi49]

Hemi: Thanks for that information. I wondered when that change may have happened. Vise manufacture is more incestuous than that. Edgar H. Byer of Waynesboro PA. Was granted a patent for a machinist vise in 1903. Emmert Mfg. made that vise eventually. One of the witnesses for the patent application was G.M. Yost. Small world, eh?

CRS
That's interesting......I think many of the old industrial revolution "industrialists" were very migratory......Lots of casual industrial espionage took place.....Ideas moved from manufacturer to manufacturer.....
Hemi

 

[drivesitfar]

Hemi: not so much espionage as they were probably pooling their resources together is my guess. also i read where i think Mr. Fulton married Massey's daughter so there is two vise company's merging in the early 1900's.

Nice looking shelving. planning on buying a few HUGE ones?

post more pictures as you can once you get the shelves finished and the vises on each shelf if you have time.

JC: sorry don't have any doubles of the Reed C's and haven't found a nice 3C yet. I have the 4C, 2C and 1C and a few of the 400 swivel jaw series and a few of the standard Reeds that are probably never going to leave unless one of my kids starts working more in their garages (techies and CPA's).

I do like the blue you picked and the baking i think really does make the paint look a lot better and it probably lasts longer too.

 

[Maui]

Drives and Craptain,

I bought the GFE vise for $60. This thing is a monster. It weighs in at about 120 lbs. From the attached photos you can see that someone welded the jaws in place. I can't find anything else wrong with this vise. With a little work I can remove the weld that's there, clean up the casting on a milling machine where the jaws sit, and then fabricate a new set of jaws that are a little thicker to fill the gap created by milling back the welded area. It should work out pretty well.

Maui

 

[organ]

Last one

Looks great! I'd love to have one of those big Reeds...

 

[drivesitfar]

Maui: i might have passed on that vise after seeing the welds, but it is very unique. those big open screw vises were the work horses when America was being built and happy that you have the skills to save that one. i can't recall seeing a bolt thru vise with the plug in the back. interesting and huge vise. congrats.

Fretters: so i sold 3 vises this week and i think i bought 3 so is that good???

 

[Hemi49]

Hemi: not so much espionage as they were probably pooling their resources together is my guess. also i read where i think Mr. Fulton married Massey's daughter so there is two vise company's merging in the early 1900's.

Nice looking shelving. planning on buying a few HUGE ones?

post more pictures as you can once you get the shelves finished and the vises on each shelf if you have time.

JC: sorry don't have any doubles of the Reed C's and haven't found a nice 3C yet. I have the 4C, 2C and 1C and a few of the 400 swivel jaw series and a few of the standard Reeds that are probably never going to leave unless one of my kids starts working more in their garages (techies and CPA's).

I do like the blue you picked and the baking i think really does make the paint look a lot better and it probably lasts longer too.

Drives
I'll get pictures posted once the shelves are done and I get the vises on them...My work area is presently a disaster.....I'm ashamed to have anyone see it.....I'm always looking for nice vises......Craftsman and larger Wilton bullets in particular......From what I can see, west coast and southern vise prices are somewhat reasonable and static.....Rust belt vise prices have gone through the roof.....Must be everyone is wanting to pay off the hunting camp mortgage.....
Hemi

 

[va.grouseman]

Nice collection of iron Hemi.


All---I think we are about to test the recession-proofness of good old American and English and German iron.---Oh and Canadian.---If the market does what I think it's going to do, will a Reed 208 retain it's current value?---Will Wilton 800s, and C.P. 978s, and Hollands 28s, Simplex 81s, Prentiss 58s, Columbian 608s, Hollands 48, still be pushing that $1000.00 mark?

Will this little Prentiss still sell for over $400.00?

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...ey=8d1879ea4db6639656bbe1af129db4fc&libId...



I purchased most of my 8" and 2" vises between 2009 and 2011 when people really needed money, and fast, and were selling everything including vises at cut-rate prices.---In a way it seems like I was taking advantage of the situation and catching people with their pants down, but I didn't create the recession and I never tried to Jew them down any.---I paid exactly what they were asking.

But one more factor is in play now that wasn't present then.---The exposure and influence that The Garage Journal itself has had on quality iron, has impacted prices exponentially to the upside, but this new environment may turn them precipitously to the down-side.---If so let the buying begin.

 

[Outlawmws]

Growing pains......
Last summer I constructed a small set of shelves to accommodate my expanding vise collection......Well, it rapidly filled so I am now in phase II of shelving construction....The new shelves will provide 48 square ft of space......I have the framing mostly complete and will soon be adding the shelves....
Hemi

Hemi if you line those up from alternating sides you can get more vises per shelf as the narrow parts will not hit as soon.

I'd have cut a shallow notch in the legs for the cross supports so they had better load support, but that's just me...

(Easy to get if you mark the 2X4 widths, then set a skill say to say 3/8 to 1/2" deep and carefully cut the line cuts, then just rattle the saw through the general area leaving spaces, then rap the resulting pieces sideways and they pop out use a 2" or so wide chisel to scrape flat and bob's your uncle. Its fast and easy.

 

[bagged89s10]

Nice collection of iron Hemi.





All---I think we are about to test the ression-proofness of good old American and English iron.---If the market does what I think it's going to do, will a Reed 208 retain it's current value?---Will Wilton 800s, and C.P. 978s, and Hollands 28s, Simplex 81s, Prentiss 58s, Columbian 608s, Hollands 48, still be pushing that $1000.00 mark?



Will this little Prentiss still sell for over $400.00?



http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...ey=8d1879ea4db6639656bbe1af129db4fc&libId...







I purchased most of my 8" and 2" vises between 2009 and 2011 when people really needed money, and fast, and were selling everything including vises at cut-rate prices.---In a way it seems like I was taking advantage of the situation and catching people with their pants down, but I didn't create the recession and I never tried to Jew them down any.---I paid exactly what they were asking.



But one more factor is in play now that wasn't present then.---The exposure and influence that The Garage Journal itself has had on quality iron, has impacted prices exponentially to the upside, but this new environment may turn them precipitously to the down-side.---If so let the buying begin.

Well I don't want to be in another recession because that will probably mean less vise funds. But I would like to be able to grab some old iron cheaper than I've seen lately.

 

[Hemi49]

Hemi if you line those up from alternating sides you can get more vises per shelf as the narrow parts will not hit as soon.

I'd have cut a shallow notch in the legs for the cross supports so they had better load support, but that's just me...

(Easy to get if you mark the 2X4 widths, then set a skill say to say 3/8 to 1/2" deep and carefully cut the line cuts, then just rattle the saw through the general area leaving spaces, then rap the resulting pieces sideways and they pop out use a 2" or so wide chisel to scrape flat and bob's your uncle. Its fast and easy.

Outlaw
Good ideas....I did glue the load bearing joints and have used wood screws and lags throughout.....I will probably add some additional support blocks as it evolves.....Thanks..
Hemi

 

[danstead]

JC

Love your Reed!!

Great job!

 

[Jcrapola]

JC

Love your Reed!!

Great job!

Thanks! I wasnt sure of the color when i bought it. But now its dry, i love it. The birght green ones you do are BADASS! But, that is not a color i am bold enough to try for my stuff (too conservative, i suppose).

Gonna get started on a stand for it tonite! Woot!