The VISES of Garage Journal

[KMScott]

OK Wilton experts. I'm scratching my head on this one. A Chicago Wilton. No date on the slide. Jaws have horizontal lines. Jaws measure 4.25" and are flush with the towers. Not 4", not 4.5", 4.25". Screws are not Phillips head, they are standard screw driver heads.
Only markings are "HD" on the towers. Swivel lockdowns have screw ins, which as I was recently schooled in, were on older vises. WTF???? Any help?

Joe, I do know the first generation Wiltons had the straight serrations. as for the swivel clamp, it looks like some one added the ends, you use a bolt, I peen mine they screwed a stop on theres. 4-1/4 jaws I have never seen but would not be surprised if some one ground the ends down the 1/4 inch, see if the 1/4:20 threads are centered on the jaw towers. The factory could have missed the thread locations and shortened the sides to look good. The HD stands for Heavy Duty but that is easy to see, the one I showed had jaw shelf damage and I made a custom set of jaws. I have made a few straight serration jaws but no takers. Nice vise, give it a Joe make over and it will look new again. Another nice vise from your area.

 

[Hemi49]

Out standing! so how many vise's are you up to?

Top
>35
Hemi

 

[joe.striper]

Joe, I do know the first generation Wiltons had the straight serrations. as for the swivel clamp, it looks like some one added the ends, you use a bolt, I peen mine they screwed a stop on theres. 4-1/4 jaws I have never seen but would not be surprised if some one ground the ends down the 1/4 inch, see if the 1/4:20 threads are centered on the jaw towers. The factory could have missed the thread locations and shortened the sides to look good. The HD stands for Heavy Duty but that is easy to see, the one I showed had jaw shelf damage and I made a custom set of jaws. I have made a few straight serration jaws but no takers. Nice vise, give it a Joe make over and it will look new again. Another nice vise from your area.

Thanks Kev. I may have to buy a set of those straight jaws.

 

[drivesitfar]

Hemi: did you notch 2 x 6's with bandsaw, jigsaw or do tell? Very stout and looks tall enough for 200-300 pounders. Do you have a favorite or top five.

All: loved the cricket talk. Havent a clue how its played but sounds like the english see it different than the aussies do. Love the analagies.

 

[Shiftless]

Joe:
I agree with Kevin in that your vise is one of the very earliest. My 3 inch bullet is marked 3HD and has the original straight line jaw serrations and slotted screw heads. Date on the slide says 1945

Drives:
I'll let Hemi answer that question but if I was building shelves like that, I would cut all the notches at the same time by putting the 2x6s on edge and using a radial arm saw fitted with a dado blade set.
A table saw could do the same cut, but shoving long pieces across the table is awkward and not as safe.

Edit... I just took another look and saw that those verticals are not notched at all but rather made up from 2x4s with short lengths of 2x2 in between the shelves. Way simpler than notching solid 2x6s and just as strong.

 

[bagged89s10]

Joe, I do know the first generation Wiltons had the straight serrations. as for the swivel clamp, it looks like some one added the ends, you use a bolt, I peen mine they screwed a stop on theres. 4-1/4 jaws I have never seen but would not be surprised if some one ground the ends down the 1/4 inch, see if the 1/4:20 threads are centered on the jaw towers. The factory could have missed the thread locations and shortened the sides to look good. The HD stands for Heavy Duty but that is easy to see, the one I showed had jaw shelf damage and I made a custom set of jaws. I have made a few straight serration jaws but no takers. Nice vise, give it a Joe make over and it will look new again. Another nice vise from your area.

My Chicago Wilton I bought in September had the same issue. Broken jaw shelf. No number and horizontal jaw serrations. I ended up just selling it as is and kept the swivel base.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

you talking about the yellow eron 125? (not usa made - still better than the one i have but the seller never got back to me) if you don't mind pm me the link? There was a rusty, seized wilton bullet that i missed which would have been the perfect project.

The ad is gone now. It was in Earp / Park ? area. It was $65.00

 

[FMC1959]

Were Wilton Bullet vises ever made out of the USA? And if so when.
Thanks John

Depending on what you consider to be a Wilton Bullet. Most consider the combo vises, (C series), the machinist series (400, 600, 800...etc) and the Tradesman series (1400 series) to be bullets due to the round slide and "bullet" shape. Some purists would say Tradesman are not bullets.

Anyway, from what I know, machinists & combo vises have always been USA made. Tradesman had a short period, I think it was in the 80's, that they were made in China. These models were part of the 1450, 60 named vises rather than the current 1455, 1465. Also heard that the made in China Tradesman had the pipe jaws forged as part of the jaw tower rather than the removable pipe jaws on the current models.

 

[Hemi49]

Hemi: did you notch 2 x 6's with bandsaw, jigsaw or do tell? Very stout and looks tall enough for 200-300 pounders. Do you have a favorite or top five.

All: loved the cricket talk. Havent a clue how its played but sounds like the english see it different than the aussies do. Love the analagies.

Drives
I put cripples on the 2X to form the notches....It is screwed together and lagged to the wall......It will definitely outlast me......I shouldn't have a fondness for Wilton bullets because I think they could have been better designed.....BUT, I really like them.....I'm rejuvenating a C1 that had a terrible life....I have a 500S that is a real beauty....Also a 3", (2) 3-1/2" and (2) 4" bullets......I also love Reed and Hollands because I was born in Erie, Pa 66 years ago probably breathing the smoke from the foundries that made the vises.........I also have quite a few Parkers that I enjoy.....In fact I have a couple Parkers sitting by my easy chair in the living room
Hemi

 

[Work@home]

Newb Vise help

Hello all, this is my first post here on the beloved garage journal. I have been looking for awhile and my wife probably wishes that you all did not exist. The reason i am posting (and i am hoping that this is the right spot) is i have a vise that i need help identifying. I got this vise from my father who got it from a friend and it does not have a name on it. all it says is that it is MADE in the USA!!!! i painted it red when i was younger because it was just rust when i got it. Just trying to find out what it is. Thanks for any help you might have.

 

[Shiftless]

Workathome:
That's a Wilton
part of the 11128 series

Certainly not the strongest Wilton ever built, but fine for most homeowner clamping needs. Don't hammer on it or slip a pipe over the handle for extra leverage.
The single swivel lock isn't too strong so keep that in mind if you need to pull on something long that is clamped between the jaws.

Here is a later version. No longer made in the USA. Regulars to this thread will recognize this color as applied to machinist model Wiltons for resale.

 

[autopts]

OK Wilton experts. I'm scratching my head on this one. A Chicago Wilton. No date on the slide. Jaws have horizontal lines. Jaws measure 4.25" and are flush with the towers. Not 4", not 4.5", 4.25". Screws are not Phillips head, they are standard screw driver heads.
Only markings are "HD" on the towers. Swivel lockdowns have screw ins, which as I was recently schooled in, were on older vises. WTF???? Any help?

Hi Joe, that's a very early one. I had one 4 1/4 come my way a number of years ago and had to trim jaws from their 945 to work. The swivel handle ends were the transition Wilton was going thru very early after the cap nuts. Those didn't didn't hang around long. Happy New Year!!

 

[Mike1551]

My vises:

Will some one will tell me when my Stanley No. 700 was manufactured and give some more information about it ???
I can't find any information about it.

 

[joe.striper]

Hi Joe, that's a very early one. I had one 4 1/4 come my way a number of years ago and had to trim jaws from their 945 to work. The swivel handle ends were the transition Wilton was going thru very early after the cap nuts. Those didn't didn't hang around long. Happy New Year!!

Thanks Auto. Thats good to know. What color were these very early Wiltons? That light greenish color? I assume the swivel handles utilized a large domed head screw

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Workathome:
That's a Wilton
part of the 11128 series

Certainly not the strongest Wilton ever built, but fine for most homeowner clamping needs. Don't hammer on it or slip a pipe over the handle for extra leverage.
The single swivel lock isn't too strong so keep that in mind if you need to pull on something long that is clamped between the jaws.

Here is a later version. No longer made in the USA. Regulars to this thread will recognize this color as applied to machinist model Wiltons for resale.

I've got a Columbian 3050 that is close, but agree that the Wilton is a closer match..

View media item 57382

 

[02superduty]

FMC Thanks for the info.

 

[joe.striper]

Who knows what this is????

 

[NJ Marty]

A Unicorn.
Very very Nice. More pics please, please.

 

[jakemac]

Who knows what this is????

Whatever it is, it was made for Sears by Columbian.
I'd guess an 8" vise, but I don't recall Sears offering anything over 6 1/2".
I also don't recall them using those tags on vises.
A woodworking vise, maybe ?
Show me more, Show me more !!!!!!

 

[bluebolt]

Simpson Sears Limited tag means 1952-1978. Is it a 508 8" wide jaw fixed base Columbian?

 

[joe.striper]

Let me begin by saying that I HATE the snow and politics of the Northeast, what I LOVE is the fact that I find stuff like this everyday! Just unbelievable. I went to a shop up near VT this morning to get a tool repaired (they were the only place that had the parts). When I walk in I start chatting up the owner. Turns out they have been in business since the 1940s, his family started the shop. We then start talking about vises and he takes me in back...

HOLY SHEET!!!!!

First vise I see is this 8" Morgan. Wow!

Then this 8" Swivel Jaw, yes swivel jaw Prentiss (I believe it is a Prentiss based on the swivel lockdown)

Then I saw this 8" that I knew was a Columbian, then I saw the tag. CRAFTSMAN! Wow that's the biggest I've ever seen!!!!

None are currently for sale but all were in excellent shape. I didn't even offer yet, I told him I loved them, but I figure this is a 9 or 10 month sales cycle on these so why rush it. Guys in his 60s, I just need to be there when he is ready.

Anyway, thought youd find all this interesting.

 

[drivesitfar]

Hemi: im guessing once you own a 400 series Reed swivel jaw vise you might have one of your favorites. Hard to choose isnt it? Nice shelf and like how you left some room for a or some big uns.

Shift: nice call on the shelf construction. Im hoping to have a shop some day big enough to have my table saw or shopsmith set up daily for those kind of projects. You wont believe how many boards iv cut with my old steel craftsman jig saw.

Mike: not sure how old your stanley wood vise is, but guessing 1970's. The red one could be a heuer or maybe a palmgren, but the guys over in your part of the world might know if they see it.

Work at home: yes its a light duty wilton and about 40 years old. Not one of the more expensesive wilton bullet models, but a good light to medium vise that should last years if you clean it up and keep it greased.

Joe: thanks for sharing

 

[Pooch897]

Found this in the scrap pile today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[02superduty]

I cant seem to find anything on this tag. It is on my Parker 206.
It says Owned BY Bordens NYFM Dist. When I google NYFA ( New York Film Academy) comes up.
Anyone ever come across this before.

 

[Off-Street Parking]

Found this in the scrap pile today.

Do you have the jaws, main screw, etc? What did it look like before the paint?

 

[jakemac]

I cant seem to find anything on this tag. It is on my Parker 206.
It says Owned BY Bordens NYFM Dist. When I google NYFA ( New York Film Academy) comes up.
Anyone ever come across this before.

Google failed me as well.
There are a lot of dairy farms out your way. That would fit with Borden's.
At first I thought that NYFM Dist. stood for New York Farm Machinery Distributor, but no luck with that one.

I'm stumped.

 

[Pooch897]

Do you have the jaws, main screw, etc? What did it look like before the paint?

Yep it's all there. I got to excited and ripped it apart before I took a picture. It has very nice jaws and alum soft covers. 1/30/57 was the date on it It was rusted completely solid. Soaked it in oil over night and was able to free it up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[joe.striper]

Google failed me as well.
There are a lot of dairy farms out your way. That would fit with Borden's.
At first I thought that NYFM Dist. stood for New York Farm Machinery Distributor, but no luck with that one.

I'm stumped.

I read that from 1909 to WW2 that Borden's was the largest purchaser of milk in the country. Having said that I think that N.Y.F.M. stands for New York Farm Management or something along those lines. Those initials crop up in a lot of official documents and then I saw this pic on Worthpoint.

 

[meatsis]

heres another from my collection. tiny reed 402 1/2. barely used. $5 estate sale find

 

[meatsis]

 

[meatsis]

this is one of my favorites. also MINT condition. still has most of the original paint too.

 

[meatsis]

heres my 6 inch swivel jaw Prentiss #22


wish I could figure out how to get more than 1 picture up at a time

 

[joe.striper]

heres another from my collection. tiny reed 402 1/2. barely used. $5 estate sale find

Got any trade material for a very clean American Scale 6" swivel jaw rotating base vise????

 

[bagged89s10]

My Wilton 9350 finally came via ups. Very clean jaws and tight action. Just doesn't have a swivel base but I think I can make it about as nice as the last Wilton I restored




Also arranged to buy this Parker 955.


Now i will be owning 2 Parker 955 so I need to sell one. Who wants one?

 

[02superduty]

Thanks All with the Bordens. I know I have some Bordens milk crates somewhere around here. I will google that later.

 

[meatsis]

Got any trade material for a very clean American Scale 6" swivel jaw rotating base vise????

Haha I'm sure we can work something out Joe

 

[Mr_P]

this is one of my favorites. also MINT condition. still has most of the original paint too.

What model is your double rotating parker?

 

[FMC1959]

heres my 6 inch swivel jaw Prentiss #22


wish I could figure out how to get more than 1 picture up at a time

Meatsis, you can attach up to 7 at a time. Make sure the pics you want attach are saved on your PC. Then click on the paper clip icon when replying, located top middle of the reply page. This opens a window, click on the browse button, locate the pic you want on your PC and attach. Do the same with the other 6 browse buttons, you will get a message that tells you when they have been uploaded and can close that window. If the pics aren't very large, they upload in a couple of seconds. If they are big in size (more than 1 mb) they will take a little longer as it will resize them to meet the guidelines the site has for pic size.

 

[Outlawmws]

Will some one will tell me when my Stanley No. 700 was manufactured and give some more information about it ???
I can't find any information about it.

Stanley made that 70 vise with several different variants over many many decades. I recently picked up a very early similar vise made by champion.

It was marked "Pat. Appied for" but other examples have a Pat. Date of Jan 2, 1917- 1,211,024

So, yeah, a long time...

 

[Mr_P]

I just got back from a fellow journal writer' house, nine4gmc, and man does he have cool stuff. It was great seeing some else's garage in person with over 6 vises. Somehow this little guy followed me home....


Thanks Nine....