The VISES of Garage Journal

[joe.striper]

Just finished a repair on a 6" Columbian vise for a shop. The spindle had actually snapped in half, and no it wasnt cause he used a cheater bar. It's the shop with all the 8" iron. I had a donor 6" Prentiss Bulldog and I was able to modify the Columbian to accept the Prentiss spindle so that it works perfectly.

Anyway, I have to say that I could not believe how poorly built that Columbian was. Hollow towers, thin walled static body. The spindle that broke was .25 thinner than the shaft I took out of the donor Prentiss Bulldog. Lets not even talk about the spindle nut. Just everywhere you look it was poor quality. I bet it doesnt weigh 120#.

I'm just happy I was able to return the shop's original piece.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

There should be a lot of weight bars where you found all those weights. The bar is recessed in just enough to get a weld around it. The top of the stand is slightly rounded and a little grease in between let's it move easily. I think I left about 3 -4" of bar below the weight.
You could mount different things on the plates and just drop them in.

 

[Evergreentree]

I've had good luck painting cast lettering with small craft brushes, with most of the (nylon I think, black) bristles cut off to thin it to whatever width I'm painting. Takes a steady hand, and a break between each letter, but your not limited as much in color.

It's a rainy day today in pa. I'm going to take advantage of the day to try my hand at wet molding leather jaws covers. I will post the process in the vise repair 101 thread, and the final product on here tomorrow if anyone is interested. I think materials will come to a whopping $1/set! Can't beat that!

 

[msgtsmithret]

I've had good luck painting cast lettering with small craft brushes, with most of the (nylon I think, black) bristles cut off to thin it to whatever width I'm painting. Takes a steady hand, and a break between each letter, but your not limited as much in color.

It's a rainy day today in pa. I'm going to take advantage of the day to try my hand at wet molding leather jaws covers. I will post the process in the vise repair 101 thread, and the final product on here tomorrow if anyone is interested. I think materials will come to a whopping $1/set! Can't beat that!

Definitely post that. you are guaranteed one reader at least.

 

[drivesitfar]

Get: i won't say i don't have more standard bars than anybody, but i just might. without cutting the longer ones up maybe a dumbbell handle might work especially if it has threads to grab a little extra weld? thanks for the explanation and as soon as i learn to weld (safely) and get my space ready you can bet i'll have a few projects to do.

EG: good luck and yes please post before, during and after pictures. sounds like it might have been sunny yesterday because the groundhog saw his shadow? or was that the Washington Groundhog because it was nice here yesterday

 

[Evergreentree]

Drives-is the repair thread the proper place to post the process?

Here's a little teaser- seeping red oak bark (and a few rusty washers) releasing some tannins for dyeing the leather.

 

[drivesitfar]

EG: you can always post anything to do with vise repair, tips, tricks and processes on the vise repair 101 thread and ask questions on how to take apart or fix over there too. even if there is another vise like the one you are restoring they are not all exactly the same and some guys just do things different so good to hear everybody's version even if it's close to the same it might be communicated differently.

you can put the before, during after pics of your E bath on the 101 thread and or the homemade electrolysis thread we have that always needs more pictures.

 

[Shiftless]

S4: thanks for taking the time to not only post your vise, but also the paint pen you used. i'll have to try both the paper towel and the paint pen methods if i do paint a vise. nice job restoring that old Prentiss vise too.

ALL: anybody painted the letters yet on a vise they just oiled or waxed or shoe shined? love to hear how that worked. i'm guessing maybe sanding the letter tops might help which i think KMScott does on all of his painted ones might work best or do tell?

Drives:
That particular paint pen contains water borne acrylic paint. IMHO, Using it over a waxed surface would be a BIG mistake. You know how water beads up on a freshly waxed car hood? I also would suggest to lightly file or grind the tops of the lettering and maybe even consider a primer before using that particular pen on a waxed surface.

 

[KMScott]

Like Dean remembers, I do flatten the lettering and use a small paint brush with the bristles trimmed where there is only a hand full of bristles and free hand the letters. Really not that hard just a little practice. The paint balls up on the brush where you can get to much. These letters took only 10 minutes, just get real comfortable and wear 10 power magnifiers so everything is big.

<a href="https://visejaws.smugmug.com/Vise-Repairs/i-Z9rXCrp/A"><img src="https://visejaws.smugmug.com/Vise-Repairs/i-Z9rXCrp/0/M/Painting_Letters-M.jpg" alt=""></a>

 

[S4cruiser]

Agreed on the caution of use of water based acrylics over a waxed surface.

I lightly sanded the letter tops before applying the paint with this pen. Not sure if that was needed when using on top of fresh rustoleum paint but doubt it hurt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[joe.striper]

Today is my Birthday - yay for me. I decided to take the day off and work in my shop on stuff just for me. My favorite project today was this one.

A while back I bought this swiveling clamp from a junkyard.I decided to mount it to my favorite tool stand and then mount my favorite vise to it. Wow am I happy with the results. The stand weighs about 140# so it's very steady. The vise body rotates and now I can move my work in any direction. I drilled and tapped the 3/8ths inch plate. I can actuate the base with a single BF wrench. Next I need to weld the bolt to the base do so I only need one wrench. It is a 1.625 nut.

 

[drivesitfar]

Joe: i'm guessing you need to strip your favorite vise and bake a nice coat or two of BLO on it. or is that your overspray because you use it to hold parts of vises you paint?

sweet looking stand especially with the swiveler on top now.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY and are you as old as me?? I bet not, but you might be. i'm betting you are a 1959 model.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE. !!!!

 

[bagged89s10]

Happy birthday joe.

Drives, Joe uses that vise to hold anything he's spray painting, hence the overspray.

 

[va.grouseman]

Here's a nice little Baby Prentiss worth watching.---May not sell.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ant...052910?hash=item25b5de93ee:g:YwkAAOSwpzdWrrqo

 

[PeteA]

I bought Reed 106S Bench Vise off of craigslist for $75 it was missing the 6'' jaw inserts but was otherwise in great condition , I ordered a set of replacement jaws on www.viseparts.com for $155. About a week later I bought a second Reed 106 at an estate sale for $100 in great condition. They weigh in at 156 lbs a piece.

 

[02superduty]

Happy Birthday big guy. May vises fall from the heavens for your b-day. Wait that already happens to you.

 

[Hemi49]

I bought Reed 106S Bench Vise off of craigslist for $75 it was missing the 6'' jaw inserts but was otherwise in great condition , I ordered a set of replacement jaws on www.viseparts.com for $155. About a week later I bought a second Reed 106 at an estate sale for $100 in great condition. They weigh in at 156 lbs a piece.

Pete
Welcome to the group......You've got a couple nice vises there....I just bought a Reed 105 tonight; I pick it up in the morning.....Reeds are great vise to have in your collection
Hemi

 

[Hemi49]

Today is my Birthday - yay for me. I decided to take the day off and work in my shop on stuff just for me. My favorite project today was this one.

A while back I bought this swiveling clamp from a junkyard.I decided to mount it to my favorite tool stand and then mount my favorite vise to it. Wow am I happy with the results. The stand weighs about 140# so it's very steady. The vise body rotates and now I can move my work in any direction. I drilled and tapped the 3/8ths inch plate. I can actuate the base with a single BF wrench. Next I need to weld the bolt to the base do so I only need one wrench. It is a 1.625 nut.

Happy Birthday Joe
Hemi

 

[Evergreentree]

Happy birthday Joe! That's an awesome "user" workhorse set up! Great stuff man!

Here's what I'm working on tonight. Wet molded leather jaw covers, now drying. Tomorrow riveted and trimmed. Easy process guys.

(Or ******* for those into vise ****)

 

[autopts]

Happy Birthday Joe!!

 

[FMC1959]

The hole in the weight and the top of the stand were 1" I cut a piece of 1" round and welded it on the inside of the weight and the top of the bar. It was one of my best welds and you can't even see it. The extra swivel piece is not on the vise in the picture. Sorry !

GET, that is a fine looking stand. The show stopper to me is the vise, it looks amazing!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE! What do you wish for when you blow out the candles, more vises? (or more vise sales)

Cheers

 

[joe.striper]

GET, that is a fine looking stand. The show stopper to me is the vise, it looks amazing!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE! What do you wish for when you blow out the candles, more vises? (or more vise sales)

Cheers

More vises of course! I have nearly everything I could want that doesn't cost money.

 

[Outlawmws]

HBD Joe!

After you recover, what make is that vise? or is it shop made?

 

[oldldh]

Happy Birthday to Joe...

When are you going to catch up with me...

I just moved into my eighth decade last June...

Hurry up, and you can be an old fart like Outlaw and me...

 

[joe.striper]

Happy Birthday to Joe...

When are you going to catch up with me...

I just moved into my eighth decade last June...

Hurry up, and you can be an old fart like Outlaw and me...

How can I get old when I have a triple swivel shop vise? 80s huh, I'm dreading my 60s! Thanks for the Bday wishes.

 

[joe.striper]

HBD Joe!

After you recover, what make is that vise? or is it shop made?

Outlaw, that is a Milhoff vise. I use it for everything in my shop, hence the multicolor paint job. Here's how it started.

Thanks for the bday wishes.

 

[KMScott]

Joe I mailed you a birthday present today for your new machine. My CNC is back up and running YEA.

 

[joe.striper]

Joe I mailed you a birthday present today for your new machine. My CNC is back up and running YEA.

Yippee! Thanks.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Finally got myself a Parkinsons Handy Vise

And it's a little lad

 

[G20-Budo]

Happy belated bday Joe!

 

[Rileysan]

Finally got myself a Parkinsons Handy Vise

And it's a little lad

I love it! Perhaps you've started a new trend? Everyone needs a vise attached to their keyboard.

Brian

 

[Hemi49]

Reed 104 & 105
I bought a CL Reed 105 last night.....25 miles from my house......This morning I go to pick it up......The seller says "I have another vise if you are interested"....It was a Reed 104 in a little better shape than the 105......So I ended up buying the pair for $175.00......Not a great price, but not too bad either considering how vise prices have gone up recently.....Anyway they are now in my garage getting to know the rest of the vise family
Hemi

 

[drivesitfar]

CW: how much does that little guy weigh? i was saying to myself it can't be that heavy if he is setting it on his laptop. might be a new trend. i just got a new laptop so maybe i'll see if the old POS can be repurposed. nice find

Hemi: do you understand that you might have a vice for vises? looks like you picked up a couple good ones yesterday and you might have to build more shelves the way you are going. congrats and BEE CAREFUL because if you buy a few more it might start pulling JOE'S stand and vises your direction with all that old steel.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

I love it! Perhaps you've started a new trend? Everyone needs a vise attached to their keyboard.

Brian

Perhaps I should get a clamp on one for it?

CW: how much does that little guy weigh? i was saying to myself it can't be that heavy if he is setting it on his laptop. might be a new trend. i just got a new laptop so maybe i'll see if the old POS can be repurposed. nice find
......

I'll stick it on the scales in a bit, it actually looks bigger in the photo. It's works laptop so I wasn't too worried

 

[Toolman12]

Busted my old columbian 4 1/2 today feels like an old friend just died. Can anyone offer any help to get a new front jaw assembly IE: where to order with no part number. Here is am couple of pics of what broke.Thanks in advance guys

 

[Hemi49]

CW: how much does that little guy weigh? i was saying to myself it can't be that heavy if he is setting it on his laptop. might be a new trend. i just got a new laptop so maybe i'll see if the old POS can be repurposed. nice find

Hemi: do you understand that you might have a vice for vises? looks like you picked up a couple good ones yesterday and you might have to build more shelves the way you are going. congrats and BEE CAREFUL because if you buy a few more it might start pulling JOE'S stand and vises your direction with all that old steel.

I'm careful to stay out of Joe's and Bagged's territory to the east of me......I don't want to get a turf war started like the gang bangers do with their drug businesses.....
Hemi

 

[drivesitfar]

Toolman: sorry to say, but it might be cheaper to buy an old vise off Craigslist or Ebay than to buy a new dynamic jaw. Columbian is still making new vises so a quick googling might get you to a new part. if you were closer i'd probably have an old gem to sell you, but unless you are buying one of my bigger ones the shipping costs might kill a good deal.

good luck and curious if you were using it as a press or hitting it with a BFH or did it just break?

CW: i bet the boss will love hearing that or seeing that picture? I'm guessing the weight of your new little guy might be maybe 4 pounds give or take??

Hemi: Joe says Bagged is slowing down or giving up and depending on the day Joe wants to buy or sell everything so keep your ear to the ground over there, but still BEE CAREFUL.

 

[dutchgray]

CW
Nice one on the handy.

 

[oakundeisen]

Ended up painting the letters gold...first time painting letters. I'm happy with how it turned out. Used a paint marker.

Nice! I have the Monarch version of that vise - lined the jaws with thick leather - great vise.