I've been working on this vise for quite a while. it was all rusted up and stuck, we had to warm it up with a fire torch to free it. I also had some issues with orange peel. anyway, it finally came together last night. it is a Hollands 53 1/2 H. It's got 4.5" jaws, 12" high and 18" long when closed. This has been my very first restoration. Unfortunately it's missing the pipe jaws.
Nice vice and restore! I will see your 12" and raise you 2".
This one is 14" tall and I think it is 22" long. It is heavier than I will pick up, when assembled.
Before:
It was covered in many layers of paint and some tough rust. The handles for the base were rusted in place, so I welded 1/2x13 nuts on them and hit them lightly with the impact, and then ground the nuts off. This one has been beat up with hammers and other tools, in the past (before I got it). I used coarse glass bead to blast it.
This one was in much better shape and the rust was not too hard to remove. Fine glass bead cleaned it up quite well.
Both of these are painted with Rustoleum Universal Hammered Rosemarry and the bare steel/iron was coated with boiled linseed oil.
Now I have to figure out where to mount them, in my small space. The big one might go outside, but will be covered to protect it. They almost look too nice to use. The 2000's wilton will stay on my main bench (not the fab table) where I use it for welding parts or grinding. It has been a great vice and is likely an import, but I try not to beat it up either.
Did I really need these two vices..................no, but GJ wore off on me and I had to have them.
trust me I know. Great thing about it is you could always change it if you don't like it.
