Help me out with Charlie, my Charles Parker vise

[mjozefow]

Charles Parker vise, restoration questions.

I'm in deep now. I got this for less than $.75/lb a bit steep, but OK.

I'd like to restore it. Mechanically it works fine but it sat in a barn for a long, long time.

It is a model 107.
A few questions:

Original color? Letters embossed?
How does one go about removing the sliding handle?
Wheel bearing grease OK for lubrication?
Any approximations on age?

I figure since I'm 20 I should be able to get about 70 years of use out of this thing.


In case you don;t want to read all of the juicy details, this is how it ended up looking:

 

[dfndr]

Nice. Yeah it should out last you. I bought a used one last year. Just a little smaller. It was painted bright red. Don't know if that's correct or not. It does look good though.

 

[MAD]

Check out this old thread.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39926&highlight=VISE&showall=1

 

[mjozefow]

Thats interesting to me.
I thought that by the time the handle hub went from bulbous to cylindrical they had started painting them grey or some other colors.
It looks like the letters are highlighted yellow too.
I'll remember that if I ever have to restore one.

So the ones with the round knob like mine where what color then? Black?

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Re: Charles Parker vise, restoration questions.

Any approximations on age?

It's old!

 

[old salvage]

So the ones with the round knob like mine where what color then? Black?

Just guessing based on ones I've seen but I think they were black first then later on they went to light grey.
Yours looks like it still has some grey paint on it and if it were mine thats what I'd redo it in.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I used to think painting them was the way to go, I am not so sure anymore. If I was faced with one that looked as yours does today, I think I might be very tempted to just make sure the screw was greased with some wheel bearing grease and that everything was functioning as it should, and not paint it. Though I will readily admit I am torn on the issue because repainted they do look very nice. One thing about it, you might wait a while and really give it a bit of thought before jumping right into putting a color on it. It took a lot of years for that old vise to look that way and once you paint it, going back to what you have there is quite unlikely.

BTW: If you are taking color votes, anything like that kind of vise that gets painted in my shop generally is covered in something like Rust-o-leum Smoke Grey, but I am rather old school too.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Doesn't take that much work to clean 'em up and paint 'em. Much less work to paint a vise than a toolbox.

 

[mjozefow]

One thing about it, you might wait a while and really give it a bit of thought before jumping right into putting a color on it. It took a lot of years for that old vise to look that way and once you paint it, going back to what you have there is quite unlikely.

I would usually agree with you. However, there is not a patina of use on the vise, there is a patina of neglect. The vise has not really been used that much, the knurling is still in really good shape on the jaws. The pics make it look smoother.

I'm thinking hammertone black w/ white letters. The whole thing gets dipped in my USC first though.

 

[mjozefow]

Re: Charles Parker vise, restoration questions.

It's old!

Thanks! I was between ancient, antiquated, geriatric, and old. Now I know it is old. Question answered.

Let me ask it this way: In what year (or decade for that matter) was it made?

 

[old salvage]

Re: Charles Parker vise, restoration questions.

Thanks! I was between ancient, antiquated, geriatric, and old. Now I know it is old. Question answered.

Let me ask it this way: In what year (or decade for that matter) was it made?

Its hard to say without lots of catalogs .
Its definitely pre ww2. By that time they had switched over to cylindrical hubs.

Are there any patent numbers on the other side ?

 

[caper]

Looks to be a Parker Eclipse Machinist vise according to this:
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/showthread.php/found-big-old-bench-158956p2.html

 

[caper]

Some adds from the link,

 

[mjozefow]

The other side says 107.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I would usually agree with you. However, there is not a patina of use on the vise, there is a patina of neglect. The vise has not really been used that much, the knurling is still in really good shape on the jaws. The pics make it look smoother.

I'm thinking hammertone black w/ white letters. The whole thing gets dipped in my USC first though.

I went back and looked at that pic again. Now that you mention it that vise does look like it has quite a bit of rust on it doesn't it. Very unseemly, I do not think I could live with that much rust either. I vote fore some tone of grey, but that is no surprise, I tend to think everything is supposed to be grey in the shop except for the roll cab, and those are red.

 

[mjozefow]

It looks like the original color was a very dark gray. Perhaps it was black that has faded. Electrolysis is going well, and the pins for the replaceable jaws came out with a bit of firm, but careful, persuasion. All parts that will fit in my USC will be going in today. Pics to follow. I still don't know how old it is though.


You may get your color choice yet Uncle Buck! Does Rustoleum make a dark hammer tone grey? All I see is black and light grey.

 

[mjozefow]

Looks to be a Parker Eclipse Machinist vise according to this:
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/showthread.php/found-big-old-bench-158956p2.html

Thanks for the pictures, but it is a model 107 and has a bulbous spindle front. It also has wider jaws.

Prolly older than the pics then?

 

[mjozefow]

This is how it started. Notice how the internal cavity is heavily covered with loose rust:

After it was almost disassembled:

Then off to the electrolysis bath. Note the use of a self-tapper and a cheap spring clamp:

After a spell in the electrolysis bath:

I could have left it in longer but 90% of the rust was gone so i figured I'd just go over the whole thing w/ a wire brush anyway.

The jaw pads came off and I only broke one pin punch and sacrificed a C-man screwdriver to make a replacement. Oh well, I have extras. It's amazing how fast it flash rusts.

All in all this vise is not in bad shape at all. Working on a vise of this scale really gives me appreciation for what Cutter went through on his vise. I can't imagine trying to get this thing unstuck if it were as bad as his.

Next, when all of the parts are though the USC the, paint will follow.

It will either be black or very dark grey hammer tone with white embossed letters.

 

[BigRed390]

Nice!
+10 characters

 

[mjozefow]

Got the smaller parts out of the ultrasonic machine last night. Made a huge difference. Will post up pics tonight.

 

[Uncle Buck]

It looks like the original color was a very dark gray. Perhaps it was black that has faded. Electrolysis is going well, and the pins for the replaceable jaws came out with a bit of firm, but careful, persuasion. All parts that will fit in my USC will be going in today. Pics to follow. I still don't know how old it is though.


You may get your color choice yet Uncle Buck! Does Rustoleum make a dark hammer tone grey? All I see is black and light grey.

Don't know, I have not used their hammer tone colors yet, but I have a strong attachment to their Smoke grey color though! Looks like she is going very well though.

 

[DS-21]

pic from a 1929 catalog

 

[mjozefow]

pic from a 1929 catalog

You are the best. Thank you.

 

[mjozefow]

After the first ultrasonic bath:

I need to get the plumbing run so I can use this in my garage instead of in my shower:

These ultrasonic machines really do a great job cleaning. They are not worth their price for cleaning this type of thing, but if you have one, why not use it?

Note: They are worth every penny for cleaning carburetors. It is amazing what they can do to even a severely gunked up, rusty carburetor, and with no harsh chemicals.

 

[mjozefow]

What type of lubricant should I be looking to re-assemble with? Grease? Anti-sieze lubricant?

In 1929 they probably just slathered some bacon grease on it...

 

[old salvage]

^^^^^^
In lieu of whale oil I'd just use whatever color grease you have on hand.

 

[mjozefow]

^^^^^^
In lieu of whale oil I'd just use whatever color grease you have on hand.

Damn...I was just sharpening the harpoon.

 

[mjozefow]

So the best thing to use is just grease? I'm surprised no one has suggested some far out lubricant. Wheel bearing grease it is then.

 

[river1]

So the best thing to use is just grease? I'm surprised no one has suggested some far out lubricant. Wheel bearing grease it is then.

OK use synthetic

that's as far out as i get

later jim

 

[evintho]

I just dunked the moveable jaw slide in 90 weight gear oil and greased the spindle with multi-purpose grease. Works great!

 

[mjozefow]

Alright, Charlie is 99% done. Just have to pin the jaws and paint one handle knob. I went with two coats of auto primer, three coats of hammer tone black and two coats of clear. The bare metal parts were wire wheeled, then sanded to 330 grit. After that that they got a few coats of paste wax.

The jaws were belt sanded, then hand sanded with oil.


THEN:

NOW:

 

[bgott]

That's purdy!

 

[old salvage]

What a job !!

 

[mjozefow]

What a job !!

Thanks! I see I'm not the only Kara Thrace fan too...

 

[Uncle Buck]

Man, I would have a very difficult time wailing away on it if I had that much time and effort invested! It does look great though.

 

[bmwpower]

Man, I would have a very difficult time wailing away on it if I had that much time and effort invested! It does look great though.

+1

First nick is gonna hurt realllly bad.

 

[old salvage]

Thanks! I see I'm not the only Kara Thrace fan too...

Heh, just watched the miniseries today.

 

[Elroy]

You can have any color you want as long as it's BLACK.

Excellent work.

 

[mjozefow]

Thanks guys. I forgot to mention that I restored it for my dad. It is a birthday present. It is ready for the next 80 yrs now.

I would not be able to keep it anyway. I'd baby it.

Hell, I named it what does that tell you?


I'm contemplating making a set of aluminum jaw covers too.

 

[bry@n]

That is an awesome gift!. He's a lucky man.