The VISES of Garage Journal

[kwoswalt99]

Saw this in pawn shop today. Anybody recognize it?

Meadville Vise Co offset vise.

 

[Craptain]

Meadville Vise Co offset vise.

I am not sure it qualifies as offset. I think of the Dawn as offset with nothing below the jaws. This vise has the slide and screw along side each other and jaws are above them. However that could be what they called it when it was made. Do you have any reference for that manufacturer?

Edit. I just found a picture of a Meadville vise and there are some remarkable similarities. Not the same style vise but definitely the same company. Thanks.


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[econotrk]

How much craftsmanship can there be in a mass produced item...

Someone had to make the mold to cast the vise, was he not a craftsman? Could just anyone do what he did, could you do better? In looking at this vise, I'm looking beyond the vise itself. That is what I see.

 

[joe.striper]

Just finished this Starret 325 for a customer. Jaws are from Rev Scott. BLOd the slide and pipe jaws, Hammerite blue paint. Man these Athols are so nice and tight.

 

[CrotalusAtrox]

Just finished this Starret 325 for a customer. Jaws are from Rev Scott. BLOd the slide and pipe jaws, Hammerite blue paint. Man these Athols are so nice and tight.

That one came out fantastic love the removable jaws

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Beautiful restoration there Joe. That vise looks fantastic and every Athol I have so far has been hell for stout and smooth functioning. Ed.

 

[rusty65]

Very nice work on that Starrett 325 Joe. A couple more arrivals today. At the top of the photo a 2 3/4 jaw unmarked USA made round slide vise no doubt from the lower part of the 1900s.
The one in the middle is a German made Triumph rear sliding vise with 2 1/4 jaws. And it's also marked drgm which from what I read means it was made some time before ww2 and 1900.
And the bottom one is a Stephens vise with 2in jaws. I don't have another one of these and I just love the wood base it's on. The base just fits perfect with its patina in my opinion. And yes all three cane from eBay I know I'm a vise addict but I can stop at anytime haha .



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[NUTTSGT]

I was going back through this thread and see that I never posted pictures of the little Wilton after I was finished.





Then it got a new life in the trailer.


.... well I guess I don't have that picture at the moment.




EDIT: I guess I'll have to wait till Spring to get a picture as the trailer is in storage.

 

[Bcom]

Meadville Vise Co offset vise.

Agreed. Its a Meadville vise co.

 

[scooternut]

Picked up a Wilton 4 1/2 today with a few repairs.

Weld up repair around the dynamic support, appears well done by a supposed welder by trade. the weld files silver if that means anything to us.

The handle repair is an interesting approach, with the ends being attached with split pins. Don't think I've seen this approach, and the ends have very little wobble to them.

Forgot, marked 7-945.

View attachment 1


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[General Geoff]

Just ordered a Yost FSV-5 forged steel vise. Posted a thread about it in Hot Deals for anyone else who wants a great deal on a lightweight forged steel vise.

I'll post pics when it comes in on Monday.

 

[Bcom]

Picked up a Wilton 4 1/2 today with a few repairs.

Weld up repair around the dynamic support, appears well done by a supposed welder by trade. the weld files silver if that means anything to us.

The handle repair is an interesting approach, with the ends being attached with split pins. Don't think I've seen this approach, and the ends have very little wobble to them.

View attachment 1


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Ive got a 9300 cracked in the same spot under the bottom side of the static body.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I've been coming across a lot of 4" vises lately it seems. Here's a couple of pictures of three that came home with me this week. Two Parkers, first a 974 and a then a No. 40 Coach makers vise. Also a 514 Prentiss Bulldog which was just too nice to leave behind.







Then today this nice Rock Island 577 popped up on the local C/L. The last one I saw was at a swap meet last summer and was not as clean and the old boy wanted more than twice as much. Glad to have found this one. I just need to make a new swivel lock nut and it's good to go. Ed.

 

[rusty65]

Awesome rock island 577. It looks like it's in very good shape.

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[econotrk]

Picked up a Wilton 4 1/2 today with a few repairs.

Weld up repair around the dynamic support, appears well done by a supposed welder by trade. the weld files silver if that means anything to us.

The handle repair is an interesting approach, with the ends being attached with split pins. Don't think I've seen this approach, and the ends have very little wobble to them.

Forgot, marked 7-945.

View attachment 1

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Glad you picked that one up, I noticed it when posted 37 minutes old and didn't figure it would last long at that price. Nice grab.

 

[CrotalusAtrox]

Well after some research and a few flubs I restored this Sheldon Woodworkers vise. I attached a pic this one is being used on a woodworkers bench.

[/URL][/IMG]


[IMG [/IMG]

 

[kirkgun]

Because of you guys, I now have a sturdy hunk of American Iron instead of modern piece-of-poop from a home improvement store. When I googled "quality vise" months ago, I ended up in this thread. I figured I should thank you guys with a couple of pictures.

It's no beauty queen. And I didn't get a "you ****" deal on it either. But I'm really happy with it. It's a Rock Island 574 (4.5 inch, 74 pounds). It's functionally and structurally in great condition. There are many battle scars but nothing that affect the integrity of it. I just think of it as character. But most important to me, it's a Rock Island. A little reminder of where I was born and raised every time I go into the garage. Even if the vise was born before I was, it's a little bit of childhood nostalgia. I would have never known there was a Rock Island brand vise without garage journal. It'll be perfect for the weekend DIY work it will get.

The numbers 3 6 5 0, are stamped into both the dynamic and static pieces. I figure that was the build date, 3/6/50.

After some: dissasembly, grease removal, electrolysis, wire wheel, some sloppy oiled bronze paint (just what I already had sitting around), fresh grease, and a couple months of use, here it is. The "restoration" went easily as it was basically in good working condition already.

And if anybody can find me another solid, working 574 (not too big, not too small) that can be cleaned up, I'd love it for a gift to my brother.

 

[drivesitfar]

Kirk: if you can go in your GJ profile and put in your location either city/state or just area like i did one of us that might have an extra ROCK ISLAND just sitting around might be able to help you. happy to hear you were watching and learning about quality vises cause ROCK ISLANDS might be my favorites.

nice looking vise and mounted nicely.

OREGON: looks like your vice for vises is getting a few nice ones for the shelves now. the 577 was my first 150 pound vise and I still remember the first time i turned its handle. it was a rusty greasy hunk and it open and closed perfectly and still does, but looks better now.

ALL: don't forget to enter your entries into the VISE OF THE YEAR VISIES over on the thread Mark started and no limit on the # of entries. i mentioned TriJeff might have to try a GRABBER GREEN (snappy's bright green) with a Wrinkled finish and he thought it was a good idea, but he's moving and having a baby soon so it will have to wait a bit.

TRIJEFF: Best of luck with the new addition to your family and is it your first?

MEATSIS: speaking of little ones i hope you are getting a little sleep and is yours still smiling? do you already have a workbench and vise picked out for your little guy to help you in the shop? time will fly raising kids and you will be busy so enjoy the ride.

 

[Mason007]

Just picked up this beast from a buddy. Old RAE 105, 77lbs. Will clean it up over the holidays and post the pics. This is my second vise and I feel like you guys are enablers, as I check this thread daily and may have a new addiction! Ha ha, cheers gentlemen!


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[Thrumcap]

Well after some research and a few flubs I restored this Sheldon Woodworkers vise. I attached a pic this one is being used on a woodworkers bench.

Ok, Crotalus, that is the sharpest Sheldon rework I've seen.

Thrumcap

 

[CrotalusAtrox]

Ok, Crotalus, that is the sharpest Sheldon rework I've seen.

Thrumcap

Thanks

 

[G-ManBart]

Because of you guys, I now have a sturdy hunk of American Iron instead of modern piece-of-poop from a home improvement store. When I googled "quality vise" months ago, I ended up in this thread. I figured I should thank you guys with a couple of pictures.

It's no beauty queen. And I didn't get a "you ****" deal on it either. But I'm really happy with it. It's a Rock Island 574 (4.5 inch, 74 pounds). It's functionally and structurally in great condition. There are many battle scars but nothing that affect the integrity of it. I just think of it as character. But most important to me, it's a Rock Island. A little reminder of where I was born and raised every time I go into the garage. Even if the vise was born before I was, it's a little bit of childhood nostalgia. I would have never known there was a Rock Island brand vise without garage journal. It'll be perfect for the weekend DIY work it will get.

The numbers 3 6 5 0, are stamped into both the dynamic and static pieces. I figure that was the build date, 3/6/50.

After some: dissasembly, grease removal, electrolysis, wire wheel, some sloppy oiled bronze paint (just what I already had sitting around), fresh grease, and a couple months of use, here it is. The "restoration" went easily as it was basically in good working condition already.

And if anybody can find me another solid, working 574 (not too big, not too small) that can be cleaned up, I'd love it for a gift to my brother.

Nice job on the 574!

I don't think the numbers on the slide and dynamic are a production date. They are most likely a production number to keep the static and dynamic together during production. I may be mistaken, but I think folks have posted numbers just like that which would preclude them being production dates because the RI Birtman line stopped making vises in 1959. So anything with the last two digits higher than 59 wouldn't make any sense. It doesn't really matter either way, but is still interest.

I'm pretty sure Birtman Electric bought RI in 1930 so no matter what, yours was made between 1930 and 1959....very cool!

There has been a really clean 574 that keeps popping up on the local Craigslist, but the guy is a tool. I called him minutes after it first went up, set up a time to meet, and he said to text him before I headed there. Sure enough, I get in the truck to meet and sent him a text..."now's not a good time, my boss just called me, let's meet tomorrow at 11" sort of deal. Sure enough the next day I called before I headed out, and he was too busy. This went back and forth until he stopped responding to calls or texts. The ad disappeared.

About two weeks later, the ad came back up, so I sent him a text from a different number, and he didn't reply. I tried calling, no answer, didn't return the call. Then the ad went away again.

A month later the ad went back up, he didn't respond to calls or texts and the ad went down.

Typical CL BS with some of these folks. It's sad because the vise is really, really clean and would look amazing if restored properly.

Luckily, I was able to pick up a nice 573 from a fellow GJ member who lives nearby

 

[CrotalusAtrox]

Just picked up this beast from a buddy. Old RAE 105, 77lbs. Will clean it up over the holidays and post the pics. This is my second vise and I feel like you guys are enablers, as I check this thread daily and may have a new addiction! Ha ha, cheers gentlemen!


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Really like that RAE

 

[va.grouseman]

Oregon and Kirkgun, nice to have two Rock Island specimens on the same page.---Like Drive said, they're a top shelve brand.

Oregon, let me say first that Reed is my favorite of the which you have one setting in front of the Rock, but the Rocks are neck and neck with the two other brands I consider for second place.---Also the 577s are getting as hard as frogs fangs to find.---They just don't pop up any more.---You done real good.---I have two 577s and I wouldn't take 2 gold monkeys apiece for them.

Kirkgun, you also scored a real nice Rock.---Perfect size for home and shop use.---But now you know IT HAS BEGUN.---And this time next year we will all pitch in and throw you an intervention.---It won't do no good, but we can say we tried.


And Crotalus, excellent job on the wood vise.

 

[Mason007]

Really like that RAE

Thanks Crotalus. Found this pic from J.H. Ashdown Hardware Company Ltd, Winnipeg, 1953 catalogue, pretty pricey for the 50's.

 

[CRSINMICH]

Mason: It's good to hear from Manitoba. Very nice vise! Even though Hamilton, Ontario is fairly close to me, I'm still looking for my first RAE. I did find and restore an RAE pipe vise but that's not quite the same thing. Congrats! Good find!

Oh yeah, I'm going to steal your catalogue pages for my collection. Do you have any more? Here's one I have for you.

 

[Mason007]

Mason: It's good to hear from Manitoba. Very nice vise! Even though Hamilton, Ontario is fairly close to me, I'm still looking for my first RAE. I did find and restore an RAE pipe vise but that's not quite the same thing. Congrats! Good find!



Oh yeah, I'm going to steal your catalogue pages for my collection. Do you have any more? Here's one I have for you.

Thanks, nope, found that page on this website when researching the history of RAE vises. http://progress-is-fine.blogspot.ca/2013/06/one-of-my-vices-is-vices-rae-revisited.html?m=1


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[kirkgun]

Thanks everybody. I mean it. Thanks for enlightening me. I would never have considered that I could get a well made vise, without spending a small fortune. All I just had to do was shop for something probably 60 years old or more. And as a super bonus, I could get a vise made that just screams "home" as I putter around in the garage. I think my brother would think it is pretty cool too. I haven't told him about mine because I want to get him his own vise before he even knows such a thing as a Rock Island vise exists.

G-ManBart,

Thanks for the info. I know people have shown dates stamped on the topside of the slide. I couldn't read a date up there through all the usage scrapes and dings on the topside of mine.

Mine looks to have been used very heavily, maybe professionally, but not abused at all. It has usage marks, but they are entirely just superficial surface dings and scrapes. It has layers and layers of reasonable usage marks.

But the jaws are completely undamaged. The handles are arrow straight. The sides and bottom of the slide are like new, smooth and straight. The internal parts are entirely like new. Of course no cracks or welds. It's just the topside of the slide, and around the jaw inserts, show tons of minor scrapes and dings.

But it sounds like production numbers make more sense, than dates. Oh well. The exact date isn't important. I'm not buying for museum display. I'm buying to clamp stuff to the work bench. It will do just fine.

 

[buckwheat_la]

Thanks Crotalus. Found this pic from J.H. Ashdown Hardware Company Ltd, Winnipeg, 1953 catalogue, pretty pricey for the 50's.

I am starting to restore a 204 swivel. Such a solid vise....

 

[joe.striper]

Anyone ever heard of this one? 2" jaws thru bench, Karas Electric Co? Trailer ball for reference. And then I got this little 3" Polish vise. A good day.

Edit: ok, sometimes I'm just lazy...found the past posts on this vise. Thanks in advance for not busting my stones...

 

[CrotalusAtrox]

Well its been a good Thanksgiving weekend got this 404.5 R today. It was on CL for a bunch of money then off so I asked if they still had it they did and wanted it gone. Its in great shape jaws are perfect some light rust and the pin will need to be worked on, but rest looks good with a lot of the original paint. If I decide to restore it will probably be BLO. Have some Kroil working on the pin should pop with some effort.

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[rusty65]

Picked up a 4in jaw 36in tall blacksmith vise in st. Louis and just got it unpacked. Im pretty sure it's called a German style post vise and I haven't found any markings on it besides some roman numerals. Payed $45 dollars by the way. Also what's the usually jaw opening it opens like 3 inches with the spring and like 4 1/2 if I pull it the rest of the way by hand.


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[DFB]

Well its been a good Thanksgiving weekend got this 404.5 R today. It was on CL for a bunch of money then off so I asked if they still had it they did and wanted it gone. Its in great shape jaws are perfect some light rust and the pin will need to be worked on, but rest looks good with a lot of the original paint. If I decide to restore it will probably be BLO. Have some Kroil working on the pin should pop with some effort.

[/URL][/IMG]

Sweet...

So was a shade of green?

Eventually I need decide how to finish my 403 .5

 

[drivesitfar]

CA: great job on the wood vise and did you think it's a Sheldon after working on it and doing a little research? WELL DONE!!

also i see you bought one of my other favorite vises the Reed 404.5. i can hardly wait to see what you decide to paint it or how you spiff it up. i'm voting for BLO, but a wrinkled GRABBER GREEN might win you a few catagories in the 2016 VISIES.

 

[Tonellin]

Picked up this Wilton 10" woodworking for $35 this morning. A little simple green and a nylon brush and I'll use it for decades.

 

[CrotalusAtrox]

CA: great job on the wood vise and did you think it's a Sheldon after working on it and doing a little research? WELL DONE!!

also i see you bought one of my other favorite vises the Reed 404.5. i can hardly wait to see what you decide to paint it or how you spiff it up. i'm voting for BLO, but a wrinkled GRABBER GREEN might win you a few catagories in the 2016 VISIES.

Thanks Drives your suggestion that it might be a Sheldon and looking at a bunch online shows the numbering and style is identical just no brand name so I am 99 % that it is a Sheldon.
Just popped the pin on the Reed kroil ( love that stuff) and a few wacks and she popped loose. Having one jaw bolt giving me fits but I will let it soak over night see if I can break it loose tomorrow. Like the crinkle green idea we shall see , I am just excited that I found a clean Reed for a decent price it took about six months of looking but worth it.

 

[FMC1959]

Just picked up this beast from a buddy. Old RAE 105, 77lbs. Will clean it up over the holidays and post the pics. This is my second vise and I feel like you guys are enablers, as I check this thread daily and may have a new addiction! Ha ha, cheers gentlemen!


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Nice vise, I have 2 RAE's and they look like the vast majority of RAE's, like Record copies. Yours looks more usa than British, has a bit of Reed or Holland look to it.

 

[CrotalusAtrox]

Sweet...

So was a shade of green?

Eventually I need decide how to finish my 403 .5

I think its more gray then green but there is definitely a green shade to it.

 

[kitch]

Just finished two german vises

Picture before



And after... The leinen





And the Schlegel EMF



Just need to decide which one to keep [emoji13]

 

[meatsis]

Kirk: if you can go in your GJ profile and put in your location either city/state or just area like i did one of us that might have an extra ROCK ISLAND just sitting around might be able to help you. happy to hear you were watching and learning about quality vises cause ROCK ISLANDS might be my favorites.

nice looking vise and mounted nicely.

OREGON: looks like your vice for vises is getting a few nice ones for the shelves now. the 577 was my first 150 pound vise and I still remember the first time i turned its handle. it was a rusty greasy hunk and it open and closed perfectly and still does, but looks better now.

ALL: don't forget to enter your entries into the VISE OF THE YEAR VISIES over on the thread Mark started and no limit on the # of entries. i mentioned TriJeff might have to try a GRABBER GREEN (snappy's bright green) with a Wrinkled finish and he thought it was a good idea, but he's moving and having a baby soon so it will have to wait a bit.

TRIJEFF: Best of luck with the new addition to your family and is it your first?

MEATSIS: speaking of little ones i hope you are getting a little sleep and is yours still smiling? do you already have a workbench and vise picked out for your little guy to help you in the shop? time will fly raising kids and you will be busy so enjoy the ride.

Thanks drivesitfar. The little guy is doing great and still smiling. Ive been lucky as far as sleep goes. Ive got a great wife who gets up for his late night feedings. I don't have a bench or vise for him yet, but my 3 year old daughter loves being in the shop and playing with all the vises mounted everywhere. Shes been asking for a workbench like daddys so she can come help me out in the shop. I already have a nice little Dunlap open screw vise waiting for her. We just need a few hours to paint it the colors she wants. Which if I had to guess will be pink and purple lol.