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The VISES of Garage Journal

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Lahti35

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Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
195
Location
Bay City, MI.
Hi, vise afficianodos! Thought I'd share pictures of a Stephens No 4 vise with the storing return option, although the spring is broken. I rescued from a basement workbench in Billerica, MA last weekend. Those of you who frequent the Garage Sale thread would have seen some of the discussion and stories here:





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One of those just went on epay two weeks ago... 'bout $270 including shipping.
 

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mike_paxton

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Dec 15, 2013
Messages
905
Mike P:
Join the club!
I soaked the stuck pin on my 6 inch Reed double swiveller in 50/50 for a month and nothing budged. I removed the main nut and hammered on it with a steel rod and a BFH for maybe a hundred blows. Nothing.
Carla posted a very clever technique over on the vise repair thread involving fabricating a puller to remove the pin from the top. I am about halfway through with the set up to give it a try. Other obligations keep getting in the way.

Shiftless:

I had one vise that sat outside for over 26 years. Needed to remove the rusted shut slide, so submerged in vinegar for over 3 months. Every week would pull it out of vinegar to try and get slide to come out. What finally worked was picking around the rusted housing edges and eventually a pin hole in the rust started to allow the vinegar to get inside the vise housing. After that, it was two weeks and finally able to get the slide out.

Looks like if you go Carla's way, we will be working at opposite ends of the pin, but hopefully both of us will eventually solve this stuck pin situation.

Mike
 

BlueBomber

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Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
3,201
Location
Outside Boston, MA
One of those just went on epay two weeks ago... 'bout $270 including shipping.

Seems like there were a few of this type sold on eBay recently. The most recent was a bigger 3.5" one posted a few months ago by our own GJer, bagged89s10.

Congrats, bagged, on the sale and a fine return on your investment!
 
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Lahti35

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Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
195
Location
Bay City, MI.
Seems like there were a few of this type (at least one of which was sold by fellow GJer, bagged89s10!).

Mine, however, doesn't have the early patent date stamped on the slide like the other eBay sales. I don't know if it would bring nearly as much as the others on eBay.

They're neat! I was interested in the last ebay one but not when it went north of a c-note with nearly another c-not for shipping. I gotta eat ya, know!
 

zoomieport

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Joined
Nov 21, 2011
Messages
1,803
Location
The Mall City
There is a couple small old Stephans Patent vises in these pics, if you care...:thumbup:
 

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zoomieport

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The Mall City
OH MAN, lol!
SOUNDS GOOD, WELCOME TO THE CHASE!
Take care!
Mike

EDIT: If you're in Bay City, then 250 of those miles are underwater, I'm safe, LOL!
 

Bcom

Banned
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
1,615
Location
Nebraska
Got the Baby Bullet shined up. Need to get some better PICs will do that later

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Can i have one?
 

drivesitfar

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Joined
Oct 23, 2013
Messages
36,042
Location
Pacific Northwest
BlueBomb: i don't think i've ever seen a Columbian vise the age of yours painted red so most likely the original color was grey and that red you think is original is on top of it. tell me (us) if you find any more red under the grey if you do.

CRS: thanks again for the catalog page and if you get a chance can you verify your #20 is the specs on the ad?

TJ: good luck on the move!! also lift with your LEGS with those two even if lifting them in 2 pieces at a time.
 

BlueBomber

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Sep 14, 2013
Messages
3,201
Location
Outside Boston, MA
BlueBomb: i don't think i've ever seen a Columbian vise the age of yours painted red so most likely the original color was grey and that red you think is original is on top of it. tell me (us) if you find any more red under the grey if you do.

Drives: I only took the one picture, but I'm pretty sure I found red as the base layer in several nooks and crannies. Of course, it could be that this old fella has had a makeover before in its existence.

Good to hear that grey was the original...I've got a pound of Platinum powder that came in my garage sale-found Eastwood powder coating kit that I had planned to use on it.
 
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macgee

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Joined
Jan 11, 2014
Messages
2,834
Location
Sepulveda Pass, CA
I just won these beauties from an on-line auction. Can't wait to pick them up on Sunday!






Blue Frog

trijeff identified this small 2" vise as a baby Bison, but I'm having difficulty finding any more info on it. All I can say is that it's very smooth on operation, closes extremely tight, and looks to be a quality-built vise.

Blue Frog

Blue,

What a coincidence, that is the same vise that I have. I just posted a pic of it about two weeks ago here and just now catching up with this thread since then and saw yours. This weekend I acquired a C0 wilton and baby wilton on a power arm and thought the little Bison vise would be perfect for it and then saw yours.

I'm curious if you were to look underneath the base and see if you have the same stamp as mine?

My post: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6147011&postcount=49699

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macgee

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Jan 11, 2014
Messages
2,834
Location
Sepulveda Pass, CA
The fourth vise I acquired this weekend is this really cool rotating head vintage Craftsman vise with a hexagon slide.

It has been used hard and needs a little attention and some cleaning but still works well, not bad for $15.

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The slide appears to be surface grounded and the vise weighs more than a Wilton C0 bullet vise.

I've never seen one before.

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rusty65

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Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Messages
2,279
Location
Pekin,IL
One of those hexagonal craftsman vises restored just sold for $350 on eBay so I'm giving you props for picking it up for $15.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 

cajunfirehawk

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Joined
Nov 29, 2011
Messages
2,566
Location
Ms Gulf Coast
Another baby showed up from my buddy Zoomie :bowdown:
Its like a Zoomie baby starter kit, lol :rocker:
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So now I have 2 babies, 2 pow-r-arms, and a double pin C-0 to resto this week, good thing I didn't have any plans :bounce:
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macgee

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Jan 11, 2014
Messages
2,834
Location
Sepulveda Pass, CA
One of those hexagonal craftsman vises restored just sold for $350 on eBay so I'm giving you props for picking it up for $15.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Thanks Rusty,

Strange that one did not come up in my research but just found it on eBay and that's the same one that belonged to a GJ member, he posted photo's here in 2013 and the only one that can be found on google. No one has info on it including him and said he was not able to find it in any Craftsman catalogs.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3539871&postcount=11595

Yeah not too bad for $15. Wil post some more pics once I clean it up.


EDIT: Looks like it's the same vise as a Craftsman 5241 which seems to be more common on google.
 
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zoomieport

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Joined
Nov 21, 2011
Messages
1,803
Location
The Mall City
The fourth vise I acquired this weekend is this really cool rotating head vintage Craftsman vise with a hexagon slide.

It has been used hard and needs a little attention and some cleaning but still works well, not bad for $15.

31634720721_0a694485f9_b.jpg


The slide appears to be surface grounded and the vise weighs more than a Wilton C0 bullet vise.

I've never seen one before.

31713447616_85bc028442_b.jpg

I've got 3 of those, they are super cool!
Well done!

Take care!
ZOOM
 

zoomieport

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Joined
Nov 21, 2011
Messages
1,803
Location
The Mall City
Thanks Zoomie,

How are the jaws on them, do yours have any chips underneath the jaws?

Actually, They are all pretty nice...
I spoke with the member that had your vise and he is a GREAT GUY!
We talked at length about the Company the made them, it was fun, I contended Reed, I believe he was Rock Island...
Mine were all Bark Blue, his was RED.
Not much I'd like to do more than discuss stuff like that, Good Fella!
Here is a pic of the three, (terrible pic!) but I'm not home and can't get a better one right now, sorry...
VA, or one of the other "search masters" may be able yo find better pics, don't know.

Great stuff MacGee, those Craftsman Hex, Rotating Vises, ARE NOT FALLING OUT OF TREES!

Take care!
Mike
 

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va.grouseman

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Mar 26, 2011
Messages
4,965
Location
Southern-Central VA.
Same pic as the one Zoomie posted of Grey ford's vise.---They were dropping these on EBay about every month, 4 years ago, and then they just stopped.---I picked up 3 of them when they were selling but I missed the Crème de le Crème.---The 4th one I was bidding on was mint, museum quality.---I bid $425.00, it went for $455.00 plus shipping.


http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=297706&d=1385865741
 

meatsis

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Apr 1, 2010
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655
Location
Hudson Valley NY

zoomieport

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Nov 21, 2011
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The Mall City
Ahhh, not thinking I had a chance, I didn't look at the pictures.
VA is my voice of reason, he has the "ease of a bat and the eyes of a hawk"!
A man has to rely on the reason of others, or he has no reason, haha!

Merry Christmas!
Mike
 

macgee

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Jan 11, 2014
Messages
2,834
Location
Sepulveda Pass, CA
Actually, They are all pretty nice...
I spoke with the member that had your vise and he is a GREAT GUY!
We talked at length about the Company the made them, it was fun, I contended Reed, I believe he was Rock Island...
Mine were all Bark Blue, his was RED.
Not much I'd like to do more than discuss stuff like that, Good Fella!
Here is a pic of the three, (terrible pic!) but I'm not home and can't get a better one right now, sorry...
VA, or one of the other "search masters" may be able yo find better pics, don't know.

Great stuff MacGee, those Craftsman Hex, Rotating Vises, ARE NOT FALLING OUT OF TREES!

Take care!
Mike

Same pic as the one Zoomie posted of Grey ford's vise.---They were dropping these on EBay about every month, 4 years ago, and then they just stopped.---I picked up 3 of them when they were selling but I missed the Crème de le Crème.---The 4th one I was bidding on was mint, museum quality.---I bid $425.00, it went for $455.00 plus shipping.


http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=297706&d=1385865741

Here's another one. I have no affiliation with seller. It's been on CL forever. From what I'm told, he doesn't answer his phone and doesn't return calls either. This one has a pretty large chunk missing from the static jaw.

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/tls/5920776182.html

DANG, THAT ONE IS GREEN! LOL!
$80.00 would be a SUPER DELUXE DEAL!

Take care!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
ZOOM

So funny, I've been on the vise hunt for ages and never saw one of these even though I have a strong interest in american made rotating head vises. I google to find out more info on this vise and got nothing (hens teeth). I then come to this thread and you guys come up with a bunch of them. Google has got nothing on you.

The ones I did find seem to have partial broken jaw support. Mine is a #5222 model and think it was replaced with the 5241 which appears to be a rough casting compared the #5222. Mine has chips out of the jaw support. Maybe I'll braze in some material, then mill it so the replaceable jaws fit properly and will have more support. I also notice these have very small & thin replaceable jaws.

Not sure who owned mine, I bought it ($15) yesterday morning at swap meet where a guy had a pile of cheap vises and this one was in that pile. It has a cool burgundy paint like the tiny Prentiss salesman sample vise. The casting on mine is really smooth and the slide appears to have been surfaced grounded after it was milled, I have not seen that before in a bench vise before but I bet you guys have.
 
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jakemac

Well-known member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Messages
9,035
Location
New England
The fourth vise I acquired this weekend is this really cool rotating head vintage Craftsman vise with a hexagon slide.

It has been used hard and needs a little attention and some cleaning but still works well, not bad for $15.

31634720721_0a694485f9_b.jpg


The slide appears to be surface grounded and the vise weighs more than a Wilton C0 bullet vise.

I've never seen one before.

31713447616_85bc028442_b.jpg

Here's another one. I have no affiliation with seller. It's been on CL forever. From what I'm told, he doesn't answer his phone and doesn't return calls either. This one has a pretty large chunk missing from the static jaw.

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/tls/5920776182.html


Damn, that's an ugly beastie. Now I want one. :D

That one on CL is in Joe's neck of the woods. I wonder if the reason he's not answering the phone is because it's already sitting in Joe's garage ? :evil: :lol:
 

kwoswalt99

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Joined
Oct 24, 2015
Messages
701
Location
Detroit
The casting on mine is really smooth and the slide appears to have been surfaced grounded after it was milled, I have not seen that before in a bench vise before but I bet you guys have.

I'm guessing it's a steel slide, separate from the dynamic jaw?
 

zoomieport

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Joined
Nov 21, 2011
Messages
1,803
Location
The Mall City
MacGee, I will have to be honest, I need to take another look at mine to tell you the real facts, now I wish I was home!
I will get back to you asap, I have been fascinated by the hex shaft rotaror for years, I've never seen anything "quite" like it, but this is the first convetrsation that has actually come to fruition.
I am eager to look mine over and compare, the MAROON paint is KILLING me, haha!
VA, I'd love to hear any of your theories as well, I know your level of interest in cast irion my friend.

Good day y'all!
Mike
 
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