The VISES of Garage Journal

[BrettJ74]

You have a pool?!? You ****!

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Drop by next time your up here getting a killer deal on something

 

[va.grouseman]

Are you getting this Gman700.---Did you read the last 9 posts.---We all hunt on posted land from time to time.--What makes it fair is that we all do it, so no one is without sin.---If your next door neighbor had a Reed 208, or 209, I'd buy it right out from under you if you didn't get there first, and I'd sleep like a baby that night.

Demoman came right down in my back yard and bought a 283 lb. post vise that I would kill for.---If he hadn't gotten it some speculator would have, that probably wouldn't have appreciated vises like Demo does.---Because I didn't know it was there, so it was fair game.

 

[eddieK]

Couple pics of a Morgan 140 I just finished. This vise was very strange, in that when I picked it up, it appeared by jaws and handle to have never really been used. It wasn't until I tore into it that I figured out why. This vise should never have left the factory. Although the spindle is not bent, it was so tight in the threads of the nut that I could hardly run the screw in and out through the nut. Used lapping compound to solve this first problem. Next problem I encountered was the nut was physically too long, so that it wouldn't float about in its slot once the locking pin was installed, so this caused felt resistance in the spindle. Shortened it a bit, problem solved. Then I discovered that the dynamic jaw was dragging along the outside of the nut, again causing resistance, more grinding. Its finally one finger operable, but I've never encountered problems like these in any old vise I've worked on.

One of the vises I just completed was a Morgan 40...smooth as silk, just needed rust removal, three coats of paint removal and a new spiffy color.





Found it like this -

 

[Joefriday]

Are you getting this Gman700.---Did you read the last 9 posts.---We all hunt on posted land from time to time.--What makes it fair is that we all do it, so no one is without sin.---If your next door neighbor had a Reed 208, or 209, I'd buy it right out from under you if you didn't get there first, and I'd sleep like a baby that night.

Demoman came right down in my back yard and bought a 283 lb. post vise that I would kill for.---If he hadn't gotten it some speculator would have, that probably wouldn't have appreciated vises like Demo does.---Because I didn't know it was there, so it was fair game.

It's happened to all of us and we've all done it, knowingly or not. I dare say that most lose more sleep over the items we lose than the ones that we snag out from under the nose of someone else.

We would lose our minds if we knew about all of the killer deals that we miss out on in our "areas of operation" daily. And then there are those missed deals that we find out about and we wish we never even knew about.

Best,
Rob

 

[eddieK]

Cool.. thank you.

Looks good on a Parker too...

 

[schor]

Are all vises salvageable? I think so.

Let's turn this...

Into this

 

[Smokeshow69]

Are you getting this Gman700.---Did you read the last 9 posts.---We all hunt on posted land from time to time.--What makes it fair is that we all do it, so no one is without sin.---If your next door neighbor had a Reed 208, or 209, I'd buy it right out from under you if you didn't get there first, and I'd sleep like a baby that night.

Demoman came right down in my back yard and bought a 283 lb. post vise that I would kill for.---If he hadn't gotten it some speculator would have, that probably wouldn't have appreciated vises like Demo does.---Because I didn't know it was there, so it was fair game.

If you guys do what rileysan, and oregonrockcrusher And i do you guys can really divide and conquer! We all know what each other is looking for and we all alert each other to good deals! Just last month rileysan alerted me to a 5196 craftsman in a nearby town. I ran over and picked it up that night thanks to him! He is a serious craftsman collector and I really appreciate him giving me the heads up! I have also done a few trades with him for things he picked up that I really wanted! I did not get it when I first saw it but when he wanted to get rid of it he knew to call[emoji3] he kills it in my area all the time and I have scored a few items in his but we work together! Works out better for both of us in the long run !


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[BrettJ74]

VA. And Smoke I agree totally and the concern of picking from someone's area is so hard to define. We all live somewhere, work possibly somewhere else, possibly 100+ miles away so would that define your whole area? And the fact some people are willing to travel greater distances than others to acquire tools, vises, etc... Makes it really hard to be upset with someone because they got a terrific deal you were interested in as well, even if it was right under your nose..
Will I be bitter I missed out definitely not.
Will I take an opportunity here to joke around some and offer congratulations on a good deal defiantly.

In the end we all win some and loose some, I find it best to be happy with what I get, and happy for my fellow gj'rs for what they get. For without them and this website I probably wouldn't be heading down this rabbit hole that is vintage tools..
Cheers Brett.

 

[va.grouseman]

Well said Brett.

 

[Smokeshow69]

VA. And Smoke I agree totally and the concern of picking from someone's area is so hard to define. We all live somewhere, work possibly somewhere else, possibly 100+ miles away so would that define your whole area? And the fact some people are willing to travel greater distances than others to acquire tools, vises, etc... Makes it really hard to be upset with someone because they got a terrific deal you were interested in as well, even if it was right under your nose..
Will I be bitter I missed out definitely not.
Will I take an opportunity here to joke around some and offer congratulations on a good deal defiantly.

In the end we all win some and loose some, I find it best to be happy with what I get, and happy for my fellow gj'rs for what they get. For without them and this website I probably wouldn't be heading down this rabbit hole that is vintage tools..
Cheers Brett.

Yes, very well said! Hope no one interpreted my post as preachy or pointing fingers! I was trying to say we are stronger together and our networks bring us more vises if we help each other out. I know we all enjoy a deal and if I am slower at getting it than someone else then it is my loss and they should not feel bad about it because they got there first ! Good luck with vise hunting and game on! [emoji16][emoji108]


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[sandman54]

The price has already been paid for the Freedoms and Liberties we all enjoy by those who went before us... Strength and Honor Sandman

 

[va.grouseman]

I know what you meant Smoke, and I agree with that to.---Me and VISEs , Drivesitfar , Demoman, and several others have given and received alerts from each other.---Something I'm not particularly interested in I will pass on to a friend to ponder.---That works for everybody.---VISEs put me on a J. Allen anvil vise recently, I would have missed it.

My best example I can give of my previous post is back about 6 years ago I saw a Hollands 28 on CL Pittsburg for $1800.00.---I call the guy up and ask if he still has it and he said yes but the price was firm.---I asked had anyone else called about it and he said several had, and made offers, and would think about it and get back to him.---I asked if he was holding it for anyone and he said no, I said I'll take it.---Haven't seen another one come up for sale since then, but I don't go trucking around to estate sales like some of these other fellows do so they might can tell you of a sale of one they've seen.---I don't feel any remorse for snatching it from the fellows that had called prior to me.---This thing is huge and in real good shape to be an industrial vise.---It and my Reed 208 are my favorite.---Pittsburg is right up there in the Three Amigos' playground.

 

[Joefriday]

Morning gents.

Anyone familiar with a Prentiss 941? Anyone have any information on this?

Thank you.
Best,
Rob

 

[Shiftless]

That's a very unusual model. I can't quite imagine how a guy would mount that to a bench. I see the cornered fixed base, but can't see any mounting tabs. What's up with that flange on the back that looks like an upside down slide support?

EDIT:
Of course you guys are right...my quick glance misinterpreted the hunk of dead grass covered thing as something other than a mounting flange. My mistake.

 

[Joefriday]

Looks like mounting tabs in the usual places to me. One on the side and one on the rear.
No??

Not a great picture but its all I have.

 

[KMScott]

It's missing the side mount, maybe one is on the opposite side. BL00 came up with this image back in 2012. Found this link on FMC's spreadsheet.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2437314&postcount=8

 

[Joefriday]

Thank you for the picture.

Unless I'm going crazy I can see the mounting hole on the left side when the picture is enlarged..

Anyway, assuming that it's all in working order. Would this be a decent piece to try to pick up? Value?

Best,
Rob

 

[Joefriday]

Here's one similar (but with swivel jaw) that also does not have the support for the side mount.

 

[Smokeshow69]

I couldn't wait until I got home to post this. Hollands 26 in the front seat of my Camry. $60!



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I forget who made Hollands... Was it reed or prentiss? Either way it is a great vise!


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[gman007]

Thank you for the picture.

Unless I'm going crazy I can see the mounting hole on the left side when the picture is enlarged..

Anyway, assuming that it's all in working order. Would this be a decent piece to try to pick up? Value?

Best,
Rob

Rob
The drawing in the Ad might be a Lewis Tool Co. Bench Vise No. 41. I have attached two photos showing the model 41. While it is not clear what would be the relation between 41 and 941, they do look somewhat similar and related (except for the mounting ears)
007

 

[gman007]

Rob
The drawing in the Ad might be a Lewis Tool Co. Bench Vise No. 41. I have attached two photos showing the model 41. while it is not clear what would be relation between 41 and 941 but they do look somewhat similar and related (except for the mounting ears)
007

As far as price, if there is nothing else to go by, and assuming that if there is a relation between 941 and 41, and if a price on eprey is of any use to you in the first place, the 41 sold for $85 plus $33.29 shipping so for total of $118.29. So a good price may be half of that amount say around $50-$60 which will be also consistent with $1/lb rule of thumb as the 41 is presumably 53 lbs. Of course the same item on eprey might sell 3 times more one time and 1/3 times less another time.

And admittedly that is a lot of ifs and assumptions

Edit, actually I just noticed it the 41 did not sell on eprey but rather there were no takers.

 

[redvalkyrie]

As promised--my latest vises.

There's an Eron, American USAAF, and a smaller C-Man Columbian.

 

[G-ManBart]

I forget who made Hollands... Was it reed or prentiss? Either way it is a great vise!

I haven't researched this enough to be totally certain, but I think Hollands did the castings for Reed. The two simply finished their vises differently....no split nut or adjustable nut stop for Hollands, different spindle shapes, etc.

I say this because both were located in Erie, PA and I can only find evidence of Hollands having a foundry (online foundry database of past and present foundries). It may be they had a foundry and there is no historical record of it, but that seems hard to imagine for a company in business this long (121 years).

 

[autopts]

Are you getting this Gman700.---Did you read the last 9 posts.---We all hunt on posted land from time to time.--What makes it fair is that we all do it, so no one is without sin.---If your next door neighbor had a Reed 208, or 209, I'd buy it right out from under you if you didn't get there first, and I'd sleep like a baby that night.

Demoman came right down in my back yard and bought a 283 lb. post vise that I would kill for.---If he hadn't gotten it some speculator would have, that probably wouldn't have appreciated vises like Demo does.---Because I didn't know it was there, so it was fair game.

va Funny you should bring that up. A old member catalyst came up from Clovis NM to track down a 4C which was a long walk from me. He posted his pictorial road trip on GJ and got a terrific response. I had to chime in since we are good friends. He still has his collection and vise tree today.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

I remember paying about $75 for my swivel 938. The top bar was bent so I put the round piece in to hold it.
Is it just me or does it look like the one above was being used as a boat anchor

 

[jonhdw]

I just picked up this awesome Wilton 600S the other day. This thing is a lot bigger than I thought it would be! It's in pretty good shape, but It's probably a little too big for my needs so I'm not sure what I'll do with it. It's pretty cool either way though.

 

[ptgarcia]

Here's a 6" Prentiss for sale if anyone is looking:

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/tls/d/prentiss-6-bench-vise-156-lbs/6233158960.html

 

[Joefriday]

Thank you for the pictures, info and thoughts gents.

Shift..we call that grass camouflage in the business.

Best,
Rob

 

[jreb10]

I have not posted in a while as I am at the stage where I am very picky about any vise that I buy. But here is my latest story:

I am an early riser and I habitually check Craigslist every morning. A few days ago at 5:30 AM I see a posting from midnight describing a large heavy vise with 7 inch jaws. Here is the photo from the posting:



I try to figure out the maker but the jaws don't seem to match with the body. It sure looks like a USA-made vise. I get in touch with the poster and we meet mid-morning and I make the purchase. He says his father brought it home from the Burlington Northern Railroad shop where he worked when it closed down.

It's a Reed. And it's heavy. And it has 7 inch jaws. But there is no model number on it. I think it is a 207 perhaps? Here are a few pics:



Now the bad news. The jaws have been "added on" to the cast-in-place Reed jaws. It has been well done though. I'm not sure if the swivel base is original or has been modified, but who swivels a 7 inch Reed anyway?



Now the really bad news. The rear ends of the dovetail slots have in the past been broken about halfway along the nut. I can see what I think is a braze repair. Looking from the rear the right side is fine but left side has broken again.



I can't really remove the broken piece of braze as it is loose but captured in place. I am trying to decide how much of a functional problem this is, as the loose braze can't really move out of position and will be pressed down by the slide.

Still I am glad i bought it for $75.

 

[FSrepair&fabrication]

Heres a reed i traded a ac buzzbox welder to a buddy for. I have since tore it apart, stripped it down to bare metal, painted it flat black and anti siezed all the joints. It now rides on the back of my old welding truck.

 

[Shiftless]

Heres a reed i traded a ac buzzbox welder to a buddy for. I have since tore it apart, stripped it down to bare metal, painted it flat black and anti siezed all the joints. It now rides on the back of my old welding truck.

Maybe you're still working on a picture post, but as of now, we can't see your Reed. Maybe Im just a bit over cautious, but I would worry about a collectible vise sitting out on a truck bumper. One way security bolts?

 

[Bcom]

Found this odd oddball today. Its like the ******* child of a Milhoff and a Schum put together. Its pretty cruddy but I couldn't pass up its oddness. Unknown brand

 

[90zcar]

Can someone help me out here. I bought this old reed 104 1/2 months ago. I disassembled it and have no idea where or what held the handle in. I put it away somewhere and can't find it for the life of me now that I'm going to restore it.
Can someone that has one take a picture and tell me what goes in there. I'm assuming I'm missing some type of washer and set screw??
Here's the vise

I'm missing whatever goes in here




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[Boatman53]

You are missing a collar with a set screw. McMaster Carr might have what you need if you can't find the old one.
Jim

 

[Metal Basher]

Have acquired a number of vices and this one will receive a decent clean up and tweak. It's a Dawn 150 mm (6") SG (Super Grade). These are guaranteed unbreakable. Have taken out the jaw plates already to wire brush the gum out of the grip faces.

Whoops the image is upside down. Will have to change that.

 

[Shiftless]

Nice DAWN...I've never seen one over here in the wild.
Is there something about the metallurgy that makes it unbreakable? 60,000psi or something like that? Forged parts?

90zcar
As boatman said, you need one of these sized for your application.

 

[Metal Basher]

Nice DAWN...I've never seen one over here in the wild.
Is there something about the metallurgy that makes it unbreakable? 60,000psi or something like that? Forged parts?

90zcar
As boatman said, you need one of these sized for your application.

Hello there. They are cast Spheroidal Graphite or Ductile Iron. Not sure about the exact specs. I have been hammering and abusing Dawns for decades. They are tough buggers but a bold unbreakable guarantee claim nonetheless. Here is Dawn's website. http://www.dawntools.com.au/vices/Engineers-Vices-Cast

I have 7 Dawns. Three are offsets. One of them an 8" fabricated example.

 

[redvalkyrie]

For those of you that have to leave your vise outside in the elements how do you keep them from rusting completely away? I'm guessing good paint? Well oiled non-painted surfaces. A cover?

 

[WittHay]

For those of you that have to leave your vise outside in the elements how do you keep them from rusting completely away? I'm guessing good paint? Well oiled non-painted surfaces. A cover?

Here is a picture of a vise that came off a welding truck. They get a layer of dust, oil and rust on them, that helps protect them from the elements. Recently i got a new Wilton 6 1/2" tradesman for the back of a service truck, not much bare metal is exposed on them

 

[LesserSon]

Bought this Yost 203-1/2 yesterday while out with my dad. It looks a lot like his Reed 203, which has 3 patent dates, the last being 1914.
What age does that imply for the Yost?
There is no spindle head washer. Should there be one? Would it be an improvement to add one?
Answer: no. I tried a very thin washer and it was too much - caused the spindle head to bind.
Also, haven't gotten the swivel base off yet, for lack of a 1-1/4" socket to turn the swivel bolt. And the pin holding the spindle nut in the dovetail doesn't want to budge. Will I be able to drive it out from below once the swivel base is off? Or is it blind?
Answer: it does pass through. I was able to drive it out from the bottom, and back in from above.
Update: got it all apart, cleaned, and painted Rustoleum hammered deep green. Then a coat of BLO. I like the paint; it did exactly what it claimed (minimizing difference of appearance of rough and smooth areas), but there's already some dings from moving it while the paint cured. Probably the advice to use just BLO is sound.