Columbian 604 Vise Restoration

[Fedelis]

Columbian 604 Vise Restoration Blog

Howdy all,

Long time lurker, first time sharing in the addiction.

I tried to find this information by searching but many of the threads are dated, have broken links, weren't helpful.

My wife and I just bought our first house, and I'm looking to build a workbench. We came across this Columbian #604 vise and I snatched it up. I'm looking to restore it and mount it on my bench. I have a few questions:

1) is there any way to verify the age? From what I gathered in my research, the curved logo Columbian vises pre-date the 1960s

2) did these ever have a factory color? I like the naked gray look.


Here is my "plan of attack"

Cleaning
I don't have many "restoration" tools like a bench wire wheel or angle grinder. My plan was to hopefully find a neighbor with one. I was going to disassemble it and take it to and DIY car wash and pressure wash everything down and let it dry in the sun on the driveway. Then hit with simple green and a Brillo pad or drill mounted wire wheel. I want to remove surface junk and rust but keep patina.

Any suggestions?

Fixing
The screw bar is slightly bent. Any ideas on how to straighten it? I wish I had a press like some youtubers have.

Plant to live with anti-seize.


Paint
I actually was going to leave this one gray. What's the best coating to keep away rust? I've heard some clear coat with bullseye shellac or pastewax.

I might buff the bar for swivel and jaws to be a bit shinny.


Mounting
Im working on building a wall mounted workbench similar to the one pictured below: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d4/73/8c/d4738c9944defc61c04455a1de3d6811.jpg

I'm worried that mounting this 44lb beast might have stability problems, but I'd like to have a trestle style bench for floor access.

Thoughts?

Thanks for your help and wisdom. More to come!

 

[Fedelis]

Short update. Planning on disassembly and cleaning next weekend.

In digging around for historical information, I found the attached catalogue clipping with some information on the vise, but still nothing solid to date mine.

The plan is still to use some simple green and a Brillo and hosing down the parts before looking at fixing the screw bars and polishing them. Still researching best way to bend them back to perfectly straight. They're not far off so I may leave as is.

Anyone have information on the factory color used on Columbian vises? I'm liking the deep metal gray on the vise. I'm considering using some Rustoleum hammered gray to repaint.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Ole....+Protective+Enamel+Hammered+Gray+Spray+Paint

 

[454ragtop]

Color should be whatever you like, I think that color will be fine. Not a big deal to blow a vise apart and repaint for whatever reason, so don't sweat it too much. In your first post you mention a bent screw bar, I assume you mean the handle used for tightening or loosening the vise? I usually straighten these in a couple minutes with a hammer, need something solid like an anvil to work them on, might be able to do it on a real solid block of wood, though I haven't tried.

 

[Carla]

Short update. Planning on disassembly and cleaning next weekend.

In digging around for historical information, I found the attached catalogue clipping with some information on the vise, but still nothing solid to date mine.

The plan is still to use some simple green and a Brillo and hosing down the parts before looking at fixing the screw bars and polishing them. Still researching best way to bend them back to perfectly straight. They're not far off so I may leave as is.

Anyone have information on the factory color used on Columbian vises? I'm liking the deep metal gray on the vise. I'm considering using some Rustoleum hammered Gary to repaint.

You have one of the high quality Columbian 'malleable iron' vises, of which they made a great many, from the mid-1920's to the mid-'50's. Until sometime in the late '40's or early '50's, they were given a thin coat of semi-gloss black enamel.

After that, the Columbian works used a thin coat of a medium 'industrial' or 'generic' grey. (Quality of paintwork was, seemingly, never a priority with vise manufacturers, generally)

cheers

Carla

 

[turbowoodworker]

I think I saw that same photo on the High Point CL, No?
Nice vise.

 

[1982fxr]

Any color you like

 

[Fedelis]

You have one of the high quality Columbian 'malleable iron' vises, of which they made a great many, from the mid-1920's to the mid-'50's. Until sometime in the late '40's or early '50's, they were given a thin coat of semi-gloss black enamel.

After that, the Columbian works used a thin coat of a medium 'industrial' or 'generic' grey. (Quality of paintwork was, seemingly, never a priority with vise manufacturers, generally)

cheers

Carla

Thanks for the information! That’s really helpful.

I know that I can paint it any color, but I’m torn between restoring it back to factory “OEM” color, or leaving it “naked” as is with patina and covering in BLO or pastewax. As I clean all the surface grime off, hoplefully I’ll be able to ID if it was painted black or medium gray. My hunch is this is a “post-War” Columbian.

I think I saw that same photo on the High Point CL, No?
Nice vise.

I actually found it in Liberty, NC at the big antique fair they do there twice a year. My wife actually spotted it before me.

 

[Fedelis]

Color should be whatever you like, I think that color will be fine. Not a big deal to blow a vise apart and repaint for whatever reason, so don't sweat it too much. In your first post you mention a bent screw bar, I assume you mean the handle used for tightening or loosening the vise? I usually straighten these in a couple minutes with a hammer, need something solid like an anvil to work them on, might be able to do it on a real solid block of wood, though I haven't tried.

Yes, sorry, had my terminology messed up. I’m worried that pounding on the bar will create flats on the bar as I fix the bend. I also don’t gave an anvil surface.

 

[Fedelis]

Happy Weekend Gents,

I’ve disassembled the vise almost completely. I can’t get the dynamic jaw all the way out of the static jaw. I’ve loaded her up with WD40 and used a block of wood on the back, but can’t seem to drive it all the way free. I’ve removed the main screw and put it back in to try and work some oil inside. Still no luck.

Any advice?

 

[Fretters]

Check for high spots or burrs on the back end of the slide, and either file, scrape or sand them down.

 

[jimreed2160]

Stuck slide? The slide had to travel the same way when it was made so something changed to make it bind up. My guess is that the end of the slide was pounded on or the vise was dropped. Check the end of the screw for damage and then CAREFULLY file the end of the dynamic slide. One or two swipes for each side should be enough to find high spots. OR the high spot could be near the front. Tighten jaw to jaw and check a few inches into the slide. Someone may have pounded on it like an anvil and deformed the top corners.

A little detective work should have that thing out in no time. Good luck.

 

[Fedelis]

Looks like that’s exactly what it was. I took a brilo pad and simple green and cleaned off the slide to find plenty of dings hidden under the gunk.

Going to spend some time carefully filing and see if she will slip out.

Shame the ol’ girl was abused.

 

[jimreed2160]

Previous owner was a very bad boy...

 

[Fedelis]

Can anyone help me with some markings on the vice? Attached pictures and links to higher res.

Dynamic Jaw: has a “Z” stamped on the underside. Any idea what it represents?
http://i.imgur.com/7rgZbMg.jpg

Base of swivel: underside has 604-3, assuming that’s the model. Could -3 be a variant or model version?

There is also a circle E underneath followed by what appears to be a lower case “d” or “1”

15/16 size nut is marked with “F - C”

http://i.imgur.com/zFNumPB.jpg

Static Jaw Main Screw Nut: The peice that nests inside the static Jaw has a “41” on it. Could this be year of manufacture?

http://i.imgur.com/Oj8icqF.jpg

Reverse side has an “M” in a box, above the number 3. Could M be for malleable iron? No idea about the 3, but it matches 3 under the base?