The VISES of Garage Journal

[Unruh]

So I bought a Harbor Freight workbench off of Craigslist. New In the box for $50! I was checking on Mods people had done to theirs and one thing many did was use a different end vise. Is this what others have found as well and if so any suggestions?

 

[BMR24]

So I bought a Harbor Freight workbench off of Craigslist. New In the box for $50! I was checking on Mods people had done to theirs and one thing many did was use a different end vise. Is this what others have found as well and if so any suggestions?

For a harbour freight workbench I'd start with bracing and then replace the vise that you use most first.

 

[02superduty]

Thanks FMC for the info. It has some battle scars but it will clean up nice.
va the anvil is in great shape. Now I need to make a proper stand and squeeze it in my garage.

 

[exmaxima1]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

A belated "Happy Halloween"

 

[bluebolt]

That is one of the last true Reed's....oval Reed emblem & all being 100 series, "N" for stationary and "S" for swivel base. Strictly a guess but figure they started late 50's or mid 60's and ran till maybe late 80's to mid 90's. Then somewhere thereafter, Columbian (owned by Wilton today) began OEMing them for Reed.

I think you are close on your timeline. I myself thing oval logo in mid 60's and going to the Columbian made vises in the 80's. I have a early Reed Columbian 508 (8" wide jaw fixed base) that is simply a Reed oval logo metal tag riveted over the raised Columbian logo.

 

[Bcom]

A belated "Happy Halloween"

Exmax---- that is an awesome color scheme. You did very well on the choices for that restore!

 

[bluebolt]

Non-Magnetic Aluminum? Wilton 935 Bullet Vice

I put the vise, complete with swivel base, on a newer but cheap analog dial bathroom scale and it weighed in consistently at 13 pounds.

Parts that are Non-Magnetic
Dynamic Jaw / round tube (one piece like a regular bullet)
Static Jaw / vise body
Swivel base

Parts that are Magnetic (seem to be steel but who knows)
Handle, Spindle, Horshoe Washer and screws
Main nut in vise body that receives spindle
Flat slide / key that runs length of Dynamic Jaw tube where date stamp is usually located
Jaws and screws
End Cap
Bolts and Acorn nuts for Swivel base

Was there a specific task or job these vises were predominantly used for?
Or were they just a tool needed in a non-spark environment?

Still trying to figure this thing out.
A knowledgeable old friend had once suggested it was maybe for an aircraft?
Or possibly ship or boat for weight savings?
It seems if it were for a non spark environment, it wouldn’t have any steel?

VA- Wow! Awesome bronze vises! Jewelry!

A large piston engine military aircraft seems possible, they would want it at as light as possible. Those aircraft were much more labor intensive then newer jet aircraft and the B-36 you could even crawl inside the wing inflight to work on some stuff!

Now aluminum or magnesium, hard to say. From a 1950 catalog page I found a 935 swivel base had a shipping weight of 40 pounds.

Steel and iron are both about 490 pounds per cubic foot. Aluminum is 168 and magnesium is 108.

It would be easier if I had a weight of just the non magnetic components.

Lets say 6 pounds for main screw, jaw inserts and other magnetic stuff. That means the other parts are 7 pounds for the lightweight Wilton and 34 pounds for the iron one.

Iron is 2.9 times as heavy as aluminum. 34 pounds would convert to 11.7 pounds.

Iron is 4.5 times as heavy as magnesium. 34 pounds would convert to 7.5 pounds.

Obviously I don't have the exact weights to accurately calculate it but it looks like the lightweight Wilton is Magnesium!

 

[bluebolt]

AND...it already sold for $500.00.

I may be tempted to sell my even earlier baby in similar condition for that much money!

 

[Shiftless]

bluebolt:
My 935 with the swivel base weighs in at 40 pounds
date code 1978

 

[Username already in use]

I visited the recycling yard today to drop off some aluminum cans and some lead acid batteries. Found a big 'ol Columbian No 1525 drill press vise just waiting to be brought home.

28# Columbian vise at $0.50 per # cost me $14
I got $12.50 in batteries and $1.25 in aluminum.
Net cost was $0.25

Going to put this back to work along with the vintage Delta 17" DP I bought 2 weeks ago.

 

[sandman54]

The Legends new perch, gosh what a peach of a vise! Oh a quick shout out to Crotalus for the power arm! Sandman

 

[scooternut]

Just because.


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[Jp267]

Just because.


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[emoji482][emoji106]

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[Smokeshow69]

[emoji482][emoji106]

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'Merica !


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[Rileysan]

I am starting my next restoration project - a Reed No. 931, 3 1/2" vise. I picked this up last summer for $40 from an estate sale.

The slide had been hammered-on a bit, so when I couldn't get the dynamic jaw to separate from the base, I was concerned it was because the end of the slide was peened or bent. But after closer inspection, I realized the tolerances were so tight, the paint on the end of the slide was preventing me from pulling it apart. So I got out a die grinder with a wire-wheel, cleaned up the slide and it pulled right out. I also used the wire wheel on the lettering so the pictures would show them clearly.

Anyways, that was as far as I got today as I was recruited for another task. Tomorrow I will finish disassembly and put it in the electrolysis tank.

Kevin, if you're reading this, have you made pipe jaws to fit one of these before?

Brian

 

[KMScott]

Kevin, if you're reading this, have you made pipe jaws to fit one of these before?

Brian

I do not think I have, I did make a set for a small Reed, give me the thickness, height and a guess at the length of the pipe jaws since I have a set sitting by my computer in my shop.

Your vise has not been added to the Spreadsheet, can you send me a note with the weight and max opening. My opinion on max opening is measuring what length of the square slide is behind the Static when the vise is closed.

 

[akasrick]

My opinion on max opening is measuring what length of the square slide is behind the Static when the vise is closed.

KMScott Thank you for that! The Stanley741 when the Dynamic is opened flush with the body it is jaw to jaw 1+3/4". It could sit on the opposite side of a 745 and hold something maxed out at 2+3/8. With that guideline (benchmark?) it is 1+5/8.

akasrick

 

[drivesitfar]

Riley: another nice REED you found and of course it's missing it's pipe jaws. i bet the pipe jaws for the 31 that has the old style swivel and wing nut probably would fit your REED, but sadly my 31's pipe jaws are MIA also.

I think VA makes his pipe jaws by hand in case you want to do a search for some that he made for his brass Columbians.

good luck on the restoration.

 

[Hiatt1991]

I am starting my next restoration project - a Reed No. 931, 3 1/2" vise. I picked this up last summer for $40 from an estate sale.

The slide had been hammered-on a bit, so when I couldn't get the dynamic jaw to separate from the base, I was concerned it was because the end of the slide was peened or bent. But after closer inspection, I realized the tolerances were so tight, the paint on the end of the slide was preventing me from pulling it apart. So I got out a die grinder with a wire-wheel, cleaned up the slide and it pulled right out. I also used the wire wheel on the lettering so the pictures would show them clearly.

Anyways, that was as far as I got today as I was recruited for another task. Tomorrow I will finish disassembly and put it in the electrolysis tank.

Kevin, if you're reading this, have you made pipe jaws to fit one of these before?

Brian

Awesome vise. Those Reeds always come out looking spectacular with the highlighting on the letters.

 

[rusty65]

Mix of American pride with a couple Germans thrown in.






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[G-ManBart]

A quick cleanup/cosmetic refresh was all this 1948 stamped 4" HD needed. It already had at least two coats of paint on it, so I didn't feel bad about stripping and repainting it.

 

[TinkTinkForge]

Nice! Love the smalls! And the small leg vise on the bench

 

[Zeppelin1021]

Bluebolt- Thanks for putting the time in to figure that out, haha. IOU a cold one if you are ever in southern Maryland!
I had originally thought of magnesium but only because of the finish and color.
Someone on here and had suggested that magnesium would’ve been more difficult to cast and take more time to finish.
From what you’re saying I believe it is magnesium tok
When I get a minute I’ll try to break it down and take everything magnetic off and weigh again.
Great info
Thanks Again!

 

[Rileysan]

Here are more pictures today of the work I completed today.

After disassembly, I brushed paint remover on the vise parts and let it sit for a couple hours. There were some areas that the paint removed didn't work on, but I eventually got it all off.

I took some close-up photos to show how rough the casting surface really is after you remove all the paint. This is typical of all ferrous castings (I work in the industry). Of particular interest is the lettering. If you look closely, you can see that there is an area around the patent lettering as well as the Reed MFG lettering that is square and recessed. That is caused by the placards not being flush with the mold surface.

I decided to clean up some of the casting flaws so I took some time with an angle grinder and a well-worn flapper disc. It does a great job of cleaning the casting surface without taking too much material off.

Tomorrow is College FB day so I probably won't make much more progress

Brian

 

[RivennHewn]

How common is this one?

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/tls/d/parker-bench-vise/6372978856.html

 

[Rileysan]

I do not think I have, I did make a set for a small Reed, give me the thickness, height and a guess at the length of the pipe jaws since I have a set sitting by my computer in my shop.

Your vise has not been added to the Spreadsheet, can you send me a note with the weight and max opening. My opinion on max opening is measuring what length of the square slide is behind the Static when the vise is closed.

I will get you those measurements as well as record all the vital stats.

A quick question - Do you know if this vise is supposed to have a thrust washer on one or both sides of the nose of the dynamic jaw? I didn't think about taking a picture until now, but the nose of the dynamic is showing a bit of wear. The last two vises I restored (including a Reed) both had a brass washer between the nob of the screw and the nose of the jaw.


Thanks!

Riley: another nice REED you found and of course it's missing it's pipe jaws. i bet the pipe jaws for the 31 that has the old style swivel and wing nut probably would fit your REED, but sadly my 31's pipe jaws are MIA also.

I think VA makes his pipe jaws by hand in case you want to do a search for some that he made for his brass Columbians.

good luck on the restoration.

Thank you, Drives. I haven't had much luck with pipe jaws on pretty much every vise I own.

 

[tool_scrounge]

How common is this one?

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/tls/d/parker-bench-vise/6372978856.html

Not all that uncommon. I see them from time to time. That one still has the original style wrap around jaws and a leadscrew retainer plate, so it looks to be an early one. The last of them had no retaining plate and standard vise jaws. I have heard them described as heavy vises but not as finished or polished as the original Parkers.

 

[Shiftless]

I just bought a FINE vise for $10.
Fine Products of Chicago IL.
3 1/2 inch jaws and looks to be a low mileage example. One of the pipe jaws is even still there!
Likely an Asian import but old enough to maybe be from one of the better foundries.

(sorry about the poor quality photo...it's all I have for now, the vise is a couple hundred miles away.)

 

[KMScott]

I will get you those measurements as well as record all the vital stats.

A quick question - Do you know if this vise is supposed to have a thrust washer on one or both sides of the nose of the dynamic jaw? I didn't think about taking a picture until now, but the nose of the dynamic is showing a bit of wear. The last two vises I restored (including a Reed) both had a brass washer between the nob of the screw and the nose of the jaw.


Thanks!

Thanks with the Vise spec:s and future pic's of the finished vise that will be added to the spreadsheet. I already added your vise just missing a few numbers. I made pipe jaws for a Reed CP 33 and happy to donate my spares if they will work. I kicked one off the surface grinder and have to find it.
The only vise I have seen with bronze washers are the Columbians. Parker added hard shim steel washers but I believe it was more for eliminating backlash. Yours maybe should have one if there is a pretty good gap or backlash. Through experience I have seen that the wear areas need to be cleaned up by machining and the face of the spindle needs to be squared up on a lathe. The wear area is never wore flat. I add Bronze washer's to many of my restores on the outside and machine the inside where the collar is so it rubs 360 degrees and rarely add a collar there but a great idea. Then adjust the collar for minimum backlash. Good luck on your restore, looks like a great vise.

 

[AngryBeaver]

Thanks with the Vise spec:s and future pic's of the finished vise that will be added to the spreadsheet. I already added your vise just missing a few numbers. I made pipe jaws for a Reed CP 33 and happy to donate my spares if they will work. I kicked one off the surface grinder and have to find it.
The only vise I have seen with bronze washers are the Columbians. Parker added hard shim steel washers but I believe it was more for eliminating backlash. Yours maybe should have one if there is a pretty good gap or backlash. Through experience I have seen that the wear areas need to be cleaned up by machining and the face of the spindle needs to be squared up on a lathe. The wear area is never wore flat. I add Bronze washer's to many of my restores on the outside and machine the inside where the collar is so it rubs 360 degrees and rarely add a collar there but a great idea. Then adjust the collar for minimum backlash. Good luck on your restore, looks like a great vise.

I've shimmed a few of mine. Most don't have any washers or shims other than Columbians and most aren't square on either the spindle or the dynamic. Too tight makes them bind in spots from the surfaces not being true.


Could you snap a pic of your Starrett 924 collar when you get a chance? Mine has more than what I feel acceptable backlash and it's due to the spring loaded collar.

 

[va.grouseman]

Here's one that don't pop up to often.---Believe I'll jump in at about $250.00 and ride to about $300.00 and then jump off.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vtg-Baby-W...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

[KMScott]

Could you snap a pic of your Starrett 924 collar when you get a chance? Mine has more than what I feel acceptable backlash and it's due to the spring loaded collar.

Here pic's of my 924-1/2 Starrett.

 

[chrisnazzy]

I've shimmed a few of mine. Most don't have any washers or shims other than Columbians and most aren't square on either the spindle or the dynamic. Too tight makes them bind in spots from the surfaces not being true.


Could you snap a pic of your Starrett 924 collar when you get a chance? Mine has more than what I feel acceptable backlash and it's due to the spring loaded collar.

I was going to ask about that. The Athol 624N I'm working on has the big spring and cotter pin. My Rock Islands of course have a standard set screw collar and while they have little to no backlash, I find the Athol to have absolutely zero backlash and a what seems to be a nice "tension" on the rotating assembly.

Are there other vise manufacturers that used the spring method or is that an Athol thing? For those of you who have been working on vises for awhile, do you find the spring loaded collar to be a feature or a drawback to these vises?

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[Rileysan]

Thanks with the Vise spec:s and future pic's of the finished vise that will be added to the spreadsheet. I already added your vise just missing a few numbers. I made pipe jaws for a Reed CP 33 and happy to donate my spares if they will work. I kicked one off the surface grinder and have to find it.
The only vise I have seen with bronze washers are the Columbians. Parker added hard shim steel washers but I believe it was more for eliminating backlash. Yours maybe should have one if there is a pretty good gap or backlash. Through experience I have seen that the wear areas need to be cleaned up by machining and the face of the spindle needs to be squared up on a lathe. The wear area is never wore flat. I add Bronze washer's to many of my restores on the outside and machine the inside where the collar is so it rubs 360 degrees and rarely add a collar there but a great idea. Then adjust the collar for minimum backlash. Good luck on your restore, looks like a great vise.

I mentioned the last two I restored having washers and one was a Columbian-made Craftsman vise (with a bronze washer like those in your photo) and the other was a Reed-made Craftsman 5180 vise with a steel washer that was truly a "thrust washer" (photo given for reference).



As I get more into full restorations, I'm sure I'll discover more idiosyncrasies of the different vise makers. Up to this point, I had only ever cleaned up and oiled the vises I acquired, so have missed some of those important details.

As for this one, I'm going to "machine" the nose of the dynamic jaw because it is worn unevenly, as you mentioned being your experience. And by "machine", I will be using a flat flat and sandpaper to true and polish the surface.

Thanks for the information!

Brian

 

[Fretters]

Are there other vise manufacturers that used the spring method or is that an Athol thing? For those of you who have been working on vises for awhile, do you find the spring loaded collar to be a feature or a drawback to these vises?

Pretty much a standard setup on nearly all English, non QR vices.

 

[FMC1959]

How common is this one?

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/tls/d/parker-bench-vise/6372978856.html

Very common, it is the progeny of a Parker 974....probably a 974A or B. The Parker 974 and Reed 104 might be the most common of the old American vises.

Definitely not worth the $225 he is asking, at best $50.....or less.

 

[bluebolt]

Here's one that don't pop up to often.---Believe I'll jump in at about $250.00 and ride to about $300.00 and then jump off.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vtg-Baby-W...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

$300 is only about half of what it goes for. My prediction is $625.

 

[chrisnazzy]

Pretty much a standard setup on nearly all English, non QR vices.

Thanks Fretters....I'm just getting into vise restoration and I definitely haven't even seen let alone disassembled an English made vise yet.

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[drivesitfar]

ALL: anybody want to guess what make and size this vise is? i think the back foot has been replaced with a thicker piece and really not a very good welding job or what do you all think? it's cheap enough i'd probably buy it for a parts vise, but i've been moving both my daughters this week and don't have time to stop by to see this. it also snowed here yesterday which was pretty strange cause it's barely getting below freezing yet.

Riv: i'm not a big fan of PARKERS and even less of a fan of the Union made Parker vises, but that said that vise you posted doesn't look like it's in great shape and the price is about double what i usually sell those for if i find one cause i don't keep those. if you need a big old vise just PM or email me and I should have something to trade or sell to you. if you want a big 6 inch 150 pound dirty Columbian for the price that guy is asking for his little 4 inch 65 pounder just ask.

 

[Rileysan]

ALL: anybody want to guess what make and size this vise is? i think the back foot has been replaced with a thicker piece and really not a very good welding job or what do you all think? it's cheap enough i'd probably buy it for a parts vise, but i've been moving both my daughters this week and don't have time to stop by to see this. it also snowed here yesterday which was pretty strange cause it's barely getting below freezing yet.

Between 4" & 5". It looks like a nice vise, but I see no markings. It reminds me of the "standard" vise I own. That, or a Columbian.

Brian