The VISES of Garage Journal

[drivesitfar]

Tink: you seem to buy the interesting and unique ones that is for certain. i've yet to find one of the lever action Stephens vises and is that your first one or do you have a few?

thanks for posting pictures and letting us see some of your cool vises.

Wrench: i love those old ROCK ISLAND CRAFTSMAN vises and they are almost as nice as the 519x's which isn't maybe a surprise cause i think Rock Island vise company made those for Sears (Craftsman) too.

EDIT: sorry Wrench and All that craftsman was made by REED vise company for SEARS after they had been having Rock Island make their old vises pre WWII.

LIS: it looks like your friend has FSD (flat surface disease) like i do and sounds like a few others do. i'm still working on it as i GET ORGANIZED, but the items that don't have a spot seem to gather on the bench tops, floors, shelves and even car hoods at times.

ALL: hope you all have a great weekend planned even though it's starting to get cold and wet in most parts of the northern hemisphere.

cheers

 

[gman007]

wrench
That is a very nice craftsman, I wish I had one.
007

 

[drivesitfar]

007: you know i spoke badly cause you are right it's a REED Craftsman which i still like, but not quite as much as the Rock Island Craftsmans. The Long C had me thinking it was a Rock Island, but of course I knew it's a REED now. i think i was reading too many posts cause i have my page view set to 100 posts per page and this thread really flies some days.

cheers and good catch!!

i'll edit my post while leaving my mistake so your post is still valid.

 

[Smokeshow69]

As got in work-clothes a underlined craftsman 5186 in original prewar blue. I believe the script highlighted in silver is original to the piece too. Nice sharp cornered slide shows slightest abuse. Picked at sale yesterday.

Love this vise ! I like the original paint and patina! I would like to get one to complement my 519x vise eventually!


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[gman007]

Drives
I edited mine too
Cheers
007

 

[wrenchguy]

Decent reed 134 1/2R, picked at a sale couple weeks back.

 

[wrenchguy]

Nice craftsman 5162, I believe in original gray paint, slide dated 10 47. Picked at a sale couple weeks back.

 

[G-ManBart]

It is missing the whole bullet nose piece. Not just the end cap.

There really is no such thing as a "bullet nose" vise...especially since the part that's most round is the tail of the vise (the tail cap assembly). Wilton calls it a bullet because it's round, tapered and generally shaped like a bullet, but they have gotten slightly less so over time.

Yours is a later version after they did away with the tail cap assembly male plug that seats in the body of the vise. They were prone to cracking at the pins, so they tweaked the design to add a lot more mass behind the pins and switched to a plug that is completely enclosed within the body of the vise, covered by the much larger dust cap. It's a slightly stubbier profile, but is actually better in virtually every way except that the dust cover is much larger, and nobody really offers a replacement (even hard to find a freeze plug that big) and Wilton won't sell the dust cap by itself.

 

[gman007]

Nice craftsman 5162, I believe in original gray paint, slide dated 10 47. Picked at a sale couple weeks back.

wrench
Boy that is for sure another nice craftsman!

So based on the shape and the date stamp on the slide, I am guessing this might be of the Rock Island made craftsman vises that Drives mentioned just a few posts ago.
007

 

[wrenchguy]

it sure has the big rock island spindle/handle ball rock islands are famous 4. the body looks small compared to the spindle ball. thanks 4 commenting.

 

[slothfryk]

About time that I join this amazing thread!

I picked up a mechanics Wilton, that I think is a 645 before they were numbered. However, I'm already having a bit of buyers remorse.

Because I only do mechanics type work as a hobby, I didn't feel the need to throw down on a full Tradesman. I do really like the older models with the logo a cast in place, rather than the modern badges. Having found this model and a few like it on eBay, I was stoked with the classic anvil-look tail. What I only read about on here after my order was the possibility that the head stock could shift from the slide, and this one has. It's minor, but enough to bug me a little. I reviewed the listing, and if I look really close, with experience and hindsight, maybe I can see it. Hindsight being 20/20, I could have held my horses, and asked some questions, or for photos from a different angle. As it is, likely not a "deal breaker" for me.

I think I'll give it some electrolytic cleaning and fresh oil, see how I like it cleaned up. Hopefully I can continue to enjoy it for what it is; a cost effective alternative to the classic, that meets my current needs.

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[rusty65]

Found this neat little 2 1/2 jaw prentiss combo at a old wrecking yard underneath a old work bench. The vise lost its swivel base in the past and may have even been welded at the jaw but for $30 bucks I couldn’t pass it up. Also picked up a plain base 3 1/4 in jaw no 50 Prentiss with the old graffiti style writing on the same work bench managed to get that one for $40.





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[oldldh]

Decent reed 134 1/2R, picked at a sale couple weeks back...

Behold...

Your vice's...

Restored Brother!!!

(A lot of people don't like "Exposed Screw Vises"...But, these are as stout, as it gets...)

You've got a good one!!!!

 

[trijeff]

That one's a real beaut, olddh! A real beaut.

 

[FMC1959]

Decent reed 134 1/2R, picked at a sale couple weeks back.

Wrench, nice to see you posting on the vise thread again, and posting some nice vises to boot.

I have always loved that Reed; Prentiss has the Bulldog, this Reed should be called the Pitbull....nice vise

 

[wrenchguy]

Wrench, nice to see you posting on the vise thread again, and posting some nice vises to boot.

I have always loved that Reed; Prentiss has the Bulldog, this Reed should be called the Pitbull....nice vise

i been picking and choosing vises more now that i'm in the 70/80 vise range now. my scale is broke, what does the info page says it weighs? its damn heavy requiring 2 hand carry by these ol bones. that all 4 now. thanks 4 looking.

 

[twertsy]

Did quite a bit of work researching J. R. Long today. I'm pretty sure I've found all his patents, including 29 vises and 8 wrenches. You can see what I've found here: http://toolarchives.com/node/4217

 

[racinfarmer]

I wonder what color it will be...

 

[FMC1959]

i been picking and choosing vises more now that i'm in the 70/80 vise range now. my scale is broke, what does the info page says it weighs? its damn heavy requiring 2 hand carry by these ol bones. that all 4 now. thanks 4 looking.

I am showing 75 lbs, no slouch for a 4 1/2" jaws

 

[wrenchguy]

I am showing 75 lbs, no slouch for a 4 1/2" jaws

thank u.

 

[Bcom]

OLDLDH/WRENCHGUY----I dont particularly like exposed screw vises but that Reed is definitely a winner and i wouldnt have any problems owning and or using it

 

[Outlawmws]

That Reed is definitely a brute among open screw vises!

 

[Bcom]

Outlaw---- you're needing a new hat. Its that time of year.

 

[Outlawmws]

Nah, the fall colors are until after T-day at least.

 

[jimreed2160]

I put this vintage Parker back to work today in my grinding room.

It has patent date of 1854 stamped on the jaws.

 

[Shiftless]

I finished up my first versa vise project last week. Rustoleum regal red. With the help of others here on GJ, I printed up some replica stickers on glossy paper label stock. If you need one check my classified ad.

 

[gman007]

I finished up my first versa vise project last week. Rustoleum regal red. With the help of others here on GJ, I printed up some replica stickers on glossy paper label stock. If you need one check my classified ad.

Shift
Very nicely done! Looks great.

Have you considered using a clear coat over the sticker to protect the sticker ?
007

 

[MaverickDMD]

I have three actually - one each in my grinding room, my sanding room and my polishing room. They're awesome!

 

[Shiftless]

Shift
Very nicely done! Looks great.

Have you considered using a clear coat over the sticker to protect the sticker ?
007

Thanks 007,
I think that would be a good idea. Should I make a cardboard mask with an oval cut out to spray through? Any brush on coating would risk dissolving the ink on the sticker wouldn't it?

 

[gman007]

Thanks 007,
I think that would be a good idea. Should I make a cardboard mask with an oval cut out to spray through? Any brush on coating would risk dissolving the ink on the sticker wouldn't it?

Shift
I have always used spray. If you do not intend to use clear coat on the entire vise (and I know some folks hate the clear coat for various reasons ) , then obviously you have to mask the vise. I would also make sure that the paint is already cured very well for sometime so that none of the masking material (cardboard/newspaper/masking tape etc somehow sticks to the paint).

If you want to try this, I would also first just spray one of the extra stickers that you have to make sure there is no adverse effect even with the spray.
007

 

[KMScott]

Someone posted a vise a while back that locked when tightened. It did not have a lock down handle and was tall in the middle section. I added a patent image. If the owner would post the pictures again then both Twertsy and I would appreciate it. John R. Long invented this vise along with the first Versa Vise like this Jacobson. Thanks in advance.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Was it this one ?

 

[ALLFAST]

Slothfreak,

As long as you didn't get mauled with shipping that is a decent lottle.vise flr.your purposes. I always look at the robustness of the hold down clamps on these types, and yours looks better than the usual token little piece. These run about 75 to 120 in my area when they do surface.

Shawn

 

[KMScott]

No but that looks like another one of John L Longs vises. Thanks Get, I added the patent photo of the Versa Vise type.

 

[ALLFAST]

I believe this is called a Jordans or Jacobs anvil vise ? It's for sale on Asheville, NC CL for under 300. It has more photos detailing the lathe like gearing and handle system. It's an interesting piece, and is from a Chicago manufacturer IIRC.

Shawn

 

[GETRIDAONE]

That is a Stewart handy worker.

 

[Shiftless]

Here is another unusual one for sale on C/L. This has the Wilton W on the front jaw.
Has the height of a coach builder vise but the jaw inserts look machinist.
I have never seen one of these before and have no idea if $400 is a fair price. We all know that just because something is rare it isn't always very valuable. I would have picked it up for $50 at a garage sale.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/atq/d/wilton-vise/6393655437.html

 

[scooternut]

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[Shiftless]

scooternut:
I know what it is.

Major league score!

 

[scooternut]

[emoji15] it's headed home!




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