The VISES of Garage Journal

[CRSINMICH]

I’m sure you’re joking CRS...
Paramos are great vises and that one would fill the weather raking needs of 99% of GJ guys. Dyed in the wool made in USA folk would object to the made in England part but still...

I've told you before that it's easy to tell when I'm joking; I'm either speaking or writing - like now! I've also said that if a good vise fell in my lap I'd catch it. The Paramo missed by about 50 miles. I was tempted though.

 

[Bunk]

I would offer him $50-$100 and take it of his hands but it is too far for me drive

I just texted the guy with an offer for that vice - he's looking to get $250 OBO now for it. Says it fully functional and damage free. I'm not interested in it for that much.

Besides, I have a No. 5 that just showed up on my doorstep last night to refinish. Details to come in the Repair 101 thread.

 

[gman007]

I just texted the guy with an offer for that vice - he's looking to get $250 OBO now for it. Says it fully functional and damage free. I'm not interested in it for that much.

Besides, I have a No. 5 that just showed up on my doorstep last night to refinish. Details to come in the Repair 101 thread.

Asking for $250 but also crying take it off my hand (well the hand seems to have super glue or Gorilla glue on it and is stuck to the vise).

 

[va.grouseman]

CRS, you must have a pretty strict set of parameters you've set for yourself.---A 6'' Paramo is on a lot of fellows short list.---I don't think 50 miles would have hindered most.---Shift said he has relegated himself to generally a one hour drive for the hunt, but I bet even he would step out of bounds a little for that one.---But that 12 mil., that's a deal breaker.

 

[CRSINMICH]

CRS, you must have a pretty strict set of parameters you've set for yourself.---A 6'' Paramo is on a lot of fellows short list.---I don't think 50 miles would have hindered most.---Shift said he has relegated himself to generally a one hour drive for the hunt, but I bet even he would step out of bounds a little for that one.---But that 12 mil., that's a deal breaker.

I'm trying hard to thin the herd and it's hard to do that if I keep buying the darn things. Lines have to be drawn. My goal is to have only vises that are examples of a type and I already own an English vise. I know, I know, that's weak but there you have it. Now if that guy in Algonac had been selling that Paramo three weeks ago I could have gotten in a little ice fishing on Lake St. Clair and that would have been another reason to go. Probably would have tipped the scale.

 

[Bcom]

I'm really hoping someone in here gets that Pittsburgh vise on Ebay. I bet it goes over $3k as well. I wish there was a Vises of Garage Journal community trophy case. Where everyone can donate to purchase a rare vise and it could be displayed in a case for everyone to see. Really really hope someone in here gets it and isn't afraid to share it with the rest of us

 

[va.grouseman]

I'm trying hard to thin the herd and it's hard to do that if I keep buying the darn things. Lines have to be drawn. My goal is to have only vises that are examples of a type and I already own an English vise. I know, I know, that's weak but there you have it. Now if that guy in Algonac had been selling that Paramo three weeks ago I could have gotten in a little ice fishing on Lake St. Clair and that would have been another reason to go. Probably would have tipped the scale.

CRS, the judges say they will accept that answer.

 

[BMR24]

Does anyone know if Reed date stamped their vises? I have one with 4 98 stamped on the left side of the dynamic jaw and 49 8 stamped on the left side of the static jaw. There is also an upside down and diagonal 1021 stamped on the left side of the static jaw. Just curious if anyone knows what these stamps represent.

 

[Outlawmws]

Aw, Dang, I would have sold my 6" Paramo for 12M; I started to get excited!

 

[XJSuperman]

Ok, ran over and grabbed this from Craigslist tonight. 4.5" jaws, made in USA, and vXX stamping. I love it. Ugly original green paint. I wiped it down and cleaned it with wd40 and brakklean where necessary and greased it back up. Smooth as butter.

I got it and a pair of 3ton jackstands for 15 bucks. Jackstands are already sold to a friend, so the vise was free!

 

[drivesitfar]

BMR: as far as I know REED never dated their old vises. that said I haven't bought or looked at any of their newer ones to say whether they do or don't now. any pictures of your Reed so maybe we can have a look?

XJ: glad you gave it a good home and if you want to straighten the handle it's pretty soft so do it carefully in a press or maybe a few hammer blows with it on or in some blocking. or leave it be and just use it if you say it's working fine as is.

 

[Colin Len]

Does anyone have a Wilton Tradesman 1755 vise they can take some measurements of (basic X by Y by Z)?

I was set on getting a 1745 but just found I can get the 1755 + a small sledge hammer for less money. I don't NEED a bigger vise so I want to make sure going bigger to save $ isn't a dumb idea.

I did look for dimensions online but didn't find any on Wilton's site and found conflicting info elsewhere.

 

[BMR24]

Drives it's an older 204 with the round ball. I wonder if those stamps represent the line worker or something?

Here is a before pic, I can only add one with this device, I'll post up more when it's complete

 

[drivesitfar]

BMR: that's a pre WWII vise and I guess the #'s must be part #'s.

nice find!!

 

[SRU1436]

I need help, photo bucket doesn't seem to be working and I want to post a picture of a Reed 406 I got. How are you guys posting pictures? Thanks.

 

[drivesitfar]

SRU: there are several ways to download pictures onto a thread on GJ and I just click on the paperclip just above where we write our posts. since GJ changed server companies i have to download 2 at a time, but i can still get 7 pictures per post. some of the guys using there cell phones or Ipads only can download one at a time so see if this helps and we'd love to see that 406.

good luck

 

[SRU1436]

https://i.imgur.com/AKJ2jTr.jpg

 

[SRU1436]

https://i.imgur.com/AKJ2jTr.jpg

 

[SRU1436]

ugh, bear with me....

 

[SRU1436]

ugh, bear with me....

 

[SRU1436]

 

[SRU1436]

 

[SRU1436]

The ends of the handles are rough, I'll clean those up and see how they look. I can't get the pin out from the swivel jaws. I put it in an electrolysis tank, and used PBlaster for a week with not luck. Its been a PITA so far. Any or suggestions?

 

[drivesitfar]

SRU: there are several ways to remove (or try to) a stuck pin on a swivel jaw vise. yours almost looks like it might have been hammered in so it might be a bit tough to remove.

over on the vise repair 101 thread in Vintage tools Shift(less) removed a stuck pin that was also a PITA on his Reed 406 maybe 6 months ago so do a search or post up a few pics over there on that thread and ask for help.

good luck and have you weighed your 406?

 

[SRU1436]

I haven't weighed it but let me tell you it was HEAVY as F..K!! It was heavier than my Reed 106R for sure. Ill with it when I'm done restoring it. Thanks for the input, ill check out the other thread.

 

[AngryBeaver]

Does anyone have a Wilton Tradesman 1755 vise they can take some measurements of (basic X by Y by Z)?

I was set on getting a 1745 but just found I can get the 1755 + a small sledge hammer for less money. I don't NEED a bigger vise so I want to make sure going bigger to save $ isn't a dumb idea.

I did look for dimensions online but didn't find any on Wilton's site and found conflicting info elsewhere.

I can get you rough dimensions in the morning when I'm at work. this is a 1755 compared to a 1760 in the first pic. the second pic is a 1750 compared to a 1760 . third pic is a 1755 (shiny) compared to an older 1765.

the 1740 and 1745 are the same physical dimensions with the exception of the wider jaws, same goes for the 1750/1755 and then the 1760/1765. the 1750/1755 is about the physical size of a 4" bullet.

the 1750/1755 is a great size for 99% of the work most people will do. id take the 1755 over the 1745 any day. neither is a huge vise, but the 1745 is on the smaller side.

 

[Provincial]

The ends of the handles are rough, I'll clean those up and see how they look. I can't get the pin out from the swivel jaws. I put it in an electrolysis tank, and used PBlaster for a week with not luck. Its been a PITA so far. Any or suggestions?

I removed the pin from a Reed 305.5 recently by using a flat ram porta-power cylinder and a short piece of 1/2" round bar as an extension. I added heat from a weed burner torch and smacked the swivel casting near the pin with a copper-faced hammer. When it broke loose, it went almost 20 feet in the air, so wear your hard hat as well as the other safety gear!

Here is a thread on that project. First post is #5347. The short ram is shown in post #5358. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6929050#post6929050

 

[BMR24]

Drives thank you, it's pretty cool to know that this Vise is pre WWII, I'm still confused on patent dates, I thought I read that they expired every 25 years, so a vise would be only 25 years newer than the earliest date on it, but I also think I read that manufacturers could keep their patents on their vises however long they wanted?

SRU nice Reed, I'd try some penetrating oil on that pin for a day or so and then try and drift it out with a dowel first. Sometimes they come right out and there is no need to get elaborate

 

[gman007]

Drives thank you, it's pretty cool to know that this Vise is pre WWII, I'm still confused on patent dates, I thought I read that they expired every 25 years, so a vise would be only 25 years newer than the earliest date on it, but I also think I read that manufacturers could keep their patents on their vises however long they wanted?

BMR First of all I concur with Drives, the numbers on the vise are probably part numbers. I have attached a photos of my 204 which has 249 stamped on the dynamic jaw and 258 on the static jaw.

On this vise (from memory) I think there are three patent dates (I do not have it in front of me right now and in the photo that I have the swivel lock is obscuring the dates)
Aug 11 1914
Dec 21 1912
Nov 3 1908

and my understanding (from what I have learned here) is that normally patents were kept for 20 years. If that is the case the vise must have been manufactured before 1929 (>1928=1908 + 20)

 

[Outlawmws]

Patents back then went for 17 years. Placement of the patent, active or not, was and is at the discretion of the MFG whether to show it longer.

 

[drivesitfar]

SRU: when BMR mentioned removing a stuck pin with a dowel (or a bolt in my case) i'm thinking he meant for you to pull out the dynamic jaw and remove the vise nut and then pushing it out from below. Getridofone went even farther with that idea and he made a mini press out of a bolt and sleeve nut so he could tighten and extend his bolt up and sort of press it out from below.

others have welded nuts to the top of the pin and tried to turn it out or maybe break the rust bond. I think with as low as yours is sitting it's either a short pin or it's been hammered in so i'm hoping you can find some method to remove it. i suppose at worst case you'll have a pre WWII 150 or 160 pound non swivel old Reed vise so hoping you don't break it trying to remove the pin.

good luck

ALL: a couple of members that used to post up a lot of information about patents don't post much or as often anymore, but I thought i recall them saying a patent had some sort of 15 year time frame and it ran out in maybe 75 years. then there's the issue of world patents to protect from being copied which i'm guessing is a legal nightmare to some guys with great patents here in the USA.

speaking of patents anybody here go through the process to get one and for what? anybody related to one of those old guys that patented something for a vise?

 

[va.grouseman]

SRU, nice 406 you have there.---I have one of those and they are not puny.---Take your time on the pin removal.---It will eventually give, and you don't want to get anxious and do damage to a good vise.---Looks like you have a growing vise family there.---Good looking iron.

 

[va.grouseman]

Well, I would be having severe nose bleeds right now if I was still on the ride.---But I can just taste that ADRENALINE.---UMMMMM.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Antiq...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

[Colin Len]

I can get you rough dimensions in the morning when I'm at work. this is a 1755 compared to a 1760 in the first pic. the second pic is a 1750 compared to a 1760 . third pic is a 1755 (shiny) compared to an older 1765.

the 1740 and 1745 are the same physical dimensions with the exception of the wider jaws, same goes for the 1750/1755 and then the 1760/1765. the 1750/1755 is about the physical size of a 4" bullet.

the 1750/1755 is a great size for 99% of the work most people will do. id take the 1755 over the 1745 any day. neither is a huge vise, but the 1745 is on the smaller side.

Thank you very much for the photos and opinion on these vises - luckily that's pushing me towards saving money Anytime you can get those measurements would be great, thank you!

 

[Shiftless]

SRU:
As you know, I worked on a Reed 406 also.
Those stuck pins can be a real PITA to remove. Here is what mine looked like when it finally popped out. Thank you again to jziggy for his help with this project.
Weeks of soaking with Kroil, acetone & ATF etc. and tapping from underneath with a punch didn’t work.
The final solution was to drill and tap a deep hole to accept a grade 8 bolt 3/8 - 16
Then using a spacer made of cast iron pipe and a piece of steel plate as a puller arrangement we just tightened the bolt until the pin popped out.
Note: even a SnapOn half inch drive breaker bar will noticeably flex when doing this kind of work

 

[SRU1436]

Thanks for all the advice fellas. I really want to get the pin out as I want a swivel jaw vise. I am going to go slow with this process as I do not want to damage the vise.

SHIFTLESS: I've thought about the drilling and tap method, I think I will go that route. Ill keep you guys posted.

 

[KMScott]

Thanks for all the advice fellas. I really want to get the pin out as I want a swivel jaw vise. I am going to go slow with this process as I do not want to damage the vise.

SHIFTLESS: I've thought about the drilling and tap method, I think I will go that route. Ill keep you guys posted.

SRU, I added a drawing of a Reed 406 pin just in case you need one made. I also wrote a blog on pin removals that might show something that would work for you. Good luck.

https://wiltonviseparts.wordpress.c...aw-taper-pins-removal-sizing-and-fabrication/

 

[bagged89s10]

well, i would be having severe nose bleeds right now if i was still on the ride.---but i can just taste that adrenaline.---ummmmm.





https://www.ebay.com/itm/rare-antiq...e=strk:mebidx:it&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

$2150.

 

[bagged89s10]

SRU, I added a drawing of a Reed 406 pin just in case you need one made. I also wrote a blog on pin removals that might show something that would work for you. Good luck.



https://wiltonviseparts.wordpress.c...aw-taper-pins-removal-sizing-and-fabrication/

Speaking of swivel pins. I’ve had a 3.5 prentiss apart on my bench since the fall and now I can’t find the swivel pin. Been too busy remodeling my house. I guess that’s what I get for not putting all the parts in a container like I usually do. I’m removing that bench so hopefully it just fell under or behind it and I find it.

 

[Shiftless]

Kevin posted a link to some excellent techniques for removing those pins. I tried the jack shaft technique before the drilling and puller technique. Here is KMS’s method that did it for me. But instead of an oxy-acetylene torch and a combination wrench, we used a 24 inch long breaker bar with a socket at room temperature.
Carla was also instrumental in guiding me to success. Thanks to her as well as jziggy.