The VISES of Garage Journal

[Bcom]

Update 3/11/2018

All the hardware went into Evaporust overnight to get cleaned up. Cleaned, oiled, greased and back to reassembly. Still may zinc those pieces in the future when I get a batch done for one of my motorcycle resto projects.

Had to get a replacement end cap, cost as much as the vise... No way was I going to paint it, have to show this machined bit off.

Very very good work!

 

[Outlawmws]

Very nice restore!

 

[Bcom]

I'd like to talk to the seller - did he know what he had before listing it?




.

I talked to the seller when the auction was at $19xx. He also said he had no idea how rare it was. Said he bought it without hesitation. Sounds like he got it at a flea marker or something

 

[Elsinore13]

This was a indeed a classic snipe.

Now continuing the post Super Bowl (no wait I mean Super Vise) game analysis , this one in particular reminds me of what sometimes happens in nature!

There were two main opponents that were duking it out all the way and then a third one just showed up and snatched it.

Sometimes in nature, two bighorn rams get so busy butting heads over the females, that they do not notice a third ram who comes along and leads the females away.

Of course it was a snipe, Esnipe is your friend. Set your max bid and forget about it. It will place the bid for you with as little as 1 second left to go. Unlike bidder 1***c who threw his stuff out there early on a proxy bid only to expose himself all the way through the auction. Only costs 1% of the total sale and only if you win. So easy, even a caveman like me can do it.

 

[Elsinore13]

And no, I didn't buy it...

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Nice vise. I have a similar columbian made Craftsman and it is 1971 vintage. I think that folks prefer the other USA made vises (wilton reed Parker yost) since they are a bit more heavy duty (More iron). But provided you do not use it as an anvil or press you should be fine.

Thanks tool_scrounge. I'm really happy with it. Now, I've learned these vises aren't intended to be used as presses as well. Thanks for that bit of info!

 

[gman007]

I talked to the seller when the auction was at $19xx. He also said he had no idea how rare it was. Said he bought it without hesitation. Sounds like he got it at a flea marker or something

I think someone said seller bought it at an estate sale and very cheap

 

[Shiftless]

A week ago I predicted the winning bid would be $2500 and I was right on until the last 3 seconds. But it was NOT me who entered the final winning bid. I am a little bit crazy but not that crazy.
It wouldn’t surprise me a bit to learn that it will end up in Texas.

 

[RG Rude]

I love those swivel jaw Rock Islands....Rock Island is probably my favorite, I'm partially biased to them as it was my first vise. A 542-bx that I got from my grandfather after he passed away.

I offered $225 for this on Ebay which is a stretch of a local pick up for me. I have to admit I know nothing of #98 except it looks big.

 

[gman007]

I offered $225 for this on Ebay which is a stretch of a local pick up for me. I have to admit I know nothing of #98 except it looks big.

It is big alright! @210 lb with 7" jaws and @$225 it would be a bargain (about $1/lb not vrey common any more)

 

[va.grouseman]

Elsinore13, that LAMAR UNIVERSITY WILTON is a real find.---Congrats on that one.


I'd like to hear the history behind that vise.

 

[va.grouseman]

Well another Parker Bear just sold.---$153.96 plus shipping.---They sure have increased in value in the last 2 years.---Why I can get 3 Trumpy Bears for that much.---Sure wished they made Trumpy out of cast iron.



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

 

[Elsinore13]

Elsinore13, that LAMAR UNIVERSITY WILTON is a real find.---Congrats on that one.


I'd like to hear the history behind that vise.

A friend of mine who went to Lamar for mechanical engineering told me it was most likely a student project for the industrial engineering/mfg. His class all had to make hammers. I told him I needed one to go with my vise.

 

[Elsinore13]

I had to wait until I had something worthy before posting here so the Lamar vise was a good excuse. But the fetish kicked off with a few smaller projects. I got invited to dig through a garage scheduled for demo by my mom's neighbor a couple years ago to see if there was anything I wanted. Scored a few tools and some chain binders, an old cast iron pot and this little US made Craftsman vise that looked really pathetic. My wife humored me on helping me find some tools to unbolt it with. Immediately it went under the knife for a little cosmetic surgery. Pretty cool art deco look to it.

A friend saw it and showed up with a $10.00 Dunlap estate sale find

And so it began. Another friend sent me a couple of minis and an old post vise. Found a Parker 63 1/2 art deco'ish looking one , a US Craftsman mini and a small US Wilton I need to freshen up.

And of course it carries over to pretty much any old US made tool. Found these rusted up on the 5 buck table a couple weeks ago. Into the Evaporust they went. Cleaned up and oiled, ready to use.

After the recent floods with Harvey, I was having a hard time throwing away all my 1 year old Thermador appliances that had been ruined sitting in nasty water for a week but someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse. They would haul them off and attempt to repair them. And, he gave me this shiny new Snap On Wilton with a set of copper jaws. Deal!

 

[chrisnazzy]

I offered $225 for this on Ebay which is a stretch of a local pick up for me. I have to admit I know nothing of #98 except it looks big.

Here is a catalog page showing specs for the Rock Island 98.

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[chrisnazzy]

What color/brand paint did you use. Looks great!

Thank you! The paint I used was Rustoleum Metallic Flat Soft Iron.

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[chrisnazzy]

Chris Your restorations are always top-notch and you set a very high bar for rest of us [emoji106]

Thanks gman. You really made mw blush a bit with your kind praise but truth be told I'm very much a newbie. I'm a fast learner though and I've really thrown myself into the world of vise collecting and restoring extensively over the last year. My OCD certainly helps. Right now I'm really trying to hone my sanding / polishing skills. I see the results that KMScott achieves and like so many of us I'm sure do, I feel I've got so far to go.

In fact, until yesterday I didn't realize that I hadn't posted pics of my 853 other than when I first got it. I think it's because they never really seem done to me. I've got several that are all buttoned up except for achieving the desired result for the jaws and handle. For some I want to full polish them and others I want to get that freshly machined or brushed look. Let's just say I'm still experimenting with how to achieve both.

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[RG Rude]

Sweet. Thanks!

No self etching primer?

 

[Bcom]

Update 3/11/2018

All the hardware went into Evaporust overnight to get cleaned up. Cleaned, oiled, greased and back to reassembly. Still may zinc those pieces in the future when I get a batch done for one of my motorcycle resto projects.

Had to get a replacement end cap, cost as much as the vise... No way was I going to paint it, have to show this machined bit off.

Are there rear pins in this vise to hold the nut inside the vise? What size diameter of endcap is it? I have some endcaps here I could have sold you.

 

[chrisnazzy]

Sweet. Thanks!

No self etching primer?

I did primer it first. Just Krylon rattle can. It did sit on my bench in just primer for a month or two while I tried to decide on a color.

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[RG Rude]

Thanks for the info

 

[jrobb316]

Got to do some vise work today. I have a prentiss 20 I'm delivering next week, kind of beat up but it's cheap. I told him I'd get the swivel pin unstuck. It was siezed good. Heated the swivel jaw and hit the sides with plastic hammer. Jaw broke loose from the static but pin still siezed in swivel jaw. More heat, vise grip, and hammer on the vise grip to spin the pin. Finally popped out. Nothing less than an oxyfuel torch will do that job.

 

[jrobb316]

Also worked on the 577 pickup yesterday. All I want is the swivel base and can't remove it!! In the end I took my air hammer and walked the bolt around a few turns before I was able to finally unscrew it. The threads are all good. If anyone is looking for rock island 577 or Prentiss 21 parts I have most in stock. 577 I have a swivel base missing an ear but you get a main bolt and the swivel lock stuff too, so that may be appealing to someone missing their base that doesn't mind doing a repair. Everything else available minus the dynamic as it's brazed. Prentiss 21, everything except spindle, nut, and swivel pin.

 

[Elsinore13]

Are there rear pins in this vise to hold the nut inside the vise? What size diameter of endcap is it? I have some endcaps here I could have sold you.

No, that's one of the things that was wrong and most likely why the end cap was missing. Not wanting to screw something up bad, I drilled a hole on the underside for a 3/16 roll pin to hold the nut in place. End cap was 2.0 and readily available so I ordered one up right off the bat.

 

[bagged89s10]

Update 3/11/2018



All the hardware went into Evaporust overnight to get cleaned up. Cleaned, oiled, greased and back to reassembly. Still may zinc those pieces in the future when I get a batch done for one of my motorcycle resto projects.

Had to get a replacement end cap, cost as much as the vise... No way was I going to paint it, have to show this machined bit off.

Nice work. I’ve never seen that rebadged version of a Wilton.

 

[Outlawmws]

Bagged, its not re-badged. its a college shop made knock off. Lamar U. TX

 

[BeardedOne]

Nice work Elsinore13! It's good to see you posting your work here, and I will say I remember seeing your Lamar University thread on "TOS."

Here's a little group photo of those I've been acquiring since last September.

 

[XJSuperman]

Saw this one today at a swapmeet, and I let it go. Someone else probably needs it more. Craftsman, $30

 

[General Geoff]

For anyone who wants a brand new Wilton 600S, now's a good time to buy as they're $962 and free shipping.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=385975

Figured I'd cross-post the Hot Deals thread I started just in case so you vise addicts don't miss the opportunity.

 

[mgmlvks]

WOW - passed that on to my co-located co-workers who have had bad luck with MIC vises. Doubt it will change the course of history for them.

 

[gman007]

Good morning All

While obviously the object in the attached photo is NOT a vise , I found it interesting that per sellers claim presumably it was made by "Columbian Hardware & Vise Co. of Cleveland, Ohio". Personally I did not know that Columbian made anvils as well as vises. Seller also claims "It was made for Export to European countries"

It seems like a pretty nice anvil at fairly reasonable ($5.5/lb) price (as the anvil prices go)

"275 lb. "COLUMBIAN" DOUBLE HORN CAST STEEL BLACKSMIT - $1500"

https://southbend.craigslist.org/tls/d/275-lb-columbian-double-horn/6525788480.html

 

[SRU1436]

That is nice, I'm sure you guys in the midwest and east coast see a lot more anvils than i do in california.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

There was a change in the design of the Reed vise, the R designates the newer version.

Is one more prized or valuable than the other?

 

[va.grouseman]

Gman, if you type in Columbian Anvil on EBay search bar, you'll usually get from 5 to 10 Columbian anvils.---However it appears that they made a lot more small jewelers anvils than large ones.---Right now there is a 4 to 1 ratio on there.---It could be that people are more inclined to sell the small ones than the large ones.---Looks like someone got a little torch happy with the one that Matchless is selling.


Txlonghorn, both styles of Reeds are prized vises, but the (R) revised runs a little heaver than the earlier version.---For instance, I have the #208R which weighs 291 lbs., and the earlier #208 weighs 278 lbs..---I can't name you one vise lover that wouldn't ****** either one in a blink if they had occasion.---Reeds of every size and make are top of the line IMO, where vises are concerned.

 

[DadsTools]

It was suggested that I post this tiny, humble vise in this thread instead of the vintage section, since it would have the greatest chance of being identified here. The handle bar is a one piece casting and one of the arms is broken off.

 

[Thrumcap]

Well, between Noreasters, a crate arrived from Upper Canada this weekend, bearing a Lee Valley Veritas Tucker vise. It’s in excellent shape. I’ll spiff it up with a new set of leather liners.









I like that unlike a Yost or Emmert, the hinged mounting plate mounts to the front of the workbench instead of the top, as I have seen Emmerts and Yosts that had their exposed cast iron mounting plates broken by an errant hammer. Also, the foot pedal controlled quick release

Thrumcap

 

[drivesitfar]

Thrum: hope you are surviving all the NorEasters ok. good to see your package arrived and that vise looks almost new. any idea how old it is? nice looking vise.

Dads: I'm not sure who made your little clamp on PAT PEND vise, but on other vises where i've seen the V in front of a # it was made by Milwaukee.

 

[bigb56]

Dads, I have a similar vise, same size as yours but looks newer and mine has a tiny anvil on it. It has "Babco" cast into the front and a "Babco" sticker on the side.

Do you have the broken piece from the clamp handle?

 

[trijeff]

Really nice pickup, Thrum. Hadn't seen that one before but looked it up and holy camole what a useful vise.

 

[eddieK]

My latest restore - Prentiss No 53 It's going to be my "new" shop vise



I had started cleaning it up before I realized I had not taken a before pic