The VISES of Garage Journal

[va.grouseman]

Chris, I picked up the Stanley off EBay.---Paid $48.00 plus $11.95 shipping, a little pricy but not as bad as I expected as far as EBay prices go.---The little ones cost as much as the big ones anymore.---Noticed I said as much as the big ones, but not as much as the monsters, as of yet.---There is a distinction.---Once they reach the monster values, I'm out of the game.

 

[Fretters]

Yes, their Leinen and swivel type are high enough priced to suggest they are still made in Poland

https://www.wgm-maschinen.de/Bison-Bial/Bison-Vises/Bison-Bench-Vises/

Their 1250 series are nice vices too. I have one of those, and it's a sturdy little thing.

http://www.bison-bial.co.uk/vises/bench-vises/1250

 

[drivesitfar]

Maico: did you post the maker of that vice you posted last week that looked like a Leinen? the member on Tools of the old world really know their stuff don't they cause it maybe took a day after i posted a picture over there asking about it cause it didn't look exactly like a Boley either. picture below of the green vice you found.

007: so if you want an expensive wrinkle finish you can powder coat over nickel plating? WOW that looks great and looking forward to more pictures.

VA: speaking of the little vises at least they are easier on the back when you have to pull them out for a photo shoot. how's the back?

 

[va.grouseman]

Very nice vises VA, thanks for the spec:s. Sure got a great collection.

Thanks KMS.---But it wouldn't hold a light to some of these serious/private collections that you never hear about.---I'm just glad that people are snapping them up rather than scrapping them.
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Drive, the back is good as long as I observe my limitations.---If I over-do-it, I'll know the next day.---And yes the small vises are so much easier on the back, but they don't have much sympathy on the wallet.

 

[maico]

Talking of heavy vises the largest Bison currently available is the 250mm which is almost a 10" jaw. Weight 61.5Kg / 135.5 lbs

https://www.wgm-maschinen.de/Bison-...n-Bench-Vises/Bison-Bench-Vise-1240-250L.html

About $410 ex.tax in Poland https://www.kammar24.pl/imadlo-slus...ryzmowym-typ-1240-250-bison-bial-p-41256.html

 

[garagelogician]

Can anyone identify this vise? Is it an old Craftsman? It is currently listed on CL for $90.

 

[drivesitfar]

VA: good to hear you are moving around ok and hope your back keeps getting better or at least not worst.

GL: it's a Craftsman made by Reed and I think it might be a smaller one like a 3 inch wide jaw, but not sure cause I don't own a 5180. it was made from the late 30's to I think the early 50's and a good vise if under the rust there isn't any cracks or welds. I'd probably buy it for that if it was in my area and you might know that i don't NEED a vise.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

All:
I just suffered a HUGE frustration.
While looking through FB Marketplace, I found a 150mm FPU for 150$, not far from me. Yes, a little high for me (a reseller), but you all know how big a fan of those Bison-Bial vices I am. It all looked good until I got to the picture below...

 

[va.grouseman]

Yea Maico, a 135lb. Bison is what I would categorize as a really BIG vise, but not quite a MONSTER.

 

[bagged89s10]

Well since we were discussing #20s and 2000s on the last page I thought I would take the opportunity to re-photograph my 2000s that have been held hostage for some time.---They were pretty close to the top of the pile so I dug them out.---Looks like I am eventually going to have to re-photo every one of my vise pics that are being held hostage, and once I have, I guess they can kill the hostages if they want to.---But I'm not paying no ransom.



I put in the #20 for size reference to.---The #20 and the #2000 are the same size and weigh exactly the same.





#2000 opens a max of 2 1/2''



Jaw width is 2 1/4''



Weight is 7.6 lbs.

Love that little Parker collection. Here is my 492-1/2 with the collar Kevin found for me. Now just need to straighten the handle on my new arbor press.

 

[va.grouseman]

Mark, I don't know why but that's where FPUs take it on the chin.---If they could have solved that Achilles Heal they would have might nigh produced the perfect vise.

 

[va.grouseman]

Bagged, what's your tonnage on your press.---Does the 3 1/2 R represent the tonnage?

 

[bagged89s10]

Bagged, what's your tonnage on your press.---Does the 3 1/2 R represent the tonnage?

5 ton according to this catalog page

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Mark, I don't know why but that's where FPUs take it on the chin.---If they could have solved that Achilles Heal they would have might nigh produced the perfect vise.

VA:
All of the 125mm & 150mm FPUs I've had the opportunity to buy were broken. Intact ones have become a Holy Grail for me. I'll just keep looking.

 

[exmaxima1]

VA:
All of the 125mm & 150mm FPUs I've had the opportunity to buy were broken. Intact ones have become a Holy Grail for me. I'll just keep looking.

Not sure if this is a Bison, but it's in the Chicago area AND BROKEN AS WELL:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/162708057752420

 

[jrobb316]

Can anyone identify this vise? Is it an old Craftsman? It is currently listed on CL for $90.

In your area I would scoop that up.

 

[jrobb316]

Sweet arbor press. I have 4 famcos, largest being a no 3. It's a beast and made pretty locally to me also. The R stands for ratcheting.

Love that little Parker collection. Here is my 492-1/2 with the collar Kevin found for me. Now just need to straighten the handle on my new arbor press.

 

[chrisnazzy]

This FPU has been listed on Letgo in Riverside, CA for $90 for awhile now.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[bagged89s10]

VA:

All of the 125mm & 150mm FPUs I've had the opportunity to buy were broken. Intact ones have become a Holy Grail for me. I'll just keep looking.

I had and FPU a few months ago. It was nice and smooth. I’m glad i was able to at least own it long enough to take it apart and play with it. It’s just not the style vise I prefer to keep so I sold it.

 

[maico]

Peddinghaus Record made in Germany. The label says forged steel making it one of the strongest vises.

There is a guy on facebook (Toolsmania a dealer in Thailand) who seems to collect them

http://tharmthee.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/blog-post_22.html

I'm not sure why they called it Record, perhaps because in some export markets the English style of vice and colour had become generic ?

 

[maico]

The modern version

 

[Mark in Indiana]

I had and FPU a few months ago. It was nice and smooth. I’m glad i was able to at least own it long enough to take it apart and play with it. It’s just not the style vise I prefer to keep so I sold it.

Looks like that was a nice vice.

 

[Thrumcap]

A rather large vise has appeared, unfortunately rather far away. States that it is a two person lift.



What can be deduced from this picture.

Looks like a Prentiss for starters.

Thrumcap

 

[dutchgray]

Thats not really big, 5 or 6" I would say, looks nice though swivel jaw, nothing obviously broken, all depends upon how much money it is.

 

[gman007]

A rather large vise has appeared, unfortunately rather far away. States that it is a two person lift.



What can be deduced from this picture.

Looks like a Prentiss for starters.

Thrumcap

Thrum
on Prentiss. Now based on the statement two person lift (I guess it really depends who the two are ) I would say models
517 6"
518 7"
949 7 1/4"
519 8"
could be candidates. But based on the scale of other stuff around it, my guess would be a 517 (6") or may be on the very up side 518 (7") as it appears to be big but not super big. At least that is my two cents.

 

[bagged89s10]

Thrum
on Prentiss. Now based on the statement two person lift (I guess it really depends who the two are ) I would say models
517 6"
518 7"
949 7 1/4"
519 8"
could be candidates. But based on the scale of other stuff around it, my guess would be a 517 (6") or may be on the very up side 518 (7") as it appears to be big but not super big. At least that is my two cents.

I agree. Probably a 6 or 7”

 

[Outlawmws]

I'm thinking 7 or 7-1/4

 

[Bill Vise]

Why did Reed make the jaw face serrations so extremely coarse on their "machinist's" and "toolmaker's" vises? The coarse pattern would marr up soft metals and have no benefit on hard metals. On the machinist's vise, you could use copper jaw caps. But on the toolmaker's vise (filer's vise), jaw caps would defeat the purpose of the peaked shaped jaws. I am attaching photos of the serrations on my Reed 104 1/2 R and my Reed 214 R. Is this the best area to post this question?

View media item 82538

 

[Thrumcap]

I'm thinking 7 or 7-1/4

I found a catalog where the bolt feet are pointed, so I’m calling it as pre-1915 Prentiss.
Here’s a 6” No. 5 for comparison:

The bar is long, about two thirds the length of the vise. The dynamic looks longer on this one. If the boards of the bench are 1x6 and that red thing on the bench is a WD40 straw, I think it’s a No. 6., 7”, 184 lbs. I’ll email to find out the model just to Sherlock this thing!

Thrumcap

 

[bagged89s10]

Why did Reed make the jaw face serrations so extremely coarse on their "machinist's" and "toolmaker's" vises? The coarse pattern would marr up soft metals and have no benefit on hard metals. On the machinist's vise, you could use copper jaw caps. But on the toolmaker's vise (filer's vise), jaw caps would defeat the purpose of the peaked shaped jaws. I am attaching photos of the serrations on my Reed 104 1/2 R and my Reed 214 R. Is this the best area to post this question?



View media item 82538

That’s a good question. I personally like the smooth faced jaws on my vises. My reed 404 and Parker 956 have smooth jaws and I like them a lot.

 

[Outlawmws]

I'm sure they were available both ways. in the cast in jaws. in the ones with bolted faces, just flip the raw for smooth... (my 403-1/2R has its jaws mounted smooth...)

Why did Reed make the jaw face serrations so extremely coarse on their "machinist's" and "toolmaker's" vises? The coarse pattern would marr up soft metals and have no benefit on hard metals. On the machinist's vise, you could use copper jaw caps. But on the toolmaker's vise (filer's vise), jaw caps would defeat the purpose of the peaked shaped jaws. I am attaching photos of the serrations on my Reed 104 1/2 R and my Reed 214 R. Is this the best area to post this question?

View media item 82538

That’s a good question. I personally like the smooth faced jaws on my vises. My reed 404 and Parker 956 have smooth jaws and I like them a lot.

 

[Bobioz1]

Thats not really big, 5 or 6" I would say, looks nice though swivel jaw, nothing obviously broken, all depends upon how much money it is.

Except the static jaw.

 

[drivesitfar]

Thrum: here's my Prentiss #5 with 6 inch jaws and 145 pounds.

 

[va.grouseman]

Previously posted by Bill Vise.

Why did Reed make the jaw face serrations so extremely coarse on their "machinist's" and "toolmaker's" vises? The coarse pattern would marr up soft metals and have no benefit on hard metals. On the machinist's vise, you could use copper jaw caps. But on the toolmaker's vise (filer's vise), jaw caps would defeat the purpose of the peaked shaped jaws.
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Bill I like a course serration, on my outside vise at least.---I have a #6 Yost, my outside vise that has comparable course serration as your Reeds and it acts like pipe jaws and really bites in, which is not desirable in most applications because of the unwanted marring, but like in my case, I had to thread 7 joints of 20' by 1/2'' stainless steel water pipe, and 8 stainless ******* of varying lengths, to re-plumb my entire crawl space water system.---Stainless does not thread easily.---It wants to spall in the cutting die and then turn/spin/twist in your vise,---The only deterrent is teeth that won't let it.

Of course there are many more jobs where I don't want vise tracks/marring on my work piece, so there is an easy fix for me at least.---More than one vise to option from.---Smooth jaw, moderate teeth, and Great White.

 

[Outlawmws]

Except the static jaw.

What about the Static? What do you see that I'm not?

 

[Thrumcap]

Poking around the Internet, I actually found a pair of NOS Record 634 pipe jaws in the UK after looking on a rare occasion for a few years.
They just arrived today (someone in the Royal Mail was kind enough to have sent them Air instead of Surface ).

A quick scrub up to remove the packing grease and pop them in place.

The vise takes three of these so I will look into getting some more fabricated.
One note is that the teeth (since we’re talking about teeth) are not the same size and gradually shrink towards the centre.

Thrumcap

 

[Thrumcap]

Thrum: here's my Prentiss #5 with 6 inch jaws and 145 pounds.

Drivesitfar - thanks for the detailed photos. Hopefully seller will respond. Perspective in photos is always tricky and we will see if it is a No. 5 or 6.

Thrumcap

 

[Bobioz1]

What about the Static? What do you see that I'm not?

It "appears" to me that the static jaw face is gone. No ?????

 

[Bobioz1]

The boards that bench is made out of look much bigger than 1x6. The square head bolt holding the vise down has to be 3/4" head. Maybe it's just the view from my house.

 

[eddieK]

A rather large vise has appeared, unfortunately rather far away. States that it is a two person lift.



What can be deduced from this picture.

Looks like a Prentiss for starters.

Thrumcap

Might just be the picture angle, but I don't see a hole or a pin for the swivel jaw...and the handle needs replacing. Other than that, looks good.