The VISES of Garage Journal

[Razorhunter]

Who here has researched the rubber finger saving washers before? By chance, do you happen to have a McMaster Carr part # for these things? Any size will do and I'll take it from there and get what size I need. Basically wondering what material they are? Buna-N/Nitrile/Viton/etc. ? Thanks guys.

 

[ed4banger]

Who here has researched the rubber finger saving washers before? By chance, do you happen to have a McMaster Carr part # for these things? Any size will do and I'll take it from there and get what size I need. Basically wondering what material they are? Buna-N/Nitrile/Viton/etc. ? Thanks guys.

I make my own use High-Strength Weather-Resistant EPDM Rubber Sheet, 1/4" Thick, 60A Durometer I buy from McMaster Carr. Cut it with a hollow punch set. Minor edge cleanup on a belt sander. Works great, and can make any size I need.

 

[Razorhunter]

Yeah I considered that but dont have hole punches and quite frankly I'd rather just buy them. So EPDM rubber? I'll see what they've got precut in EPDM.

 

[MayerMR]

Yeah I considered that but dont have hole punches and quite frankly I'd rather just buy them. So EPDM rubber? I'll see what they've got precut in EPDM.

I just took the handle down to the Home Depot and grabbed a couple of grommets that fit the OD of my handle with minimal stretching. Less than a buck for the two of them, I think.

 

[titus211]

Spotted these on CL close by. Any idea what the 5" vise is? Looking for a couple of starter vises. Seller is asking $25 for the Columbian and $50 for the 5".
Would love a big Wilton but don't have the budget at the moment.
Thanks!

 

[dangod]

The 5" looks like a "Buffalo Mfg. Co."

 

[dangod]

 

[Gerard]

Spotted these on CL close by. Any idea what the 5" vise is? Looking for a couple of starter vises. Seller is asking $25 for the Columbian and $50 for the 5".
Would love a big Wilton but don't have the budget at the moment.
Thanks!

The Columbian is an older USA-made vise, but a low-end homeowner model. The 5" is an asian import and something like it could probably be had for not much more than $50 brand new. Either could work for you as a light duty starter vise, but both are a bit overpriced for what they are in my opinion. However, I do understand it can be difficult to find good deals on good vises locally, as it took me quite a while to find a deal on a decent one.

if I needed a good vise quickly and couldn't spend a ton of time hunting Craigslist or estate sales and flea markets, I'd probably buy one on eBay. From what I've seen there's almost always a few good old American machinist bench vises that can be had even with a "buy it now" including shipping for less than $150. $200 can easily get you something really nice, which might seem like a lot compared to scoring one at an estate sale for $20, but compared to what you can get new for $200, eBay vises can still be a much better value. That said, I've hung out in the vise thread for a long time, so I've learned what to look for, which makes it much easier.

I have a list of brands in my eBay searches which includes Parker, Prentiss, Athol, Reed, Columbian, Morgan, Hollands, Erie, Simplex, Yost, Starrett, Ridgid, Rock Island, American Scale, plus a bunch of less common brands.

To add: I'd take a nice old Parker or Reed over a Wilton any day, and they can be had for far less cash. I've also seen a lot of nice Columbians and Morgans go pretty cheap.

 

[meatsis]

To add: I'd take a nice old Parker or Reed over a Wilton any day, and they can be had for far less cash. I've also seen a lot of nice Columbians and Morgans go pretty cheap.[/QUOTE]


^^^^^this right here^^^^^

 

[jrobb316]

To add: I'd take a nice old Parker or Reed over a Wilton any day, and they can be had for far less cash. I've also seen a lot of nice Columbians and Morgans go pretty cheap.

^^^^^this right here^^^^^[/QUOTE]

Ah beat me to it!

I brought home what I think is a fairly rare Morgan vise today, I'll post it up later. I need to check back into viseaholics anonymous, I sent about half my herd down the road and now they keep following me home again!

 

[jrobb316]

Morgan Chicago 138 Coachmakers. Never seen one of these before. This would have been a late model Morgan Chicago as it has the current style stationary base with the swivel option. Not one mark on the slide either from a hammer. Notice the really short spindle handle. 4.5" jaw 10" open.

 

[Shiftless]

How could you pass that one up?

I have a couple of Morgan Chicagos in my little collection but no coachmaker models...Morgan or other brands

 

[gman007]

Morgan Chicago 138 Coachmakers. Never seen one of these before. This would have been a late model Morgan Chicago as it has the current style stationary base with the swivel option. Not one mark on the slide either from a hammer. Notice the really short spindle handle. 4.5" jaw 10" open.

Jrob Ver nice

I brought home what I think is a fairly rare Morgan vise today, I'll post it up later. I need to check back into viseaholics anonymous, I sent about half my herd down the road and now they keep following me home again!

Vises are like vampires, once you get bitten by the vise bug you can never be cured

 

[va.grouseman]

Nice Jrobb, and a nice 577 to keep it company.

 

[jrobb316]

The 577 is blasted down to bare iron awaiting paint. It's the one I drove to MI to get the other broken 577 and pillage it's swivel base. A guy then came and bought my 577 with the broken jaw and the broken base originally from this vise. So it all worked out. I sold all my other Morgan's except my Milw. 150 which is my main user. So when I set up my wood bench I'll have this 138 over there. At one time I had 2 more 150s, a 45, a 145, and a 60. Morgan's are nice!

 

[tool_scrounge]

Well I finally ran into one of the infamous Craftsman 0519X vises. A local company was selling off some excess tools and hardware. It was not advertised, but I saw a 05191 vise and a 1960's Craftsman roller cabinet (with roller drawers) in the corner. So I made an offer and they both came home with me. Sadly, I do not see any dates stamped on the slide. It has the recessed pocket for the emblem so that may narrow it down to the later years. I did not realize they only made one size (4") of the fixed base version.

 

[Outlawmws]

TS, They also made a 3-1/2" fixed base in the earlier production.

Nice find!

 

[jrobb316]

Well I finally ran into one of the infamous Craftsman 0519X vises. A local company was selling off some excess tools and hardware. It was not advertised, but I saw a 05191 vise and a 1960's Craftsman roller cabinet (with roller drawers) in the corner. So I made an offer and they both came home with me. Sadly, I do not see any dates stamped on the slide. It has the recessed pocket for the emblem so that may narrow it down to the later years. I did not realize they only made one size (4") of the fixed base version.

Nice find! With the jaws fully closed the date should be just rear of the static assembly. It should be visible unless someone pounded on the area.

 

[chrisnazzy]

A little wire wheelin' or scrubbin' will reveal that date stamp.

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[jonshonda]

I need to check back into viseaholics anonymous, I sent about half my herd down the road and now they keep following me home again!

You are lucky to even have a chance to be a viseaholic. It sounds like you have driven distances to pick some up, but for me the mid west side of the state has been dry as a bone for over a year, with the exception of a few over priced mainstream examples here and there.

 

[meatsis]

Morgan Chicago 138 Coachmakers. Never seen one of these before. This would have been a late model Morgan Chicago as it has the current style stationary base with the swivel option. Not one mark on the slide either from a hammer. Notice the really short spindle handle. 4.5" jaw 10" open.

Jrobb good score on that Morgan coachmakers vise. Here’s a Morgan 60 I picked up a few months ago. For $140 I saved it from going to the scrapyard.

 

[jrobb316]

You are lucky to even have a chance to be a viseaholic. It sounds like you have driven distances to pick some up, but for me the mid west side of the state has been dry as a bone for over a year, with the exception of a few over priced mainstream examples here and there.

Yeah it's pretty desolate over there, but if you're diligent stuff does show up from time to time. I try and keep my range an hour each way, this one was an hour and 10 mins. The herd has overgrown the area set aside for it so a few more will be going down the road. In the past week I picked up this Morgan, a Prentiss 526, and a monarch 221. Those are most likely keepers due to relative rarety.

 

[jrobb316]

Jrobb good score on that Morgan coachmakers vise. Here’s a Morgan 60 I picked up a few months ago. For $140 I saved it from going to the scrapyard.

Scrap yard!?!? That looks like it's in great shape!

 

[meatsis]

Scrap yard!?!? That looks like it's in great shape!

Yeah it came out of some R&D company. Was told it was never actually used. They were gonna scrap it. Luckily one of the workers there grabbed it.

 

[eddieK]

Kevin -

I don't see this on spread sheet. I do see an American Scale 75H, but not a 75.

Jaws are 3 1/2 - opens 5 1/2 - 52.5 Lbs

 

[KMScott]

Thanks Eddie, nice looking vise.

 

[va.grouseman]

Meatsis, it just amazes me what some people consider junk.---That looks NOS to me.---What some would throw away, others would fight you for.---I think it has to do with corporations and their tax burdens.---They have to show ever so much improvements to the firm and ever so much expenses during the year in order to get tax breaks, so it behooves them to toss a few good items and by new stuff.---It's good that that worker had good instincts.---Some companies want even let you salvage good stuff.

PS------You can still make that a swivel based 60 if you want to.

 

[scooternut]

Added a 102 1/2 to my Reeds, still seeking that 102. Paid too much, hopefully at least to one of you.





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[jrobb316]

Meatsis, it just amazes me what some people consider junk.---That looks NOS to me.---What some would throw away, others would fight you for.---I think it has to do with corporations and their tax burdens.---They have to show ever so much improvements to the firm and ever so much expenses during the year in order to get tax breaks, so it behooves them to toss a few good items and by new stuff.---It's good that that worker had good instincts.---Some companies want even let you salvage good stuff.

PS------You can still make that a swivel based 60 if you want to.

Yes that's how they sell them and then you can buy the optional swivel base. Will probably pay for the base what you paid for the vise. May not be worth it and not sure of meatsis's intentions for that but it's a beauty.

 

[Outlawmws]

OK gents, I have what I think may be new data for Wilton's early years in the form of some ads from 1942.

These are all original ads clipped from the magazines of the day, by the then VP of Columbian.

Some things that can be put to rest:

Wilton DID sell to the public (or at least to the general manufacturing needs under restrictive sales)

They started with a 1 year guarantee, but changed that almost immediately to a 5 year guarantee.

Besides the standard jaws, hey offered precision ground smooth jaws Hard or soft as well as smooth copper or brass

They sold through at least one reseller - Acme Tool Co. (look Out Roadrunner! )

The vises met the Fed Sepc, GGG-V-436

Earliest Ad May 1942:

August 1942

From Acme, Sept 1942

Acme, Dec 1942

 

[Razorhunter]

Outlaw, cool info man.
In regards to the next to last Sep 1942 pic, that's interesting that the only way to order the 2" baby Wilton is WITH swivel base, seeing how so many we see today do not have bases.
Also, whats with the 4" and 4.5"HD models? Appears they were just longer? I see the max opening is longer. Ive honestly never noticed differing models in that regard.

 

[FMC1959]

OK gents, I have what I think may be new data for Wilton's early years in the form of some ads from 1942.

These are all original ads clipped from the magazines of the day, by the then VP of Columbian.

Some things that can be put to rest:

Wilton DID sell to the public (or at least to the general manufacturing needs under restrictive sales)

They started with a 1 year guarantee, but changed that almost immediately to a 5 year guarantee.

Besides the standard jaws, hey offered precision ground smooth jaws Hard or soft as well as smooth copper or brass

They sold through at least one reseller - Acme Tool Co. (look Out Roadrunner! )

The vises met the Fed Sepc, GGG-V-436

Earliest Ad May 1942:

August 1942

From Acme, Sept 1942

Acme, Dec 1942

Interesting, I wonder what the difference is for the 4" and the 4 1/2" HD versus the non HD on the 2 Acme ads.

 

[Fierljeppen]

OK gents, I have what I think may be new data for Wilton's early years in the form of some ads from 1942.

These are all original ads clipped from the magazines of the day, by the then VP of Columbian.

Really appreciate the data bomb!

I've always wondered whether the Acme bullet style vises were Wilton's or a knockoff.

Thanks again!

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Kevin -

I don't see this on spread sheet. I do see an American Scale 75H, but not a 75.

Jaws are 3 1/2 - opens 5 1/2 - 52.5 Lbs

Eddie:
Very nice looking 75H.
Yours is the first I've seen in this thread, beside mine.

 

[davethorik]

Added a 102 1/2 to my Reeds, still seeking that 102. Paid too much, hopefully at least to one of you.





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You still gotta find a 104-1/2 since you are including half sizes. If im not mistaken they made a 105-1/2 as well, that would probably be tough to find.

Then ya gotta start over with 300 series fixed base swivel jaw. And so on....bwahahaha...

Seriously though nice lineup. I like those 4 hole fixed base Reeds, probably my favorite fixed base design ever. I found a 106 w/ 4 hole fixed base a few years back but the seller wouldn't budge from $500 and I only had $300 available at the time. Oh well. My consolation prize is that the universe has decreed that I must always have a Reed 204-1/2 vise, on my 2nd one now, 1st I bought for $10 sold years later to a buddy for $50, 2nd one I picked up off CL for $20 like a week later lol. At 68 lbs its a great usable 4.5" vise.

EDIT: the weird thing is both of these 204-1/2 I've had were from the teens. The forged in jaws being worn smooth doesn't bother me. Truly a testament to quality.

I used to have a Columbian 5" fixed base and it only weighed 8 lbs. more than The Reed, how much does your 105 weigh?

 

[scooternut]

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[eddieK]

Eddie:
Very nice looking 75H.
Yours is the first I've seen in this thread, beside mine.

They are slightly different - the 75 is a few pounds lighter than the 75H and different labeling...

The guy I got this from had no idea (he had it for over 25 years) the jaw was supposed to swivel. Took some time to free up and much more to make it actually swivel.

Yours looks fabulous, nice work. I really like these but the slide just looks too small...I guess I'm used to the Prentiss look.

 

[Elsinore13]

Why would someone weld a perfectly good vise to a crappy piece of sheet metal? Reed No 1C that looks in pretty damn good shape and I think I can save the base without any issues. One more project...



There was a big Reed there also but it had been broken and repaired. Repair looked pretty haggard.

 

[1foxracing]

Finished my 6" (150mm) this morning.
Before

After

Smaller 4" (100mm)

After

 

[drivesitfar]

Fox: great job on the FPU Bison 6 incher. just curious how much it weighs cause i need to find one some day?

Outlaw: great post of the Wilton ads and I made a few comments on the Wilton date stamping thread. I hope Carla's health is ok cause i've always enjoyed her and her posts so if you see here please give her my best.

if you are reading the old Columbian vise paperwork she's mentioned she owned I'd love to hear what other gems you find cause Columbian vises were always changing with the times so they could compete and stay in business.

Gerard: you might not post as much as some of us, but your post telling others that Wilton isn't the only vise of quality was a good one. I like Wiltons, but as you said the other old vises probably were built better or definitely as good. thanks for posting that information especially for the guys that need a vise.