The VISES of Garage Journal

[honza.vosalik]

I received these pictures from the guy I sold the vise to. Looks like he did a pretty good job painting it.

 

[Dentaltec]

Pretty sweet $200 vise

 

[chrisnazzy]

The jaws on that vise are flipped ^_^

I'm doing a Starrett/Athol in Hammered Copper, but I really like the color of that Sienna Mist. Unfortunately I have no Rock Islands (yet).

I'm not sure what you mean by "flipped'. Maybe the scars in the sides of the jaws and jaw towers make it appear as if I have the jaws re-installed back on the opposite side?

Here is an "as found" pic however it's probably inconsequential because I'm still going to surface sand and smooth the jaw towers with the removable jaws installed for a cleaner look.

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[honza.vosalik]

I see there's a lot of Rock Islands posted, so here's mine also waiting for restoration.

 

[honza.vosalik]

Here's one on CL for sale, too far away for me. Maybe someone else will be interested in it.

 

[CrotalusAtrox]

Here is a little Rock Island next to a Reed 406

 

[va.grouseman]

Just how little is that Rock Island?

 

[CrotalusAtrox]

Jaws measure 8.5 inches weighs 294 pounds.

 

[va.grouseman]

Why it's just a baby.

 

[kchmn]

Hello Group,
I am new here trying to find my way around. My name is Kirk Hoffman, from Northwest Illinois. I am semi retired but still work part time. I am looking for information on a pair of 3 inch clamp on bench vises I bought years apart at a local flea market. One is showing a name of Geo. W. Deiner MFG Co. Chicago, IL. It has a rounded top slide bar with an enclosed screw. The other is showing Karas Electric, Chicago, IL and has a square top on the slide. The bases are almost identical with the exception of the shape of the slide through hole. I would venture to bet they were both made at the same foundry.
Does anyone have any information on that? I found both names on the "Vise Company Manufacturers Directory" with some page numbers, but nothing else. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Kirk Hoffman

 

[AngryBeaver]

I found my unicorn yesterday. 4/67 dated Reed 4C. A couple people passed on it because of the angle iron jaws and a chip in the swivel base.

With that said, if anyone has a base or knows where one can be found, let me know. Otherwise I’ll fix the base.

The jaws are a later model bolt on style and the angle iron were bolted using the original jaw holes.

This came out of the Timken Roller Bearing steel plant in canton Ohio (TRB, on the tag)

I can’t believe this one lasted the test of time in a steel plant. I’m going to hang onto this one

This green was under the Grey top coat, but doubt its original because the lock handles were painted also.

Stand came with it. 30lb jug of 134A refrigerant for size reference.

You can barely see the 4/67 stamp on this one.

 

[kwoswalt99]

How much was it?

 

[PWRstroke_smoke]

I found my unicorn yesterday. 4/67 dated Reed 4C. A couple people passed on it because of the angle iron jaws and a chip in the swivel base.

With that said, if anyone has a base or knows where one can be found, let me know. Otherwise I’ll fix the base.

The jaws are a later model bolt on style and the angle iron were bolted using the original jaw holes.

This came out of the Timken Roller Bearing steel plant in canton Ohio (TRB, on the tag)

I can’t believe this one lasted the test of time in a steel plant. I’m going to hang onto this one

This green was under the Grey top coat, but doubt its original because the lock handles were painted also.

Stand came with it. 30lb jug of 134A refrigerant for size reference.

You can barely see the 4/67 stamp on this one.

Wow score! What did you give for it? 4C is on my list to find!

 

[PWRstroke_smoke]

Posted this guy earlier in the week. I finished up the restoration this weekend.
1973 Wilton 9-600 Bullet Vise.
heres the Restoration Thread

 

[joe.striper]

I got 6 of these Japanese made 4" vises last week. Brand new, they were in water damaged boxes. I refurbished my first one today.

I have to say these are very nice quality vises. Excellent quality.

I am trying to get a pic of the box from the seller

 

[MissileBear]

I agree @joe.striper - very well made, heavy vises.

Any idea what year yours was made? My revision has no "N" in the middle of the hexagram.

 

[autopts]

Posted this guy earlier in the week. I finished up the restoration this weekend.
1973 Wilton 9-600 Bullet Vise.
heres the Restoration Thread

That 600S is clean and if you notice, the channel bar and Dynamic is one piece. Later in about 1975 Wilton made the bar separate and it was pressed into he Dynamic and held with a dowel that can be seen on the later models when the collar is off. I had an early one that had the dowel broke. I sent it to Wilton and they realigned it no charge. Keep that in mind guys.

 

[joe.striper]

I agree @joe.striper - very well made, heavy vises.

Any idea what year yours was made? My revision has no "N" in the middle of the hexagram.

Supposedly these are supposed to be 'new" and recent. I am trying to get a pic of the box they came in

 

[Jaydb07]

Finally got one. Smooth jaws. “6 68” on key.

.

 

[chrisnazzy]

I set out this morning on an Arizona day trip to go visit fellow GJ member and vise aficionado CrotalusAtrox.

At or near the top of my "Vise Wish List" had been a coachmaker's vise. I'm sure the Reed 224 1/2R would be in the upper echelon so when he picked up and completely refurbished a very nice example that had been on CL, I just had to have it. Here is a before pic.

Here's the finished restoration.

To say I'm proud to be the new owner is an understatement! I was also finally able to pick up a 1/2 HP Craftsman Commercial grinder and original pedestal that he had been saving for me for awhile as well.

The biggest highlight of our visit however was getting to lay eyes on the monster Rock Island 67 he's housing for Sandman down in Texas. I've never seen an 8" vise in person until today and of course you can't really conceptualize it until you do. You also can't really capture the sheer ridiculousness of it in a picture either, no matter what you put in there for scale.

In fact I originally picked up the "little" 164lb. Reed 406 for him that's in these pics too and when I first saw it I sort of chuckled and grinned ear to ear. That same reaction happened again today. With permission, here are some additional pics of the 294lb. (8.5" jaw) Rock Island. In the last pic my 10 year old Hailee and a baby bullet posed for some sense of scale.

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[PWRstroke_smoke]

Finally got one. Smooth jaws. “6 68” on key.

.

Very nice, where did you find that little guy at?

 

[gman007]

I set out this morning on an Arizona day trip to go visit fellow GJ member and vise aficionado CrotalusAtrox.

At or near the top of my "Vise Wish List" had been a coachmaker's vise. I'm sure the Reed 224 1/2R would be in the upper echelon so when he picked up and completely refurbished a very nice example that had been on CL, I just had to have it. Here is a before pic.


You also can't really capture the sheer ridiculousness of it in a picture either, no matter what you put in there for scale.

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Chris
Sounds like a fun trip.


And I am glad that you find a very nice coachmaker and Craftsman grinder .

As for vise sizes and photos, I agree 100% with you. For some reason photos never seem to reflect the true size of vises even when the photo is taken with something with known size for a metric next to them.

Some month back when I was drooling over a photo of a Parker 978, my wife says, what is with you and all these vises. I said this one is really special, look how huge it is. She looks and says looks like just like other vises that you have.

I then found a second photo with with a tiny Parker sitting on top of a Parker 978. So I showed here the photo and said do you see the tiny vise which is dwarfed by the big one? I have one of those tiny vises, let me show you how what it looks like.

I just happen to have a Parker 974 (which was the same as the tiny vise in photo). After seeing the 974, she said are you sure the photo is not Photoshoped . I assured her it was not and she admitted that even though she has zero interest in tools, she was truly impressed by the sheer size of 978

 

[gman007]

Posted this guy earlier in the week. I finished up the restoration this weekend.
1973 Wilton 9-600 Bullet Vise.

PWR
Looks fantastic

 

[gman007]

AB and Jay
Congrats, two impressive finds from different ends of the size spectrum

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

I don't keep up with this thread, so I don't know if anybody has posted this already, but there's an estate sale this week that someone here needs to visit.

It's in Erie, PA and they have a whole bunch of old wooden mould forms from Hollands that are even marked as to which model they were from. They also have a very nice looking Hollands swivel jaw that is in the sale.

Just a guess, but it sure seems like this person may have worked at/for Hollands with this many pieces.

https://www.estatesales.net/PA/Erie/16505/2011764


Hopefully someone can check it out and report back.

GManBart I was at the sale and the Patterns were awesome. It is less than 2 miles from my house. I also picked up the Hollands H 3 1/2 vise. There are two sisters that had the sale and one of them actually worked at and then ran the company after her brother? passed away. I will try and post a link on the company and it's history.


I just came back from the house that the sale was at and there are many Patterns left. There is an offer to buy all of the Patterns on the table and Ms. Koch is waiting to hear from the prospective buyer. If he does not buy the group as a lot I was invited back to purchase individual pieces.

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

Some cool stuff there in addition to the vise molds. I like the Pipemaster tool board, and those Bozak loudspeakers.

Stuart, The PipeMaster tool board is still there and is for sale. If you are interested I can put you in touch with the owner.

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

Here are the Patterns that I picked up at the sale in Erie Pa. (these are used to make molds)

 

[hemifalcon]

Here are the molds that I picked up at the sale in Erie Pa.

That’s awesome that they were found-keep them together!!


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[MissileBear]

Here are the molds that I picked up at the sale in Erie Pa.

So cool. I wanted to make the drive to Erie real bad, but it'd be a 1h 45min drive from me, and I wasn't sure what would be left by Sat morning since I couldn't make it out on Friday. Glad the vise went to a good home!

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

So cool. I wanted to make the drive to Erie real bad, but it'd be a 1h 45min drive from me, and I wasn't sure what would be left by Sat morning since I couldn't make it out on Friday. Glad the vise went to a good home!

The 3 1/2H was still there on Sunday morning as was another Hollands vice. A friend of the owner had his eye on it and offered to let me purchase it also but I declined the offer for the second vise,(I didn't want to seem greedy).

I also picked up a PipeMaster vise that was at the sale. It was a product of Lakeview Forge.



http://www.lakeviewforge.com/about-us.html

 

[MayerMR]

Haha! It was gone before I got to the link! But glad one of ours got it and not a lurker!

When you get it Mayer, can you get me the dimensions of the cutter?

One of these is enough for me. With two of then both red, I'm thinking original paint? VA? is yours also red?

Hey Outlaw,

Sorry for the delay, here are the measurements you asked for! It was a real ***** to get out...

Mine's got a bad chip on one side. If you're going to make one, let me know what you'd charge to make a second!

 

[demoman]

I picked up this Stephens coach makers vise a few weeks ago. I have never seen another coachmakers version like it. Love the look of the slide set.

 

[PWRstroke_smoke]

PWR
Looks fantastic

thank you sir!

 

[davethorik]

Snagged this nice Hollands 44 last night. 4" jaw, swivel jaw, swivel base. Around 65 lbs.

Hard to tell in pics but it looks like vise was covered with wood varnish over top of paint? Oh well...swivel lock is missing but otherwise in really good shape.

Check out the lettering...looks like the letters moved in the casting. Kinda trippy

 

[jonshonda]

Very few "decent" vises at a "decent" price show up around me, so whenever one does I get excited. I already have a Columbian 205 that is in pretty nice shape, and is just a garage queen as my locations for users are all allocated. A nice Columbian 204-1/2 just popped up on FB for a decent price, and I am thinking about getting it. I have told myself that if (when!) I buy another vise, it will be from a different manufacturer as it won't be a user vise, but a garage queen like the Columbian 205.

Thinking I might buy it and give it a nice coat of paint, and sell it. I am not too partial to Columbian vises, as they don't scream "over build tank" compared to other offerings, but it would be fun to own more.

 

[meatsis]

I picked up this Stephens coach makers vise a few weeks ago. I have never seen another coachmakers version like it. Love the look of the slide set.

Good score demoman! I’m guessing it’s a 4 1/2” jaw. I have an old original brochure from Stephens that has that vise listed. Looks like they only made it one size.

 

[demoman]

Good score demoman! I’m guessing it’s a 4 1/2” jaw. I have an old original brochure from Stephens that has that vise listed. Looks like they only made it one size.

Thanks for the brochure share I have not seen that before. I did not realize they made so many sizes. I will have to get all mine out and see what is there. I know I have a real small one and one with at least 6 inch jaws ans some in between. I rarely find one. Good to hear from you!

 

[meatsis]

Thanks for the brochure share I have not seen that before. I did not realize they made so many sizes. I will have to get all mine out and see what is there. I know I have a real small one and one with at least 6 inch jaws ans some in between. I rarely find one. Good to hear from you!

I would love to find the 9 1/2” version!

 

[KMScott]

Wow, look at that. Nice pick up demo. meatsis thanks for sharing the brochure, I'll update the spreadsheet later.

 

[demoman]

Man that 9 1/2 is the Holmes! I'll find one somewhere!!

Kevin let me know if you need any of the pics.