The VISES of Garage Journal

[Smitty]

Hey, if you are going to collect vises be proud of it. After all, it is one of the least damaging "vices" I can think of. Whenever I ask anyone if they have any vises, I keep expecting them to say, "I drink, I smoke, I chase women" . Seriously, as long as you do not hurt anyone else and enjoy doing something, isn't that what it is all about?

Most of my vices have gone the way of the dodo. Chasing heavy metal keeps me occupied these days.

 

[Ststephen7]

So... I found and cleaned up this 4" Iron City post vise, however it was missing the handle.

I have a piece of 5/8" steel for the handle, and... how long should the handle be, and what size steel balls should I get for the end? I have a lathe, and can weld...

Also I guess... is there a standard supplier for reasonably priced plain steel balls?







sorry... just a bit more searching and King metals popped up. Going with that I think. 1" for 5/8" bar

 

[GETRIDAONE]

I would double check the OD of that ball to fit 5/8". Unless there is something new in their catalog all those are in the 2" OD range. I have used the solid ones and drilled them to the size I needed. I turn down the bar and peen them on.
To get your lenght measure from the bottom pivot pin to top of spindle and add about an inch for the ball.

 

[akasrick]

So... I found and cleaned up this 4" Iron City post vise, however it was missing the handle.

I have a piece of 5/8" steel for the handle, and... how long should the handle be, and what size steel balls should I get for the end?

A not so good picture of a production setting, looks to be from his navel to the top of his knee.

akasrick

 

[Ststephen7]

I would double check the OD of that ball to fit 5/8". Unless there is something new in their catalog all those are in the 2" OD range. I have used the solid ones and drilled them to the size I needed. I turn down the bar and peen them on.
To get your lenght measure from the bottom pivot pin to top of spindle and add about an inch for the ball.

Thank you... I'll use that length 'formula'.

And... I'm not sure what you mean about the "OD of the ball to fit 5/8". I don't know for sure that it should be 5/8", and the 5/8" rod fits and slides well. And I just ordered some 3/4" and 1" solid balls from King metals. Should I have gotten a different size?

 

[akasrick]

Thank you... I'll use that length 'formula'.

And... I'm not sure what you mean about the "OD of the ball to fit 5/8". I don't know for sure that it should be 5/8", and the 5/8" rod fits and slides well. And I just ordered some 3/4" and 1" solid balls from King metals. Should I have gotten a different size?

I guess till they come in you could measure with a golf ball, etc.
akasrick

 

[GETRIDAONE]

I assumed you were looking at the balls with 5/8" hole in them already. The solid ones will work fine.

 

[old-air-performance]

restored brockhaus heuer front 160, and my vintage heuer 125

finished

 

[va.grouseman]

Old-air, that is one beautiful restore.---Nice job.

 

[drivesitfar]

Old Air: nice restoration. AND even nicer looking bench and shop. I always like pictures of vices holding vices.

 

[Ststephen7]

I assumed you were looking at the balls with 5/8" hole in them already. The solid ones will work fine.

I found some 3/4 and 1 both solid and with holes in them. The ones with holes were 1/4" and 5/16 respectively. I can turn down the handle and enlarge the existing holes to 1/2" or something like that. Or thread them and cut threads on the handle... not sure yet. Drilling all the way through and welding the ends is certainly the easiest way.

 

[Smitty]

Is that a 2/67 date stamp on both the static and dynamic? mastic looking. made 2 months before mine.




This is a chicago made. technically this i second generation after the "pat pend" and "pat pen" models. This is made prior to the actual HD models that weren't made until later. This may or may not have a date stamped on it. Each revision got bigger....

this is an early one.. if not a date it was likely 1945-49.

You have a keen eye indeed.

 

[IdahoMan]

Re: idahoMan
They’re a bit worn but still in great shape.

Yeah, but can you easily make jaws (brass, melted-milk-jug, rubber, etc.) for them?

That is one of the best looking vises I've ever seen. What kind of finish is on that?

 

[AngryBeaver]

You have a keen eye indeed.

Awesome. post up some pictures in the Reed Date thread. Killer looking vise. been looking for mine for a long time...

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=400156&highlight=reed+date

 

[Smitty]

Yeah, but can you easily make jaws (brass, melted-milk-jug, rubber, etc.) for them?

That is one of the best looking vises I've ever seen. What kind of finish is on that?

It’s not going to see much heavy use, mostly stare time. I coated it with boiled linseed oil.

 

[Smitty]

Awesome. post up some pictures in the Reed Date thread. Killer looking vise. been looking for mine for a long time...

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=400156&highlight=reed+date

Thanks, I’ll do that. This is my first Reed vise, I had heard that they were made well but I had no idea how solid they were.

 

[MayerMR]

restored brockhaus heuer front 160, and my vintage heuer 125

Beautifully done. Love the color choice as well.

 

[Outlawmws]

I like how that heuer came out! I'd love to find one!

A bit more light on the old factory pic:

 

[akasrick]

I like how that heuer came out! I'd love to find one!

A bit more light on the old factory pic:

Disston Works picture, down the road from the OP location.


akasrick

 

[Smitty]

This was a CL find that looks like is spent a decade or so outside. Prentiss Vise no.264 made by Charles Parker.It was a fun weekend project.

Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[va.grouseman]

Real nice Smitty.---I love those old split swivel Prentiss's---And naked iron is a beautiful color, maybe the prettiest in the whole spectrum.

 

[Smitty]

Yeah, I know what you mean. It’s hard for me to pass up a Prentiss.

 

[kwoswalt99]

How do you know it was made by parker?

 

[Smitty]

How do you know it was made by parker?

Parker bought out Prentiss in the 40’s and moved production to Meriden Ct. it’s printed on the emblem.

 

[Smitty]

Real nice Smitty.---I love those old split swivel Prentiss's---And naked iron is a beautiful color, maybe the prettiest in the whole spectrum.

You’re right, naked iron is a wonderful thing.

 

[PeteA]

Hi I posted a question last night about this Wilton vise asking for help with trying to determine an approximate date of manufacture , there is no date stamped on the key , no model number , and it is not stamped Chicago or Schiller Park,
two members were kind enough to respond one member estimated the vise was made between 1942-1945 the other 1945-1949. I emailed autopts to purchase a set of swivel lock down handles for the vise and he estimated the vise was made in the late 1960's or later. I was just hoping someone might have some more info on this vise , I'm just a little curious because I've restored and sold close to 50 Wilton bullets all made between the early 1950's to the late 1970's and all were stamped either Chicago or Schiller Park. Thanks

 

[PeteA]

here are some pics.

 

[va.grouseman]

PetA, I'm not up on Wilton dating like some of these other guys are but I do see that your Wilton still retains the horizontal grip pattern that Mr. Hugh Vogl was using on his York vises when he started Wilton vises back around 41.---I know he stayed with that pattern 3 or 4 years on his Wiltons to, so if those are original jaw inserts then it should be back in the 40s.---But that's just a ballpark hunch.



Here's a Wilton with the same pattern.---It has no patent date.---Bluebolt has it down as 1941 in the date stamping thread.

 

[PeteA]

Thanks for the info and for taking the time to respond I appreciate it.

 

[PeteA]

While disassembling this vise I discovered what for me is a first , normally in my experience there are two pins , one on each side , that go through the end piece and the spindle nut to hold them in place this vise has one pin that goes all the way through with the pin running under the spindle nut , my first thought was that whoever drilled it screwed up and drilled too low , has anyone else seen this before?

 

[Fierljeppen]

While disassembling this vise I discovered what for me is a first , normally in my experience there are two pins , one on each side , that go through the end piece and the spindle nut to hold them in place this vise has one pin that goes all the way through with the pin running under the spindle nut , my first thought was that whoever drilled it screwed up and drilled too low , has anyone else seen this before?

The lower pinned nut is the feature that I use to date the oldest of Wilton vises. If you look at the patent pending baby vises, almost all of them are pinned this way.

I'm not as familiar with your style casting, but with the style of jaws, pin location and lack of slide date, I'd say your Wilton is from the early 1940's.

Thanks for all of the photos, I've added your post to my early Wilton notes.

Edit: Found a relevant Wilton illustration from 1945 showing the lower pin style.

 

[mgmlvks]

Here's my single pin. "Pat pen" 1941/2 we figure. Pin had been broken a LONG time when I got it!

 

[Outlawmws]

MG. your pics are not showing.

 

[mgmlvks]

MG. your pics are not showing.

Posting from phone is PITA - not sure if me or the phone that is clunky. Thanks

 

[dkroth]

MG's pics.

.

 

[4Nines]

Here are some neat old photos that I thought Y'all might enjoy

 

[wrenchguy]

industrial revolution, broke swivel but shimmed tight will work in a pinch.

 

[MayerMR]

industrial revolution, broke swivel but shimmed tight will work in a pinch.

"in a pinch"...get it...vises! ha!

 

[MayerMR]

Sorry fellas, late out the gates on this one, I meant to post it before the auction ended so in case anyone here wanted it they could have had a chance. But that said, anyone ever seen a Wilton bullet that didn't have any markings on it at all? It looks like an earlier one?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-LA...vip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l44720

Unrelated, but I also had a pretty good score tonight. $35 for a Columbian 605 swivel (I believe it's a 605) and a little Brink & Cotton vise, which is a little USA-made vise that I don't know much about, but it seems well-made.

Very nice jaw-faces:

Did a little work on the Brink & Cotton tonight - shame they let it get so rusty, there is some pitting. Scrubbing took the bluing off the blackened parts, but I'll just re-blue them after I get them polished back up. This vise is a weird mix of tight tolerances and nice build quality and odd decisions, like cast jaws that are painted/powder-coated over.

 

[rusty65]

Sorry fellas, late out the gates on this one, I meant to post it before the auction ended so in case anyone here wanted it they could have had a chance. But that said, anyone ever seen a Wilton bullet that didn't have any markings on it at all? It looks like an earlier one?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-LA...vip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l44720

Unrelated, but I also had a pretty good score tonight. $35 for a Columbian 605 swivel (I believe it's a 605) and a little Brink & Cotton vise, which is a little USA-made vise that I don't know much about, but it seems well-made.

Very nice jaw-faces:

Did a little work on the Brink & Cotton tonight - shame they let it get so rusty, there is some pitting. Scrubbing took the bluing off the blackened parts, but I'll just re-blue them after I get them polished back up. This vise is a weird mix of tight tolerances and nice build quality and odd decisions, like cast jaws that are painted/powder-coated over.

Another member on here zoomieport owns two of those unmarked Bullet vises both of them with patent pending marks as I recant. Both in two different sizes a 2 1/2 and 4in if I recall correctly.


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