The VISES of Garage Journal

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

Well you got a great deal IMHO. You ****!

 

[cronic]

Here is an older Columbian D43 1/2 that was my grandfather's tractor shed vise. I took it apart and wire brushed it. Then painted it and added some silver racing strips, lol.

 

[Vinko]

 

[thirdmouse]

Here is my Prentiss #55. It is 5 1/2" wide and opens to 11 1/2". This belonged to my grandfather and is mounted on an 8' x 3' table made by him from 1/4" angle and plate. I'm glad to have a few of my grandfather's tools. The vise worked okay when I got it, but it sure worked a lot better when I cleaned the grime out of it and gave it some fresh oil. It's a real nice heavy vise, but I could wish it had replaceable jaws. What's there is decent and usable, but it would be nice to be able to replace them with soft jaws sometimes. DOM and COO? I picked up a clue in here to look inside the slide somewhere. I see a 34 stamped into the bottom of the slide of the movable jaw. Would that make it 1934? Being my grandfather's, it could be. I never did figure out what COO meant.

I also have a Columbian D43 1/2. It works well as a small vise.

 

[thirdmouse]

I forgot my small Wilton. I don't see a number on it anywhere. This is an offset one and is more of a wood vise, but it works great for holding connecting rods for polishing. Yes, right now it needs some new wood in the jaws.

 

[bgott]

Nice vises,thirdmouse! How about a picture of that Craftsman 109 behind the Columbian?

 

[Keep]

I cannot seem to stop looking for vises. I do not need anymore, yet a Record #4 found its way into my garage today for $30.

 

[thirdmouse]

Nice vises,thirdmouse! How about a picture of that Craftsman 109 behind the Columbian?

Good eye identifying that with little more than a handle. I normally try to not hijack, but someone asked... Is there a "show me your lathe" thread here? This works okay for a small lathe, but I wish I had a larger one. All in time. This is driven by a 1/6 HP motor mounted on its own swivel base spring loaded for belt tension. Simply pull the motor forward to release the belt tension and change pulley sizes, then let the motor go. It's a nice arrangement even though I never use more than the lowest speed anyway. Here I am making solid motor mounts out of polyamide for a motorcycle. This is a typical workbench for me. For better or worse, this is the way I work. I actually moved a couple things out of the way for this pic.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

I like that Prentiss a lot, thirdmouse. Some Prentisses don't really do much for me, but that one looks very nice.

 

[bgott]

Good eye identifying that with little more than a handle. I normally try to not hijack, but someone asked... Is there a "show me your lathe" thread here? This works okay for a small lathe, but I wish I had a larger one. All in time. This is driven by a 1/6 HP motor mounted on its own swivel base spring loaded for belt tension. Simply pull the motor forward to release the belt tension and change pulley sizes, then let the motor go. It's a nice arrangement even though I never use more than the lowest speed anyway. Here I am making solid motor mounts out of polyamide for a motorcycle. This is a typical workbench for me. For better or worse, this is the way I work. I actually moved a couple things out of the way for this pic.

I have one of those. I was figuring I needed a jackshaft, looking at yours I now know how to power it. thanks!

 

[nate379]

Nothing fancy, but has served me well. Bought it back new 7-8 years ago.

 

[thirdmouse]

I have one of those. I was figuring I needed a jackshaft, looking at yours I now know how to power it. thanks!

No, these little lathes don't really need a jackshaft, unless you want or need that much speed variability. Use a 1750 rpm motor with about a 1 1/2" or so pulley. I figure my slowest spindle speed is about 650 rpms. If I need less than that, there is always the gear reduction in the head itself. I think that gear reduction in the head for very slow speeds is why these units don't really need a jackshaft.

 

[bgott]

I wonder if I could power it with an 18 volt Dewalt cordless drill? Actually, that would be good job for a seldom- used- now corded drill. Damn, now you got me thinking. I'm still looking for a cheap chuck, I don't want to spend $100 for a chuck for a $20 lathe.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

This is a great post for me because it happens to mark my 100th post as well as an aquisition I have been working on for over a month. This thing is a monster! I have been actively seeking very large vises for quite some time now and this is the third one the craigslist gods have provided for me. I will post pictures of my other vises, but I'm too pumped about this one to wait.

This is a strange vise, though. It doesn't have a name cast into it anywhere; all it has is Pat. No. 108 1/2. Its jaws are 8" wide and it weighs 255 pounds!! I'm going to have to make a handle for it, but I don't think it will be that big of a deal. There is something funny about the jaws, but I haven't figured out what yet; I think they may have been broken off and then welded back on.

I got it from a guy in Chesapeake Ohio whose dad used to own a shop that worked on barges right along the Ohio River. I guess they had cause to clamp down some huge parts for barges and he used it a lot in his shop. I think its really cool to have a little piece of American history. I got it for $150 and it came with the table that it's mounted on. These are the only pics I have of it right now, but I'll post some more later. I just cannot convey to you the sheer size of this thing with pictures, but I will try.

I think it looks like a Prentiss No. 58. If you do a google search for one of those, you can see a picture of one somebody else restored. I just don't know why it doesn't have a name cast into it. If anybody has any ideas on the maker of this vise, I would love to hear them.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I just cannot convey to you the sheer size of this thing with pictures, but I will try.

Set a normal sized vise next to it and snap a picture.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

Set a normal sized vise next to it and snap a picture.

Ahh, I should have but I had already taken these pictures. Here are some more anyway, though. This is when I got it back to my garage.

Picture 3 shows the repair done to the jaws.

I tried to get a good picture showing just how thick the sidewalls are, but I couldn't. They are only about 1/4" thinner than the outside shown in picture 6. Usually when you grab a vise right there, it is pretty hollow and quite a bit thinner, but not this one.

Picture 7 isn't exactly fair I know because the slide is just barely stuck in there, but it was covering almost my entire piece of plywood that I had sitting there and I just had to take a pic.

 

[bmwpower]

OMG. That thing is massive!

I'm not quite sure what the deal is with that repair.

Get that bad boy cleaned up, lubed and mount her.

Trying to find info on that patent. Does it say "Pat. 108 1/2" ??

 

[VegasBruce]

That is an awesome vise.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

Sorry bmwpower, I didn't see your question until just now. Yes, it does say Pat. No. 108 1/2. Thanks for your help. I do plan on getting it all nice and pretty as soon as I get a chance.

 

[BlindViper]

Snap-on 4 1/2" vise

Columbian model 505

As you can see it was not in the best of condition. After 14 hours in a electrolysis bath it was painted. It will be installed on my welding table when it gets done.

 

[senlow]

Here are my vises:
LS Starrett No. 86 (1-1/2" jaws).
Stanley 1210, I gave this one to my son.
Wilton 2-1/2" bullet vise.
Wilton 3" bullet vise.
Wilton 3-1/2" bullet vise.
Wilton model 1750, 5" vise.
Reed model 205, 5" vise.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I found the perfect use for the quick release on my vise!

 

[bmwpower]

I found the perfect use for the quick release on my vise! [/IMG]

With my luck, I'd somehow drop them into an open drawer, then close it and never be able to find them.

 

[AMP2]

I have a few in my shop - I like good vises.
Some are restored and some not. One old one is brand new still in the box and I haven't used it yet. Here are a few.

 

[A29]

I retired this vise about 25years ago.Its been laying around the back yard that long and since its sorta the family vise (been around since my great grandfather) I decided to restore it and bring it into my new shop.

 

[CRTDI]

Crate Full Of Wilton Vises

Ran across this posting on E-bay. Appears to be quite a few Wilton 450S Machinist's vises. Maybe a chance for someone to get a decent one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190326660014

EDIT: Reposted this in the classified section, maybe somebody will get a deal.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

amp2, what are the vises in pic #3? I see Morgan Milwaukee on the one. Is it a good vise? They look a whole lot like the old Columbians, T-shaped jaws and all.

That little baby Wilton is awesome!

 

[Fatbrosracing]

They all seem to be of cast construction is the "welded / fabricated steel" type vise not popular over in the U.S. Sorry I don't have a better photo at the moment.

 

[A29]

They all seem to be of cast construction is the "welded / fabricated steel" type vise not popular over in the U.S. Sorry I don't have a better photo at the moment.

I used to sell a lot to the local power company for their line trucks. It was a great vise but It is not availabe any more.
The old one I restored, a few post above, is a forging.

 

[stewart]

You guys are insane! Out I go to my garage, in pajamas, camera in hand to follow suit. As with the Anvil post, I notice I don't see many good vices in the fancy floor'd Gayrages (I'm coining that one)!

That's a Chuck Parker. There's some 4" craftsmans around here somewhere. One's mounted to a 1/2" steel plate that I can C Clamp anywhere it's needed.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

stewart, is that a chunk missing out of the back of the slide or was it made that way? Either way, that's a nice Parker.

 

[Pukeballs]

Heres a before and after of a older Craftsman vise I redid.

 

[stewart]

Man! You have some eye. It's missing a chunk!

 

[explorinbc]

If anyone wants to buy an old wilton vise 1957 or 67 email me at [email protected] I would also love to know the history on it It is excellent condition Not sure of what model it is besides 8C0

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

Well, I'm so proud of this that I reeeeally wanted to put it in it's own thread, but I decided to do the honorable thing. It just seems like very few people actually look at this thread.

Anyway, here is my latest vise restoration creation. It's a Wilton C2. Weighs 100 lbs and has 5" jaws. It started out life in the military, which is where it got the hideous green paint that is almost impossible to get off. After a while with the wire brush, I got smart and started looking around on the internet and found out that some people take vises to radiator shops for a dip in the hot tank. The first two places I called said NO so fast that they practically hung up on me. The third guy pondered it a while and then said he'd do it for 10 bucks per vise. It did a fantastic job and I would recommend it to anyone.

This is actually not my vise. I'm getting married this summer and I restored it for the pastor who is doing our wedding as sort of a "thank you". I think he'll be very pleased since he saw what it looked like before I started.

Here is the before picture:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/45099362@N02/4336903060/" title="wilton by BanjoSavesTheDay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4336903060_7cec3b874f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="wilton" /></a>

And after:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/45099362@N02/4336168741/" title="IMG_3155 by BanjoSavesTheDay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4336168741_d169500280.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_3155" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/45099362@N02/4336169325/" title="IMG_3160 by BanjoSavesTheDay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4336169325_086488ff8d.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_3160" /></a>

Oh-So-Beautiful Wilton goodness. Note that I have painted the base also; I just hadn't attached it at the time of the picture.

 

[senlow]

That vise needs an end cap. You can make one from a freeze plug. the dome shape can be made with a little hammer forming.

 

[stewart]

It's just beautiful, it really is.

I'm thinking, before that dust cap, some never seize on the screw threads! The losses due to friction will be reduced and you'll get more holding power for any given force applied to the handle.

Great job!

 

[stewart]

Hey Pukeballs, nice job also, I had a crafstman just like it. It also had a bent beam?

 

[old salvage]

..... It just seems like very few people actually look at this thread. ...........

I'm one of the few.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Well, I'm so proud of this that I reeeeally wanted to put it in it's own thread, but I decided to do the honorable thing. It just seems like very few people actually look at this thread.


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/45099362@N02/4336168741/" title="IMG_3155 by BanjoSavesTheDay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4336168741_d169500280.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_3155" /></a>

Beautiful job! Wow!