The VISES of Garage Journal

[kenc184]

There's a good one for Smitty on C.L. locally. A Prentiss 57 - all 220lbs of it. Trouble is the jaws would need some work. Not sure if a supplemental jaw has been welded onto the cast in jaws on one side or what?
I'd go look myself but have too much on this week.

Looks pretty good apart from the jaws. Probably cheap too "offers".

Well, it's gone already. Anyone here bag it?

 

[Smitty]

Smittyglad billy gave you a good deal he’s not always the most pleasant person to deal with. Did you get the rock island also?

He was a pleasure to deal with and we talked for a while. The rock island has extensive welding so I passed on it and the little post vise had a broken jaw. Boy it was cold up there, are you expecting snow tonight?

 

[Smitty]

Well, it's gone already. Anyone here bag it?

I hope somebody here got it, I want to see more photos.

 

[Loydski29]

He was a pleasure to deal with and we talked for a while. The rock island has extensive welding so I passed on it and the little post vise had a broken jaw. Boy it was cold up there, are you expecting snow tonight?

It snowed last night don’t think we are expecting anything tonight. Glad you had a good transaction.

 

[Asport]

I seem to have acquired a vise not on the Google Docs spreadsheet:

The Rock Island 190.

This little gem sports 3" jaws, measures 12 inches long, and weighs in at 15 lbs.

General wisdom suggests 1920s or 1930s, from what I understand, as it's a stationary model with the bench overhang. This example is in fine working condition, and seems to have a bit of what I guess may be the original finish, which is black and may be some kind of asphaltum.

Anyway, I show it here to add to the collected wisdom, and so that it may be included in the spreadsheet, if the editors so choose.

Nice score! I love the older RI with the scalloped tops. I am kicking myself about not picking one up a year ago locally that was a swivel jaw, swivel base.

 

[Smitty]

Smitty

Nice score!

Thanks Gman.

 

[honza.vosalik]

Guys, what book does this Reed cutaway come from? Would love to get it blown up and hang it on the wall in the garage...

 

[Asport]

Guys, what book does this Reed cutaway come from? Would love to get it blown up and hang it on the wall in the garage...

It's from Catalog 40 and probably others. A few catalogs are available here but the resolution may not be high enough to blow up.

https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator:"Reed+Manufacturing+Co."

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Im almost done with the garage sale Morgan Chicago 160. I still have some polishing to do on the slide faces. Its got some bumps and scrapes still but its ready for decades of use ahead. I am probably going to sell this one at some point. It was just too nice to pass on. The seller from the first picture bragged about how he put two whole cans of paint on it just for the sale! Possibly the worst brake drum base ever was scrapped. I kept the drum for my big Hollands vise I am almost finished with as well. Sorry for the dark pictures.

 

[Shiftless]

Mr. W.:
Looking good there!
I’ve never painted a base using a different color, but after seeing yours I will definitely consider doing that sometime in the future.

That 160 is WAY bigger than my 140.

BTW, what techniques do you use to “polish” the slide?
wire wheel? Scotchbrite discs? RO Sander?

 

[va.grouseman]

Mr. W., are those large acorn nuts on the handle or just large rounded off nuts.---Looks good.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Shift, I used a RO sander down to 220, Ill hit it with the scotchbright disk on the angled die grinder next and thats about as far as I go. I'm not sure how big the 140 is. This one weighs in at about 145lbs.

Va, Good eye. The guy I bought it from did change out the handle. One end is threaded with a nut on it and the "acorn" end lookes like it had a nut with some of the threads sticking through and welded it into that shape. I was actually surprised how nice of a weld that it was. I was going to grind them round but I think I'm just going to soften all the edges a little more and give everything a polish. I dont normally like the hex ends on vises. It always seemed a little cheesy but I'm starting to like the look that it has. The next owner can change it out lol.

 

[FMC1959]

I am still catching up and about 40 pages back on page 3440, so excuse my comments if someone else made reference to them later on.

• Fox-eared mounting tabs (I think)
• Swivel jaw
• Round handle slide
• Tall dynamic jaw slide

I'd guess a Prentiss for those characteristics - though odd that it does not appear to have any of the writing on the sides that they're known for in their casting.

That 508 was $75 in 1926. For 2019 inflation that'd be > $1000 vise.

@ 150lbs, even with the condition it is in I wouldn't be surprised to see it go for $1-2/lb

Of course, the price is whatever someone is willing to pay for it

First off, very nice to see Dayid posting again, and more importantly, his Wiki is back up. Any of you not familiar with it, take a look, very nicely made.

When I originally started the vise spreadsheet, it was 1) because Dayid was busy and his Wiki was no longer working and 2) I used Excel because I do not know how to do a web page. The spreadsheet was easier to create but his Wiki web page is so much nicer looking.

Great work and nice to see you back (although not sure what "back" means when having joined June 2010 and having 77 posts, his next post could be in 4 months!!!)

I’ve got a Prentiss no. 183. It’s the biggest Prentiss vise that I have at 186lbs.


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Smitty, that Prentiss with the covered but side exposed screw is a beauty. Prentiss bought out many smaller companies like Shepard, Blake and Lewis, among others....that one with the side exposed looks very "Lewis" like.

BTW Smitty, do you live in a parking lot? Just kidding, all your pics are in a parking lot, I am guessing from your work?

Did any of you fellows see what the Baby Wilton went for?---Like I said before, the market bears whatever is thrown at it.---But being NOS does change the rules a little.

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

Considering how much many of those Baby Wilton's go for, a NOS with the box, the price seems reasonable wtf: did I just say reasonable?)

 

[Smitty]

Re: Fmc1959
Thanks, the 183 is one of my favorite Prentiss vises. Palm trees and pavement make the best backdrops.

 

[honza.vosalik]

It's from Catalog 40 and probably others. A few catalogs are available here but the resolution may not be high enough to blow up.

https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator:"Reed+Manufacturing+Co."

Awesome, now I just need to find a printed copy, lol

 

[Smitty]

VA...matchless antiques has an Iron City post vise on the board and there’s a better photo of the beast in the background. I’m pretty sure it’s not a Columbian. What do you think it is?

 

[va.grouseman]

Smitty, the snout looks a little too big, and the NO is on the bottom of stamping plate when all I have seen had the NO above the stamping plate.---Other than that it does resemble a Columbian.

 

[Smitty]

Smitty, the snout looks a little too big, and the NO is on the bottom of stamping plate when all I have seen had the NO above the stamping plate.---Other than that it does resemble a Columbian.

if It’s a Columbian it’s a later model than mine. There are numerous differences side by side. Maybe I should ask jeppen to get involved.

 

[Smitty]

Smitty, the snout looks a little too big, and the NO is on the bottom of stamping plate when all I have seen had the NO above the stamping plate.---Other than that it does resemble a Columbian.

When the vise in question is in the closed position you can barely see the slide. I can see about three to four inches on a Columbian.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Smitty...It smells all American Scale Co. to me. KMScott mentioned about their pinned main screw spindle recently and that kinda clued me in.

I'd like to have it.

 

[Smitty]

Smitty...It smells all American Scale Co. to me. KMScott mentioned about their pinned main screw spindle recently and that kinda clued me in.

I'd like to have it.

I think you solved the mystery, thanks. Usually when they place items in the background like that it means they’ll be coming up for sale soon.

 

[Trucker88]

Just found this attached to an old bench top under a pile of straw in the loft of my barn. Gonna try to do a bit of research on it. I can read on one side Rock island ILL, a 50 on the handle,041-20 on top of swivel base and rock island mfc co No 440?. Curious if anyone else has one of these.

 

[Shiftless]

Wow! A literal “barn find” just like in the classic car biz.

That RI looks like it will clean up quite nicely and go back to work for you. Even though it’s (most likely) way older than you are, it’s still better than just about any vise you could go out and buy new.

I don’t see a main screw (spindle) or handle in your picture. Did you remove it already? I hope it’s not missing.

 

[gman007]

Just found this attached to an old bench top under a pile of straw in the loft of my barn. Gonna try to do a bit of research on it. I can read on one side Rock island ILL, a 50 on the handle,041-20 on top of swivel base and rock island mfc co No 440?. Curious if anyone else has one of these.

Trucker

I believe the model number might in fact be 442 (see attached photo) and if so it should weigh 15 lb and have 3-1/8" jaw width and open to about 3-1/2". Also as Shift stated, it is missing the main screw (see attached photo)

 

[Nez02]

Hello. Looking for some help on this vise. I haven’t been able to find any other mentions of a CC in the forum. What would you evaluate it at?

 

[Shiftless]

Looks like you have a Parker Vulcan. It was originally sold with a through the bench mounting system so it could swivel. Seems to me that somebody has drilled holes so that it can be mounted in a fixed postition on a workbench.

It’s still a very cool vise. Nice find!

This is from a 1903 catalog.

$10.50 was a lot of money back then.

Value?
Personally I think it’s an interesting old piece. Too bad it’s not complete. And there is a suspicious looking area under the dynamic jaw.
Do you live near me?

 

[gman007]

Hello. Looking for some help on this vise. I haven’t been able to find any other mentions of a CC in the forum. What would you evaluate it at?

Hello

Here is a photo of a Parker CC which clearly shows the through the bench swivel base that Shift mentioned already.

I also want to draw your attention to the fact that the retaining collar for the main screw in the photo that you have attached does not seem to be the OEM Parker collar. You can see the original collar in the photo that I have attached here. I have attached a second photo which is of a different Parker model (204) but clearly shows what a typical Parker collar (from around that period) should look like.

 

[meatsis]

Hello. Looking for some help on this vise. I haven’t been able to find any other mentions of a CC in the forum. What would you evaluate it at?

Is that dynamic jaw welded?

 

[TTMotorsports]

Here's a Wilton I got 3 or so years ago for 10 bux. It's been welded back together very bad but still works great

 

[Trucker88]

Wow! A literal “barn find” just like in the classic car biz.

That RI looks like it will clean up quite nicely and go back to work for you. Even though it’s (most likely) way older than you are, it’s still better than just about any vise you could go out and buy new.

I don’t see a main screw (spindle) or handle in your picture. Did you remove it already? I hope it’s not missing.

It is there I just unscrewed it. I actually was looking through some posts and I never knew there was such a following of old vises. I feel extremely lucky.

 

[gman007]

Here's a Wilton I got 3 or so years ago for 10 bux. It's been welded back together very bad but still works great

TT
For $10 you did very well. The good parts alone are worth a lot more than that.

It is interesting that apart from the catastrophic damage to the area where the holes for the retaining pins for the main screw nut (cylinder) were, the rest of the vise does not seem to have been abused.

I wonder how much force someone did apply to yank the pins forward and break the area where the holes were. I am also curious if the nut was also damaged and if they welded the nut (cylinder) to the body of the vise since I do not see any pins there.

 

[Trucker88]

Trucker

I believe the model number might in fact be 442 (see attached photo) and if so it should weigh 15 lb and have 3-1/8" jaw width and open to about 3-1/2". Also as Shift stated, it is missing the main screw (see attached photo)

That is really nice looking. The handle is on it I just unscrewed it. Is it popular to paint them or just leave it the way it is. I was in the market for a decent vise. All I have is a flat funny looking little vise from HF. Thanks for replying.

 

[gman007]

That is really nice looking. The handle is on it I just unscrewed it. Is it popular to paint them or just leave it the way it is. I was in the market for a decent vise. All I have is a flat funny looking little vise from HF. Thanks for replying.

It is your vise and obviously it is absolutely up to you what to do with it. Some people (like myself) like to paint them, some like to clean them and then apply BLO to them (to prevent rust). Some even like them the way they are with the patina.

Since you have already found a good old American vise, you probably will get hooked and more vises will find you (or you will find them).

 

[chrisnazzy]

Hello. Looking for some help on this vise. I haven’t been able to find any other mentions of a CC in the forum. What would you evaluate it at?

I recently checked out an old Parker CC but passed due to several issues including a nasty tail crack and bad handle. Someday I'd like to own a clean example of an old through the bench swivel vise.

Also as Shiftless and others have already noted, that dynamic jaw looks to have a huge built up weld or braze job. Pretty much an automatic pass unless needed as a parts vise.

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[Bricen18]

New vise at work. The swivel base broke on our old Wilton. So our boss ordered us a new one and he likes to buy quality stuff. I’ll post more pics once we get it mounted.


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[Trucker88]

It is your vise and obviously it is absolutely up to you what to do with it. Some people (like myself) like to paint them, some like to clean them and then apply BLO to them (to prevent rust). Some even like them the way they are with the patina.

Since you have already found a good old American vise, you probably will get hooked and more vises will find you (or you will find them).

After I cleaned it up it looks like the numbers are 443. Is that possible?

 

[Shiftless]

New vise at work. The swivel base broke on our old Wilton. So our boss ordered us a new one and he likes to buy quality stuff. I’ll post more pics once we get it mounted.


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So your company is replacing your old Wilton bullet because the base broke?
You could have ordered a new base, but since the boss already bought a new one, I bet one of the regulars here who lives nearby would be willing to swing by your place and get that old worthless piece of scrap out of your way.

 

[gman007]

After I cleaned it up it looks like the numbers are 443. Is that possible?

What is the jaw width?

 

[Outlawmws]

It's from Catalog 40 and probably others. A few catalogs are available here but the resolution may not be high enough to blow up.

https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator:"Reed+Manufacturing+Co."

I don't know about poster size, but the original res looks pretty good and you should be able to get 8X10 pretty clean.

 

[Trucker88]

What is the jaw width?

Just a hair over 3.5”