The VISES of Garage Journal

[Smitty]

Smitty:


Speaking of Easter vises, this one is pretty extreme. Previously posted by a GJ member but I don’t know who...

That settles it, I won’t be scanning the boards in April.

 

[Smitty]

Re Dave: got a Reed 4c on the left and a Prentiss no. 22 on the right. It’s worth the effort.


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[chrisnazzy]

My wife has been trying to get me to paint a vise pink for awhile now for our littlest daughter who is 5. So far I've resisted but I'll admit I've got a plan. Sooner or later a vise is going to come along that would usually be outside my price range or maybe a bit of a roadtrip to go get it. I think thats when this little Stanley 741 that I got last year already missing the clamp might just end up being the sacrificial lamb.

Speaking of Stanley vises, the most recent addition to my vise family is this Stanley 746.

All three of my Stanley vises came from eBay and at $29, I thought this one was affordable enough it would be cool to have the largest and smallest of the Stanley/Victor Jersey vises.

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[honza.vosalik]

Thanks for posting that video of your collection. You’ve got some great ones.

BTW, what exact color paint is that green Reed? Rustoleum or ???

Dave:
Those stuck swivel lock pins certainly are difficult. I struggled greatly with a Reed 406.
Hint: drill and tap the pin and fabricate a puller. I didn’t try a slide hammer but that might work too.
.
.
.

Normally I'd do restore myself, but I actually sold the vise and then had a seller's remorse, so I asked the guy if he would sell it back to me,lol. He agreed, but he already repainted it. It's not a museum quality restoration, at least I don't have to be afraid of using the vise, lol

 

[Smitty]

My wife has been trying to get me to paint a vise pink for awhile now for our littlest daughter who is 5. So far I've resisted but I'll admit I've got a plan. Sooner or later a vise is going to come along that would usually be outside my price range or maybe a bit of a roadtrip to go get it. I think thats when this little Stanley 741 that I got last year already missing the clamp might just end up being the sacrificial lamb.

Speaking of Stanley vises, the most recent addition to my vise family is this Stanley 746.

All three of my Stanley vises came from eBay and at $29, I thought this one was affordable enough it would be cool to have the largest and smallest of the Stanley/Victor Jersey vises.

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It looks like Sir Stanley gets to take one for the team. Good choice.

 

[Outlawmws]

Smitty is just geting to us now.

First monster vises,

then mini's

now Seasonally color coordinated...

Can't wait till June... :supergay:

 

[tom-ky]

Saw this advertised today. Seems high.

 

[Outlawmws]

Or the seller is high...

 

[Smitty]

Smitty is just geting to us now.

First monster vises,

then mini's

now Seasonally color coordinated...

Can't wait till June... :supergay:

Forever plaid.

 

[Asport]

Saw this advertised today. Seems high.

Just a little!

 

[NC Rick]

The blue one is stuck, stuck. The black one wouldn't come out by hand but that's as much as I tried.

My minor experience causes me to make a suggestion: pry up on the pin with an alignment pin /cam pry bar and with a goodly but secure amount of pull pressure, use a good copper or bronze hammer to whack the pin head from the side with that pry force pulling. Doing that creates a tremendous incentive for TH pin to jump out of its hole.

 

[NC Rick]

Smitty:


Speaking of Easter vises, this one is pretty extreme. Previously posted by a GJ member but I don’t know who...

I feel secure enough in my manhood to use that vise.

 

[chrisnazzy]

The post of the $700 Columbian on Kentucky FB Marketplace prompted me to look at vises posted for sale in that area and then in OH and PA. I'm always amazed at how many great vises are listed for sale and presumably available in that part of the country!

This one stood out to me since we were talking about pink vises. Just not sure how someone would land on pink as the color of choice when restoring a big vintage Chas. Parker, especially if planning to resell.

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[Outlawmws]

Wow, Sometimes it's just bad lighting/photography, but I don't think so...

 

[chrisnazzy]

Here's the link:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/282541159103296/

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[RBarnes]

I feel secure enough in my manhood to use that vise.

I would be afraid to scratch it or get it dirty. I do not have any white gloves and paint looks too perfect/clean for me to use. I practically smudged it just looking at the photo.

 

[RBarnes]

This one stood out to me since we were talking about pink vises. Just not sure how someone would land on pink as the color of choice when restoring a big vintage Chas. Parker, especially if planning to resell.]

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Isn't it a shame that we still do not live in a time where vises will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

 

[Shiftless]

Isn't it a shame that we still do not live in a time where vises will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Classic MLK quote

 

[gman007]

The post of the $700 Columbian on Kentucky FB Marketplace prompted me to look at vises posted for sale in that area and then in OH and PA. I'm always amazed at how many great vises are listed for sale and presumably available in that part of the country!

This one stood out to me since we were talking about pink vises. Just not sure how someone would land on pink as the color of choice when restoring a big vintage Chas. Parker, especially if planning to resell.

Chris
I have always thought vises as being too masculine to be called pretty or even good looking but rather they should be called Ruggedly Handsome. Well I am now dumb founded as what to call this atrocity

I mean these old proud American irons for decades have put up with all sorts of cruelty, neglect and abuse and yet being the tough guys that they are, have taken it all in stride and survived with dignity and pride.

And to what end? Now to be subjected to worst imaginable abuse and indignity? I believe there is (well if there isn't one there should be) a U.N. Charter for Universal Declaration of Vise Rights against this kind of vise cruelty and abuse

PS
I could not find my sunglasses so I could not look at the poor thing for too long

 

[Maui]

He’s asking $425 for a restored Parker 974? Really??

 

[MayerMR]

It does except that clamp knob is all wrong and the Stanley's didn't have holes on the sides, and whole base shaped different. My vote is Luther.

After davethorik schooled me so hard a couple of weeks ago about Luther vs Stanley Sweethearts, when I came across this vise, which looks like it *might* be a Luther, I just had to buy it...so I could tell everyone about my new Stanley Sweetheart...

 

[gman007]

He’s asking $425 for a restored Parker 974? Really??

Even with eBay standards $425 is way too high. But then again as crazy as it might sound, it seems the vise price inflation continues! Out of curiosity I had a quick look at asking prices for 974 on eBay. Now the asking price for 974 seems to be around $300-$350 (and that is not including shipping). But as always asking is one thing and getting it is another thing.

 

[gman007]

After davethorik schooled me so hard a couple of weeks ago about Luther vs Stanley Sweethearts, when I came across this vise, which looks like it *might* be a Luther, I just had to buy it...so I could tell everyone about my new Stanley Sweetheart...

Mayer
Nice find . It might be your new Sweetheart and it might be small but it is not pretty, but rather it is Ruggedly Handsome

 

[davethorik]

After davethorik schooled me so hard a couple of weeks ago about Luther vs Stanley Sweethearts, when I came across this vise, which looks like it *might* be a Luther, I just had to buy it...so I could tell everyone about my new Stanley Sweetheart...

LOL I didn't mean to come across that harsh but I think I write with the resting ***** face, if you get what I mean lol.
They are cool vises regardless. Those little Stanley's are built just like bench vises but scaled down. I bet it would do a good job.

 

[wrenchguy]

I believe the pink looking vises came around October years past recognizing "Breast Cancer Awareness Month". I'm sure there are women out there that use vises.

 

[Maui]

Gman, I just did a quick search on Ebay for completed auctions for Parker 974 vises, and couldn't find one that sold for over $300. They can ask whatever they want to, but this is getting out of hand. Are we responsible for this insanity?

On a separate topic, here are some photos of the 8" jaws I built for a Wilton bench vise that I am restoring. Kevin Scott heat treated them for me for free, and I wanted to give him a big THANK YOU for doing that! The diamond serrations were ground into the surfaces of the jaws by a friend of mine after the heat treatment was completed. I thought that Kevin might get a kick out of seeing how they finally turned out.

Maui

 

[FMC1959]

He’s asking $425 for a restored Parker 974? Really??

$875 for the 6" is just as out of whack, and that pink color will definitely discourage a few buyers

$800+ is 8" territory

 

[Shiftless]

Maui:
Your friend definitely knows what he is doing. Those jaws look fantastic!

 

[Northerndave]

I'll throw a couple of leg vises in here. This one I have not identified.

This one is an iron city.

 

[KMScott]

Maui, those jaws look great, I know how much time it takes to grind serrations on a hard surface, wheel selection and how you have to plunge grind each cut or the wheel breaks down. Gotta see them on your vise. Thumbs Up.

 

[BlueBomber]

I picked up a Reed 104 1/2 today at a local ReStore. I spotted it in the newly donated, not yet priced section and asked for a price. When the guy said "Oh, think we're asking $25 for those," I said "Uh, yeah, I can do that."

Less than ten degrees of slop in the jaw screw. The jaws seem to be in good shape, not beat on at all. The only evidence of stress is a slightly bent handle.
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[Shiftless]

Northerndave:
Thanks for posting those pics of your post vises. I bet you have a big bench vise or 2 as well.
Anybody who’s into car restoration should check out Dave’s shop pics. Fantastic work there, Dave!

(‘62 Sunliner owner here...)

 

[davethorik]

Put the vise and press into storage. I've decided against selling the vise for now.

Attached is a pic of repair to foot. Looks brazed.

 

[gman007]

Gman, I just did a quick search on Ebay for completed auctions for Parker 974 vises, and couldn't find one that sold for over $300. They can ask whatever they want to, but this is getting out of hand. Are we responsible for this insanity?

On a separate topic, here are some photos of the 8" jaws I built for a Wilton bench vise that I am restoring. Kevin Scott heat treated them for me for free, and I wanted to give him a big THANK YOU for doing that! The diamond serrations were ground into the surfaces of the jaws by a friend of mine after the heat treatment was completed. I thought that Kevin might get a kick out of seeing how they finally turned out.

Maui

Maui

Yes, I think at least in part we might be responsible.

Wow, those jaw inserts look fantastic. Nicely done by all those involved ( you, Dr. Scott and your friend)

 

[davethorik]

Usually 6" jaw 168 lb vises don't look little...unless they're next to an even bigger arbor press on a stand.

 

[va.grouseman]

Looks like a pretty stout fix on the foot Dave.---All it lacks is rounding the corners off to make it look authentic, but that won't make it work any better than it does now.---That'll just be for show.---Everything else looks to be in really nice shape.---Nice find.

 

[Northerndave]

Northerndave:
Thanks for posting those pics of your post vises. I bet you have a big bench vise or 2 as well.
Anybody who’s into car restoration should check out Dave’s shop pics. Fantastic work there, Dave!

(‘62 Sunliner owner here...)

Thanks Shiftless. Yes, as non romantic as it is, the truth is that my main go to vise is an 8" wilton.

I'm sure it's probably an import version

But, it helps us get a lot of work done.

 

[Northerndave]

Also did you say 62 sunliner? I love 62's. I feel that both GM and ford had beautiful full sized designs in 62.

 

[Northerndave]

my post leg vises get used mostly at this cluttered metal shaping area. I mostly use this one to hold various dollies like this T dolly for forming sheetmetal over with a hammer. The anvil in a columbian.

 

[davethorik]

Looks like a pretty stout fix on the foot Dave.---All it lacks is rounding the corners off to make it look authentic, but that won't make it work any better than it does now.---That'll just be for show.---Everything else looks to be in really nice shape.---Nice find.

Thanks VA I'm stoked to not only have one but 2 of these unicorns! The missing lock wrench on the black one will probably be near impossible to find, but the blue one is about 85% condition, has the wrench, a couple chips but no breaks.
So I have a beater and a show queen. Although this repair is at least 25 years old, I believe the gentleman said he retired from Goodyear in the late 90s and been in use in his shop since...i think it's fine.

Here's a pic for Smitty...its hard to photograph but these vises aren't just squares, they taper towards the rear, instead of a step in the side. Not shown, the rear of swivel jaw has the taper too. So that is a unique part.