The VISES of Garage Journal

[chrisnazzy]

So funny story..I decided to contact the owner and see if he was open to offers. He was, I just paid for it. [emoji38]_hitti



Now I’ve gotta figure out how to get it from NJ to either Fastenal for shipping or find someone on uShip to bring it to me. Is there any upstanding members here that are in NJ that would be willing to get it to a Fastenal for me? Don’t have to do it for free, I’d be willing to come up with compensation.

Shortly after you posted in the classified section that you were looking to acquire a big vise, I messaged you through the forum PM about this big Parker on eBay and a 7" Prentiss near me. Did you get that message?

Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing a pic of the Parker 60x with that Reed 108R one you get the Parker. That thing looks like a beast! Congrats on them both.

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[AndrewH]

Shortly after you posted in the classified section that you were looking to acquire a big vise, I messaged you through the forum PM about this big Parker on eBay and a 7" Prentiss near me. Did you get that message?

Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing a pic of the Parker 60x with that Reed 108R one you get the Parker. That thing looks like a beast! Congrats on them both.

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Yeah I saw your message, I could have sworn I replied but maybe I didn’t, if so, my apologies! I’ve known about this Parker 60X for awhile, I just didn’t think the person was willing to negotiate due to no ‘Make Offer’ button and they kept listing at the same price. I just explained what it was going to cost me to make it right again, which is at least a couple hundred depending on the route I take to get new jaws made. Outside of the handle, jaws and collar it seems like it has been decently cared for over its life so I’m hoping that’s the case.

 

[FMC1959]

I found this toddler for a very fair price today. It's cast with 101009 and 101008 instead of 825 and 925 as it is a later shiller park casting.

The key is stamped 5 96
The seller told me someone else had come to look at it and said it was too small and didn't purchase it. Which I guess is likely part of the reason why Wilton stopped making the 2in and 2.5in vises. I think it's pretty cool, and will work great on my small electronics workbench.

Does anyone know when they stopped making these?

WOW, do you know how lucky you are?

You know the old saying "the second mouse gets the cheese", with Wilton babies, the second guy usually gets "its gone".

Would you mind telling us what "a fair price" is that you got it for?

 

[FMC1959]

So when people ask, "why do people use the slide like an anvil?"....here's one reason. Reader's Digest, publisher of the Home Handyman magazine, had this in one of their "Home Improvement" tips

"How to fix a square
Before tossing your off-kilter square and spending money on a new one, try fixing it with this simple process. Use a centre punch, a hammer and an anvil. If the sides of the square are too close together, punch the inner corner. If the sides are too far apart, punch the outer corner. Check your progress, and repeat as needed until the square is square."



Someone should show them what an anvil looks like

 

[tool_scrounge]

I bit back I visited the Smihsonian Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center (aka the Annex) in the outskirts of Washington DC. I highly recommend it. I did see one vise related item - the vise in the tool kit of Skylab. I presume it is cast aluminum to keep the weight down. I wonder what that tool cost.

 

[zkling]

So when people ask, "why do people use the slide like an anvil?"....here's one reason. Reader's Digest, publisher of the Home Handyman magazine, had this in one of their "Home Improvement" tips

"How to fix a square
Before tossing your off-kilter square and spending money on a new one, try fixing it with this simple process. Use a centre punch, a hammer and an anvil. If the sides of the square are too close together, punch the inner corner. If the sides are too far apart, punch the outer corner. Check your progress, and repeat as needed until the square is square."



Someone should show them what an anvil looks like

The reality is, to many a vise is just a tool, to be used to get the job done. With all the anvil hoarders out there, a traditional anvil is far out of the affordability range of most all that are not smithing, and many that are smithing. You can't exactly go down to a box store and pick up a small piece of solid steel for hitting on, so people use what they have.

I bit back I visited the Smihsonian Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center (aka the Annex) in the outskirts of Washington DC. I highly recommend it. I did see one vise related item - the vise in the tool kit of Skylab. I presume it is cast aluminum to keep the weight down. I wonder what that tool cost.

Looks like someone just sand blasted the **** out of a standard two rod clamp on vise.

WOW, do you know how lucky you are?

You know the old saying "the second mouse gets the cheese", with Wilton babies, the second guy usually gets "its gone".

Would you mind telling us what "a fair price" is that you got it for?

User vs collector. I too would be curious as to why they no longer produce the sub 3" range. I would be willing to bet it has to do with manufacturing cost vs sales cost. In that while they are smaller, they require the same operations to machine and finish as the larger versions. Interesting is that they never cheapened the 800s, but they did on the 600s and larger C series by changing to a steel slide, to reduce the cost of machining the one piece, cast slide.

 

[zkling]

Joe, since you are the resident milhoff expert, do you know when they changed from the open to closed (top piece added) slide and from the straight to pressed side jaw towers?

Bueller? Anybody?

They made at lest 4 different versions. Most recent with a slide that has a top (non exposed screw). They also changed the swivel base attachment quite a bit as well as the jaw tower width and bottom plate / dynamic support for increased stiffness. The most complicated part being the square that receives the slide and rotates. Basically a cylinder with a square hole cut into it. Everything else is pretty basic fab shop bending and rolling. Most modern being picture #3.

 

[Ww7573]

I paid 100$ for it.


Or the same price as a new Super Junior vise which I was considering as a alternative
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006NGGV8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[tool_scrounge]

I too would be curious as to why they no longer produce the sub 3" range. I would be willing to bet it has to do with manufacturing cost vs sales cost. In that while they are smaller, they require the same operations to machine and finish as the larger versions. Interesting is that they never cheapened the 800s, but they did on the 600s and larger C series by changing to a steel slide, to reduce the cost of machining the one piece, cast slide.

I too suspect it has a lot to do this volume and production cost. When they were still making them, small Kurt mill vises sold new for more than the larger 6" versions. But they probably made 100x as many of the 6" vises.

 

[zkling]

I too suspect it has a lot to do this volume and production cost. When they were still making them, small Kurt mill vises sold new for more than the larger 6" versions. But they probably made 100x as many of the 6" vises.

I also think that the industry that they targeted (jewelers and electronics repair) drastically changed in the past ~60 years. In that most manufacturers made a smaller jewelers version to attempt to get into that market, but as the market needs changed and technology advanced; more usable solutions were found. It is my understanding that most of the baby bullets were sold to the government for military field use followed by jewelry and precision tool factories.

 

[RG Rude]

I paid 100$ for it.


Or the same price as a new Super Junior vise which I was considering as a alternative
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006NGGV8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

That’s a sweet deal.

 

[rusty65]

I also think that the industry that they targeted (jewelers and electronics repair) drastically changed in the past ~60 years. In that most manufacturers made a smaller jewelers version to attempt to get into that market, but as the market needs changed and technology advanced; more usable solutions were found. It is my understanding that most of the baby bullets were sold to the government for military field use followed by jewelry and precision tool factories.

A lot of the the patent pending baby bullets were also included in field service kits during ww2 to work on radio communications and probably also small gunsmith work in the field.



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[Loydski29]

So today was an epic day been working on this deal for awhile finally came together today! Railroad stand and Morgan 70 vise. I was told it Originally came out of a railroad repair facility in Carson California.


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[rusty65]

So today was an epic day been working on this deal for awhile finally came together today! Railroad stand and Morgan 70 vise. I was told it Originally came out of a railroad repair facility in Carson California.


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Very nice. I’ve got a Massey 7in vise which was the precursor to Morgan. If it wouldn’t be to difficult could you please weigh your Morgan. My Massey weighed 180lbs from what I figured from a house scale.


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[chrisnazzy]

So today was an epic day been working on this deal for awhile finally came together today! Railroad stand and Morgan 70 vise. I was told it Originally came out of a railroad repair facility in Carson California.


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Congrats! I saw that ad the other day and was sure it would be Smitty posting the acquisition sooner than later.

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[Smitty]

So today was an epic day been working on this deal for awhile finally came together today! Railroad stand and Morgan 70 vise. I was told it Originally came out of a railroad repair facility in Carson California.


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So that’s why he wasn’t returning my emails. I’m bummed that I missed out on the deal but I’m happy it went to you. Congratulations

 

[Shiftless]

loydski:
Great score!

Smitty:
Between the 2 of you guys you’re doing a great job sweeping up the big ones in SoCal

 

[Smitty]

loydski:
Great score!

Smitty:
Between the 2 of you guys you’re doing a great job sweeping up the big ones in SoCal

Game on!

 

[trijeff]

Good Milhoff stuff zkling, thanks.

 

[Loydski29]

loydski:
Great score!

Smitty:
Between the 2 of you guys you’re doing a great job sweeping up the big ones in SoCal

Thanks everyone I get lucky every once in awhile. I can’t hang with Smitty though he’s got me beat!

 

[zkling]

Good Milhoff stuff zkling, thanks.

And thank you for the pics of yours. Now waiting to see if Joe has any additional info. It also appears that the nut was welded on the top side jaw support vs the bolt through the bottom support on the later ones.

 

[wrenchguy]

So today was an epic day been working on this deal for awhile finally came together today! Railroad stand and Morgan 70 vise. I was told it Originally came out of a railroad repair facility in Carson California. [

Whats the base diameter?

 

[KMScott]

Whats the base diameter?

Wrench, I made a drawing of one, Demo has a 1/2 dozen of them.

Nice grab Loydski29. I need three of them.

 

[Smitty]

Good Milhoff stuff zkling, thanks.

Are you rolling out the purple vise for Easter?

 

[DarkMonohue]

Mrs. DM and I were out at a few yard sales etc today and I spotted a Reed 204R. I didn't look at it too carefully or grab any pics as I'm not in a position to build a collection, but it certainly looks used and unrestored. Asking price is in the low three digits. If anyone is genuinely interested I can go back for more details.

 

[trijeff]

Are you rolling out the purple vise for Easter?

Oh man I wish, the wifey has had me on a full schedule lately

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[Smitty]

Understood, happy wife happy life. When you posted that you were going to do a vise in Muscle car purple a few weeks ago this is all I could think of.


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[trijeff]

Understood, happy wife happy life. When you posted that you were going to do a vise in Muscle car purple a few weeks ago this is all I could think of.


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Dang that cuda is bad@ss. But think more equine. Shoot, now I'm gonna have to get this thing finished up.

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[DarkMonohue]

Dang that cuda is bad@ss. But think more equine.

You mean like this?

 

[Outlawmws]

I haven't seen a Pinto on the road in ages!

I actually wouldn't mind finding a 73 or older wagon with the 1600 in it... A great commuter or YardSailing rig. I used to get near 40 MPG on log run trips in a 2 door coupe.

 

[Shiftless]

Like Smitty, I was thinking Mopar plum crazy color, but I bet trijeff is thinking more along the lines of a 23 year old snake. That’s even better IMHO.
Knowing his high levels of finish, I can’t wait to see the final product.
.
.

 

[Smitty]

You mean like this?

I don’t think that’s what he meant but rapier wit is always appreciated. Good one

 

[jdewitt]

Mrs. DM and I were out at a few yard sales etc today and I spotted a Reed 204R. I didn't look at it too carefully or grab any pics as I'm not in a position to build a collection, but it certainly looks used and unrestored. Asking price is in the low three digits. If anyone is genuinely interested I can go back for more details.

I've got a buddy in Portland, anywhere near there?

 

[Smitty]

I haven't seen a Pinto on the road in ages!

I actually wouldn't mind finding a 73 or older wagon with the 1600 in it... A great commuter or YardSailing rig. I used to get near 40 MPG on log run trips in a 2 door coupe.

If you pull up to a yard sail in that rig you’re assured 50% off no matter what.

 

[trijeff]

You mean like this?

Shoot, there goes the surprise

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[DarkMonohue]

I've got a buddy in Portland, anywhere near there?

That might depend on his definition of "near". It's about a hundred miles south of Portland.

If you pull up to a yard sail in that rig you’re assured 50% off no matter what.

Probably closer to 75% if you and the missus climb out looking like Captain and Tennille.

 

[Smitty]

That might depend on his definition of "near". It's about a hundred miles south of Portland.


Probably closer to 75% if you and the missus climb out looking like Captain and Tennille.

With Muskrat Love playing on the tape deck.

 

[DarkMonohue]

With Muskrat Love playing on the tape deck.

That'd be a little obvious. How about Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. on the 8-track? Confuse 'em, maybe spook 'em a little, and negotiation goes a whole lot faster.

 

[Svt_ivan]

First time poster. I've been lurking this thread long enough, so thought it's time to introduce myself. Found this thread while searching parts for a 4" wilton bullet I was working on, and ever since you guys have gotten me to pick up several other vises!

Current vises:
4" Wilton Bullet on swivel base
3.5" Reed No. 203 1/2 on fixed base
3.5" Simplex No. 330 on swivel base
3" Columbian No. 143 on fixed base (broken)
2" Wilton hobby vise (wish it was a baby bullet)
1 7/8" Stanley Sweetheart clamp on vise.

Hopefully more to come.

Anyways, as soon as I get enough posts I will post photos.

-Ivan

 

[Shiftless]

Welcome Ivan!
It’s EZ to get a few more posts. We’d like to see your pictures.
Just surf around on the various topics on GJ and find something useful to say about somebody’s question. I’m sure you know a lot about something garage related so share your knowledge.