The VISES of Garage Journal

[va.grouseman]

Nice package of iron Lowdown.---Got some real collectors there.
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I like those minis too Ragtop.---Never seen those before.

 

[chrisnazzy]

I just had to have it. The only issue that I can see is one rather unfortunate hack saw dig on the static. The rest of the vise looks sound in every other aspect. I’m not sure how old the paint job is but I can see a little rust underneath. I’ve been searching for an 18 in good condition for quite a while now and this seemed to fit the bill. These are seller pics btw.
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I went and checked out the pics of that one again and I think once you get the red paint stripped off it will look as awesome as any other you've put out in the CA sun to take pics for us.

IMO, the red paint is very fresh. I can see tell-tale bubbling and poor coverage caused by what I believe to be a hastily applied spray paint job. I think the vise had a little surface rust and some dirt and grime and the seller probably thought it would sell better painted. I doubt it was to hide any damage. In fact if he had just cleaned it up a bit and listed as is I'll bet it would have sold for more.

Once you get it and finish getting it stripped I think I won't be the only one who would love to see the whole swivel jaw family out there in the sun now that it's complete except the 23. I know you've lined 'em up on the bench before but you may very well have the most complete collection and it sure is some real "Vise ****" when they're out there naked in the CA sun!



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[Shiftless]

to that! ^^^^^^^

 

[Smitty]

Thanks Chris. You might be right about the paint, surely there would be some chipping if it had been done years ago. This will make six in a row of the same series so I’m pretty excited for it to arrive. With 2 5/8 “ jaws and only weighing 17 lbs the 18 might just steal the show.

 

[Shiftless]

Here is my Prentiss 52 after one coat of Rustoleum flat black and highlighting the lettering with Rustoleum aluminum paint. The lettering was pretty banged up to begin with. But Hey... it’s a hundred year old vise that was used. Maybe someday if I get REALLY crazy I can redo it with micro amounts of epoxy paste, reshape and carve them smooth...Naahh!

Anyway...here it is

 

[Graham7707]

Picked this guy up for 80$ today. You guys think it’s a good price. And any idea how to tell how old it is?

 

[Smitty]

Here is my Prentiss 52 after one coat of Rustoleum flat black and highlighting the lettering with Rustoleum aluminum paint. The lettering was pretty banged up to begin with. But Hey... it’s a hundred year old vise that was used. Maybe someday if I get REALLY crazy I can redo it with micro amounts of epoxy paste, reshape and carve them smooth...Naahh!

Anyway...here it is

Great job Shift, I really like the colors.

 

[trijeff]

Great deal, mid to late 60s I believe.

Nice work Shift.

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[Shiftless]

Thanks Smitty and trijeff.
Graham, do you know that your Reed 106 is a swivel model and that the base is missing? That being said, $80 is still a great price for what you got. Reeds are top shelf vises.

 

[Graham7707]

Yeah I know about the swivel base but for my purposes I think it will work ok.

 

[Loydski29]

Here is my Prentiss 52 after one coat of Rustoleum flat black and highlighting the lettering with Rustoleum aluminum paint. The lettering was pretty banged up to begin with. But Hey... it’s a hundred year old vise that was used. Maybe someday if I get REALLY crazy I can redo it with micro amounts of epoxy paste, reshape and carve them smooth...Naahh!

Anyway...here it is

Nice work Shift looks great!

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Here's a 519x 4" in the seattle area if anyone is interested. It looks to be in pretty good shape but a little too much money for my interest.

https://offerup.com/item/detail/673410787/

 

[AndrewH]

Picked this guy up for 80$ today. You guys think it’s a good price. And any idea how to tell how old it is?

Pretty good deal for $80, it’s a newer model and appears to be missing its swivel base but it’s still a 6” Reed!

 

[wkndwarrior29]

I got a little click crazy in an online estate sale last week, I picked up my buys today - a Holland's keystone and reed 203 1/2 R. Both are in great condition and this was the first keystone vise I've come across with a rotating base. They are for a project and I'm happy with them but feel I've overspent a little at $160 after fees.

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[Smitty]

Picked this guy up for 80$ today. You guys think it’s a good price. And any idea how to tell how old it is?

Graham, nice find for eighty bucks. The date should be stamped in two places. I have a similar model that is stamped 10/77


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[Outlawmws]

Thanks Outlaw, I just spit Bud Light all over my keyboard.

My work here is complete!

 

[Shiftless]

My work here is complete!

Classic (if somewhat obscure) movie quote, outlaw

(Or should I say “philo”)

 

[Outlawmws]

Here's a 519x 4" in the seattle area if anyone is interested. It looks to be in pretty good shape but a little too much money for my interest.

https://offerup.com/item/detail/673410787/

Apparently sold within 1-1/2 hrs of your post

 

[jreb10]

Hi Everyone,

I just want to mention that I posted my Craftsman 5198 in the Classifieds forum. I am planning to move in the next year or two and I am seriously downsizing. I have not been posting much but I really enjoy reading this thread and seeing all the wonderful vises you all find. I am alway amazed at what is out there.

 

[Shiftless]

My work here is complete!

Classic movie quote, outlaw

Or should I say “Philo” ?

 

[kenc184]

Got two little refurb projects off my bench today. One is semi gloss black rustoleum over epoxy primer, and the other a green rustoleum over epoxy. Had to drill out all the screws on the simplex and level out the jaws on my mill but the Reed was in nice shape, just needed a bead blast and a paint job.

 

[GypsyR]

Well you guys, and this thread, inspired me. Sort of. An ex co-worker was looking for cash and dumping some "tools". He had this nasty old vise he said he had been keeping in the crawlspace under his house. And it looked it. Ten bucks, what the heck, never rebuilt a vise before.
Because I **** at photo's I forgot to take a "before". Got one about midway through disassembly though.

Yes abused. One jaw face missing with the screws sheared right off and somebody has knocked a chunk off the face reinforcement. Which I quickly decided wasn't worth my time. Being Taiwanese or something, I guess, the whole thing barely is. Anyway, I went to see how far it extended. Pretty far, right up until the end came right out and just missed my instep. I was NOT impressed.

So some blast cabinet work. My main concerns were to replace the missing jaw and to not have it come apart again. I wheeezed up a limiter at the end of the screw out of a washer bolted to the end of the screw. I have no idea how others do this and didn't even bother to research. The bore into the vise was just oversize and had two "windows" in it right where the main body threads started. Easy peasy "stops" at the windows being two fat MIG weld beads then ground down to size on the inside. Just right to pass the screw but not the stop washer. The inside bore of the main body was rough and snagged the stop washer during fitting so I honed it out.
Second not very helpful picture of me drilling the screw to be tapped to fit an allen bolt to hold the stop washer. Aided by a little LocTite and a viton O-ring to be a "cushion" and hopefully keep the allen bolt from unscrewing itself over time and use.

Replacement vise jaws are pretty pricy. Discovered I had some keystock about the right size for one so I milled and drilled it to fit. Thought a while on some knurling but I frankly don't know how to get that on a hard flat surface in a pleasingly even pattern so I just went plain and called it "milling vise" style. It amuses me how well the one I made fits versus the remaining one it came with.

Beautiful and great, it ain't. But I inherited my grandpa's old Athol years ago and its base has been getting loose for quite some time. I figure the "Ford blue" thing can do duty as a beater so I can give the old Athol the attention it deserves.

 

[rusty65]

Hi Everyone,



I just want to mention that I posted my Craftsman 5198 in the Classifieds forum. I am planning to move in the next year or two and I am seriously downsizing. I have not been posting much but I really enjoy reading this thread and seeing all the wonderful vises you all find. I am alway amazed at what is out there.

No offense but isn’t eBay the place for bidding not the classified section. Any how here is a vise picture.

 

[PghJKB]

I need some help from the collective vise mind regarding this hunk I bought at the flea this morning.

Markings: Part No 2, 5 in, DROPFO 5. Letter "N" stamped in the bottom "sleeve" that fits in the swivel.

Characteristics:
-Integrated swivel base. There is a lower threaded shaft with arm that pulls a combination wedge and spindle nut into the vise housing. The vise housing has a "split" in the center, so when the lower spindle is tightened, it provides the clamping power to lock the swivel. Nothing else except gravity holds the vise housing into the swivel base.
-Round sleeve, spindle threads are enclosed in it.
-There is a pin that holds the threaded spindle to the moving jaw piece.
-Nice rotating ball ends on the arm.
-58lbs as shown.

Unfortunate things: Wrong jaws welded to the vise. Lots of what look to be grinder marks on the side, perhaps they removed the manufacturer name in the process.

So, has anyone seen something like this before? I bought it because I thought it was "unusual", and I liked the general shape of it.

Any insight appreciated.

More pics:

Kukko-
That is a Dropfo vise. So named because it was forged, rather than cast. They were made in Canal Fulton, Ohio. There have been ads for their vises posted here before.

Edit:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7299064&postcount=64993

You can see Dropfo logo in the 2nd pic of your 2nd set of pics.

This is from several days ago, but thought they may be pertinent:

Fierljeppen - are these in your library? I did not record their sources.

JKB

 

[PghJKB]

Picked this guy up for 80$ today. You guys think it’s a good price. And any idea how to tell how old it is?

Graham
I believe differently from what has been stated about your vise. The swivel is not necessarily missing.

From my research:
The oval badged Reeds were Reed's final line of (in house produced?) industrial vises. The had replaceable T shaped jaws that were pinned. (Somewhat like Columbian vises.) They also had only one rear jaw casting, and the swivel base was an option that was bolted on the the single rear jaw casting. (Like Columbians) The rectangle that is next to the 106 was stamped either S for Swivel or N for Non-swiivel. (Like Columbians)

https://archive.org/details/ReedCatalog1983Part

There are a couple of catalog pages posted a while back that further support this as well.

JKB

 

[jreb10]

No offense but isn’t eBay the place for bidding not the classified section. Any how here is a vise picture.

No offense taken. I'm not asking people to "bid" against one another, just make me an offer if interested. No one sees anyone else's offer, which is unlike eBay.

That is a very cool vise you have! And I really like what it is holding.

 

[Graham7707]

Graham
I believe differently from what has been stated about your vise. The swivel is not necessarily missing.

From my research:
The oval badged Reeds were Reed's final line of (in house produced?) industrial vises. The had replaceable T shaped jaws that were pinned. (Somewhat like Columbian vises.) They also had only one rear jaw casting, and the swivel base was an option that was bolted on the the single rear jaw casting. (Like Columbians) The rectangle that is next to the 106 was stamped either S for Swivel or N for Non-swiivel. (Like Columbians)



There are a couple of catalog pages posted a while back that further support this as well.

JKB

Thanks for the info!!

 

[Smitty]

Got two little refurb projects off my bench today. One is semi gloss black rustoleum over epoxy primer, and the other a green rustoleum over epoxy. Had to drill out all the screws on the simplex and level out the jaws on my mill but the Reed was in nice shape, just needed a bead blast and a paint job.

Nice job ken, your letter painting skills are on point.

 

[Shiftless]

Nice job ken, your letter painting skills are on point.

I agree. That’s equal or better than the best I’ve ever seen.
Ken,
Please share with us your products, tools, and techniques. Most of us lack the calm hand I’m sure is necessary to pull off a museum quality job like that, but I for one might be willing to give it a try.
.
.

 

[Shiftless]

Graham
I believe differently from what has been stated about your vise. The swivel is not necessarily missing.

From my research:
The oval badged Reeds were Reed's final line of (in house produced?) industrial vises. The had replaceable T shaped jaws that were pinned. (Somewhat like Columbian vises.) They also had only one rear jaw casting, and the swivel base was an option that was bolted on the the single rear jaw casting. (Like Columbians) The rectangle that is next to the 106 was stamped either S for Swivel or N for Non-swiivel. (Like Columbians)

JKB

Thanks for posting that info. It is interesting to note that there is a slight difference in the non swivel version. In that model, there is a 3rd mounting hole in the back under the slide. I can’t tell for sure if Graham’s vise has the 3rd hole or not. But all of that is merely academic if the intent is to get a nice user. I bet under most circumstances 2 bolts would be more than adequate to hold that vise down to a workbench.

 

[chrisnazzy]

My OCD knows that I can't achieve the desired result doing it myself, therefore I outsource.

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[Graham7707]

Thanks for posting that info. It is interesting to note that there is a slight difference in the non swivel version. In that model, there is a 3rd mounting hole in the back under the slide. I can’t tell for sure if Graham’s vise has the 3rd hole or not. But all of that is merely academic if the intent is to get a nice user. I bet under most circumstances 2 bolts would be more than adequate to hold that vise down to a workbench.

Just looked there is a third hole in the back. And after cleaning a bunch of smashed aluminum the jaw faces are pretty much pristine!


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[kenc184]

I agree. That’s equal or better than the best I’ve ever seen.
Ken,
Please share with us your products, tools, and techniques. Most of us lack the calm hand I’m sure is necessary to pull off a museum quality job like that, but I for one might be willing to give it a try.
.
.

Smitty and Shift

you're too kind, waaayyy too kind, because I'm a cheat.

I used to use a brush but my skills are below average so I found these online - oil based paint pens - they are killer!

 

[va.grouseman]

Hey Kenc, that's not cheating, I use them for every kind of lettering.---For raised vise logos, for stenciling letters on signs, for numbering parts on disassembled machinery.---It's oil based paint in a felt tip pen, it don't get any easier than that..---Comes in all sizes too.---If you're not a Leonardo, a Salvador, a Vincent Van, or a Pablo, then Sharpie is the way to go.

Incidentally, Picasso's full name is [Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso].---I would love to have seen him endorse a check.

 

[Shiftless]

va:

Indecently, Picasso's full name is...

Don’t you just love auto correct and/or auto fill where they change your perfectl word “incidentally” to indecently??

And BTW, thanks for that bit of trivia...I didn’t know that!
If he signed his paintings with his full name, there wouldn’t be any room for his art!
.
.

 

[rusty65]

Just recently picked up this prime stout little no 155 Rock island coach makers vise. Opens 9 1/2in 4 1/4 wide jaws and weighs right about 53lbs. The thing I was really happy with this example is the swivel base lockdown handle is still present which seems to be missing on most of the early rock island vises.

 

[454ragtop]

Nice find Rusty, looks like a pretty pristine example.

 

[va.grouseman]

Thanks Shift.---Corrected.



Real nice find Rusty.---Wouldn't just like to have a Coachmaker from every Co. that made one.---That would be setting the bar pretty high.

 

[rusty65]

Thank you for the kind words fellas I was pretty happy when I picked it up the description was heavy duty clamp. Picking this one up helped the sting of missing out on a nice Morgan 160.


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[Tacktics]

First Vise restore......
Garage Sale find $10.00
Columbian 604