The VISES of Garage Journal

[Productbob]

Smitty and Gman great looking Prentiss's guys!

 

[davethorik]

A few love taps with the hammer and I got the Dropfo apart. Base had some rust seizing it.

The replacement dynamic jaw pad is plywood. I'm guessing original metal pad on the static jaw, and it looks like it was caulked then wrapped in duct tape (you can see duct tape marks in caulk) to form it in place, although the single original screw is present. Who knows what surprise (s) are hidden under there.

This thing is FILTHY

It's also neat how it works. When you tighten the vise it draws the tapered nut in a taper inside the vise body. This forces the inner part of the vise body to go outwards against the swivel base at the saw cut, locking it. And the small screw for independent swivel lock goes to another tapped hole in the bottom of the nut, also drawing it into the taper and thus locking the swivel base.

Also it appears the spindle is retained by a dowel pressed into the dyamic under the "keystone". Inside, I'm not sure what is going on. It looks like it's crimped together.

The slide tube is 3/8" thick!

 

[va.grouseman]

That's a neat little locking system on the Dropfo, Dave.---It's right interesting just how many different vises have an auto-locking system like that.---While everyone differs slightly from each other, they all (the makers), built on the same idea.---I don't know just how many there are but I know of a few.

(1) Your Dropfo.

(2) The Gyro.

(3) Versa Vise

(4) Rock Island Auto Lock

(5) Pittsburgh Railroad

Help me out here fellows.---I know there's more.

 

[PghJKB]

That's a neat little locking system on the Dropfo, Dave.---It's right interesting just how many different vises have an auto-locking system like that.---While everyone differs slightly from each other, they all (the makers), built on the same idea.---I don't know just how many there are but I know of a few.

(1) Your Dropfo.

(2) The Gyro.

(3) Versa Vise

(4) Rock Island Auto Lock

(5) Pittsburgh Railroad

Help me out here fellows.---I know there's more.

VA
Numbers 2 - 5 are JR Long patents!

Fulton's NuTyp (based ob Hiram Reed's patent)

Ek vise (Based on EM Ek's patent)

Volt's patent - never seen one

Wood's Universal Vise??

Multiple Ball & Socket based Vises

More to come as I dig deeper into my patent collection.

JKB

 

[davethorik]

VA
Numbers 2 - 5 are JR Long patents!

Fulton's NuTyp (based ob Hiram Reed's patent)

Ek vise (Based on EM Ek's patent)

Volt's patent - never seen one

Wood's Universal Vise??

Multiple Ball & Socket based Vises

More to come as I dig deeper into my patent collection.

JKB

The Dropfo made me think of my Pinch Bug, also a Long patent. The Jacobson auto lock can be counted, and Jr long had patented that weird Jacobson vise that resembles a versa vise and Pinch Bug, but with a machinist style rectangle slide.

 

[gman007]

Smitty and Gman great looking Prentiss's guys!

Thanks Bob!

 

[Smitty]

Smitty and Gman great looking Prentiss's guys!

Thanks Bob

 

[davethorik]

Used an entire can of brakleen on this thing, it was jammed FULL of hard old grease. Followed by a dunk in hot soapy water and we have this. I lubed it with Superlube. Now the swivel base works and the wedge lock works too. I am using a Plomb 1/4 drive sliding T as a temporary stand-in for the swivel lock handle. I need to make new jaws. At least it works now!

Edit: I need to remember to lock the swivel base before I carry the Dropfo anywhere. As it will just fall off, no method of retention other than gravity and the lock.

 

[gman007]

Used an entire can of brakleen on this thing, it was jammed FULL of hard old grease. Followed by a dunk in hot soapy water and we have this. I lubed it with Superlube. Now the swivel base works and the wedge lock works too. I am using a Plomb 1/4 drive sliding T as a temporary stand-in for the swivel lock handle. I need to make new jaws. At least it works now!

Edit: I need to remember to lock the swivel base before I carry the Dropfo anywhere. As it will just fall off, no method of retention other than gravity and the lock.

Dave
Nice job getting the vise cleaned up and going again .

What is your plan for making the new jaw inserts (serrated or smooth etc and what material? Do you have machining facility?)? Also are you going to do a full restoration or keep the patina as is? Please keep us posted on the progress.

 

[Smitty]

Here’s something you don’t see everyday.


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[va.grouseman]

Looks like an unmarked Sears Craftsman.---No one knows who made those either.---I think Zoomie has 4 of them.

 

[gman007]

Here’s something you don’t see everyday

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Smitty
You sure don’t! Great find! Is it in your possession already?

 

[Smitty]

VA
I knew you’d figure it out. It’s marked, it’s a 5241

 

[gman007]

Looks like an unmarked Sears Craftsman.---No one knows who made those either.---I think Zoomie has 4 of them.

Well Va between you and Zoomie, you guys have pretty much every vise known to man ( I am actually shocked that you do not have a couple )

 

[Smitty]

Smitty
You sure don’t! Great find! Is it in your possession already?

Today’s booty, you know you have a problem when you drive an SUV but you load the vises on the front seat.
Stuck in traffic btw


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[Outlawmws]

Is that from Sears or the OEM?

 

[Smitty]

They’re listed as Craftman 5241 and 5242.The clamp on is a Columbian.

 

[gman007]

Today’s booty, you know you have a problem when you drive an SUV but you load the vises on the front seat.
Stuck in traffic btw

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Smitty
Nice haul as usual

While we all here to varying degrees have this affliction, man yours is of the chart! I need to organize an intervention for you (you know it is serious when one addict is trying to help another)

Ps
I guess one problem is that there seems to be plenty of supply and hence temptation for you around there. I think we need to send you to a remote cabin somewhere in Sierras

 

[Smitty]

Smitty

Nice haul as usual



While we all here to varying degrees have this affliction, man yours is of the chart! I need to organize an intervention for you (you know it is serious when one addict is trying to help another)



Ps

I guess one problem is that there seems to be plenty of supply and hence temptation for you around there. I think we need to send you to a remote cabin somewhere in Sierras

Lol, yeah I’m down with the sickness hard.


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[va.grouseman]

Well Va between you and Zoomie, you guys have pretty much every vise known to man ( I am actually shocked that you do not have a couple )

Well actually I have 3, and Zoomie out bid me on the last one.---Mine aren't refinished and are still setting just like I received them.

 

[Smitty]

Alright, I finally got off the road. Here’s a few better pics of the Craftsman vise no 5241, it has 3 1/2” jaws and weighs in at 32 lbs. When I first saw the ad it looked like they welded the vise to a square plate at the base. I decided to go check it out anyway, I happily paid him the $79 he was asking.


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[joe.striper]

Here is my recently restored Columbian 108. I believe this was made by Prentiss for Columbian. The dimensions are identical to the Heavy Prentiss Chipping vise I have in my shop. 285lbs. 8.5" jaws. 1" spindle handle. 1.5" spindle screw diameter.

 

[joe.striper]

Columbian 108

Here are more pics of my Columbian 108

 

[Outlawmws]

That looks great Joe!

Did you re-groove the jaws?

 

[gman007]

Alright, I finally got off the road. Here’s a few better pics of the Craftsman vise no 5241, it has 3 1/2” jaws and weighs in at 32 lbs. When I first saw the ad it looked like they welded the vise to a square plate at the base. I decided to go check it out anyway, I happily paid him the $79 he was asking.


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Smitty
Despite the fact I do not want to further encourage your addiction (as if you need encouragement lol) I must admit that is one darn neat looking vise and IMHO and you did very well

Now for goodness sake stay away from CL and Marketplace for a while

 

[va.grouseman]

Previously posted by the Gman.
------------------------------------------


While we all here to varying degrees have this affliction, man yours is of the chart! I need to organize an intervention for you (you know it is serious when one addict is trying to help another)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Gman, that's what anonymouses are all about.---Alcohol, drug, gambling, ***?, vise collecting, Etc.---I'm not sure anonymouses is a real word but I'm using it anyway.

 

[gman007]

Re: Columbian 108

Here are more pics of my Columbian 108

Joe
Mighty impressive vise and equally impressive restoration

 

[Smitty]

Re: Columbian 108

Here are more pics of my Columbian 108

Looks great, what a beast.

 

[Smitty]

Smitty
Despite the fact I do not want to further encourage your addiction (as if you need encouragement lol) I must admit that is one darn neat looking vise and IMHO and you did very well

Now for goodness sake stay away from CL and Marketplace for a while

I must admit I never knew they existed before today but as soo as I popped up I knew I had to have it. LA is a curious place, there are 23,000,000 people in a 100 mile radius from me. Something always pops up.

 

[va.grouseman]

Beautiful job Joe.---That's a Hoss.

 

[va.grouseman]

Smitty, do you think the S. M. S. is a PO.?

 

[Smitty]

Va
I loosened up the lug but the head doesn’t want to swivel. Am I missing something?

 

[Smitty]

Wait, I got it


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[Smitty]

Smitty, do you think the S. M. S. is a PO.?

That was my first thought but the letters seem to be perfectly spaced. Usually people don’t stamp their property with such precision. It could be a vendor mark.

 

[trijeff]

Nice pickup on the hex Cman Smitty.

Joe, nice, real nice. Incredible work as always.

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[va.grouseman]

Those are getting scarcer and scarcer Smitty.---I'm glad you broke it loose cause I hated to tell you that I didn't have a clue.---I haven't done anything to mine but put them up.---You stole that one at that price.---Very nice haul.---And it does look like it was machine stamped.---Here's a pic of Zoomies.---His are museum quality.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2609059&postcount=6171

 

[Smitty]

Thanks Jeff and VA
I knew the vise was a rare bird when it popped and I originally passed on the 5242 for $40. I started doing some research on the drive home and saw that they both had 3 1/2” jaw width. I contacted the seller and turned around thinking that the swivel base might be interchangeable. I’ll sort it out tomorrow, it looks close.


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[Outlawmws]

Small potatoes compared to some of the other vises that have been popping up, but I like it! been a while since one of these came in for me!

Got this with 27 other tools for $25 total, so I figure it cost < a buck!

Stanley Sweetheart 2" no. 743 clamp on!

 

[radas]

New member here, bought a Columbian 204 1/2 last week that was covered in years of oil and grease, took it home and left it in a purple power bath for 24 hours. After cleaning it up and grinding all the weld boogers off of it, I noticed it was fractured on the static arm in 2 areas... $100 down the drain. Luckily, the lady who sold it to me on CL gave me a refund after reaching out to her. As a good faith gesture, I tipped her off on parting out the vise on eBay and listed off all the good parts.

Fast forward to a few days ago, saw an ad on CL and reached out to the guy. He had 3 100lb Vises sitting in his shop and wanted $200/piece for them. They were all in fairly good condition but 3.5 hours away. Coincidentally, I had a friend of a friend headed within 5 minutes of the guys house to visit an industrial surplus. Got all three for less than $200/piece and sold my buddy the Japanese vise (star).

I ended up with a Chas Parker 49X (previously wire wheeled and greased) and a Chas Parker 288 1/2 (all original, no damage, original black paint).

I'm restoring the 49X right now and hitting it with linseed oil to daily use on my bench and will restore the 288 1/2 later with full blasting and Powder.

Attached 3 photos from the seller and one after degrease, wire wheel/flap disc/and linseed oil.

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[Shiftless]

I’ve seen more than a few red Versa Vises but never an orange one in the wild. Here is one I bagged yesterday for $25. It even sports the often missing pipe jaws. The orange VersaVises seem to sell for a higher price on eBay. I looked carefully for any trace that this has been repainted and found no evidence. This is original orange paint from the factory. I spent a little time cleaning it and oiling the screw. It came from the estate of a man who (according to his son in law) had a Harley that he only quit riding when he turned 90.

(I realize that my story pales in comparison to trijeff’s tale of buying his very similiar Gyro Vise)

Does anybody know what the story is on orange vs. red?