The VISES of Garage Journal

[davethorik]

Can you access the pin from the underside, with a long punch? I'd try that before I tried "turning" the pin.

 

[ken w.]

I'm not sure if there is access as I've not taken it apart yet.

 

[ken w.]

I also picked up these 2 vises. A Craftsman swivel vise & a Taiwan rotating jaw vise. I got the Wright saw too.

 

[Smitty]

Dave is right, tapping from the bottom is the best way.If you remove the base and remove the main nut you can access the pin from below. This is a Prentiss but the theory is the same. I bent a piece of rebar to compensate for the offset.


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[DFB]

I picked up this Reed 404 1/2 R over the weekend. My question is how easy is it to brake the pin on top trying to free it up ? I haven't touched it yet. I was going to spray Kroil on it for a week before I try anything. I was going to heat the pin up a few times before I try to turn it. Is this good or bad ?

When I got my 403 the pin came out fairly easy though being in there along time because its tapered.

To get the swivel jaw loose well that took a bit more persuasion to free it up. Seemed like that wanted to be one solid piece

All cleaned up now

 

[Productbob]

DFB and Ken --nice pickups on your new vises!

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I have a Starrett 923 I've been searching a swivel base for...curious if that one would fit if you end up parting out

DFB, I feel bad but another member asked first when I put it on vice parts thread. If this repair doesn't work out I should offer it to that member first. Salvage workshop is to blame for me not parting it out immediately

 

[LNKMK8]

I picked up this Reed 404 1/2 R over the weekend. My question is how easy is it to brake the pin on top trying to free it up ? I haven't touched it yet. I was going to spray Kroil on it for a week before I try anything. I was going to heat the pin up a few times before I try to turn it. Is this good or bad ?

A jack screw works well for this; use a couple to hold the top jaw down and use the jack screw inside the body to push the pin upward. The constant pressure seems to work better than hammering on it with a punch and reduces that chances of breaking something. Just be cautious as the pin can really come flying out of there when it comes loose.

 

[trijeff]

Nice pickup on the replaceable jaw Reed double swiveler, Ken

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[va.grouseman]

Here's a link and a page and post # for the screw jack if interested.


https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...ighlight=VISE+REPAIR+101+vise+repairs&page=33


Page 33, post 657.

 

[454ragtop]

A jack screw works well for this; use a couple to hold the top jaw down and use the jack screw inside the body to push the pin upward. The constant pressure seems to work better than hammering on it with a punch and reduces that chances of breaking something. Just be cautious as the pin can really come flying out of there when it comes loose.

I find a combination of both a jack screw and hammering works the best. If possible, I like to set up a jack screw and apply some pressure, then place an impact socket that just clears the pin over it and give it a rap with a brass hammer. Have to be careful just using a jack screw not to break the swivel jaw, they can be a little fragile.

 

[va.grouseman]

454, that's good advise for anyone that's up against that pin predicament.---Might add that a good presoaking and maybe a little red wrenching around the outside perimeter of the pin, just a little bit to expand the swivel jaw metal ever so slightly away from the pin.---Utilizing all the above, the pin should give up the ghost.---One might test a little to see just how seized up the pin is.---Might not need some of these procedures at all.

 

[gman007]

A jack screw works well for this; use a couple to hold the top jaw down and use the jack screw inside the body to push the pin upward. The constant pressure seems to work better than hammering on it with a punch and reduces that chances of breaking something. Just be cautious as the pin can really come flying out of there when it comes loose.

I can not recall which member who was using a jack screw had the pin shoot straight up in the air with great force like a bullet. So using a face shield and generally not being in the way of the trajectory of the pin might be a good idea.

 

[va.grouseman]

Yea Gman, if they think a wine cork in the eye is painful, there in for a surprise.

 

[KMScott]

Here are a few pic:s of how I pull the stuck swivel pins. I also wrote a blog on it.

https://wiltonviseparts.wordpress.c...aw-taper-pins-removal-sizing-and-fabrication/

Heat and shock sure helps getting them out.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I can not recall which member who was using a jack screw had the pin shoot straight up in the air with great force like a bullet. So using a face shield and generally not being in the way of the trajectory of the pin might be a good idea.

Gman, that was me unfortunately. That pin came out and dented my garage door more than 9ft above the top of the vise. If that had hit my face I would have lost a few teeth at a minimum. I hope others here can learn from my lack of respect for the force involved. It would have been bad if it even hit me on the way back down!

 

[rusty65]

I’ve been collecting these little prentiss jewelers for a few years. I believe this to be nearly a complete set not including the nickel plated variation for each model.




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[gman007]

I’ve been collecting these little prentiss jewelers for a few years. I believe this to be nearly a complete set not including the nickel plated variation for each model.

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Rusty
That is a superb collection

PS
At the prices these babies are selling on ebay, who needs a 401k retirement plan?

 

[Bcamos]

I figured I’d add these here just in case anyone else wanted to see them.

 

[Smitty]

Congratulations Rusty. As a Prentiss collector I tip my hat to you, that’s very impressive indeed.

 

[gman007]

I figured I’d add these here just in case anyone else wanted to see them.

Bcamos
Thank you for posting these photos, your Parker is one handsome fellow

 

[meatsis]

I figured I’d add these here just in case anyone else wanted to see them.

WOW!!! Very nice

 

[AngryBeaver]

september of 1963 with replaceable jaws...

 

[Smitty]

I almost pulled these guys over to lectured them about cheater bars but then reason took over.


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[gman007]

I almost pulled these guy over to lectured them about cheater bars but then reason took over.


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Yikes! But I suppose now the handle is fixed in One position and can not slide and pinch their fingers

 

[Smitty]

Lol, their fingers are safe for sure. That’s easily a 20° bend.

 

[Vise]

Rusty - great Prentiss collection. Those are tough to find near me.

Bcamos - that Parker 972 1/2 looks to be in great shape!

Beaver - very nice looking 2C.

 

[Productbob]

Rusty that's a great lineup, nicely done!
Bcamo really nice looking Parker, congrats
Smitty sorta surprised you didn't pull them over and try to buy it
Angry that 2C looks like a great pickup!

 

[Smitty]

Ok, that was funny. Good one Bob.

 

[Salvage Workshop]

dfb, i feel bad but another member asked first when i put it on vice parts thread. If this repair doesn't work out i should offer it to that member first. Salvage workshop is to blame for me not parting it out immediately

good!

 

[KMScott]

Some nice vises posted on this page, Bcamos and Rusty. Rusty if you have a lathe here is a sketch of your missing swivel pin. Jealous of you both.

 

[mxdev]

1927 Chas Parker 375 I picked up for $60.

Looks like at one point someone really clamped on down on it and bent the handle, snapped the entire back off and snapped off part of the post for back swivel post. Also has a small piece chipped off the dovetail for the nut, but doesn't seem to impact anything.

The braze job looks pretty solid, and well built up. But the adjustable jaw was welded. The weld to the body looks good, but they added a support plate inside and that weld is full of porosity.

Plan is to clean it up, give it a paint job and just use it as is and replace my Record #6. Not keen on cutting a triangle out of my workbench, but I think this vise is worth it.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I finally finished my badly abused Wilton 9450. This vise was broken, seized, welded, and buried in the mud for a number of years. The jaws had angle iron welded over the top and all three collar screws broken off. The entire body of the vise looked as though it had been worked over with a small sledge hammer. The anvil area was almost worn off. I almost parted it out but decided to see if it could be saved.

I e-tanked the whole thing to start. I was able to get the dynamic jaw out and go to work with a wire wheel. I decided that with all the damage and welding on this vise it would never be suitable for heavy work again. I came up with the idea to adapt it for my gun bench.

I ordered a new rod for the handle and added some threaded steel knobs from Mcmaster-Carr. At 1-7/8" they were larger than I would have chosen. I do not have a metal lathe so I had to order the knobs by what I could thread the 5/8" rod to. Next I drilled and tapped the center of the lead screw for a parker style set screw, spring, and brass slug. I drilled and tapped the angle iron for some aluminum jaw inserts that I thought would be more suited for gun parts.

Once I flap wheeled the body of the vise it took a surprisingly little amount of filler to get it smooth again. Overall I am happy with the finished product. While the Frankenstein looking jaws are not correct it has grown on me and I will get many years of use out of it.

 

[mxdev]

KMScott, was looking at the google sheet with all the vices, and noticed that there wasn't a Record 36p that had been posted. So here is mine that I cleaned up and put on a mobile post.

Probably the most frustrating part is that the jaw screws are in rough shape, but Record at the time used 5/16-26 screws which are a British Standard Cycle/Brass specification. If I ever have a problem, might need to find some special M8x1.0 screws which is a one time compatible thread.

 

[royce]

Way cool design on that stand.
Well done mxdev.

Royce

 

[gman007]

I finally finished my badly abused Wilton 9450. This vise was broken, seized, welded, and buried in the mud for a number of years. The jaws had angle iron welded over the top and all three collar screws broken off. The entire body of the vise looked as though it had been worked over with a small sledge hammer. The anvil area was almost worn off. I almost parted it out but decided to see if it could be saved.

I e-tanked the whole thing to start. I was able to get the dynamic jaw out and go to work with a wire wheel. I decided that with all the damage and welding on this vise it would never be suitable for heavy work again. I came up with the idea to adapt it for my gun bench.

I ordered a new rod for the handle and added some threaded steel knobs from Mcmaster-Carr. At 1-7/8" they were larger than I would have chosen. I do not have a metal lathe so I had to order the knobs by what I could thread the 5/8" rod to. Next I drilled and tapped the center of the lead screw for a parker style set screw, spring, and brass slug. I drilled and tapped the angle iron for some aluminum jaw inserts that I thought would be more suited for gun parts.

Once I flap wheeled the body of the vise it took a surprisingly little amount of filler to get it smooth again. Overall I am happy with the finished product. While the Frankenstein looking jaws are not correct it has grown on me and I will get many years of use out of it.

Mr. W
Great job bringing the poor thing back from the dead! The handle looks great and personally I like your aluminum jaws as well

 

[gman007]

1927 Chas Parker 375 I picked up for $60.

Looks like at one point someone really clamped on down on it and bent the handle, snapped the entire back off and snapped off part of the post for back swivel post. Also has a small piece chipped off the dovetail for the nut, but doesn't seem to impact anything.

The braze job looks pretty solid, and well built up. But the adjustable jaw was welded. The weld to the body looks good, but they added a support plate inside and that weld is full of porosity.

Plan is to clean it up, give it a paint job and just use it as is and replace my Record #6. Not keen on cutting a triangle out of my workbench, but I think this vise is worth it.

MX
That is an interesting find and personally I find the 1927 date stamp very curious. I have three Parkers (204,974 and 955) and do not recall a date stamp on any of them but I guess it it is possible during the cleanup (before painting them) I missed the date stamp. So I am curious if there are other Parkers with date stamp out there.

As for the braze job, well in the past on this thread there have been some heated discussions regarding how strong a vise really is after being seriously repaired (brazed, welded etc) and I rather not start another round of discussion here. But I guess if the vise is not excessively stressed, it should serve you well.

 

[gman007]

KMScott, was looking at the google sheet with all the vices, and noticed that there wasn't a Record 36p that had been posted. So here is mine that I cleaned up and put on a mobile post.

Probably the most frustrating part is that the jaw screws are in rough shape, but Record at the time used 5/16-26 screws which are a British Standard Cycle/Brass specification. If I ever have a problem, might need to find some special M8x1.0 screws which is a one time compatible thread.

MX
What are the specs on your Record 36p (jaw width, weight etc)?

Your orange stand is super cool! Did you design and fabricate it yourself?

 

[GETRIDAONE]

MX
That is an interesting find and personally I find the 1927 date stamp very curious. I have three Parkers (204,974 and 955) and do not recall a date stamp on any of them but I guess it it is possible during the cleanup (before painting them) I missed the date stamp. So I am curious if there are other Parkers with date stamp out there.

I have never seen a Parker with a date stamp on on it. I did find a man's name
"M.J. Hicks" stamped on the 974 I am working on presently.

 

[jmhinkle]

My first local find. Craftsman 5153 made by Rock Island. Not a swivel model, but too nice to pass on at a good price. Next to my Reed 204 for size comparison.