The VISES of Garage Journal

[kenc184]

Jrobb- the Morgan looks great. Love the swivel jaw.

Unruh- that’s a heck of a deal for $15. Those 406s are very nice vises.

I got a new shed delivered this pas week and drove way too far to pick up a massive heavy duty pallet rack for vise storage (10’ x 6’ x 4’). Will post some update pics when the rack is filled.

Also picked up a few vises this weekend, including a very clean 6” Rock Island 577 and a Reed 324 1/2 swivel jaw coachmakers vise.

As you can tell from my avatar, I love my RI 577. Nice score, it is as stout a 6" vise as you'll find I imagine.

 

[kenc184]

This bargain just came up in our local CL. apparently a "showpiece, only has the minor inconvenience of a snapped spindle, and all for only $80!

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/tls/d/mountain-view-vintage-columbian-bench/6955700394.html

I've included a photo, because I'm sure this bargain will be snapped up quickly and the listing removed.

 

[jrobb316]

Now my main user on the bench. The swivel base is a doner from a broken 577 I picked up. Jaws were from that vise too, and milled them out for SHCS.

 

[Vise]

Nice shed, that’s going to make a great workshop, Congrats!

Much thanks Smitty. This will free up a lot of room in the basement.

How much does a shed like that cost?

Just like anything, it varies. This is a 12' x 16' so I would say you can pick one up for as low as $4-5k. This one has a few extras, including extra 4" X 4" support runners and a double plywood floor, to deal with the extra weight it will hold.

Excellent scores on the R.I. and the Reed.---Especially the R.I..---The 577s don't pop up very often, are always priced in the Stratosphere, and never in that good of shape.---Looking past the old paint and build-up, I see one pretty piece of machinery.---Can't wait to see the finished product.---Well done Vise.

Thank you. I jumped on this 577 because of the shape it was in. Happy to have it.

As you can tell from my avatar, I love my RI 577. Nice score, it is as stout a 6" vise as you'll find I imagine.

Appreciate that. Trying to decide whether to strip it down to bare metal or just clear coat the camo look. Will probably strip and metal oil it.

Now my main user on the bench. The swivel base is a doner from a broken 577 I picked up. Jaws were from that vise too, and milled them out for SHCS.

Seems to be a theme that people like using these 577s. Strong sign of a good vise. Thank you.

 

[jmhinkle]

Nice shed. Pallet rack would drive me nuts as it doesn't fit the space well and leave a lot of wasted space.

 

[Vise]

Nice shed. Pallet rack would drive me nuts as it doesn't fit the space well and leave a lot of wasted space.

Yeah, I thought a lot about how best to position it. The way I have it, there is storage under the rack (read: place for the big vises), and then two 10' x 4' shelves for smaller vises, and then above that is a loft for additional storage. By putting it where I did, I "lost" a 1' x 4' space in the corner, but I figure I can store shovels and things of a similar size there.

I spent a good part of the day yesterday lag bolting the pallet rack to the studs of the shed (and creating new studs when they didn't line up correctly) so I can rest easy that this thing won't ever tip over.

I also have a crappy Amazon pallet rack (made of the flimsiest "steel" you've ever seen), which can supposedly support 1200 lbs per shelf. This one is a commercial grade rack and (although I don't intend to test it) I believe it can support at least 3 times the weight of the Amazon rack. Will post a pic once I get it loaded up.

 

[Rileysan]

I picked up this Craftsman 5184 at a garage sale yesterday. It appears to be a Reed. I have seen the Craftsman Reeds before. I did a search of this thread and google. I can find some of the crown top logo Columbian 5184's and some of the long C Reeds. I have not seen anything except a 519x with a heritage badge. Is this some sort of oddball or an in between model? Any guess at the age? This is my first Reed so I don't know where the dates are located.

My Craftsman 5180 was just as bad when I found it in Lakewood, Wa. in 2017. It easily had 5 layers of paint on it (including the badge). This is what it looks like today. Dated 3/47

Brian

 

[lowdowndodge]

I just looked they sell Brass threaded balls as well that would look great!

Unruh,

Nice to see a fellow Kitsap county member on here. My Wilton 9450 had a pretty bad handle. I bought a steel rod and two threaded balls on McMaster Carr. I don't have a lathe either. Do you have the ability to thread the ends manually with a die?

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

My Craftsman 5180 was just as bad when I found it in Lakewood, Wa. in 2017. It easily had 5 layers of paint on it (including the badge). This is what it looks like today. Dated 3/47

Brian

Riley, that's an absolute beaut! I am however going to have to insist that you stay on your side of the Columbia for vise picking from now on!

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I just looked they sell Brass threaded balls as well that would look great!

Ya, that was my original plan but they were a bit more money than I was willing to spend on that particular vise. Especially in the size I needed to use.

 

[Vise]

Just got the Prentiss 58 back from the machinist. I think he did a very nice job fitting a beautiful set of KMScott’s 8.5” jaws. Here are some pics of his process and the finished product.

 

[va.grouseman]

With the right team of Dr.s, we have another Phoenix.

 

[Mslund1]

Scored my second Wilton today. A big yellow ugly C2

Complete minus the swivel locks and end cap.

Handle is bent and covered in at least two layers of paint.

My understanding is it was on a National Gaurd wrecker for its life. Looks almost unused aside from the handle. Jaw faces are mint, can’t find any abuse marks just yet.

This makes 2 Wilton’s that aren’t date stamped for me.

This one did cost me $4 more than the last bullet though, $50 investment.

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[alec]

There's just something so cool about those old Wiltons

 

[meatsis]

Speaking of RI 577’s, have you guys seen this one yet?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/143372220481

 

[Vise]

Speaking of RI 577’s, have you guys seen this one yet?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/143372220481

The price is interesting (insane?), but I’m more interested in the pic of the bottom of the base (see pic below). My RI 577 has that same exact casting impression on the bottom (the number, yes, but also the impression of a phantom steel plate in the casting). I was talking about it with JoeStriper, who has an older 577 with no plate impression on the bottom. We think that at some point someone at the factory broke the mold for the 577 swivel base and they screwed a steel plate into the mold to fix it, leaving that plate impression on all future 577s (or in this case, the 6 inchers they made for Craftsman). Pretty cool.

 

[joe.striper]

Ok, here is something COMPLETELY different. A Prentiss 185. 7' jaws but where the pipe jaws go are these GIANT 7" x 9" inserts. I am 90% sure that they are factory. I pd a kidney for it, $750, but c'mon irs so awesome. More pics to follow. I believe this weighs between 270-300lbs.

 

[meatsis]

The price is interesting (insane?), but I’m more interested in the pic of the bottom of the base (see pic below). My RI 577 has that same exact casting impression on the bottom (the number, yes, but also the impression of a phantom steel plate in the casting). I was talking about it with JoeStriper, who has an older 577 with no plate impression on the bottom. We think that at some point someone at the factory broke the mold for the 577 swivel base and they screwed a steel plate into the mold to fix it, leaving that plate impression on all future 577s (or in this case, the 6 inchers they made for Craftsman). Pretty cool.

Interesting. I wanna go check my 577 now lol. But I don’t remember seeing anything like that on mine. I would definitely remember that.

 

[Outlawmws]

Joe, what does the jaw inserts weigh by them selves? (Probably as much as an average 4" vise...)

 

[joe.striper]

Joe, what does the jaw inserts weigh by them selves? (Probably as much as an average 4" vise...)

I dont know. I need to tear it down. I will post it when I get it

 

[Rileysan]

Riley, that's an absolute beaut! I am however going to have to insist that you stay on your side of the Columbia for vise picking from now on!

You're not the first to tell me that, lol! I had four months off work due to shoulder surgery a couple years ago and got really bored so started looking at ads and driving all up and down the I-5 corridor. Fortunately for the Seattle crowd, I don't like making that drive on the weekends. But if ever I have surgery on the other shoulder, you've been warned!

Brian

 

[KMScott]

My Rock Islands 544b which is the 577 bigger brother did have that insert plate underneath. I was repairing a broken foot.

 

[Vise]

My Rock Islands 544b which is the 577 bigger brother did have that insert plate underneath. I was repairing a broken foot.

Interesting. The theory holds.

 

[AngryBeaver]

Scored my second Wilton today. A big yellow ugly C2

This makes 2 Wilton’s that aren’t date stamped for me.

Drive the roll pins out of the keyway and flip it over. Every "unmarked" wilton Ive had, has had dates on them.

 

[sgs236]

There is an online auction coming near me and I was wondering if anyone can identify the bench vise in this picture. The auction just has the one picture of the vise.

 

[trijeff]

Probably an Erie

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[sgs236]

Probably an Erie

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Thanks, That's the first Erie bench vise I have seen in my area. Their pipe vises are common, but this their first bench vise that I have seen local.

 

[1982fxr]

Ok, here is something COMPLETELY different. A Prentiss 185. 7' jaws but where the pipe jaws go are these GIANT 7" x 9" inserts. I am 90% sure that they are factory. I pd a kidney for it, $750, but c'mon irs so awesome. More pics to follow. I believe this weighs between 270-300lbs.

Can you do a separate thread when you tear that down?

It deserves it

 

[va.grouseman]

Probably an Erie

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Speaking of Erie, remember this one.---Now you could peck on this one a little.

Erie Mogul 110 vise 455lbs.

 

[Mslund1]

Drive the roll pins out of the keyway and flip it over. Every "unmarked" wilton Ive had, has had dates on them.

No dice...





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[Smitty]

I found a beautiful time capsule Wilton 9450 today. The vise has 4 1/2” jaws and weighs in at 60 lbs. The date stamp is 1/71 and it has most of the original paint left.
I would rarely say that a Wilton has a nice patina but this vise does.


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[Shiftless]

Smitty:
Looks like you found another jewel! Congrats!

 

[Smitty]

Thanks shift, I’m just going to do a light cleaning and wipe with a little bit of oil. The vise seemed a bit generic when I was going to look at it but that changed on the ride home. Somebody took care of this vise for 48 years.

 

[Productbob]

Smitty - that's a beauty, nice find.
Va - that monster would never find it's way into my basement but it could find a spot in the garage

 

[Loydski29]

Smitty nice find congrats!

 

[royce]

Speaking of Erie, remember this one.---Now you could peck on this one a little.

Erie Mogul 110 vise 455lbs.

Oh baby Va,
That is some kind of handsome.

Royce

 

[Smitty]

Thanks Bob and Loydski.

 

[davethorik]

These exposed screw, light duty vises aren't usually on my radar...

...unless they were made by Pexto!

Been after one of these for a while, but I think I've only ever seen them on eBay. I was shocked to see this on Offer Up, and only a 1/2 hr drive! I gladly paid the $20 asking price.

On top of that, the seller wasn't home but left the vise on their porch, and told me to just drop the cash in the mail box. Probably the smoothest transaction ever.


Only markings are "PEXTO" stamped in slide and "MADE IN U.S.A." cast into vise body
2-1/2" jaws
Max opening 2"
Clamp thickness 3/16" to 2"
Weight 5 lbs.

 

[va.grouseman]

Oh baby Va,
That is some kind of handsome.

Royce

Wished it was mine Royce.---Saw it again on Pinterest.---Can't remember who owned it.---Here's another pic.

 

[Chevota Guy]

Just received an original Will-Burt tall jaw versa vise. I have no idea of the year of manufacture, but it is solid and operates smoothly.

I'd like to disassemble it for cleaning, stripping, de-rusting and repainting, but I can't figure out how to remove the sliding jaw. I know the Asian knock offs are reported to use a pressed fit bushing, but I don't want to risk damaging this neat little vise.

Are there any experts here who know how to do this ?