The VISES of Garage Journal

[Serrat Yasargil]

I can hardly stand to come to this forum as there is so much greatness that it is all too much!
The below makes me teary eyed for a few reasons:

 

[bikencycle]

I won the bling Wilton for $781...jk

 

[rusty65]

Rusty65

That bullet does look pretty slick I must admit.

Thank you. Most of the time I just do a rust clean up and then paint but decided to try something more difficult for a change. I polished the anvil and the sides of the jaws with a sanding block so it’s really flat and straight. I started at 220 grit and worked my way up to 2500 grit. The ironic part is the seller I got this from local now has a 4in Wilton missing jaws listed for $300 and a 2in baby listed at $600. I got this toddler from him for $150 which considering the original condition i didn’t think that was out of line.



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[trijeff]

781 + 80 shipping for the polished Wilton. Shift said to ask me how much polishing something like this would take ... my opinion in this case = not worth it from the seller's perspective. So. Much. Sanding.

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[Smitty]

He does have bragging rights for the most expensive used 4.5” Wilton ever sold on the planet.

 

[Vise]

C1 looks great Shift! Very clean.

Nice bullet Rusty. I like that glossy Forrest green finish.

 

[jaymoss]

I have a Morgan Vise I picked up at a yard sale about 25 years ago. I remember it had to weight between 80-100 lbs. Once I mounted on work bench I had to put all my heavy item on the bottom shelf on the other side of bench. No picture but it is been a good one. Don't know any history about it, but glad I found it.

 

[trijeff]

Think I might have those same bragging rights on a few different Tradesman sizes and still not worth it in my opinion. I'll certainly do more with polished bits but don't know if I would ever take on putting a mirror finish on an entire vise. pBut once again, just my opinion.

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[bagged89s10]

my lewis no 10 I just picked up.

a little rough but I still paid up for it.



needs to get stripped down and then it will get a nice black oil finish.

This is one of those vises that I probably won’t mess around trying to get the jaws to look perfect. It’s just a really cool vise with character in my opinion.

 

[kenc184]

Here is that C1 I’ve been working on all finished...
Stripped the paint using hot Simple Green, then primed and painted with Rustoleum hammered light blue. Cleaned up the jaw inserts on my stationary belt sander.
The anvil area is not painted...that’s a reflection of the dark wood in the background.
The acorn nuts you see are from ACE hardware stainless steel 1/2 -13

All finished except for installing the pipe jaws. I only have one and a good used one is on the way. I also need a 2 inch dust cap but if necessary, I have a pretty good one on the shelf earmarked for another project bullet.

Shift: Looks great. That's two C1s you ahve that are better than my one C1.....LOL

 

[Outlawmws]

So I wonder how long before the first polished baby bullet goes on the bay? The ice has been broken...

 

[Shiftless]

Thanks Smitty, Vise, and Ken

It went together pretty easily. There were none of the usual hacksaw and grinder marks on the jaw towers. The screws holding the collar and the jaw inserts all came out easily. After greasing it up with good ol’ Mobil One it cranks in and out easily with one finger.

 

[Serrat Yasargil]

Got my new baby being shipped to me. Not sure I know how to properly post. Will share once it is delivered.

 

[Woodreaux]

I have a 414 1/2 reed which is a fillers model swivel jaw with swivel

How tall is your Reed 414 1/2, roughly? I'm looking at one online and I'm having a hard time figuring out if it's a reasonable size for things like knife making and hand tool restoration. Seems like the jaw design would be good for those kinds of tasks.

Any ideas about what one should expect to pay for a vise on the condition of yours, as a point of reference?

 

[rusty65]

The vise would be great for something like that in my opinion because the jaw tower angles help with hand filing parts. The vise is 10 1/2 tall 18in long.


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[Woodreaux]

Thanks. I'll have to look at my bench to see how that would fit, but I think I'll make an offer.

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[Shiftless]

my lewis no 10 I just picked up.

a little rough but I still paid up for it.



needs to get stripped down and then it will get a nice black oil finish.

This is one of those vises that I probably won’t mess around trying to get the jaws to look perfect. It’s just a really cool vise with character in my opinion.

Bagged:
Cool old Lewis vise you found.
What kind of black oil finish are you using these days? Sculpt Nouveau or something else? Have you tried other colored oil products? I have seen a dark bronze oil that I’m tempted to try out.

 

[bagged89s10]

Bagged:
Cool old Lewis vise you found.
What kind of black oil finish are you using these days? Sculpt Nouveau or something else? Have you tried other colored oil products? I have seen a dark bronze oil that I’m tempted to try out.

I just ordered some stuff from sculpt nouveau. black metal oil, clear guard clear coat, and clear wax. I haven’t used it before but I want to keen more vises closer to a raw finish vs paint. I think it should work nicely.

 

[Outlawmws]

How tall is your Reed 414 1/2, roughly? I'm looking at one online and I'm having a hard time figuring out if it's a reasonable size for things like knife making and hand tool restoration. Seems like the jaw design would be good for those kinds of tasks.

Any ideas about what one should expect to pay for a vise on the condition of yours, as a point of reference?

The Filers would be much better than a std bench vise for access, but you might want to look into a pattern makers vise (AKA Coach makers) as its jaws has even more access.

 

[Woodreaux]

The Filers would be much better than a std bench vise for access, but you might want to look into a pattern makers vise (AKA Coach makers) as its jaws has even more access.

There is a Reed coachmakers vise 424 1/2 on eBay right now, but it's listed at $640, which is out of my range by quite a bit. Since these vises are somewhat rare and very cool, it seems like they are typically pretty expensive.

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[va.grouseman]

C1 looks great Shift! Very clean.

Nice bullet Rusty. I like that glossy Forrest green finish.

That's a ---Great job on both fellows.

 

[Vise]

There is a Reed coachmakers vise 424 1/2 on eBay right now, but it's listed at $640, which is out of my range by quite a bit. Since these vises are somewhat rare and very cool, it seems like they are typically pretty expensive.

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I like really the Reed coachmakers vises. Here’s a couple pics of my Reed coach maker’s vise with swivel jaw.

 

[chrisnazzy]

Here are before and after resto pics of my Reed 224 1/2 Coachmaker's vise. Absolutely one of my favorite vises. This one was expertly restored by GJ member crotalusatrox.

I really want a Reed Filer's vise too. I've seen lots of 214's. Does anyone have or has anyone seen a 5" jaw Reed Filer's vise? Catalog page indicates they made a 115, 215 and 415.

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[va.grouseman]

Bastel, I like that ZEUS.---That's one crazy looking vise.---I want it.



Bagged, kudos on the Lewis Swivel-jaw.---Those things are nearly as old as dirt.---The Prentiss is almost an exact clone but there's nothing like the original stuff.---I want one of those too.---I have the Lewis Combo with the 4'' pipe jaws.

 

[va.grouseman]

At the price it sold, the Silver Bullet would have been $70.97 shipping to Va., and $45.00 tax, yea that's right, tax, which would have put the Bullet for me at $905.97.---Why that's chicken feed.

I wonder what a Bugatti all shined up like that would fetch on ePray.

 

[Smitty]

This vise popped up on the board today for $100. There was only one photo but it looked like a larger vise so I locked it up. I met the seller at a gas station and was pleasantly surprised when I look in the back of his truck. The vise is unbranded but I’m thinking Columbian. The vise has 7” jaws


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[va.grouseman]

Smitty strikes again.---Well done Sir!!!

 

[Loydski29]

That’s an interesting vise glad it was you that got it. I was a little late to the party on this one.

This vise popped up on the board today for $100. There was only one photo but it looked like a larger vise so I locked it up. I met the seller at a gas station and was pleasantly surprised when I look in the back of his truck. The vise is unbranded but I’m thinking Columbian. The vise has 7” jaws.


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[Smitty]

Thanks VA

Thanks loydski, the seller said he had a ton of calls on it but I was the first caller so he held it for me. I shook his hand and thanked him again.

 

[bastel]

Bastel, I like that ZEUS.---That's one crazy looking vise.---I want it.

Now, don't say crazy, just admire the sleek curvy lines, especially when opened. I just love it.

If I had gotten the VS4 yesterday (must not think about it), I might have parted with it, alas I am not keen on spending 170-200 euro on a VS4 far away. That VS6, especially with that crack, it's not a simple restoration, 51 kg to lug around, preheating 27 kg for brazing, or something like lockn'stitch.. all stuff I never did. But as long as it's my only Zeus, it's gotta stay. Super rare, also matches well with my dad's LES 6" HS vise. Every day I love it more (while the boxy, square U.S. vises do nothing for me)

There are people here in the forum with some VS2, probably easier to ship.

PS: some random vise info: because I've seen many of these pop up locally: some post in this thread/forum there was some east german vise kinda wilson bullet vise system, but with a barrel shape (will look for the post later). I searched a bit, this is actually a 1920/30 prewar design, just google Breitenfeld & Scholz System Koch or just Schraubstock System Koch (guess other manufacturers used it, too, there is a MW No3, but logo differs from Meier&Weichelt). That design was kept in production after the war.
Now that I look at that flyer, I live no 100 meters away from where that company was located, how crazy is that? What are the odds? I might need to get one of them vises now, just because.

 

[va.grouseman]

Chriss, I need that Reed Coachmakers and a Rock Island Coachmakers and then I will have satisfied an itch.

 

[Shiftless]

Smitty strikes again.---Well done Sir!!!

to that!

I’m glad it wasn’t closer to me. So far I haven’t strayed from my pledge to avoid buying vises that weigh over 100 pounds. We’ll see how long I can hold out.

I have the 5 1/2 inch version (fixed base, no swivel) of that vise and even though it’s a lot smaller, it’s still a beast!

 

[chrisnazzy]

Chriss, I need that Reed Coachmakers and a Rock Island Coachmakers and then I will have satisfied an itch.

Va

Haven't I also seen an old Monarch coachmaker's vise on that wooden hexagon table of yours?

I think I'd be happy to have one more coachmaker's vise. If it was as simple as choosing I'd be torn between a pre-1930's Rock Island or a graffiti script Prentiss!

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[honza.vosalik]

Now, don't say crazy, just admire the sleek curvy lines, especially when opened. I just love it.

If I had gotten the VS4 yesterday (must not think about it), I might have parted with it, alas I am not keen on spending 170-200 euro on a VS4 far away. That VS6, especially with that crack, it's not a simple restoration, 51 kg to lug around, preheating 27 kg for brazing, or something like lockn'stitch.. all stuff I never did. But as long as it's my only Zeus, it's gotta stay. Super rare, also matches well with my dad's LES 6" HS vise. Every day I love it more (while the boxy, square U.S. vises do nothing for me)

There are people here in the forum with some VS2, probably easier to ship.

PS: some random vise info: because I've seen many of these pop up locally: some post in this thread/forum there was some east german vise kinda wilson bullet vise system, but with a barrel shape (will look for the post later). I searched a bit, this is actually a 1920/30 prewar design, just google Breitenfeld & Scholz System Koch or just Schraubstock System Koch (guess other manufacturers used it, too, there is a MW No3, but logo differs from Meier&Weichelt). That design was kept in production after the war.
Now that I look at that flyer, I live no 100 meters away from where that company was located, how crazy is that? What are the odds? I might need to get one of them vises now, just because.

Looks similar to my Carl Froh (CFROH) vise. Was the Cfroh factory close to there too?

 

[ricleh]

Has Wilton stopped making their combination vises?

 

[Shiftless]

Has Wilton stopped making their combination vises?

Where’d you hear that?
I spoke with Wilton on the phone a few months ago and the guy confirmed that production of the Tradesmen series was moved to Asia but the Machinist bullets and the C series were still being made in the USA.

 

[va.grouseman]

Va

Haven't I also seen an old Monarch coachmaker's vise on that wooden hexagon table of yours?

I think I'd be happy to have one more coachmaker's vise. If it was as simple as choosing I'd be torn between a pre-1930's Rock Island or a graffiti script Prentiss!

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Yea, but I couldn't find the pic, so I posted without it.---Finally found it and edited it in.---Good memory Chris.

 

[Outlawmws]

to that!

I’m glad it wasn’t closer to me. So far I haven’t strayed from my pledge to avoid buying vises that weigh over 100 pounds. We’ll see how long I can hold out.

I have the 5 1/2 inch version (fixed base, no swivel) of that vise and even though it’s a lot smaller, it’s still a beast!

Probably if a 5198 appeared you would break that vow!

 

[ricleh]

Where’d you hear that?
I spoke with Wilton on the phone a few months ago and the guy confirmed that production of the Tradesmen series was moved to Asia but the Machinist bullets and the C series were still being made in the USA.

I did a Google search for C3 and C2 Wilton vises and all the links say the vises are discontinued.

 

[chrisnazzy]

Yea, but I couldn't find the pic, so I posted without it.---Finally found it and edited it in.---Good memory Chris.

I couldn't forget that Monarch, it's awesome!

I'd like to own a Monarch someday. Probably for the same reason most people like them, the lions head. I'm a Leo so I kinda dig lions anyway.

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