Rock Island 204

[Jimbo73]

Good afternoon all,

I picked up this vise yesterday and am wondering if anyone here has any information about it. Believe it to be around 1920's vintage. Quick release mech has been broken at some stage, vise still works fine and has a very smooth action. I would like to restore as original though so any pics I can find of release mechanism would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Jim

 

[drivesitfar]

Jim: how did that old Rock Island vise end up Down Under? it looks a lot like my Record quick release vise so i'll post up a few pics, but pretty sure your Rock Island is quite a bit older than my Record.

 

[1982fxr]

Good afternoon all,

I picked up this vise yesterday and am wondering if anyone here has any information about it. Believe it to be around 1920's vintage. Quick release mech has been broken at some stage, vise still works fine and has a very smooth action. I would like to restore as original though so any pics I can find of release mechanism would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Jim

Kinda looks like a woden doesn't it?

 

[Jimbo73]

Based on a Parkinson according old catalogue I found...

 

[drivesitfar]

Jim: yep there is a lot of similarities between Record and Parkinson, but never seen a Rock Island made vise with their design.

since Rock Island vise company was out of the vise making business by the late 1950's i'm curious if that was a prototype that they were making for Dawn or Record that was making or shipping vises to your part of the world.

keep on researching cause you've got a vise that isn't very common at least in the USA.

are you putting bondo on the vise's scars or is that just dust? replacing the jaws and are original ones broken? if the original jaws are still usable you might want to put them back in your vise and then maybe use copper or aluminum jaw covers for added grip if you need some.

are you able to repair or make a new quick release? how about a few more pics of the other side of your vise and the bottom if you have time?

 

[Jimbo73]

Those pics were taken where I bought it from, so just dust from sitting on a shelf. No jaws on it so will have to make/buy new ones. Dosen't appear to have any of the quick release setup left unfortunately. Has had a 'normal' nut instead of a split. Still has the quick release screw though. Have a look at this thread also. Seems they didn't make them for anyone, apart from themselves (Rock Island). https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=388237

 

[Jimbo73]

Otherside an damage to jaw...

 

[drivesitfar]

JIM: so it looks like maybe a prior owner was a machinist or knew one and made the new nut when he got the old vice that was missing it's quick release nut and handle.

nice find on the old thread and best of luck bringing that old girl back to life.

finding an old Parkinson or Record might get you the parts you need cause I doubt you'll find another Rock Island like that even though there seem to be a couple in the thread you found.

if i recall correctly there was is a YouTube video on my Record 23 that another person made showing how he removed and replaced his quick release that might give you a little more help.

good luck!!!