Craftsman 5197 AND 5198 registry

[Mr. Wonderful]

Craftsman 5197 AND 5198 registry

All,

I have been asked to keep score of all of the found 5197's and 5198's on GJ. Please post a picture or two as well as your month and year of manufacture and we'll see how the numbers stack up.

Here's mine with a 4/48 date.

 

[drivesitfar]

Mr. W: thanks for staring the thread and we'll see just how many of the members do have one of these 5197's. Some of them have already been posted on the thread I started a few years ago where I was really wanting to know which vise company made these 519x's from about 1946 to 1958 "ish".

thanks for starting the thread and i'll subscribe cause even though I passed on the only 5197 i've seen in person and bought it I love these 5197's that I think were made by Rock Island vise company for sears.

ALL: if you have a 5197 to post I and others i'm sure would like to see several pictures of it and any comments you have on it's construction. i've heard some don't like the little gap in the vise nut to add or lesson tension on the main screw and there were a few complaints about how tough they were. my guess is those people want more of an "ALL IN ONE TOOL" as a vise than just a third hand like it was built for.

any comments you have on the quality or maybe who made it is always appreciated.

speaking of the only 5197 that I owned it I found it on a farm in a shed and i'm sure it was used as a press cause the vise nut was broken in 3 places. that said i found out that the vise nut off another member's 5196 was the same so it should be working just fine if it's not sitting on a shelf with the rest of the new owner's Craftsman stuff.

here's a picture of mine that had the broken vise nut and on the other end of the scale of condition was this one that was New in the box that sold on ebay many years ago. also a few catalog pages to get the thread up and running.

 

[Shiftless]

Mr. W. Thanks for starting this thread. Let’s hope we get more than just 2 or 3 here...
Here is my 5197.
I got it from fellow GJ member and friend Loydski29 in a trade deal.
He did a fantastic job on the restoration.

Do you think the date is 2 51.... or 12 51?...

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Ok, thanks shift and drives!

 

[Outlawmws]

I'd suggest you do both 97's and '98s. both are extremely rare, (and we might not have dates for the 8 98's known to exist....) the changes in tags and other info over the years might eventually solve the Mfg mystery...

 

[Roberts210]

Here's one on evilbay. Pricey!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Collectors-Craftsman-05197-78lb-Swivel-Bench-Vise-by-Rock-Island-Anvil/283633324267?hash=item4209dd10eb:g:e~8AAOSwHQRdlr-1

 

[drivesitfar]

Stu: Welcome to the forum and maybe spend a few minutes finding a few threads you like and making a nice comment to the people posting on them or the person that started the thread and you'll have your posts so you can post pictures. also go in your profile and click on Avatar and download one of your favorite pics to show up under your name on all your posts like i did with the bison made out of welded scraps.

check out my Organizing & DIY thread and feel free to comment or ask questions and I just use a step drill bit for the first time to mount my Reed 4c.

ok now to your 5197 which i'm happy you found BTW and looking forward to pics. it's been a while since I've taken apart one, but if I recall correctly the sleeve holding the dynamic on is threaded (YEP THREADED) so I recall using a tool with a point on it to move the nut off the screw after I removed the set screw. it's just another idea that wasn't seen on many or any vises that I know of. the way the vise nut comes out is maybe the easiest around and some of the handy GJ members and machinists have copied that after taking apart other brand vises.

if you have questions just ask here or make another post (with pics when you can) over on the vise repair 101 thread and here's the link.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252830

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I have a 5197 vise as well. New here so cant post pics yet but its in my album. Want to restore it but cant seem to get it apart. Not sure what I will do with it once restored as this sucker is BIG!

Stu, welcome to GJ and congratulations on your 5197. Once you can post pictures feel free to also share how you came to own it as well. I managed to grab mine for $50 at a garage sale. He had the import double swivel vise next to it marked for more money! I almost didn't take the picture because I wanted it in my hands so badly

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Mr. W. Thanks for starting this thread. Let’s hope we get more than just 2 or 3 here...
Here is my 5197.
I got it from fellow GJ member and friend Loydski29 in a trade deal.
He did a fantastic job on the restoration.

Do you think the date is 2 51.... or 12 51?...

Shift, that definitely looks like 12-51 to me.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Stu, I think most on GJ would pay a lot more than $50. It's just what its worth to the individual more than anything. Also since you're new I will let you know there is a rule on here against self suckage! Thou shalt not self ****!! Not my rule but all must abide.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Stu, I just saw your pictures. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that is not the 5197 discussed in this thread. What you have is one of the Craftsman vises made by Columbian.

The tell tail is the lack of the larger head on the lead screw and the design of the jaw towers. That still looks like a nice candidate for refurbishment. To get the drive nut out there is a pin behind it that gets driven out from the bottom. You may have to get a piece of wood or a brass drift to drive the dynamic jaw the rest of the way out once the screw is disengaged. Many vises bind in the last bit of travel due to the top of the slide getting mushroomed out from being struck. I would head over to the vise repair thread if you wind up needing more help

 

[drivesitfar]

Stu: first of all your vise isn't a Craftsman 5197 (or does it have that # on it) cause it's a Craftsman made by Columbian and maybe a bit newer by about 10 years or so. it's still a decent vise, but nowhere near the 5197 we are talking about.

do can you still screw it back together or are you out of the vise nut? you'll need a press or some hammering with a stick or some other method if you can't screw it back together and clean it off and file the slide square.

you might take your pictures over to the vise repair 101 thread I gave you a link for and ask for help there and if the tips I just gave you didn't work just ask for more ideas cause i've seen some very interesting ways of separating these old vises.

Yep you didn't overpay!!

 

[drivesitfar]

Stu: can you post pics of your craftsman showing 5297? I actually have a new in the box 5195 that is a woodworkers vise and not an old craftsman bench vise so maybe we need to add some other model #’s to our threads. The 5197 vises we are talking about were made in the craftsman heritage era for sears and if you look at the pics that are or will be posted on this thread and the 5198 thread you’ll see the difference between them and yours. I’m guessing your vise would have a crowntop on its side if it didn’t have craftsman in its casting.

Somebody with catalogs or a better memory can elaborate on the years that heritage was the emblem for craftsman tools and these vises were made after WWII until the late 50’s

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Shift, that definitely looks like 12-51 to me.

I agree with Mr W. I feel like these old eyes can just make out most of a "1" before the "2".

Mr W Per Outlaws "suggestion" to track 5198 vises as well, were you going to expand the thread to do that? Can you update the thread title to indicate this is for 5197 & 5198 vises? I don't have one but hope that changes. Some day soon. :0)

Appreciate you being willing to track this stuff!

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Tx/Outlaw, I have updated the title and I will make an announcement on the big vise thread. That puts the count at 4 for the 5197's (if we include the ebay specimen). I know they tallied the 5198's at 8 on the other thread.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Ok, it was suggested that this thread track all of the 519x vises. I want to see what everyone thinks? I understand that the 5197/5198 are much less common than the other models. Please weigh in and I will go with the majority on this.

 

[wabo100]

I picked up two within a week of each other I have not seen one before or since for sale .Model 5197 11-56'

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Wabo,

Ok, what model numbers are you saying you have? Date stamps?

 

[Maui]

Mr. W, I have a Craftsman 5197. Here’s a photo.

 

[ericlar80]

I just picked this one up from the ReStore for $10:

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Ok, wabo and maui I have you on the board bringing us to :

5197- 6
5198- 8

ericlar, I need your model number and date once you get through that incredible hulk paint! And that is some ******** suckage for $10!

 

[Shiftless]

Are we going through with the suggestion to register all 519x vises?

To continue the series, I just yesterday brought home a 5196. Fellow GJ member Honza Vosalik kindly sold it to me.

Date code Feb. 1953

 

[thehorse13]

The last vise on my bucket list is a 519X. Bravo to all of you who were lucky enough to come across one of these gems. I've yet to come across one in the wild after years of looking.

 

[Outlawmws]

Mr. W, that would be a LOT more work than the 97/98. I think it's your call if you want to do all that tracking. all the lesser sizes are relatively speaking common.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Outlaw, I agree. I didn't have anyone weigh in on if they wanted the whole series or not. I asked on the big vise thread and got nothing. I'll just make the decision to keep this thread just for the 5197/5198.

All, if you post up PLEASE include your model number and date if you have it.

Ericlar I still need your model number.

 

[Maui]

So far it appears that the 5197 is even more rare than the 5198!

Maui

 

[ed4banger]

....

 

[wrenchguy]

I'll tie it up with mine.

 

[Rileysan]

I just picked this one up from the ReStore for $10:

You ****!

 

[Rileysan]

Here's a 5197 that followed me home yesterday. The jaws are rough but it's savable! Dated 10/1950

Brian

 

[Smokeshow69]

You ****!

Yes , agreed


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Ed, Riley, and Wrench,

I have you in there each for a 5197.

5197 - 9
5198 - 8

The 5197's take the lead. I'm sure that's no surprise to anyone. I'll admit even with only two pages of posts I thought it would be a much bigger gap. I think a lot of members haven't seen this thread. Please reach out to any of the other members that you know have either vise.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Nice find Brian!

 

[hurlbyte]

I have 3 Craftsman 5191 vises. Mine, for son, for son-in-law.
Does anyone have specifications for screws to attach vises to bench?

 

[Smokeshow69]

I have 3 Craftsman 5191 vises. Mine, for son, for son-in-law.

Does anyone have specifications for screws to attach vises to bench?

Hello sir! Those vises are nice but not the machinist vises this thread is about.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[jrobb316]

12/50 5197. Had to dig it out for another members measurements, so here are some pics for the registry

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Ok Jrobb, I have you on the board.

The totals are:

5197 - 10
5198 - 8

 

[scotts_4x]

Picked this one up over the weekend. 5197 not sure on the date as I need to clean it up to read it better but it was made in April of whatever year it turns out to be. Need to find a jaw for the static as it was replaced with a custom smooth jaw at some point.




-Scott

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Scotts,

Thanks for posting! Please add the date if you get a chance later as well.

Ok totals are now:

5197 - 11
5198 - 8

 

[Productbob]

here's the 5197 I picked up last week; cleaned it up enough to find the date and verify it's a 5197. Looks like 12 50 but had to use a magnifier to see most of the 0. Looking forward to getting it cleaned up