The VISES of Garage Journal

[Lesserstore]

From vintage machinery: Established by 1891, Morgan Vise Co. was apparently taken over or succeeded in the late 1960s by Milwaukee Tool & Equipment Co., which continues to manufacture Morgan vises.

Were they in Chicago before 1927?

 

[Fierljeppen]

Outlawmws & VA.grouseman...Thanks for your responses!

The 1947 Morgan date is pretty popular with any "Morgan Vise Co. History" internet search, but none of them list any periodical as a reference. I've attached my earliest Morgan Vise Co. ad which is from 1921. Everything in my Morgan database has a Chicago address until 1968, when they moved into a brand new building in Aurora, IL.

I'm going to stick with my own data for now, but if anyone has any 1947 printed reference, I'd really appreciate it. Vise on!

 

[chrisnazzy]

Here is the "as found" pic of my Morgan Chicago 140. The dark grayish color with maybe subtle blue undertones was the original color as I stripped it. Looks better naked and just wiped down with blo imo.


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[Lesserstore]

Outlawmws, Fierljeppen, and VA.grouseman thank you for all of your responses. Is there a dedicated thread to Morgan vises?

 

[Vise]

Thanks, guys. The Parker 272 is going to take some time (have to remove both swivel pins before I can start).

Scooter - PM me if you’re looking for a badge for your 5198. I know a guy who makes them.

Smitty - that swivel pin came out very nice. How do you gauge the tapers?

 

[KMScott]

Thanks, guys. The Parker 272 is going to take some time (have to remove both swivel pins before I can start).

Scooter - PM me if you’re looking for a badge for your 5198. I know a guy who makes them.

Smitty - that swivel pin came out very nice. How do you gauge the tapers?

Here are the real numbers for the baby pins. You can actually get pretty close if you use a set of calipers while hand grinding or filing the taper.

 

[Smitty]

Smitty, did you make the pig sticker in the background?





Dave, and Scooter, a Barrett Swivel Jaw and a Craftsman 5198 on the same page.---MAN, it don't get no better than that.

Va...Yeah, I forged it out of an old leaf spring. The 5160 is great steel for knife making. I probably hit the blade 1500 times after I blanked it out. The handle was done out of Cocobolo.


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[Shiftless]

Thanks for sharing your drawing, Kevin.
I’ve saved that to my files just in case I stumble across a Prentiss jeweler’s vise that needs one.

Smitty:
That’s a fantastic piece of work. It must be very satisfying to make something so useful and beautiful out of a piece of steel that almost always go to the scrap heap.

Are you familiar with the knife making thread on GJ? Fellow member Junebuggy is an amazing craftsman with many of his masterpieces pictured there.

 

[va.grouseman]

Smitty, from what I've read, 5160 is about the best all around steel for blades there is.---For hardness, flexibility, sharpenability and edge retention.---Ironically I was looking at the Ontario RTAK-II just today on eBay.---Made from the same stuff.

So you're a man of many talents.---I am impressed.---That's a beauty you have there.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ontario-RT...Micarta-Knife-w-Belt-Sheath-8669/133195576666

 

[va.grouseman]

Here's 3 little vises I picked up recently.---And with my old back, this size is about all I want to pick up.---I'll still pick up the big ones but I don't want to.

That is my 2nd little Stanley bench vise and I have one that is a through the bench Stanley.---They're not too easy to find.

I'm not too keen on exposed screw vises but I do like those little I-beam Scouts.

Can anyone tell me what kind of vise I have clamped in the Scout?---It's actually a table clamp vise, but what kind?

 

[RyanE]

Finally finished up my Record No 00. I still cannot get over how tiny it really is. Oh and it takes a vise to repair a vise

 

[RyanE]

And while I'm at it, here are 2 shots of my daily user Record No 100 that I bought many years ago at an estate sale. My first vise that started it all....

 

[Outlawmws]

VA, I'd guess either for a a sun umbrella or for a goose neck light?

 

[Productbob]

Smitty beautiful work on the knife! (my wife shot down the idea of high temp forge, furnace or kiln in the basement for any reason other than heating the house)

VA nice pickups on the vises and the I-beam look is pretty cool

Chris your Morgan cleaned up really nice!

Dan well done on the 00, looks great

 

[Josh C]

Ryan, that Record 00 is a really neat little vise. Would love to snag one someday but I doubt that they are very common in the US. Thanks for sharing. Josh

 

[Dan8906]

Finally finished up my Record No 00. I still cannot get over how tiny it really is. Oh and it takes a vise to repair a vise

Came out really good! What paint do you use?

 

[RyanE]

Came out really good! What paint do you use?

Cheapest hardware store (Home Hardware) branded alkyd paint I can buy. I live in a small town with limited paint choices. I would love to try some Rustoleum hammered paints but they aren't readily available here.

I use paint pens for the lettering. Surprisingly, we have a pretty good art store here that has a wide selection.

 

[dutchgray]

Finally finished up my Record No 00. I still cannot get over how tiny it really is. Oh and it takes a vise to repair a vise

Very nice, I don't think I have ever seen an 00 with a swivel base in the UK.

 

[TonyCH]

Finally finished up my Record No 00. I still cannot get over how tiny it really is. Oh and it takes a vise to repair a vise

Well done, looks great.

BTW. Do you know if Record swivel bases fit more than one size of vise? I bought a swivel base from Record #2 and I am hoping maybe it would fit some of mine. I haven't received it yet but will measure and post results when I do. Well, if it doesn't I'll have to get the #2 too. The swivel bases for the Record mechanics vises are very rare here, never even seen one in nature.

EDIT: I just remembered the sales pics had a measurement pic included. Not very precise but something. I guess there is very little chance that it would fit anything else as obviously the base locking lever hole spacing is the deciding factor.

 

[va.grouseman]

VA, I'd guess either for a sun umbrella or for a goose neck light?

Good ideas Outlaw, but not the intended purpose.---Hint---It holds something for filing.

 

[va.grouseman]

Previously posted by Productbob.

Smitty beautiful work on the knife! (my wife shot down the idea of high temp forge, furnace or kiln in the basement for any reason other than heating the house.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



So Product, that's what you go with, ("It's a heating the house furnace Ma'am").---So if you stick a blade or a vise handle in there while you're heating the house, what's the harm.---Now of course summertime is going to be a little more tricky, but you'll think of something.

 

[sz0k30]

A buddy of mine just sent me an email with this link.

I don't know if any of you guys have ever seen this video, I haven't.

 

[Smitty]

Bob, maybe your wife is right on this one. This forge heats steel to 1300° and heat rises.


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[va.grouseman]

Bob, maybe your wife is right on this one. This forge heats steel to 1300° and heat rises.


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Which heats the floor, which heats the upstairs.---But again, summer is going to be a little more tricky.

 

[Smitty]

It could end up heating the whole neighborhood.

 

[Shiftless]

Impressive little set up you have there Smitty.
How many hours (or is it minutes) do you get out of a single BBQ propane tank?

 

[Mark Garrett]

Hi I posted a Paramo vice last week.
Some more old Made in England vices/vises - hope they are of interest to someone.
Going to take some close ups tomorrow when the light is better - will hopefully post those on here or on Flickr.
The Vice Squad by K Garrett, on Flickr
The Vice Squad by K Garrett, on Flickr
The Vice Squad by K Garrett, on Flickr

 

[Smitty]

Shift. The forge is surprisingly economical. I’ll use one burner for making a knife and it will last about five hours. I’ll usually heat it up and leave it on for an hour of repeated heating and hitting. I use the standard bbq size propane cylinders so it’s easy to refill and hook up. I have a really high ceiling where It’s located so the heat dissipates before reaching it. This is the same model that they use on Forged in Fire.

 

[ken w.]

Any idea who made this vise ??

 

[RyanE]

Well done, looks great.

BTW. Do you know if Record swivel bases fit more than one size of vise? I bought a swivel base from Record #2 and I am hoping maybe it would fit some of mine. I haven't received it yet but will measure and post results when I do. Well, if it doesn't I'll have to get the #2 too. The swivel bases for the Record mechanics vises are very rare here, never even seen one in nature.

EDIT: I just remembered the sales pics had a measurement pic included. Not very precise but something. I guess there is very little chance that it would fit anything else as obviously the base locking lever hole spacing is the deciding factor.

Tony - sadly I don't think that swivel base will fit the No 00. Here is a pic with rough scale on my 00. Looks much smaller.

 

[Vise]

Mark - I like to see those English vices. Thanks for posing. I have a big Parkinsons on its way to me now.

 

[Lesserstore]

I have this old Morgan Chicago No. 3 1/2 vise. I think it is quite old because of the round logo which I have never seen before and I have not seen it in any of the old catalogs available online, what do y'all think.

I was doing some googling trying to find another vise like it, I couldn't find a No. 3 1/2, but I did find a No. 5 with the same logo.

 

[Mark Garrett]

Mark - I like to see those English vices. Thanks for posing. I have a big Parkinsons on its way to me now.

Thanks - I look forward to seeing a photo of the Parkinson!

 

[TonyCH]

Tony - sadly I don't think that swivel base will fit the No 00. Here is a pic with rough scale on my 00. Looks much smaller.

Yes, I have the 00 too and I was sure it won't fit as the 00 is indeed tiny. And my 5 is too big. Then I also have the Paramo 0, bought a Parkinson 1a and then I was planning to get a Record 3.

But in case the base doesn't fit any of them then I need to get the 2 also - unless I make an adapter to make the base fit something else.

 

[not-required]

Need help IDing this. Any ideas?






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[GETRIDAONE]

Need help

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https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=434446&highlight=FPU

 

[not-required]

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=434446&highlight=FPU

Awesome! Thanks!

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[Dan8906]

Man this little sears/columbian 3-1/2” cleaned up nice. Not sure if I want to keep it naked, or do green or blue, what you guys think?? The original color was pretty close to the blue I have

 

[RyanE]

Got some paint on my Parkinsons 38A Model J "Perfect" but unfortunately my paint pen decided to pack it in and the lettering is less than stellar. Going to have to repaint those when I get a new pen. Now to polish up the leadscrew and handle. I sure wish the QR wasn't missing

 

[Shiftless]

Looking good there, Dan

As you probably already know, that model Craftsman was made in the USA by Columbian.

Most of the Craftsman vises in that category I remember as being red. But as many on these pages say...”your vise, your color”

Whether it’s a user or a shelf queen, it’s your eyes that will be looking at it, not ours. I've seen pink vises, bright purple, camouflage, chrome, racing stripes, college colors, favorite sports team colors, weird decals... the list goes on.

Vises aren’t too hard to repaint so don’t lose any sleep worrying about what’s correct. I once rehabbed a Wilton Tradesman and painted it Sunrise red to closely match SnapOn tool boxes. It came out nice if I say so myself. I found a buyer but when he saw the vise he said it was too bright. To save the deal, I threw in a new can of Rustoleum Verde Green. He was very happy and I put $200 in my wallet.