The VISES of Garage Journal

[RoninB4]

Smitty- First off, thanks for the reply. I've seen the catalog pages you've posted as well as others from up to the 1914 catalog (IIRC). The lack of cast lettering and the general roughness of the casting made me consider it an earlier model. Like I said, I wanted to apply a genuine Jappaning finish to it but after reading up on the apply/bake cycles and the distinct "aroma" I decided to just use an engine enamel from a rattle can to resemble what the original might have looked like. When I first got it home I considered going over the rough surfaces with a snag grinder and a flap wheel but after reading up on it, what little I've found, I decided to retain as much of the original as possible. After it survived over 100 years of use/abuse it didn't seem right for me to decide how attractive it should be now. The paint has cured by now, I'll try to get some photos of it later and post. It amazes me that it's not MORE ugly after 100 years.

 

[ScootinSam]

Some good info in here! I’m new to the page and new to forums but I have a little vise collection.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Welcome! you clearly have a first class reed there. please share the rest of your collection with us addicts!

 

[Outlawmws]

Ronin, GREAT save on the coachmakers vise! were you serous they used that as a boat anchor? We joke about it but...

 

[Shiftless]

I picked up this one today. I wanted the Wilton copper jaw covers. The 391.5180 just kind of came along for the ride.

I’ve seen a few of these jazzed up with 2 tone paint so I thought I’d join in the fun. It seems as though the copper covers were on almost since day one since there is no wear on the original jaws and as a bonus, nobody dinged up the “anvil” surface.

And I can move the Wilton labeled jaw covers over onto one of my 400’s

 

[RoninB4]

Outlawmws "Ronin, GREAT save on the coachmakers vise! were you serous they used that as a boat anchor? We joke about it but..."

-That was the story the elderly gent told me before I saw it so I expected a pile of red oxidation resembling a vise. After disassembling the entire vise, cleaning it up, and doing a fairly thorough inspection I have some difficulty believing it was used for a boat anchor for very long. Still, the elderly gent was from upstate NY and didn't have the background or the disposition to tell stories like that. The only thing that might be possible is that iron after a certain age will turn black and sorta waxy, it's considered an indicator of age for some things. Once the red rust turns black it will impede/prevent further oxidation (red rust) from forming and kinda seals in what's underneath. This is the case with some metal objects that are hundreds of years old (nihonto for example) but still very much intact. It's either this or the elderly gent was full of s_it. I've allowed the paint to cure from yesterday and will post some photos of it today.

 

[Shiftless]

Looking at your vise and having heard a lot of quite questionable stories from old men, I tend to agree with your F.O.S. opinion.


.

 

[RoninB4]

Looking at your vise and having heard a lot of quite questionable stories from old men, I tend to agree with your F.O.S. opinion. .

-Agreed, some folks don't let the truth get in the way of a good story. Have taken a few photos, please excuse the quality. After some debating the merits I decided to leave all the dings, casting imperfections, and battle scars intact as that's the history of this piece, to do otherwise seems less than genuine. It's a nice vise but it's not a masterpiece from the Soshu school. I had hoped for a better finish like it was when new but Japanning is a long process and I'd be reluctant to use it afterwards. It looks like a rattle can enamel job, oh well. I intend to use this, as it was intended for, in building furniture and other woodworking projects. What may look like dirt is a coat of automotive wax I applied that worked into the casting pores, no shiny here but it's cleaned, lightly stoned on the reference/sliding surfaces, and I did true the locking pin and handle a bit. Comments good/bad are openly welcome. This was my first vise restoration. Will also offer apologies for the horrid job I did on the Prentiss lettering. The casting for the letters has rounded/degraded over the years and are rather indistinct. No white paint so I used what I had on hand, some gaudy nail polish (not my color...) to allow others to examine the font used in helping to ID the vise. It won't be on there long.

 

[RoninB4]

Have a few other vises that await restoration and/or mounting. An older model Reed that I've used for several years, a swivel base tilting Wilton, and a somewhat hard to find Wesson (rotating base and adjustable angle) grinding vise that I used for years when i was a tool and die maker. A six inch scale is there for visual comparison. I've got others that I made but that's hardly of any interest to anybody. Comments about any of the three is information I openly welcome. Thanks for looking.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Ronin,

You can affect a japan finish with a rattle can. I have never done a vise, but I have done a few sets of Williams wrenches and a Bridgeport 11 inch Auto Wrench, which were japanned or baked enamel originally. Essentially, you apply several coats. In between, you take each coat down pretty hard with 0000 steel wool. That makes the next coat cling better and prevents it from looking too thick and goopy in the end. You leave the last coat glossy. You must let each coat cure fully between coats. Several days or a full week of drying for each coat. The result is a very hard, very tight black look, like baked enamel or japan. I did it on a whim because I don't have a utility oven nad was pleased with the results. But you may find it even more of PITA then actual baking/japanning.

EDIT: Not a comment on your paint job!

 

[RoninB4]

"EDIT: Not a comment on your paint job!"

I wouldn't take it personal if you did, I can see it looks like hammered shyte. Will take your advice about the potential of a rattle can job and will attempt it with the next job that's worth the extra effort. That was a large reason I did NOT attempt to do this with the vise. I've got a waaay too many projects already demanding time to spend on a vise that, while I'm grateful it found me, is NOT an heirloom quality item of historical value. Besides, if a future owner of this curses me for laziness and not showing proper respect he can remove the enamel paint fairly easy. It's just a protective layer of paint and I DID try to follow the rules of restoration/preservation.

I appreciate your comments Private, in a general sort of way... Seriously, thanks for posting the potential of what a rattle can and selective applied effort can do.

 

[Smitty]

I gust got this Wilton 825 toddler with 2 1/2 “ jaws and a clamp on base. The vise has the original factory paint and stickers and is in amazing condition. The stamp on the keyway is 5 53


Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[geomagno]

Finally got both of these cleaned up and painted. The Rigid is a great vise but the Reed certainly has a cleaner, smoother build.

 

[Shiftless]

Finally got both of these cleaned up and painted. The Rigid is a great vise but the Reed certainly has a cleaner, smoother build.

Nice work geomagno.
Reeds are at the top of just about anybody’s quality list.

Speaking of quality, check out the detail quality of the casting job the Japanese foundry (BF mark) did on this lowly homeowner grade Craftsman I’m in the middle of cleaning up. Superior to more than one domestic maker.

 

[OCD]

I gust got this Wilton 825 toddler with 2 1/2 “ jaws and a clamp on base. The vise has the original factory paint and stickers and is in amazing condition. The stamp on the keyway is 5 53

That is cool!!

 

[Shiftless]

Smitty:
I know you were looking hard for a toddler to round out your bullet collection and it seems you bagged the rarest. Original paint, labels intact, and with the optional table clamp base. SCORE!

 

[Outlawmws]

So Now Smitty's got a photo display stand for his clamp-ons!





Ronin - You'd be wrong about no one being interested in the vises you made. Post 'em up!

 

[Shiftless]

Outlaw:
A guy has to have something for the clamp ons to clamp on to!

Here is what I cobbled up from 2 lengths of reclaimed redwood decking and a couple of adjustable “monkey” wrenches for the feet.

 

[RoninB4]

Nice work geomagno.
Reeds are at the top of just about anybody’s quality list.

Speaking of quality, check out the detail quality of the casting job the Japanese foundry (BF mark) did on this lowly homeowner grade Craftsman I’m in the middle of cleaning up. Superior to more than one domestic maker.

Geomagno- Nice looking job you did on those.

Shiftless- Those are some clean looking casting lines all right, not what you'd expect in a homeowner grade piece. I've seen commercial/industrial pieces in far more shabby condition.

Smitty- Nice find. I worked for a couple of months at Wilton (Schiller Park) in the early 90's before finding a better offer. How big a collection do you have?

 

[Outlawmws]

I like the monkey wrench feet Shift!

 

[Shiftless]

Smitty- Nice find. I worked for a couple of months at Wilton (Schiller Park) in the early 90's before finding a better offer. How big a collection do you have?

I personally have 15 Wiltons in my collection.

I have been to Smitty’s place and seen a few pics of his many additions.
Let’s just say he is in one of the bigger categories in my poll of “how many vises do you own?

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=457998


.

 

[Smitty]

Thanks OCD, Shift, Ronin and outlaw. The vise is definitely a top jewel in my Wilton collection. Btw I made the display base from MDF and spray painted it black. It’s surprisingly sturdy, the vise won’t fall over.

 

[va.grouseman]

Smitty, Zoomie will be hounding you to death for that one.---He luuuuves those little Wilton Clamp-ons.---And that is the nicest one I've ever seen.

 

[Smitty]

Thanks VA. This could be the cleanest known example of a clamp on toddler. It won’t be leaving my sight for quite a while.

 

[ScootinSam]

New here and I have a small collection. I’ve also got a Reed 3C that I’m looking for a base for.

 

[Vise]

Smitty - nice scoop on the clamp on Wilton. Pretty impressive those stickers stayed intact since 1953.

Scootin - nice line up there.

 

[Smitty]

Thanks Vise, if I had to guess I would say the vise spent it’s days in a box or tucked away in a cabinet.

 

[Shiftless]

I found an unused Wilton that spent all of its days in its original box. It was tucked away behind some stuff on a high shelf in the garage at an estate sale.

Too bad it wasn’t an upscale model like Smitty just found.
But then again I only paid $10


.

 

[Jayman17]

Nice work geomagno.
Reeds are at the top of just about anybody’s quality list.

Speaking of quality, check out the detail quality of the casting job the Japanese foundry (BF mark) did on this lowly homeowner grade Craftsman I’m in the middle of cleaning up. Superior to more than one domestic maker.

Shiftless, I'm curious to know your methods used to get this vise to the condition shown in the photo. Would you mind sharing your technique? I own a couple of those same vises and plan to do the same. Thanks

Jay

 

[Shiftless]

Shiftless, I'm curious to know your methods used to get this vise to the condition shown in the photo. Would you mind sharing your technique? I own a couple of those same vises and plan to do the same. Thanks

Jay

I use hot Simple Green
I picked up a used crock pot at the local re use area of our recycling center. They’re also commonly found in thrift stores for $5-10
Just put your part in the pot, pour in undiluted Simple Green and turn the switch to HIGH.
The time needed depends on the paint. Sometimes it’s loosened in a couple of hours, sometimes all day.
Those of you who live in hot climates can just get a dark colored metal pot and leave it out in the sun.
I then remove the part and hit it with my little electric pressure washer. Alternatively, you can rinse the loosened paint off under running water using a brass brush.

Make sure to dry your parts thoroughly to avoid surface rust. I use an old towel followed by a heat gun.

 

[Username already in use]

Crosspost from the garage sale thread. I picked up this Morgan Chicago #50 from the local recycling yard today. $0.50 per pound, they wanted $36 but I talked them into taking $30.
The things some people throw away...

 

[Tinkerer2]

The scrap yards around here won't sell any scrap they collect. Sure would be nice if they did.

 

[Shiftless]

User:

That’s a major score. Those are great vises.I have its little brother. How often do you find “scrap” like that?

 

[Username already in use]

Thanks Shiftless. The weight is deceiving for its size. Thing is a brick! I don't usually find scrap this nice. But I've found a few nice things from that yard over the years. I've found a Bonney roller, Kennedy boxes, tons of tools.

I've scored 2 other vises from this recycling yard in the past.
A Columbian drill press vise posted in this thread HERE.
An old REED #204 posted in this thread HERE.

Seems I usually spend more than I make by turning in empty beer cans...

 

[Outlawmws]

I use hot Simple Green
I picked up a used crock pot at the local re use area of our recycling center. They’re also commonly found in thrift stores for $5-10
Just put your part in the pot, pour in undiluted Simple Green and turn the switch to HIGH.
The time needed depends on the paint. Sometimes it’s loosened in a couple of hours, sometimes all day.
Those of you who live in hot climates can just get a dark colored metal pot and leave it out in the sun.
I then remove the part and hit it with my little electric pressure washer. Alternatively, you can rinse the loosened paint off under running water using a brass brush.

Make sure to dry your parts thoroughly to avoid surface rust. I use an old towel followed by a heat gun.

I'l qualify Shifts comment about a metal pot. There have been reports of people saying aluminum, or possibly pot metal (the objects were carburetor bodies), getting damaged - Based on this (I've done no tests) you might stay out of aluminum pots?

 

[Smitty]

I just got this little old style vise for $40 because it has 2 1/2” jaws. I know Parker made this style back in the day but there isn’t a mark on it. Does anybody have any ideas who the maker was?


Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Outlawmws]

But I'll give you $45...

Oh, Its Smitty...

Rats..

But Smitty; as usual, The Vac God is strong in you...

 

[Smitty]

Outlaw Lol, I’ve been looking at old scans and the Parker’s had collars in the front. This one almost looks like it has a hood over the meatball like a reed. I’m not thinking that’s it worth a lot but I really like the smaller vises.

 

[Aryan·]

Got this Parkinsons Model F No.9 yesterday.
Weight: 116 lb.
Jaw width: 6.5''.
Opening: 9''.
It will go nicely with my Model F No.8 and Model J No.38 (cast steel).

 

[Shiftless]

Smitty:
I can’t name the maker but I will say it’s an almost perfect color match to Bud Lite.