The VISES of Garage Journal

[barney rubble]

here's my vise. just got it today. 5 in. craftsman made in usa

I got one just like that. My deceased son got it for me for x-mas about 10 years ago.

 

[caper]

I used to not care at all for the looks of Record vises, but they are starting to grow on me.

The pre Irwin Record vises are great vises.I routinely use a hammer on the ones at work to get the handle a little tighter.Also been known to hang my 240lb body on the handle.I used to use a six inch Record for pressing FWD wheel bearings into the spindles.Tighten the handle till it won't go any more and then hit the movable jaw with a 4lb hammer.Tighten it some more and repeat.I've broken a couple of lesser vises this way but not a Record.I have 3 records-a no1,no3 and a no6.There's a number 8 at one of our remote shops I'd love to have.I keep watching for the company to decide to shut down that shop.

 

[mjozefow]

About to leave to snag this deal!

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/tls/1709071397.html

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

I need to move north for a few months, just to get deals like that. Either that or move to Atlanta...

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

About to leave to snag this deal!

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/tls/1709071397.html

Good lord that's a steal!!!

 

[mjozefow]

Got it! The little top box is a Snappy! In great shape!

 

[Arne73]

Here are a few of the vices around my place:

Unmarked but a big old sucker. Used to belong to my Grandpa.

My dad's old Craftsman.

Unmarked as well, smallest vice I've ever seen.

 

[Kevin54]

I really like that. I have never seen one that small before. If it were me, I think I would clean it up and get it off of the bench before something hits it and snaps the ears off where the screws mount it. It would be a shame for anything to happen to it.

 

[porphyre]

Is that thing a salesman's sample or something? I can't imagine a vise that small would still be built to the same proportions as a big vise. You don't need that much strength in something that small... the stock you're working doesn't require it.

Still, that's FREAKING AWESOME. If I could find one, I'd give it to my daughter for her doll house....

 

[jpilgrim]

Here are my two vises:

My beloved late grandfather's well used Reed 203 1/2

A Record 3VS given to me by a friend who wasn't using it and had it sitting out in the weather

 

[Arne73]

BTW that's a Sears and not a crafty but it is is a rebadged Columbian. I just noticed the part number on the side and compared it to this:

http://www.owwm.com/Craftsman/manufacturers.aspx?sort=1

 

[Bryan Burns]

Grew up with this Prentiss vice my dad had in the basement. I used to beat on it when I was a teenager.

Dad's gone and now the vice is mine although I did let my brother and brother-in-law have it for awhile because I thought my much smaller Craftsman was more suitable. Then I wised up, thank god.

 

[mjozefow]

Grew up with this Prentiss vice my dad had in the basement. I used to beat on it when I was a teenager.

Dad's gone and now the vice is mine although I did let my brother and brother-in-law have it for awhile because I thought my much smaller Craftsman was more suitable. Then I wised up, thank god.

Glad you wizened up and take care of it now. That is a BEAUTIFUL vise. I hope to add one like that to my collection someday.

 

[harvero]

I was given this as a Christmas present, having expressed a desire for a decent, BIG engineers vice. Came from a country trash and treasure market. Looks like a dead ringer for the FJT branded one. This one had no branding on it anywhere but the sleeves are all fairly close tolerance and it's very heavy.

Sandblasted and done with engine enamel, it now looks like this.

I'm doing a fair bit of gearbox and diff work so I made some alloy soft jaws and had to duplicate one of the pipe grippers. It's a thing of practical beauty now.

Saw a very similar Wilton hanging off the back of a truck today.

 

[harvero]

I was given this as a Christmas present, having expressed a desire for a decent, BIG engineers vice. Came from a country trash and treasure market. Looks like a dead ringer for the FJT branded one. This one had no branding on it anywhere but the sleeves are all fairly close tolerance and it's very heavy.

Sandblasted and done with engine enamel, it now looks like this.

I'm doing a fair bit of gearbox and diff work so I made some alloy soft jaws and had to duplicate one of the pipe grippers. It's a thing of practical beauty now.

Saw a very similar Wilton hanging off the back of a truck today.

 

[Endotoxin]

I have got a Prentiss No. 3

 

[autopts71045]

Thats one very nice Bull Dog!! Those jaws might be the same ones as they used on the Morgans. When or if you need jaws, I can have the Milw. Morgan catalog and I think they list them by width and inside groove. I have it in Adobe if you need it.

 

[somky]

Don't know. Stamped on the fixed jaw is HI-TEST, NO. 327 and Made in Poland. And there's a logo I've never seen before cast in the side.

One of my neighbors gave it to me, he said it was his fathers, who had it for how long he doesn't know.

Andy

Info on this vise...FPU stands for "Fabryka Przyrzadow Uchwytow" which is a Polish company also known as Bison-Bial.

More Info:
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-history/slidingtail-vise-200007/

I had one that was broke so I made something else with it.

 

[murph64]

Info on this vise...FPU stands for "Fabryka Przyrzadow Uchwytow" which is a Polish company also known as Bison-Bial.

Thanks!

 

[ZRX61]

After a short delay while I wondered where the dang parts were, I finally finished the Paramo this morning.... Turns out the Alumimun jaws were buried on the welding bench.

 

[mjozefow]

I have got a Prentiss No. 3

And I'm jealous.

Those SPAX lags are nice aren't they?

 

[porphyre]

"Hi-Duty Vice"

Those crazy Brits!

 

[Val_C]

Reed vice I got on garage sale. The woman was selling things that her ex-husband left behind.

 

[mjozefow]

Reed vice I got on garage sale. The woman was selling things that her ex-husband left behind.

/QUOTE]

Nice find! If you take the lead screw out, rest the slide bar against a heavy steel surface (I use 2" square bar stock) and got to town with a brass hammer you can get it pretty darned straight.

Enjoy it!

 

[06wt]

Info on this vise...FPU stands for "Fabryka Przyrzadow Uchwytow" which is a Polish company also known as Bison-Bial.

More Info:
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-history/slidingtail-vise-200007/

I had one that was broke so I made something else with it.

i knew we would get some info
thanks smokey

 

[rbannon]

This is a variation of a Wilton 600S that I have been working on. It has some sort of hydraulic clamping attachment added to the tail end of the vise. If anyone has information about it, I would greatly appreciated it.

 

[mjozefow]

This is a variation of a Wilton 600S that I have been working on. It has some sort of hydraulic clamping attachment added to the tail end of the vise. If anyone has information about it, I would greatly appreciated it.

There should be some sort of foot pedal that goes along with it.

 

[rbannon]

Thanks, but I don't think I am going to use the hydraulic unit on the vise. My interest is mostly in the history of the vise.

 

[mjozefow]

Thanks, but I don't think I am going to use the hydraulic unit on the vise. My interest is mostly in the history of the vise.

They were used in shops of all kinds, mostly those that dealt in heavy, awkward items. The idea is that you can position the work with both hands, and the vise closes with your foot. Pretty snazzy.

Your Wilton should have a date stamped in the keyway. Se the video in the bench vises link in my sig to find it.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

My Reed 4C next to a 6" Craftsman vise.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/45099362@N02/4599743474/" title="IMG_3721 by BanjoSavesTheDay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1067/4599743474_95d0e28b5b_b.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="IMG_3721" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/45099362@N02/4599732624/" title="IMG_3725 by BanjoSavesTheDay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1258/4599732624_63c2b0ef62_b.jpg" width="1024" height="683" alt="IMG_3725" /></a>

I did a full restoration on it. You can see the thread here http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64018.

 

[Arne73]

Here are a couple from work-
Haven't seen any other examples here so I thought I'd share:

Jorgenson, Made in USA

Brand new Rigid. I was surprised to see that it's Made in Germany.
Company just replaced all the old workbenches with Lista units(!) but got rid of 6 Wilton vices. I missed out on the drawing for the vices and benches - this time.

 

[gwis2]

Kole,

I REALLY like that Reed 4C!!! It just looks MEAN!!!

Arne73

That Ridgid steel vise is on my "gotta get one" list. I think the sleekness of it - looks awesome!!!



Here's my newest addition, this Milwaukee vise...that I know nothing about!

 

[arkangel06]

Love that sign!

 

[Flash21]

Brand new Rigid. I was surprised to see that it's Made in Germany.
Company just replaced all the old workbenches with Lista units(!) but got rid of 6 Wilton vices. I missed out on the drawing for the vices and benches - this time.

Arne73: Get some time on that Rigid and then come back and tell us of what you think of it after you time using Wiltons. Thanks!! Looks really nice

 

[bgott]

I finally got around to taking a picture of my work vise. I lied, it's not a Reed 3C, it's a 2C. It's still a healthy vise, four and a half inch jaws. It also has a 3/4" handle, which is good for me because I will beat on the handle with a hammer in a heartbeat.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

I finally got around to taking a picture of my work vise. I lied, it's not a Reed 3C, it's a 2C. It's still a healthy vise, four and a half inch jaws. It also has a 3/4" handle, which is good for me because I will beat on the handle with a hammer in a heartbeat.

I've never seen a 2C. It would be cool to own the whole lineup of C series...

 

[DavidB]

I have a Prentiss Bulldog 525. Here it is when I found it on CL...

And today.

Here is the thread on the restoration I did: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63428

 

[gwis2]

New Record vise mounted just today! This thing is Sweet!!!

 

[y'sguy]

You guys are making me have Vise envy, so I've been shopping around.
Here's one that's listed in my local area but I don't know?, 175 bucks-seems pricey for a cheapskate like me! what do you experts say. I guess the guys getting some free posting, thanks to me.
http://tulsa.craigslist.org/tls/1738184976.html

 

[gwis2]

Y'sguy - That's almost 3 bucks a pound!

I would pass. Don't jump on the first one you see. More often then not good deals pop up just be patient and wait awhile...