The VISES of Garage Journal

[Smitty]

I had an interesting day yesterday. I found a big old Columbian 206 that’s in beautiful condition. The vise has 6” jaws, weighs 165 lbs and stands 15” tall. I really like big combo vises, they look great on the bench. I also got a Rock Island 577 on the same stop and it’s a beast. The RI has 6” jaws and tips the scale at 150 lbs, I can’t wait to clean it up.


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[Old Radar]

O.R.:
That Cadet looks great
Newcomers may not know that your orange is quite close to the original color that
Wilton used back in the day.

I have a Cadet laying around that I have yet to paint. Chevy engine orange is another close match.

Here is a pic I lifted from you know who showing one I presume to be in original paint.

Thanks, Shiftless! As I noted in my original post, I found a good spot of clean paint after I took off the screw. I took it down to HD for a color match. I can only think the color difference between mine and the one you posted is a little age/grime on your pic and a very bright light shining on mine. Here are the details for the paint for anyone that might want them.

 

[va.grouseman]

Real clean Columbian, Smitty.---Just needs a set of pipe pinchers.---And the 577s are on my top-tier of favorites.---You did extra good.

 

[Smitty]

Thanks VA, you know that pipe jaws are my Bermuda Triangle but I’ll never let it stop me from buying the vise. Much like a lost sock in the dryer I always hold out hope that I’ll find it some day.

 

[va.grouseman]

I hear you Smitty, and just like you.---I've got 3 or 4 that need pipe jaws and one day if I find the time I'm going to hand fabricate some to accommodate them.---I made one set with file in hand, of brass jaws for a all brass vise and that took plenty long enough.--- But one of these days I'm going to clear my desk and commit to a set of steel jaws just to say it can be done.---Short of a donor, I don't know any other way to get them.---Hard to find anyone/machinest that wants to put that much time into that little of an item.---And usually the pricing discussion is as far as it goes.---But that's not going stop me from a good deal on a real nice combo that's short of pipe teeth.

 

[Shiftless]

Smitty scores again!
It’s truly amazing how you continue to uncover all of those sweet deals.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

I have several broken users around here, i believe if it works its good to go. We all can't be silk purses. I'd be proud to put that uncommon clamper to work.
thanks 4 posting.

Thanks!!! I
m trying to talk him into locating a base and restoring it but the old man says its a worker not a piece of jewelry.

 

[PSCo1867]

That flat metal strip is supposed to be flat and straight and yours looks to be quite twisted, if it is I would replace it. They get like that when something has been binding or when people have been using the QR without knocking the tension off the vice first.

Thanks, I was wondering about that. I can only imaging the "cheater bars" and the like that were applied to the lever out of frustration and stupidity. Also, it can barely be made out (from the photo) that the compression-spring is broken such that the lever won't maintain a raised position.

 

[Mugen AP1]

Can anyone tell me what model this one is?

 

[KMScott]

I hear you Smitty, and just like you.---I've got 3 or 4 that need pipe jaws and one day if I find the time I'm going to hand fabricate some to accommodate them.---I made one set with file in hand, of brass jaws for a all brass vise and that took plenty long enough.--- But one of these days I'm going to clear my desk and commit to a set of steel jaws just to say it can be done.---Short of a donor, I don't know any other way to get them.---Hard to find anyone/machinest that wants to put that much time into that little of an item.---And usually the pricing discussion is as far as it goes.---But that's not going stop me from a good deal on a real nice combo that's short of pipe teeth.

Va, I wonder how much it would cost to have the teeth water jetted. The geometry I could supply. I heard they can cut 1/2 inch just wondered if 5/8 or3/4 thick is to much. I always cut my own and never looked into this process. Just a thought.


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[Outlawmws]

Can anyone tell me what model this one is?

Imgur won't work with the "S" in "HTTPS"

Hmmm, Apparently it won't work at all now?

 

[dannyr]

mugen,outlaw

A glamour model -- and don't put that dirty pipe anywhere near my jaws


brass or gold plated?

 

[Mugen AP1]

Imgur won't work with the "S" in "HTTPS"

Hmmm, Apparently it won't work at all now?

My images aren't working?
I can see them in my posts ...

 

[Mugen AP1]

How bout now?

 

[wrenchguy]

Thanks!!! I
m trying to talk him into locating a base and restoring it but the old man says its a worker not a piece of jewelry.

Unless I'm missing something about that 107 there is not a base available for it. My first post about it mentions "whats left of the base you have" means the "base portion" of the static/main body casting is badly damaged/missing.
There are several parts of a monolithic cast main/static body, jaw tower, slide support, and its "base".
The base portion of that era non swivel reed static body will have 3-4 bosses for bolting it down, monolithic to the static body casting.

A non swiveling reed showing mounting bosses.

 

[Interceptor]

Craftsman 5" made in Japan.

 

[macgee]

Can anyone tell me what model this one is?

That looks like a very nice high end restoration job on a vintage 4 pin Wilton C-1 or C-2 using a wet paint like Imron or similar.

The pipe jaws have the dual pins holding them indicating its an older version. Looks too big to be a C0 ?

I'm wondering if they went above the call of duty by using gold Titanium Nitride (TiN) coating on hardened steel, that would be pretty slick or its just gold anodize on soft aluminum jaws and bits?

EDIT: photo link fixed

 

[va.grouseman]

KM, can those water jets be pre pattern programed kind of like the lasers that cut out art by digital programing.---If so that would work pretty good, not having to manually operating it like a scroll saw.---But then there's the subject of cost.---If one was going to be doing it as a business, it might pay for itself.

 

[Andy FitzGibbon]

Thanks VA, you know that pipe jaws are my Bermuda Triangle but I’ll never let it stop me from buying the vise. Much like a lost sock in the dryer I always hold out hope that I’ll find it some day.

I got pipe jaws for my Columbian 205 from Wilton about a month ago. Not cheap, but probably still cheaper than me making a set.

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[Outlawmws]

How bout now?

Nope. And I removed the "S" in the quote...

 

[Mugen AP1]

Nope. And I removed the "S" in the quote...

So weird cause I can see my pics in your quote !??
Ha ha

 

[Outlawmws]

You own 'em so have permission. What viewing permissions do you have set?

But it could be Imgur has changed the rules or set a blacklist of GJ unless you own 'em...

The photo hosting sites are crazy stupid...

 

[Smitty]

Va, This is the best deal I’ve been able to find on pipe jaws and these are the full sized ones for the 6” vise. They also have smaller sizes down the line.
Shift, Thanks as always.

$141 for a set of three is a pretty good deal


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[macgee]

So weird cause I can see my pics in your quote !??
Ha ha

You own 'em so have permission. What viewing permissions do you have set?

But it could be Imgur has changed the rules or set a blacklist of GJ unless you own 'em...

The photo hosting sites are crazy stupid...

Here's a photo posted to test using Imgur. The only it seems to work is to the "Linked BB Code" address. Just copy it and paste directly into your post and your done. Don't use the GJ photo icon tool to include a photo when creating a post.

 

[va.grouseman]

I see all of Mugen's pics too Outlaw.

 

[macgee]

I see all of Mugen's pics too Outlaw.

So strange, I too couldn't see Mugens photo anymore either, except in Outlaws post. I went to Imgur to test here one of my photo's on it and now I can see all of Mugens. Very strange.

EDIT: The only way it seems to work using Imgur photo's is not to use the BB Code when viewing your photo in your Gallery profile albums. You have to go into the photo page and use "Linked BB Code ". As I did with this photo

 

[va.grouseman]

Yea, Andy Fitz and Smitty, I forgot about the companies that are still in business.---Yea they could still fix a fellow up.---It might be expensive but for my part it's worth it for a full restoration of a really nice vise.---I just recently bought an entire swivel base and lock-down kit from Yost for a Yost #6 that was ordered without a base.---I got the vise for free so it was worth the expense.---But Yost only charged me $144.00 plus tax, free shipping.

But it's those 100 year old and beyond combo jaws that are going to be hard to track down, especially when the companies haven't been in business anywhere from 30 to a 100 years.---The hunt continues.

 

[Outlawmws]

Macgee, yours don't show either - maybe its restricted to Imgur accounts only? If so, how stupid is that?

 

[alcorelli]

Good afternoon and Happy Holidays.

Where might I get a new set of jaws for a two inch Wilton?
I'd make them, but the "checkering" suggests the need for a shaper...

Before I go off the deep end and try to make these, is there someone who sells them?

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[Outlawmws]

I'm not sure if Dr. Scott was making them, or if he was, the people he sold the business to have picked it up?

You CAN cut the teeth on a vertical mill if you make some tooling - that was Dr. Scott's method.

 

[Shiftless]

I'm not sure if Dr. Scott was making them, or if he was, the people he sold the business to have picked it up?

You CAN cut the teeth on a vertical mill if you make some tooling - that was Dr. Scott's method.

Kevin made them and then sent them out in batches for heat treating. I know the machinist he was training before he left was planning to continue making jaws. Whether or not that happened...

 

[macgee]

Macgee, yours don't show either - maybe its restricted to Imgur accounts only? If so, how stupid is that?

What? You can see mine? That is weird, thanks for letting me know. I even tested it out by signing out of Imgur.

When not signed in, they show on the thread on my computer so it might be a cache cookie or something that lets me view them. This is silly.

Here's a screen shot of what I'm seeing

 

[Scumbagpainter]

Parker 976 laying out in my yard, and an old Colombian.

 

[KMScott]

KM, can those water jets be pre pattern programed kind of like the lasers that cut out art by digital programing.---If so that would work pretty good, not having to manually operating it like a scroll saw.---But then there's the subject of cost.---If one was going to be doing it as a business, it might pay for itself.

The pipe jaws Smitty found are a good price if they are hard and the right dimension. My guess is they are not the right size.

Yes the Water Jet cuts just like the Plasma cutters guys use to cut art. You just have to have a cad file with the geometry you want cut. Think about what can be done with just one cut. If you have a 5/8 x 4" pipe jaw around 5 inches long you could buy a rough cut A2 blank the same size and 10 inches long and actually get two pipe jaws in one cut. I am sure they charge a set up fee and then charge the cut per inch and some how tie the thickness in the price. Having several blanks would save some bucks and they could be sold pretty easy. I am done with making vise parts especially living on an Island. But maybe some young ambitious fellow could have this done. I would be happy to supply the geometry.

 

[Mugen AP1]

That looks like a very nice high end restoration job on a vintage 4 pin Wilton C-1 or C-2 using a wet paint like Imron or similar.

The pipe jaws have the dual pins holding them indicating its an older version. Looks too big to be a C0 ?

I'm wondering if they went above the call of duty by using gold Titanium Nitride (TiN) coating on hardened steel, that would be pretty slick or its just gold anodize on soft aluminum jaws and bits?

EDIT: photo link fixed

Great info! Thanks macgee!

 

[Charles Waugh]

Smitty, KM, vaGr,
ABOUT MISSING PIPE JAWS:
I just had 29 various parts laser cut for a prototype - half-n-half in 1/4" and 1/2" HRPO (mild steel)
It cost me $190 - and each part was different than the others.

Doing pipe jaws would be way less (esp. in qty), but I'd want to do them in some hardenable stuff.

The laser leaves a bit of a 'flame-kerfed' edge. but that could quickly be tuned up on a belt sander.

If you all want to send me drawings (even hand-drawn, I can fix'em) I'll get a quote on making a bunch.

And, yes, volume is the key here - onesy-twosey is death for cost, but ten or twenty times that many is easy-peasy.

Oh! And they do NOT need to be all the same pattern - 6 of this, 2 of that, 3 of that others, etc. still keeps the cost waaaay down.

Cheers!

Charles
[email protected]

PS: Smitty, I could think about trading some jaws for the Columbian 206 drop-shipped to my bench.
: - )

 

[Charles Waugh]

CRAFTSMAN 10" WOODWORKERS VISE - QUICK ACTING

Just got this tonight.
Rusty but sliding just fine and the threads on the half-nut are gorgeous!
Original paint.

It'll clean up bee-u-tifully!

This will go on my main bench, replacing the Wilton 'Corner Vise' that people think is so cool and is just too wimpy fer me.

I'll be adding 5/16" thick faces that will overhang by 1-1/2" on each side (I like width), and then make some clip-on wood jaws for when I'm feeling delicate.

BTW: Anyone know why the original bench dog (installed on this vise) sticks up above the dynamic jaw by about a 1/4"? That seems weird, and in the way. I'm gonna cut it down flush.

 

[macgee]

Charles,

That Craftsman is made by Wilton.

The bench dog should be flushed, there maybe something stuck underneath keeping it from going down further. If I remember correctly? The thumb handle should be threaded into the bench dog and can unscrew allowing you to remove the bench dog.

 

[steaks&anvils]

CRAFTSMAN 10" WOODWORKERS VISE - QUICK ACTING
I'll be adding 5/16" thick faces that will overhang by 1-1/2" on each side (I like width), and then make some clip-on wood jaws for when I'm feeling delicate.

BTW: Anyone know why the original bench dog (installed on this vise) sticks up above the dynamic jaw by about a 1/4"? That seems weird, and in the way. I'm gonna cut it down flush.

Don't cut the dog.

 

[CRSINMICH]

CRAFTSMAN 10" WOODWORKERS VISE - QUICK ACTING[/B
BTW: Anyone know why the original bench dog (installed on this vise) sticks up above the dynamic jaw by about a 1/4"? That seems weird, and in the way. I'm gonna cut it down flush

Don't cut the dog. I had the same problem and it was just sawdust and crud under the dog. Its handle should be at the bottom of the slot.