The Unofficial Vise Parts Swap Thread.

[Thrumcap]

It great that you are doing this work for the community.
Was it you or somebody else who was casting replacement collars for Parker vises in various sizes?
I’m not the only one looking for ones like these.

Thanks for reminding me of that idea... There have been a few projects machining or brass casting them, none of which are current I think.

I have a few collars. I’m looking into foundries on this side of the border that do small runs, but they’re rare. I have one in mind on the US side.

Thrumcap

 

[Butterman2473]

Athol 624 1/2 swivel base needed.

I picked up this beauty a couple of days ago.

And dropped it last night.

 

[Shiftless]

Athol 624 1/2 swivel base needed.

I picked up this beauty a couple of days ago.

And dropped it last night.

Sorry to hear about your accident. You must have felt terrible.

Measure the diameter of the bottom of your vise and add that information to your above post. There is a chance that bases from other models of the early Athol vises would fit.

And maybe put the pieces together from your broken base and show that for comparison.

In the future, when handling heavy vises, you might consider taking them apart before moving them. The dynamic just cranks out and you’ve got 2 pieces to move. Much safer and easier on your back if you’re not as strong as you used to be. (I am 72 y.o.)

 

[Butterman2473]

Sorry to hear about your accident. You must have felt terrible.

Measure the diameter of the bottom of your vise and add that information to your above post. There is a chance that bases from other models of the early Athol vises would fit.

And maybe put the pieces together from your broken base and show that for comparison.

In the future, when handling heavy vises, you might consider taking them apart before moving them. The dynamic just cranks out and you’ve got 2 pieces to move. Much safer and easier on your back if you’re not as strong as you used to be. (I am 72 y.o.)

I was, and still am, very disappointed in myself and feel like a bit of a jackazz.

I blame it on the oily doorknob complaints. Trying to be considerate, I wore gloves for a change.

Whether I'm wrenching on a vehicle or using a PHD to set posts in the ground, I never wear gloves. Well, with the lone exception being when I'm using my American Turbine AT953 and HVLP spray gun.

But the real mistake was hitting it with penetrating oil in a location where it couldn't stay for an extended period of time and had to be moved.

Thank you for the excellent advice. It should be heeded whether young and strong or a little older and not as strong as you once were.

I'll post pics and dimensions asap.

 

[Old Radar]

Athol 624 1/2 swivel base needed.

I picked up this beauty a couple of days ago.

And dropped it last night.

Welcome to GJ, Butterman. Bummer about the swivel mishap--but now you have a ready-made alternative story for your profile name.

What part of town are you in? PM me if you don't want to reveal it to the herd.

 

[Butterman2473]

Welcome to GJ, Butterman. Bummer about the swivel mishap--but now you have a ready-made alternative story for your profile name.

What part of town are you in? PM me if you don't want to reveal it to the herd.

Lmao!
That's hilarious! Good call on that one.
Northstar mall area.

 

[the SS show]

Anyone have a main body for a Wilton 4" machinist vise? Mine is cracked. Also the C shaped plate that holds the screw to the dynamic jaw would be nice to replace.

 

[bagged89s10]

I’m looking for 6” rock island jaws for my newly acquired rock island 597.

 

[ALTEREGO]

Anyone has the swivel base and lock nuts for a 5” Wilton bullet?

 

[XCMTB83]

Please Delete.

 

[XCMTB83]

Hello everyone. New user here. I've done some looking around but can't seem to find a part I need and this forum kept popping up as a good place to ask questions. I need a spindle for a Simplex Utility NO 500 vise. Where is the best place to look for one of those?

I'm sure this forum will be an invaluable resource in the future. Thanks.

Did you ever find a spindle for your 500?

 

[XCMTB83]

Hey Gang, I am looking for a swivel base for a Simplex Utility No. 400 or Simplex Utility No. 500 Desmond Stephan vise. I am pretty sure the 400 and the 500 take the same swivel base. I was told maybe a Lakeside might work as well?... Thanks for any leads!

 

[apittmanii]

Hello! Looking for swivel base for Wilton 9400 Vise.

 

[Onator]

Still looking for a swivel base for a Columbian D 43 1/2. *FOUND!

Over and Out...

 

[getbentMUSTARD]

Currently looking for jaws for a Craftsman 5197 / Rock island 4 1/2 inch jaws as well as the handle for the 5197.

Thanks

 

[drivesitfar]

have any of you found the missing parts to your vises yet? post that up if you did maybe with a picture of the vise so maybe this old thread could get more views.

that said it might be better to post your requests in the WANTED SECTION of our classifieds at GJ cause I bet it gets more views. not sure cause I don't shop or sell much here if any.

good luck!!

BTW: AutoPts a GJ member usually has new Wilton vise parts to sell on his Ebay site or PM him here if you need any.

 

[jptopdwn]

I am looking for jaws and an end cap for an older Wilton 600S. Any 600S parts would be appreciated. I have a very crusty one I intend to bring back to life. Thanks in advance!

 

[abailcb]

Looking for a lead screw for a Prentiss 940. Wanting to restore Dad's old vise. Has a working part now, but when I tore down found this weld, which explains the mismatched handle. No idea what damage was done to it, but the weld has held up impressively. The screw is a 1 inch diameter, in case a similar period part from another model matches.

Thanks

 

[bagged89s10]

Anyone have a vise spindle which is 1-3/8” in diameter. Looks like 3tpi. It’s about 26.5” long not including the spindle nose. It’s from a Columbian 508 but a screw from another vise might fit.

 

[thetazman]

Hello all,

Just picked up a merrill bros #4 vise and it didn't come with the swivel base. Looking for a lead on where I might be able to find one. Thanks In advance.

 

[bagged89s10]

Does anyone have a swivel base or just the swivel nut/bolt for a 5” athol or starrett?

 

[Old Radar]

Just picked up a 3-1/2" Wilton 835 that's missing a swivel lock handle. The PO found a handle that seems to belong to a larger vise, if anyone needs it.

Please let me know if anyone has a spare!

 

[Shelbylex]

Hi. I might be able to get a 6 inch Fulton model 13 vise, but the stationary jaw is broken. Does anybody have a broken vise with the good stationary jaw?

... And still looking for old Craftsman 508-51800 (508-51801/Columbian 43 1/2 vise nut +/- main screw and a single original lip bolt. The old vise which belonged to a 90 yo mechanic who left it outside is still under my toolbox (I hope to get those parts off the broken/parts vise one day and restore it...). Not that I really need it, but I hope to give it a chance ...
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7451725

 

[Shiftless]

Hello all,

Just picked up a merrill bros #4 vise and it didn't come with the swivel base. Looking for a lead on where I might be able to find one. Thanks In advance.

That looks a lot like a “through a hole in the bench” model. The swivel base is probably a relatively thin plate that sits under the vise body and attaches to the workbench. A long threaded bolt attaches to the underside of the vise body, goes through the bench and a big washer and then is tightened by a big cast iron wing nut or maybe a threaded flip over handle.
It does appear to have the ability to bolt directly to a bench top using those 2 lugs. But the big protrusion in the center of the bottom of the vise body would certainly get in the way of doing that.

 

[thetazman]

That looks a lot like a “through a hole in the bench” model. The swivel base is probably a relatively thin plate that sits under the vise body and attaches to the workbench. A long threaded bolt attaches to the underside of the vise body, goes through the bench and a big washer and then is tightened by a big cast iron wing nut or maybe a threaded flip over handle.
It does appear to have the ability to bolt directly to a bench top using those 2 lugs. But the big protrusion in the center of the bottom of the vise body would certainly get in the way of doing that.

Thank you for the clarification. I wasn't sure what to call it since I didn't know what attached to it and all the modern vises have a swivel base.

With that being said I am still looking for a base for the vise.

 

[Shiftless]

Are you going to use it or display it?

 

[thetazman]

Are you going to use it or display it?

Ideally like to use it.

 

[Shiftless]

If you are not doing heavy work, you can drill a hole in your workbench and bore the top half of the hole oversized to accept the boss at the center of your vise where the threaded hole is. Get a bolt of the right size and length and a few washers and just use it! Your vise originally came with a thin base that had ridges to mate with parts on the underside of the vise body. That plate got screwed down to the top of the bench so that when the wing nut was tightened, the vise wouldn’t swivel when twisting torque was applied to a work piece.
You could use the vise without that plate but the vise would tend to swivel if you applied force in that direction.

I hope you could understand my rather wordy explanation.

Here is a pic of my Monarch lion head vise on display. It’s an early 1900’s model with the through the bench mount. I drilled a hole in the shelf and tightened it up with the big wing nut that I was lucky enough to obtain with the vise.

 

[thetazman]

If you are not doing heavy work, you can drill a hole in your workbench and bore the top half of the hole oversized to accept the boss at the center of your vise where the threaded hole is. Get a bolt of the right size and length and a few washers and just use it! Your vise originally came with a thin base that had ridges to mate with parts on the underside of the vise body. That plate got screwed down to the top of the bench so that when the wing nut was tightened, the vise wouldn’t swivel when twisting torque was applied to a work piece.
You could use the vise without that plate but the vise would tend to swivel if you applied force in that direction.

I hope you could understand my rather wordy explanation.

Here is a pic of my Monarch lion head vise on display. It’s an early 1900’s model with the through the bench mount. I drilled a hole in the shelf and tightened it up with the big wing nut that I was lucky enough to obtain with the vise.

Yes I do understand your explanation and what your saying. Just was looking to see if the part was available before modifying my bench.

Can't blame a fellow for trying?!?

Nice vise display!

 

[Shiftless]

Yes I do understand your explanation and what your saying. Just was looking to see if the part was available before modifying my bench.

Can't blame a fellow for trying?!?

Nice vise display!

Thanks
Here is the rest of the wall.
I can’t show the whole room in the same picture. This is about half of my collection.

I found a picture of a Merrill vise #5 so you can see what the base looks like. I know yours is a #4 and significantly different. Maybe you could fabricate something similar. Or just use your vise as a fixed base by bolting it down using those 2 holes.
If you don’t want to hog out a hole in your bench, you could fab a spacer out of wood or plastic if you’re not set up to make a metal one.

 

[Outlawmws]

You have added quite a bit since I was there last Sift! Looks great!

 

[Shiftless]

You have added quite a bit since I was there last Sift! Looks great!

Thanks Outlaw!
I just got my second vaccine jab last week. Did you manage to find some?
Someday we can go back to in person vise and tool deals.

 

[akasrick]

Hello all,

Just picked up a merrill bros #4 vise and it didn't come with the swivel base. Looking for a lead on where I might be able to find one. Thanks In advance.

Someone in Texas was cutting circles with center holes. Maybe from his stock, not recollecting and I don't see his listing on Ebay.
What I do see on Ebay if you can live with this. You will have to do work on it though.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-x3-8-Thick-Gong-Metal-Gun-Shooting-Target-Laser-Cut-Neon-Target-AR500-Steel/303679261315?_trkparms=aid%3D1110012%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOIPOST%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D231169%26meid%3D92c225b9dd944ff28f2c9b899b623689%26pid%3D101196%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D3%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D303843059007%26itm%3D303679261315%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DPromotedSellersOtherItemsV2WithMLRv3&_trksid=p2047675.c101196.m2219

Good luck on your hunt.

akasrick

 

[thetazman]

@ Shiftless

Thank you for the Image of the base and the rest of vise collection is awesome!

@ akasrick

That is an option and might go down down that route.


Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

 

[Outlawmws]

Thanks Outlaw!
I just got my second vaccine jab last week. Did you manage to find some?
Someday we can go back to in person vise and tool deals.

I'm scheduled to get stuck for four days from now.

 

[Butterman2473]

I am no longer seeking a swivel base for my Athol 624 1/2.
I was going to attempt to repair my broken base and I had two options AFAIK.

One was buying a welder and some specialty cast iron electrodes called Muggyweld 77.
The other was to buy a oxy / acetylene torch setup and some brass brazing rods.

Each option would've cost me well over $300 and chances are very good that I'd never use either ever again.

So, after seeing that the Reed 404R appeared to have the same type of swivel base lock design and its base diameter also being 7".
(Measurement provided by @Hobb....a fellow GJ member)
I decided to take a chance and I ordered a 404R swivel base that was on Ebay.

Lo and behold.....it worked out perfectly!
I had to.add a couple of washers and a 1" copper sleeve around the base bolt but my vise is now 100% fully functional.

To sum it up....with minor modification, the Reed 404R swivel base and the Athol 624 1/2 swivel base are interchangeable.

 

[Shelbylex]

Shiftless, this is one amazing collection!

Butterman , thank you for sharing. I bet somebody will use this to complete a vise in the future?

 

[Outlawmws]

Good Clean fix B-man! Now you just need to get it bolted down!

 

[Butterman2473]

Good Clean fix B-man! Now you just need to get it bolted down!

Thank you.
I originally bought it because I have always wanted a swivel base vise since my Reed 104R is a fixed base.

Before I broke the swivel base, I had been thinking about giving the Athol to my brother.

I'm currently undecided though.

 

[mfnlonewolf]

Need a leadscrew nut for a Columbian 504 vise.