Vise Info Thread

[KMScott]

I don't find this 7" jawed, swivel-jawed, stationary base Yost listed as a model # on the spreadsheet. I'll get more info on it (jaw opening, etc).

Thanks, is there a model number? Appreciate the help. Kevin


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[Vise]

I don't find this 7" jawed, swivel-jawed, stationary base Yost listed as a model # on the spreadsheet. I'll get more info on it (jaw opening, etc).

I think that is a Prentiss No. 6.

 

[PSCo1867]

Thanks, is there a model number? Appreciate the help. Kevin

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I will take another look tomorrow, but there's a ton of paint on it.
There's a big "Y" on dynamic jaw, and we have two of these at the mill.

I think that is a Prentiss No. 6.

But there's a big 'ol "Y" on dynamic jaw...??
It does look like a Prentiss though!

 

[Vise]

I will take another look tomorrow, but there's a ton of paint on it.
There's a big "Y" on dynamic jaw, and we have two of these at the mill.



But there's a big 'ol "Y" on dynamic jaw...??
It does look like a Prentiss though!

Prentiss made vises for Yost for a period. I’m positive that is a Yost branded Prentiss No. 6, which is the stationary version of the Yost 78 1/2 (which is also made by Prentiss). Very cool vise.

 

[PSCo1867]

Prentiss made vises for Yost for a period. I’m positive that is a Yost branded Prentiss No. 6, which is the stationary version of the Yost 78 1/2 (which is also made by Prentiss). Very cool vise.

Excellent information!

 

[Fierljeppen]

I don't find this 7" jawed, swivel-jawed, stationary base Yost listed as a model # on the spreadsheet. I'll get more info on it (jaw opening, etc).

It's a rare Yost vise no. 72-1/2.

Could you please list the actual jaw width, jaw opening and weight? I'm curious if the specs are the same as the Prentiss vise no-6. The catalog specs of the Yost and Prentiss swivel jaw vises are different.

 

[PSCo1867]

I will break one of these big Yosts down, and get it into the spray-wash cabinet.
Was there a "Big Y" era, and a "Lots of lettering" era on this series? More info to follow. This is good stuff.

Fierljeppen, thanks for the 1927 Yost catalog page!

 

[KMScott]

Columbian 424-1/2. 4-1/2" jaws that opens up to10" and weights 60lbs. Pretty nice Coachmakers vise.

 

[PSCo1867]

Columbian 424-1/2. 4-1/2" jaws that opens up to10" and weights 60lbs. Pretty nice Coachmakers vise.

So cool. I wish I’d come upon a coach maker’s for once in my life.


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[Mr. Wonderful]

Prentiss 75. There were no pictures on the spreadsheet. I will add a couple more if repairs are successful.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Prentiss vise no-75. There were no pictures on the spreadsheet. I will add a couple more if repairs are successful.

Your efforts and vise goodwill will not go unnoticed by the "Vise Gods". I commend and support your endeavor, please update us with photos.


<hr>
Prentiss Vise No.75

jaw width.......6-1/2"
jaw opening....9-1/2"
weight...........150 lbs.
manufacturer...Bagley & Sewall Co., Watertown, New York
circa..............(1888-1922)
type..............Machinist, Rapid-Transit

 

[dodge610]

Need info and help wanna purchase a vise I found but never heard of the brand and can’t find anything on it in my searches it has STECO casted in one side and 5 casted in the other. I am guessing the 5 means 5 inch vise thanks for any help.


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[PierceA]

Kevin Scott, Here is a vise I have not found on the info spreadsheet. This 'Farmer's vise' as it is often called in brochures appears to have been sold by many makers, under their name. I use 'Austin' for these two vises.
There are several listings in the spreadsheet for the 3" model. But I have not found any 2" versions.
The jaws and 'anvil' top are actually 1-7/8" wide. The jaws open 2" but are pretty worthless at this wide of an opening, they could not grip very hard. The vise is 11-1/2" long. Weight is just under 10#..
These vises are VERY light duty. The jaw slide jams easily with very little pressure put on the main screw. The sides of the 'anvil' blow out easily when the 'anvil' is actually used as an anvil.

PierceA

 

[PierceA]

Kevin Scott: Another vise listed but no example or photos in the spreadsheet:
A Parker 206. A 5" jaw, swivel base vise using the more modern swivel base with brake shoes to lock the swivel. The vise weighs 104#. It's overall length is 21-1/2", it measures 11-3/4" tall to the top of the jaws.

This vise does not have the steel bar cast into the slide. And the slide is intact, not cracked.
However: the mainscrew nut has pulled out the sides of the retaining dovetail in the base of the static jaw/vise body. The broken out pieces were not found in the muck and grease filling the cracked areas under the slide. There was a 3/8" nut used as a spacer in the dovetail in front of the nut to space the nut to the rear where the nut could just barely engage some remaining dovetail.

I cleaned the vise in an overnight hot-bath of Simple Green. I put the nut in the mill and cut a notch on top of the rear dovetail. I then measured and made a retainer that slides into the rear of the dovetail then hooks over the end of the notched nut. This nut-retainer was drilled and tapped to accept a 1/4-20 socket head cap screw. The original nut retaining pin hole in the base was used for this retaining screw. The bottom of the original hole was counter-bored to allow the socket head screw to recess into the base, preventing interference with the swivel base.

PierceA

 

[Fierljeppen]

Need info and help wanna purchase a vise I found but never heard of the brand and can’t find anything on it in my searches it has STECO casted in one side and 5 casted in the other. I am guessing the 5 means 5 inch vise thanks for any help.

Steco and Lion vises were produced from the Chadha Engineering Works of India. If you are considering purchasing one, it should be based on price, not performance. Since, you are in the Canton, Ohio region, you should consider the many vintage domestic vises available to you as well. Although their initial cost will be higher, the value of the vise going forward should hold it's own or even increase in value.

Going forward, having photos of any vises in question is very helpful.

 

[dodge610]

Steco and Lion vises were produced from the Chadha Engineering Works of India. If you are considering purchasing one, it should be based on price, not performance. Since, you are in the Canton, Ohio region, you should consider the many vintage domestic vises available to you as well. Although their initial cost will be higher, the value of the vise going forward should hold it's own or even increase in value.

Going forward, having photos of any vises in question is very helpful.

Thank you i can get it for $60 but wasnt sure if i should keep on looking.

 

[PierceA]

Dodge610: Check Craigslist. In Euclid Ohio, just NE of Cleveland there is a nice looking Reed 203-1/2 swivel base for sale at $120 or best offer. It has been advertised for over a month. The Reed swivel base vises are very well made and will last more than a lifetime.

That is a reasonable price for a good, strong, American made vise.

PierceA

 

[PSCo1867]

Thanks, is there a model number? Appreciate the help. Kevin


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Ok, here's my final answer on this, measured and weighed:

Yost 72 1/2
jaw width: 7"
jaw opening: 12"
weight: 195#

My vise-weight of 195# puts it in the bathroom-scale margin of error
in relation to the catalog weight of 192#:

body: 81#
slide assy: 88#
swivel jaw: 26#

 

[PSCo1867]

Yost model 72 1/2
Confirming model # found:
72 1/2 cast into main body under swivel jaw.

 

[PSCo1867]

Starrett/Athol 626.
6" Jaws, 9" opening, Weight 200# plus.

 

[ejot]

Picked up this Ridge 43CPN this morning. Spreadsheet is absent specs. 84lbs (missing 1 pipe jaw sadly and yes, scaled was tared); 4-1/2" nominal jaws (4-9/16" actual); opens to 6-1/8".

 

[KMScott]

Hobbies 2" vise. 2" jaws that opens to 2" and weights 2.4lbs. Country of origin ???

 

[Outlawmws]

No clue why, but I'm thinking British?

 

[KMScott]

No clue why, but I'm thinking British?

Yes that is what I think. The jaws are L series like Starretts. Never seen English or British jaws like these. The square slide is turned at 45deg for extra strength. Pretty quality vise. I like it.


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[va.grouseman]

Qute little unicorn KMS.

 

[PghJKB]

No clue why, but I'm thinking British?

Yes that is what I think. The jaws are L series like Starretts. Never seen English or British jaws like these. The square slide is turned at 45deg for extra strength. Pretty quality vise. I like it.


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Qute little unicorn KMS.

Agreed.
Another explanation would be made for export to an English speaking country. But then, where?

Great design, excellent (judging from the images) quality.

JKB

 

[KMScott]

Robin, Made in Canada. No spec:s, looks pretty interesting.

 

[Outlawmws]

VERY Wilton-like I wonder how old that was and if id pre-dated Wilton or even York?

 

[KMScott]

Rae #50. 5" jaws that opens to 5-3/4 and weights 35lbs.

 

[KMScott]

Colton # 24. 3"jaws that opens to 3".

 

[KMScott]

Phoenix and Colton Catalog pages.

 

[ejot]

Erie Tool Works 203 1/2. 3-1/2" jaws open to 3-7/8" and weighs 27.5lb missing mounting wingnut. Oval slide. Swivel release from under bench. Swivel adjusts at 45 degree increments. There are jaw inserts but I am not seeing pins or screws to remove them.

 

[ejot]

I noticed the "Possibly a High School Project Vise" LaneTech in the spreadsheet and it reminded me of this interesting vise that I somewhat regret not grabbing on ebay, though rough. It sold as I was asking the seller questions.

Seller, from Iowa, indicated this was a student's final project from a course at U. of Iowa and that it had recently come from the estate sale of a man who'd passed in his 90's. Jaws are 3-1/4".

Very basic shape, and some crudeness to the casting, but overall looks quite well done. I'm curious how closely it might match any production models, and if each student actually designed their vise and cast in sand?, or cast from a standard mold the department maintained? Anyone ever seen anything similar?

 

[KMScott]

This college project was done very well. Looks to me like they took several different qualities of vise makers and came up with their own design. The casting is similiar to Prentiss and the meatball and handle has a Reed look to it and the jaw design is similiar to Desmond Stephan/ Simplex. Either way it was done right. Thanks for sharing.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Wow - that is a vise I would have bid on! Someone put a lot of work in on that one.

 

[ejot]

KMS - Appreciate your thoughts and glad you enjoyed seeing it. That Prentiss look was my first thought too, but of course very different in many little details.

_scounge - For sure someone did, I like to imagine the same person kept and used it for 70+ years afterward.
It was a BIN listing. My trigger finger twitched, then I messaged for more info instead and missed out. Part of me knew it would be gone and was backing off the slippery slope of buying a vise without any view toward it actually being put to use.

 

[davethorik]

Prentiss Bull Dog no. 254
4" jaws, opens 6", weight 42 lbs
Pardon the poor photos but aside from the black paint, this thing is nice and was not used much.

 

[ejot]

That's really nice.

Reminds me of this one I've been curious about, not mine. Does anyone recognize the distinctive meatball, collar, or handle end? Vise is unmarked, 4-1/2" jaw, 48lbs. Very Prentiss-esque, compare to above.

 

[PierceA]

Ejot: my first thought is that it is a no-name Reed with a new or modified mainscrew and retainer.
The rounded lip over the mainscrew is 'Reed', as well as the cast-in gusset that helps reinforce the dynamic jaw 'chin support'.

The 'C-shaped' Jaw inserts: ?

The pocket is in the dynamic jaw for a sleeve-type mainscrew retainer, like a Reed or most other named vises. But no sleeve in sight.

But the mainscrew and retaining collar are very 'Parker-like' or Desmond-Simplex like.
Maybe with a dash of Wilton retaining washer thrown into the 'genetic pool'..

Looks like a nice, sturdy vise..

PierceA

 

[FMC1959]

That's really nice.

Reminds me of this one I've been curious about, not mine. Does anyone recognize the distinctive meatball, collar, or handle end? Vise is unmarked, 4-1/2" jaw, 48lbs. Very Prentiss-esque, compare to above.

Definitely a vise with some unique features.

The meatball screw head not uncommon, Rock Island, early Reed's and Parker's come to mind and probably a few others. But the taper right after the meatball going into the vise, never seen anything like that.

Also the collar holding the screw, both Desmond Stephens and Parker used this, but neither had the cast in "collar" on top of the collar; that is quite unique. Also you stated this was a 4 1/2", Parkers had 1 screw holding the collar till you got to 6" or greater, and I do not recall what Desmond did, but this has 2 screws for a smaller 4 1/2".

The C jaws, I remember that American Scale and Rock Island had jaws like this, probably a few others. I am sure when it comes to jaws, Kevin could give you exacting details to which MFR's and models had these.

The base has Reed and Parker attributes, and the rest of the vise has features or details from many of the famous MFR's, but still unique to itself.

Very nice vise indeed.