Unmarked vise with T-bolt mount

[MAD]

This vise called out to me for help from the top of the metal dumpster when I was dropping off my trash a couple of weeks ago. It has 4" wide jaws and a T-bolt/slot mounting system. It seems pretty beefy, weighing around 50 lbs. Anyone know the maker?

 

[larry4406]

Can’t help with the identification but like you I would have pulled it from the dumpster to create yet another project I don’t need.

 

[Fierljeppen]

You are one "lucky dog". Your dumpster find is a derivative of Brainard's parallel traversing vise, which was patented on Jan 3, 1865 and was originally mfg. by the Union Vise Co. of Boston MA.



Sometime in 1871, the Backus Vise Co. acquired the rights to mfg. the Brainard parallel vise. In 1872, the Backus Vise Co. merged with the Millers Falls Co. of the same town and continued to produce certain models of that vise into the 1910's.



I can't say how old your vise is, but I will affirm that it's very old, collectible and a part of the rich history of Massachusetts. Vise on!

 

[MAD]

Great info! Many thanks, Fierljeppen!!!

 

[Dagny]

you ****

 

[nadogail]

you ****

 

[MAD]

Thanks for bestowing the coveted G.J. honorable recognition of undeserved good fortune!

Adding some Millers Falls catalog images. My vise is pretty likely to be a Millers Falls model since I found it less than ten miles from the original M.F. plant site.

 

[JRC3]

OK while you're at it, can anyone tell me about this one. It was my grandfather's and I remember it from the 70s and 80s as a kid and teen. I've Googled before and can't find it using that pat date, especially can't find anything with that wing nut mount. "Pat. June 16. 1885" 4-1/2 jaws. Thinking about starting to use it.

 

[RTM]

OK while you're at it, can anyone tell me about this one. It was my grandfather's and I remember it from the 70s and 80s as a kid and teen. I've Googled before and can't find it using that pat date, especially can't find anything with that wing nut mount. "Pat. June 16. 1885" 4-1/2 jaws. Thinking about starting to use it.

Try here, don't want to take credit for Outlaw's work

The VISES of Garage Journal

I'll have to figure out how to get in touch with the record keepers and historians, this stuff is fascinating to me. Welcome to the group. As outlaw already said…Quite an impressive first post. 🍻 Those guys monitor this thread.

www.garagejournal.com

 

[MAD]

OK while you're at it, can anyone tell me about this one. It was my grandfather's and I remember it from the 70s and 80s as a kid and teen. I've Googled before and can't find it using that pat date, especially can't find anything with that wing nut mount. "Pat. June 16. 1885" 4-1/2 jaws. Thinking about starting to use it.

I believe that is a "Colton patent" vise.https://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?id=7259

 

[MAD]

Could be a Moore and Barnes..

 

[JRC3]

Thanks for the info. Sure looks like some variation of both those brands, definitely the "swivel base" version. I like the countersinks on the base plate to be screwed to a bench and then pass the mounting bolt through to make it adjustable with a turn of the big wing nut. Guess I'll clean it up and use it since I broke my HF-Chunk vise. My grandfather died in 1988 and it sat in my parent's garage until I grabbed it about 15 years ago to waste space under my bench.

Weighs 58 pounds. All I could think of was dropping it on my foot while wearing light running shoes.












Sorry to hijack the thread but it seemed very similar. I've wanted to ask about it for a while but didn't want to start a thread or post in the vise thread with all those purdy ones.

 

[MAD]

Sorry to hijack the thread but it seemed very similar. I've wanted to ask about it for a while but didn't want to start a thread or post in the vise thread with all those purdy ones.

No worries, there are enough similarities that I'm sure it will be helpful to others to have the information about both in the same thread. I found the Colton patent info while looking for info about my vise. I'm Glad the information was helpful. Enjoy your awesome vintage iron!

 

[Shiftless]

MAD:
That’s a great score. Imagine what might have happened to that rare piece of vise history if you hadn’t pulled it out of there and save it from a fiery death to be recycled into a new Toyota or something.

oh, and ..….

YOU ****!

 

[MAD]

MAD:
That’s a great score. Imagine what might have happened to that rare piece of vise history if you hadn’t pulled it out of there and save it from a fiery death to be recycled into a new Toyota or something.

oh, and ..….

YOU ****!

Thanks! I was lucky that it was on the top of the over-full dumpster. We are not supposed to take anything from the dumpster, but sometimes useful items are left on the edge or just outside in an unofficial metal scrap purgatory area where it's OK to take stuff. Fortunately, I was able to just lean over and snag it off the top of the pile.