Recent content by 682bear

This vise actually didn't look nearly as abused as most that I see... I didn't find the crack until I cleaned all the dried oil and other gunk off. My point is that any vise of any brand can be broken... it's not exclusive to Wiltons. Most broken vises that I see are Parker or Prentiss...

I have a broken Reed if you want to see one... -Bear

My latest yard sale finds... A 4" Armstrong... A 10" JH Williams... 10" Hargrave 42... A 1" Cincinnati... And 3 Kant-Twist clamps... -Bear

We spent 4 days at the 'Worlds Longest Yard Sale' this week... I picked up 5 vises... First was a Prentiss 181... missing one pipe jaw, otherwise in good condition... Next was a 1-1/2" W.Germany Wabeco... Next was a package deal... a twofer... a 3" Columbian and a 3-1/2" Columbian...

Yard sale find... It needs a good cleaning and the top is faded, but otherwise is in very good condition. -Bear

The ones with the pilot on the tip are used extensively in the aircraft industry to countersink for rivets and screws. -Bear

Thanks- I appreciate it! -Bear

I spent a couple of hours today taking the Reed apart and cleaning it up good. I had an issue getting the dynamic jaw to slide out... I had to stone the top of the slide where it was slightly mushroomed from being used as an anvil. @KMScott ... the split nut appears to measure about 1.825"...

I'm thinking there is two ways to do this... either machine it as a solid piece, then break it in half or start with two half-round pieces held together with dowels or screws. I'll probably try a solid piece first. I'm thinking the most difficult part will be getting the threads 'just right'...

I just found another clamp in a junk store... it's a Chicago Boiler Co. Redhead 4303... I've never seen one like this... anybody know anything about it? -Bear

I just picked up a Reed 103½R... It's in decent condition except for missing half of the split nut that adjusts backlash on the screw. I can machine a new one fairly easily, I think. -Bear

You might call Wildfire and ask... their customer service is top notch. I'd measure mine for you, but I'm 900 miles away and won't be home for two more weeks... -Bear

I picked up a few clamps in a junk store... A pair of 2½" Cincinnati No. 56 Super Jr... A 3" Jorgensen No. 103... A J.H. Williams 2"... And a matched pair of shop made parallel clamps that are really nicely machined... -Bear

I have a rusty one... -Bear

I finished the swivel pad this morning... I made the retaining ring by cutting one coil off a spring... The ring goes around the neck of the screw... between the threads and ball, then snaps into the internal groove in the pad... I did leave some scratches on the top of the pad...