Biggest bench vise ever made?
- Thread starter A_Pmech
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Catalyze
Well-known member
Very nice vises!
Dixie - your bench looks like it has forklift pockets under it to lift it.....and that is a great old vise.....post up a couple more photos if you get the chance
Gateway - great Athol.....I can only imagine how big that slide underlug is in person....they were huge on all their vises
Woodforge - thanks for joining the forum and bringing along such a big vise...anytime you push a vise into a snow drift to get it out of your truck, that's a big vise
Bullfrog - so when I move to NC....can I come over and pet the Columbian?
Craig
Dixie - your bench looks like it has forklift pockets under it to lift it.....and that is a great old vise.....post up a couple more photos if you get the chance
Gateway - great Athol.....I can only imagine how big that slide underlug is in person....they were huge on all their vises
Woodforge - thanks for joining the forum and bringing along such a big vise...anytime you push a vise into a snow drift to get it out of your truck, that's a big vise
Bullfrog - so when I move to NC....can I come over and pet the Columbian?
Craig
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
demoman
Well-known member
Please post photos of the big 8 inch rock island. I have never seen one. I decided that they did not make an 8 inch because most ads don't show bigger than a 7 inch. I drove 2 hourd to look at a rock island 8 inch on New years day only to see a 7 inch with a file welded to the jaws that made it a little over 8 wide. It was junk after the idiot welded all over it and the seller would not budge off 800. I told her good luck and next time someone asks if it has any repairs maybe look at it. You never knowUOTE=75dixie;2891965]I have a old rock island that has seen a hard life
8.5" jaws, weighs 300 pounds
Table is 680 pounds, 1 " steel plate top. I bought it for the vise[/QUOTE]
8.5" jaws, weighs 300 pounds
Table is 680 pounds, 1 " steel plate top. I bought it for the vise[/QUOTE]
demoman
Well-known member
That Athol is a beauty. What does it weigh?? I can't stand the thought of you straining to move it around. Please save your strength and sell it to me
Let's bring this sucker back on track with some bench vises of gratuitous girth, shall we?
I'll submit the biggest I've got, which according to the catalog I have, is/was the heaviest that Athol ever produced. She weighs in at a full 300 pounds, and you can see my original acquisition thread with more pics here.
As I've told others, I still grin every time I set eyes on this thing. Can't believe I actually acquired such a monster.
Behold, the 8" Athol 628 in all its glory:
Original seller photos:
Devouring a 4" Prentiss swivel jaw...
For scale, it's sitting next to my 6", swivel jaw, 170+ pound Athol 646.
As to someone else's earlier question of how you move such a monstrous vise, I can only say that I moved it in pieces and even then I needed help. You know it's a sickness when you draw other people into the madness with you.
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Chandos
Well-known member
I've posted this already, but not in this thread. Starrett Athol 926. This thing weighs about 250lbs. Paid $200 for it with the stand.
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Here are a few more pics, vise is now mounted to the table. I cheated on the mounting, has 1" holes but since I was drilling thru 1" plate with a cordless drill I stopped at 3/4" and used bushings in the mounting holes. I dont think I will be able to break 3/4" hardend bolts anyways, the table isnt bolted down. Its hard to show scale in pics, I hope the yard stick conveys it. Hammer head in jaws is a 20 pound sledge hammer I am making a new handle for. As I said ealier, its a very old vise, with alot of abuse over the years, but working on it is a whole diffrent experience. When you clamp something in it, it holds.
demoman
Well-known member
Very nice Rock Island. You should have called me and I would have brought over a mag drill and put the holes in for free! I will give you a YOU **** because I do not have a rock island 8" out of 25 big ones. Where did you find it and do you know any history, RR shop steel mill etc. Remember when you want to sell it my wife needs another vise so.......
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
Very nice Rock Island indeed, one of only two I've ever seen in that size. They are crazy rare. Much thanks for the additional pics! Mickey O
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Outlawmws
Well-known member
Micky, that actually the biggest Reese's Peanut butter cup ever made next to an 8" Wilton, isn't it?
tribbles
Well-known member
A four digit phone number? Just how old is that yardstick?
Voi
Well-known member
Big honkin Columbian:
What's the number on that Columbian? When I stretch the pic on my laptop it distorts too much.
There is supposedly an absolute monster Columbian mounted to a huge stump somewhere in my town. Belonged to a somebody who has since passed away and the widow isn't ready to part with it. Unfortunately that's all the info I have. The one guy who has seen it says it's the largest vise he's seen and he's bought and sold several large vises.
rlitman
Well-known member
There's got to be a barrel of peanut butter and 40lbs of chocolate in each one. Damn!
oldldh
Well-known member
That Reese's is rated in MEGA-CALORIES!!!
I'd probably gain 5 pounds just by being in the same building with that beast...
I'd probably gain 5 pounds just by being in the same building with that beast...
rlitman
Well-known member
Yep! You see the picture of the peanut butter cup in the corner of the wrapper with the bite taken out? They had to use the prop shark from the Jaws movie to get it right.
jkherd
Well-known member
Holy ****!
Big honkin Columbian:
BDT/NWMN
Well-known member
Fargo ND craigs list tools railroad vise that thing is a whopper opens 16"
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
For posterity, photos are attached. Pretty sure that's an 8" Parker, pictures **** though:
Mickey O
Well-known member
devoncoolman
Well-known member
Is that a tiny bullet. Or a huge lighter?
Duct Tape Man
Well-known member
It's a regular sized lighter, the vise is a 1/2" jaw width salesman's sample made by Wilton. The wear on the vise make it appear normal size, doesn't it?
oldldh
Well-known member
Just the thing for hangnail clamping/trimming...
Lump
Well-known member
Hmmm...I say huge lighter, regular sized vise.
KMScott
Well-known member
me too.
uniballer
Well-known member
I have a record, that I will take a pic of tomorrow. It was if I remember correctly, 7" jaw and opens 20. Dad said a special order for his shop. I was free because they broke it. I had it brazed. Hate to see that big ******* in a load of junk!
uniballer
Well-known member
View media item 32728View media item 32729View media item 32730
So would you use it or do you not trust it after being fixed?
Also it had 8" jaws and only 10" opening.
So would you use it or do you not trust it after being fixed?
Also it had 8" jaws and only 10" opening.
PCO6
Well-known member
uniballer - I have a Record No.8 too. It's as big as I'll ever need. it weighs 85lbs. I've done a few Record vices and the Valspar paint you picked is as close to the original colour as I've found. I matched it to a Record No.4 I bought in the mid 70's and I can't tell the difference.
I watched my Dad braze a vice back together in the late 60's. It was broken at about the same spot as yours. He's 87 now and gave it to one of my brothers earlier this year. It's still going strong.
My unrestored Record No.8 next my since restored Woden No.1 (which is basically a Record).
I watched my Dad braze a vice back together in the late 60's. It was broken at about the same spot as yours. He's 87 now and gave it to one of my brothers earlier this year. It's still going strong.
My unrestored Record No.8 next my since restored Woden No.1 (which is basically a Record).
uniballer
Well-known member
PCO6 Those are very nice, and thank you for the info. A local older man at a welding shop did mine. He was known for his great welding skills. I may repaint but doubt it as it is for work not looking at.
Mickey O
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Mohawk Dave
Well-known member
I put it in the classifieds, but just to let you know, I want RIDGID bench vises. I want them all! lol. PM if you wanna sell
EOC_Jason
Well-known member
Mickey O.... Can you put one on top of a Hot Wheels car? LOL... Gigantic vise crushing car! Or maybe have it hold the car in the jaws!
I believe that Columbian everyone keeps re-linking is their "Heavy Chipping Vise" model. The attached catalog page says 268 lbs only? I'm attaching my Ridgid 80SN (Same as the regular 8" Columbian) on the forklift, depending on the angle the size can be a little deceiving...
I have a catalog page showing a Reed 209 @ 327 lbs.
My Reed 4C originally came from a Ship Yard up in Washington that I think closed down. I would guess you don't see these large vises much any more is because manufacturing processes have changed so much. Hydraulic machines, overhead cranes, robotics, CNC manufacturing, etc...
I believe that Columbian everyone keeps re-linking is their "Heavy Chipping Vise" model. The attached catalog page says 268 lbs only?
I'm attaching my Ridgid 80SN (Same as the regular 8" Columbian) on the forklift, depending on the angle the size can be a little deceiving...I have a catalog page showing a Reed 209 @ 327 lbs.
My Reed 4C originally came from a Ship Yard up in Washington that I think closed down. I would guess you don't see these large vises much any more is because manufacturing processes have changed so much. Hydraulic machines, overhead cranes, robotics, CNC manufacturing, etc...
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I suppose I'll have to settle with my Reed 208 for now, but I'd grab a 209 in a heartbeat if I ever seen one.
Likely the Burlington Shipping Yard - that's where my Reed No 933 came from.
Mickey O
Well-known member
Lump
Well-known member
I've enjoyed this thread, but I just now realized that I had never posted pix of my largest-ever vise here. (I did post them elsewhere). And Mohawk Dave might be interested to know that it is a Ridgid. Here are a couple of photos:I put it in the classifieds, but just to let you know, I want RIDGID bench vises. I want them all! lol. PM if you wanna sell
Here is a photo of this vise on the floor of the shop where I bought it. We had to use an engine hoist to lift it.
Jaws are 8" wide.
I fully understand that this one is nowhere near the "biggest vise ever made," but it's the biggest vise I ever owned. LOL.
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EOC_Jason
Well-known member
I remember when you first got that beast. I saved the pictures! LOL... You still **** after all this time!
HydeEmpire
Active member
Big honkin Columbian:
i know this thread is old BUT!!!! i am proud to say i just bought one of these columbians. it is way bigger then what i thought. i will be building a bench for this once i get it pretty.