The VISES of Garage Journal

hemifalcon · Nov 10, 2013

Nabbed this one over the weekend..
Very nice and solid Mercury 4-1/2" bench model with pivot base.. As priced it was missing one of the jaw teeth--the original owner was clearly a machinist and there's no reason he would have owned a vise missing such a critical part.. It was 1/2 OFF day at the sale--and there was still tons of ****/garbage/debris under the bench it was set upon.. After getting dirty for a bit--I found the jaw.. Can't complain when paying a single-digit price for this baby..

View media item 35068
View media item 35069
View media item 35070

Mohawk Dave · Nov 10, 2013

Hemi...way cool. I love seeing name brands that I'm not familiar with. Looks to be in great shape as well!

EDIT: single digit...YOU ****!

Provincial · Nov 11, 2013

hemifalcon, you ****! That vise looks like a house-brand made by Columbian. Older, because of the jaw shape.

GETRIDAONE · Nov 11, 2013

GETRIDAONE said:
I searched but didn't find any info on this vise. All I can see is EMF 125 on the side. Can anyone ID it ? Thanks in advance

I got around to working on the Schlegel vise. It was just different from a standard US vise. The swivel base lock is a cam lever that just pinches the tapered cone shape of the base and mounting plate together. the hammered gray is just a little darker than the original paint. "very smooth & tight"

hemifalcon · Nov 11, 2013

Hahah... I think I may just start buying stuff for way cheap and posting to see how many "you ****" comments I can catch!!

That Schelegel vise is pretty cool... Never seen one of those before!

bl00 · Nov 11, 2013

Here's an unknown make pipe vise. It holds 6 sizes from 5/8 to 1 1/4. The whole jaw assembly will rotate when the jaw is loosened.

Outlawmws · Nov 11, 2013

bl00 said:
Here's an unknown make pipe vise. It holds 6 sizes from 5/8 to 1 1/4. The whole jaw assembly will rotate when the jaw is loosened.

Now that is an interesting vise! however 5/8? you mean 3/8? of I would think it would start at 1/4"

1/4
3/8
1/2
3/4
1
1-1/4

:dunno:

And what is that round table from? I want one! That is cooler than the vise! :drool:

Mohawk Dave · Nov 11, 2013

Outlawmws said:
Now that is an interesting vise! however 5/8? you mean 3/8? of I would think it would start at 1/4"

1/4
3/8
1/2
3/4
1
1-1/4

And what is that round table from? I want one! That is cooler than the vise!

Just guessing, But if from 5/8" =

5/8
3/4
7/8
1
1 1/8
1 1/4

:dunno:

And that table is SUPER Cool!

Outlawmws · Nov 11, 2013

Mohawk Dave said:
Just guessing, But if from 5/8" =

5/8
3/4
7/8
1
1 1/8
1 1/4

And that table is SUPER Cool!

If it's for pipe, then 5/8, 7/8, 1-1/8 are not standard pipe sizes...

bl00 · Nov 11, 2013

It seems to be 5/8 through 1 1/4 going up by 1/8th increments. All the holes are slightly undersized. Maybe the sizes were more common a hundred years ago :dunno:

. Could be for bicycle tube, too. Bikes were huge business back then.

The guy I got the table from said the top was originally a face plate from a vertical boring mill. I like it too!

ritzblitz · Nov 11, 2013

The table reminds me of a drill press table off of a big *** drill press. Nice stuff.

neophyte · Nov 11, 2013

bl00 said:
It seems to be 5/8 through 1 1/4 going up by 1/8th increments. All the holes are slightly undersized. Maybe the sizes were more common a hundred years ago . Could be for bicycle tube, too. Bikes were huge business back then.

The guy I got the table from said the top was originally a face plate from a vertical boring mill. I like it too!

Isn't pipe made for plumbing classified by the inside diameter? With Plumbing pipe the other complication is that the wall thickness will vary according to the material, and possibly weight differences between pipe made from the same material. There's also the chance it's metric.

BFBOB · Nov 11, 2013

bl00 said:
Here's an unknown make pipe vise. It holds 6 sizes from 5/8 to 1 1/4. The whole jaw assembly will rotate when the jaw is loosened.

Forget the damn vises, WHAT IS THAT TABLE?! A lathe face plate, size extra large??

BFBOB · Nov 11, 2013

jakemac said:
That looks like a nice "working" vice, but I'd paint that bad boy up and make it beg to be beaten.

That vise (in post 11341) just cries out for a really stylin' two-tone paint job like some here have done on Shop Kings.

Outlawmws · Nov 11, 2013

bl00 said:
It seems to be 5/8 through 1 1/4 going up by 1/8th increments. All the holes are slightly undersized. Maybe the sizes were more common a hundred years ago . Could be for bicycle tube, too. Bikes were huge business back then.

The guy I got the table from said the top was originally a face plate from a vertical boring mill. I like it too!

neophyte said:
Isn't pipe made for plumbing classified by the inside diameter? With Plumbing pipe the other complication is that the wall thickness will vary according to the material, and possibly weight differences between pipe made from the same material. There's also the chance it's metric.

Pipe is sized for the ID not the OD and in 1/8" increments, it sounds like its for clamping tubing not pipe.

Outlawmws · Nov 11, 2013

bl00 said:
It seems to be 5/8 through 1 1/4 going up by 1/8th increments. All the holes are slightly undersized. Maybe the sizes were more common a hundred years ago . Could be for bicycle tube, too. Bikes were huge business back then.

The guy I got the table from said the top was originally a face plate from a vertical boring mill. I like it too!

BFBOB said:
Forget the damn vises, WHAT IS THAT TABLE?! A lathe face plate, size extra large??

KMScott · Nov 11, 2013

Nice tubing vise bl00, I had one many years ago, got it from a bicycle guy just like you thought.

I have to comment on that large lathe face plate you use for a bench, great idea. I would love to have one my self, I would use it more as a welding table with the T-slots for holding down stuff. I'll keep my eye out for one.

bl00 · Nov 11, 2013

A welding table is what it's supposed to be used for. It was the only clean surface that was available, so that's where the vises went.

Provincial · Nov 11, 2013

I worked in a machine shop 40+ years ago that was given a large old metal planer, but they had no use for it. Eventually, they scrapped it, but kept the table for a welding table. The top surface was four feet wide and 16 feet long! It weighed a LOT, and they made legs for it from large angle iron. It's big drawback was that it didn't have T-slots, but instead required bolts with special heads to hold down the work. The company didn't want to invest in hold-down hardware, so it eventually went for scrap.

A large milling machine table would be very fine for this kind of work.

BJ42LX · Nov 11, 2013

There, I fixed it!

Found this on CL this evening:

http://rochester.craigslist.org/tls/4155240544.html

supra129 · Nov 11, 2013

What kind of vise is this? Looks like a Record or Irwin? I'm looking to get my first vise! Seller wants $45.

zoomieport · Nov 11, 2013

supra129 said:
What kind of vise is this? Looks like a Record or Irwin? I'm looking to get my first vise! Seller wants $45.

Off shore... Save your money... Just my opinion.
Take care!
ZOOM

BFBOB · Nov 12, 2013

Why, oh, why did I buy

This vise???

But seriously, folks any ideas on how to repair the "arc of shame"? There's always JBWeld for appearance's sake, but for some modicum of utility, about the only avenue available to me is brazing. I could probably fill the divots with brazing rod and hand-file them down and have it look pretty good. I've also got a stick welder, but no mill or surface grinder to even it out.
I guess the real question is whether it's even practical to try - would the heat just warp the whole thing into uselessness?

BFBOB · Nov 12, 2013

kngkong said:
Have been looking for a proper vice for a while

Unidentified drill press vise, Groz and an old mini drill vice which I think is off an old lathe milling attachment.

The aluminum drill press vise has been around for at least 40 years. I've had one that long, marketed under the name "Bench Buddy" It came with a bracket that clamps to a workbench and the wild ends of the slides fit into it. I've never used it, but the vise works well for a light-duty drill press vise. I recently saw one for sale NIB Pittsburgh badged. There are others too. The one you have is older, with the knurled aluminum handle. More recent ones have plastic handles.

EOC_Jason · Nov 12, 2013

Re: There, I fixed it!

BJ42LX said:
Found this on CL this evening:

http://rochester.craigslist.org/tls/4155240544.html

Wow, someone sure did a number on that Reed....

C.BRAXMAIER · Nov 12, 2013

Here is eye popper for ya, Just finished my 500 looks great!!

oldldh · Nov 12, 2013

Nice work on the 500...

Ya dun gud, Bubba!!!

EOC_Jason · Nov 12, 2013

C.BRAXMAIER said:
Here is eye popper for ya, Just finished my 500 looks great!!

That is a thing of beauty. I wouldn't mind having one of those on my workbenches.

StillKeen · Nov 12, 2013

Craftsman 391-5188 Made in Japan. It's 4 inches (I think, it's in the shed now, could be 4.5 inches).

It was free, as it came with the house. I'd like to add a Wilton torpedo vise in the future, but they can be expensive.

Alexbn921 · Nov 12, 2013

C.BRAXMAIER said:
Here is eye popper for ya, Just finished my 500 looks great!!

Nice work. Love the big boy vises.

GETRIDAONE · Nov 12, 2013

StillKeen said:
Craftsman 391-5188 Made in Japan. It's 4 inches (I think, it's in the shed now, could be 4.5 inches).

It was free, as it came with the house. I'd like to add a Wilton torpedo vise in the future, but they can be expensive.

I have a 5" one that has a Morgan sticker on it. Instead of JAPAN BF on the bottom of the base it has MADE IN JAPAN. It has 35 cast (a 3 1/2" jaw Morgan model #) in place of the double arrows on the side. I guess everyone was trying to offerl less expensive imports.
By the way the blue paint looks good on your vise.

-Brent- · Nov 12, 2013

C.BRAXMAIER said:
Here is eye popper for ya, Just finished my 500 looks great!!

Beautiful!

KMScott · Nov 12, 2013

C.BRAXMAIER said:
Here is eye popper for ya, Just finished my 500 looks great!!

Really nice Job C.Braxmaier, my opinion this is the perfect sized vise for a working shop, not to big not to small. I would not want to scratch yours though.Great job.

czechboy · Nov 12, 2013

Just finished my latest #23. So far the collection has 3 record vices, and I think I am now addicted so plenty more to come

oldldh · Nov 12, 2013

Those Records are nice!!!

Ya dun gud, Bubba!!!

EOC_Jason · Nov 12, 2013

So nice... It's pretty much near impossible to find a Record with the quick-release here in the USA...

StillKeen · Nov 12, 2013

GETRIDAONE said:
...
By the way the blue paint looks good on your vise.

Thanks, I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I looked on garagejournal for techniques for the lettering, and ended up going with a paint pen from the craft section at Walmart. It took a few coats, but seems to look pretty sweet. It'll start seeing use soon (need a new work bench to bolt it to), and will start to look used.

Revere Cycles · Nov 12, 2013

Re: There, I fixed it!

BJ42LX said:
Found this on CL this evening:

http://rochester.craigslist.org/tls/4155240544.html

Ha, I've seen that monstrosity listed a more than few times on the Rochester CL. I'm surprised nobody has jumped on it yet...

gatewaysysop · Nov 12, 2013

Provincial said:
hemifalcon, you ****! That vise looks like a house-brand made by Columbian. Older, because of the jaw shape.

My initial reaction was Columbian-made as well. Must be pretty old though. Single digit purchase price? Definitely suckage! :rocker:

Flivver250 · Nov 12, 2013

I have a 8" Snap On, made by Wilton I think. It is a brute. Bought it unused on Craigslist. Didn't think I needed one that big until I got it, then realized it is the perfect size.

The VISES of Garage Journal

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member