The VISES of Garage Journal

GETRIDAONE · Oct 12, 2015

This Miller Falls vise has everything you don't want in a vise besides size. 7" & 158 lbs
Tail has been shortend and bronze theaded insert installed and has a crack in that area.
The jaws are nice but are different patterns and have been welded on. I couldn't stand the nuts as handle stops so I made some beat up ones to match the well used handle. The jaws didn't meet so I had to shim the rear dynamic to raise it up. The green oil base paint was left over from my Walker Turner drill press and was brushed on. I'll move it over to the retirement rack where it can rest !!

bl00 · Oct 12, 2015

joe.striper said:
OK campers. anyone know what this is???? 4" jaws, rear of the vise is dynamic. tubes cover the spindle screw. my son and his new fiancee are tag-saleing and just bought it for me. $10.00. More pics when I actually get it.

Joe,

I'm going to speculate that its a Millers Falls. It uses the design of a Backus (that was derived from an earlier Union who patented the enclosed screw), but it has cylinder shaped handle ends. Millers seemed to use that on many of their vises. Union was bought by Backus who was bought by Millers. Here's some pics that might line up with what you have:

joe.striper · Oct 12, 2015

bl00 said:
Joe,

I'm going to speculate that its a Millers Falls. It uses the design of a Backus (that was derived from an earlier Union who patented the enclosed screw), but it has cylinder shaped handle ends. Millers seemed to use that on many of their vises. Union was bought by Backus who was bought by Millers. Here's some pics that might line up with what you have:

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner! Backus is it. Thanks so much.

kcrccc05 · Oct 12, 2015

chas parker no.65

joe.striper · Oct 12, 2015

Mark97303 said:
ok, this one looks like a rock island but it has nothing cast into it. nothing at all on the sides. Does not appear to have ever been there. Anyone want to take a stab at what model and make this is. Its 5 1/2 jaws.
,thanks.

I saw this ad today showing an early Parker vise. this looks like yours. see how the plate holds the spindle in place? just like yours. I thought youd appreciate this. complete catalog is here.

https://books.google.com/books?id=u...VCnY-Ch01awHb#v=onepage&q=backus vise&f=false

KMScott · Oct 12, 2015

Nice Parker kcrccc. Fixed the pictures for you.

<a href="https://visejaws.smugmug.com/Vises-1/Vises-0/i-C7S2QhR/A"><img src="https://visejaws.smugmug.com/Vises-1/Vises-0/i-C7S2QhR/0/M/Parker%20%23%2065%20from%20kcrccu05%20%281%29-M.jpg" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a>

<a href="https://visejaws.smugmug.com/Vises-1/Vises-0/i-D92xDhb/A"><img src="https://visejaws.smugmug.com/Vises-1/Vises-0/i-D92xDhb/0/M/Parker%20%23%2065%20from%20kcrccu05%20%282%29-M.jpg" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a>

Any information on this vise. Never seen one like it. I wonder how it gets mounted. What is the jaw width. We would enjoy a couple more pic's of your vises, I kind of partial to the jaws, curious how they attached them. Very nice. Welcome to the vise forum.

bagged89s10 · Oct 12, 2015

kcrccc05 said:
chas parker no.65

Awesome man.
Another Parker I've never seen before. Please share more pictures. :thumbup:

kcrccc05 · Oct 12, 2015

KMScott vise has issues -#1 need set of jaws made they are 5" wide X 1 1/2"deep and 3/4" thick and #2 part of casting is broken that the pipe on slide goes into -also not sure why photos are going in side ways ?

KMScott · Oct 12, 2015

Never seen Parker jaws like those. I know someone that makes jaws. Where you located. If close to Colorado he would like to work on that one. I think your camera phone likes sideways pictures. I like your vise.

oldldh · Oct 12, 2015

Reverend Scott---

You know someone who works on vises... :headscrat

HMMM???... :bowdown:

Really???...

Are You Sure???... :bounce:

Did you fix your iron whittler???

I hope all my vise pals will notice that the vise in question is a...

Non-Swivlin' B@#tard!!! :evil:

Outlawmws · Oct 13, 2015

Sure it is! (After Dr. Scott gets done healing it...) :lol:

Mark97303 · Oct 13, 2015

Drivesit, bagged89 , I don't know where my post went but I sent one earlier? I have pictures of this vise ,as you see, I do not have a weight ,(scale no good in bright sunlight) digital readout. And yes there are no letters or numbers cast on the sides at all. And yes it sure loks like the one in the catalog except the nose is not as flat. So I guess its a Parker but not quit sure which one.

that make this a number 4 with 5 3/8 jaws?

vertguy · Oct 13, 2015

bagged89s10 said:
The logo tells me that's it's a newer Reed but I don't know when they started casting that logo on their vises. Does that one have a patent number on it? Without a patent number, it's 1955 or newer. Maybe someone else can narrow it down more.

I confirmed there is no patent number and the other side only has a small Reed logo. So I assume this is a newer model, but I still may pick up tonight if the price is right as I need a bigger vise for a Weaver jack rebuild I am starting.

joe.striper · Oct 13, 2015

kevin, i guarantee you the base on that Parker looks similar to the vise I just posted. A large bolt would fit in the 'T' slot and run down through the table. I guess they also made a rotating base. My vise weighs 42 lbs and it is a lump! It is very coincidental that two similar vises so close in age would show up in this thread on the same day. My Backus vise (from my research ) was a modern breakthrough in vises in the 1860s and was widely copied.

KMScott said:
Nice Parker kcrccc. Fixed the pictures for you.

<a href="https://visejaws.smugmug.com/Vises-1/Vises-0/i-C7S2QhR/A"><img src="https://visejaws.smugmug.com/Vises-1/Vises-0/i-C7S2QhR/0/M/Parker%20%23%2065%20from%20kcrccu05%20%281%29-M.jpg" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a>

<a href="https://visejaws.smugmug.com/Vises-1/Vises-0/i-D92xDhb/A"><img src="https://visejaws.smugmug.com/Vises-1/Vises-0/i-D92xDhb/0/M/Parker%20%23%2065%20from%20kcrccu05%20%282%29-M.jpg" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a>

Any information on this vise. Never seen one like it. I wonder how it gets mounted. What is the jaw width. We would enjoy a couple more pic's of your vises, I kind of partial to the jaws, curious how they attached them. Very nice. Welcome to the vise forum.

KMScott · Oct 13, 2015

oldldh said:
Reverend Scott---

Did you fix your iron whittler???

Yes I fixed it and another bearing is winning. I am limping through a large jaw run before tearing it down again. Just not a machine maintenance man. Sure have respect for the good ones. Wish I could buy a new machine with a tool changer.

Outlawmws said:
Sure it is! (After Dr. Scott gets done healing it...)

I have 5 vises tore apart and 1/2 done. Some with custom swivel bases made, I need 3 days to finish them but just to busy building vise parts. I would love to own the Parker #65 that kcrccc05 has. Still like to know how it is bolted down, maybe the ears were removed.

Rileysan · Oct 13, 2015

drivesitfar said:
CRS:

Riley: i picked up one of those saw vises for $4 a week or two ago and need to post a pic of it so you can see how to fix yours. Btw you are almost in that rabbit hole all the way now when you get a saw vise.

Haven't quite hit bottom yet - at least not until I acquire a Wilton bullet vise and a 6"machinist vise that weighs more than 100lbs. After that, I can stop at any time. :lol_hitti

KMScott · Oct 13, 2015

Joe, did your vise have the same T-style jaws that kcrccc has? I have to check out your posts. Just wondering if they were built that way from the factory. I can only imagine what thread Parker used for the jaws since they had such a wide range of taps and dies back then. It would not surprise me if they were 9/16:12 threads.

joe.striper · Oct 13, 2015

KMScott said:
Joe, did your vise have the same T-style jaws that kcrccc has? I have to check out your posts. Just wondering if they were built that way from the factory. I can only imagine what thread Parker used for the jaws since they had such a wide range of taps and dies back then. It would not surprise me if they were 9/16:12 threads.

kevin, i guarantee you the base on that Parker looks similar to the vise I just posted. A large bolt would fit in the 'T' slot and run down through the table. I guess they also made a rotating base. My vise weighs 42 lbs and it is a lump! It is very coincidental that two similar vises so close in age would show up in this thread on the same day. My Backus vise (from my research ) was a modern breakthrough in vises in the 1860s and was widely copied.

kcrccc05 · Oct 13, 2015

My Parker no.65 -weights in at 70lbs and is mounted with bolts thru a T-slot on bottom -also in regard to tap size I just ran a 3/8 24NF thru and it work great -

454ragtop · Oct 13, 2015

Mark97303 said:
Drivesit, bagged89 , I don't know where my post went but I sent one earlier? I have pictures of this vise ,as you see, I do not have a weight ,(scale no good in bright sunlight) digital readout. And yes there are no letters or numbers cast on the sides at all. And yes it sure loks like the one in the catalog except the nose is not as flat. So I guess its a Parker but not quit sure which one.

that make this a number 4 with 5 3/8 jaws?

Looks like a dead ringer to my #4, right down to the jaw width and shop made screw retaining collar. Mine was given to me years ago, and is my current outdoor beater, has done a lot of work. Going to swap it out for a 6" Parker combo on a swivel at some point.
Jim

Mr_P · Oct 13, 2015

Picked up this small 3 1/2" Wilton Scout today for $25...

I imagine the numbers on the jaws are part numbers.

bagged89s10 · Oct 13, 2015

454ragtop said:
Looks like a dead ringer to my #4, right down to the jaw width and shop made screw retaining collar. Mine was given to me years ago, and is my current outdoor beater, has done a lot of work. Going to swap it out for a 6" Parker combo on a swivel at some point.

Jim

That was my guess, a #4, but it can also be a 106-1/2.

jreb10 · Oct 13, 2015

All this recent talk about Parkers worked up an "appetite" in me. To satisfy it I picked up a Parker 104 today for $55. Fixed base 4 inch jaws:

Still pretty dirty bit I think it will clean up really nice. Another project for next Spring.

And here is a Craftsman 7 inch wood vise made by Columbian. Got it at a garage sale for $5:

bagged89s10 · Oct 13, 2015

vertguy said:
I confirmed there is no patent number and the other side only has a small Reed logo. So I assume this is a newer model, but I still may pick up tonight if the price is right as I need a bigger vise for a Weaver jack rebuild I am starting.

No matter what age, that's a solid built vise by Reed.

vertguy · Oct 13, 2015

bagged89s10 said:
No matter what age, that's a solid built vise by Reed.

Agreed and after seeing it in person, I took it home. Even with the jaws fully extended to 7 inches, it is rock solid. The jaws look almost like new, so this vise definitely had an easy life. It makes my 3.5 inch Wilton look like a toy :thumbup:

organ · Oct 13, 2015

I really want one of those Reeds...

jrobb316 · Oct 13, 2015

vertguy said:
Agreed and after seeing it in person, I took it home. Even with the jaws fully extended to 7 inches, it is rock solid. The jaws look almost like new, so this vise definitely had an easy life. It makes my 3.5 inch Wilton look like a toy

Thats a nice vise. You must be close to me, that hung out there for a little while. Now you'll be on the lookout for a bigger one

vertguy · Oct 13, 2015

jrobb316 said:
Thats a nice vise. You must be close to me, that hung out there for a little while. Now you'll be on the lookout for a bigger one

I work in Waukesha, so it was on the way home. Think this one is sufficient for now.... But we know how that works

bagged89s10 · Oct 13, 2015

vertguy said:
Agreed and after seeing it in person, I took it home. Even with the jaws fully extended to 7 inches, it is rock solid. The jaws look almost like new, so this vise definitely had an easy life. It makes my 3.5 inch Wilton look like a toy

Makes your Wilton look like a toy, Haha. That's funny because my 5" Parker made my no longer owned 5" Wilton look like a toy. :thumbup:

jrobb316 · Oct 13, 2015

bagged89s10 said:
Makes your Wilton look like a toy, Haha. That's funny because my 5" Parker made my no longer owned 5" Wilton look like a toy.

Parkers are big boys. My 436 makes everything I own look like a toy, except maybe the 4C.

trijeff · Oct 13, 2015

Yeah, I'm getting my Prentiss 98 in order and it makes my Wilton C3 look like a wee little guy

jrobb316 · Oct 13, 2015

Have yet to been able to break the 6" threshold. I just want one for coolness factor.

CRSINMICH · Oct 13, 2015

Mr P: Like that Scout. I've been on the lookout for one but whenever I find them they always cost more than yours. Good find! Keep an eyeball peeled for Pennypinchers and Red Arrows too.

Anyone in Metro Detroit: This CL ad just went up today (10/13). There's a 4 inch Morgan among everything else. I don't know what the price is.

https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/tls/5241010667.html

dodge610 · Oct 14, 2015

Okay vice gurus just had a powr craft vise show up for sale any info on this brand name. By the pics think it says made in usa. The guy painted it up red but looks like he threw it on from second base. Will need stripped and redone. What say the masses ?

drivesitfar · Oct 14, 2015

Dodge: from the Power Kraft vises i've seen they are light to medium duty and not a huge collector's value. if it's beat then i'd probably pass, but as you might know i don't need a vise.

Vert: nice Reed as i mentioned when you asked a day or two ago and just curious what you ended up having to pay for it. i'm guessing under $200, but you didn't say.

TJ: so 500 plus pounds for 2 vises isn't a record, but not many of the vise guys can match or beat that. do you have a couple pictures of yours to post?

JR: I still haven't seen a REAL 8 inch old vise in person or owned one so don't feel alone.

cheers

bagged89s10 · Oct 14, 2015

What's the best way to fix the sight bend on this swivel bolt?

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1444800538.799952.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1444800548.803303.jpg

balane · Oct 14, 2015

I would find a threaded nut that fits it and clamp that tight into a vise. Then thread the bolt into it just to the bend and try some light, precise tapping with a hammer to true it up.

Lugnutz · Oct 14, 2015

bagged89s10 said:
What's the best way to fix the sight bend on this swivel bolt?

1. Use a DTI (dial test indicator) to find the high spot of the bend. You need to put a clock position mark on the "head" of your bolt and the other mark on the high spot of the threads. Something like a dab of liquid paper or if you've got a paint type parts marker, like the junk yards use to mark with is perfect.

2. Use two matching nuts, run one up to the root thread of where you found the "high point" of the bend in step 1. Take the second nut and use it to jam/lock that nut in position.

3. Clamp your new "assembly" into your favorite/strongest vise, paying attention to your "clock position" mark on the head so that you can orient the bolt to a position where you will be bending down and against the vise jaws. Take your trusty pair of Knipex pliers wrench and bend it judiciously. I've used a box end wrench and, of course good old vise grips, but those Knipexes are perfect for a task like this.

4. Unclamp and inspect.

5. Repeat 1 thru 4 till satisfied. :evil:

EDIT: Important Tip! ..take the two nuts that are jammed together and grind new "flats" in them to eliminate the points of the nuts that won't line up. Once again, pay attention and do this perpendicular to the high point axis so that you can clamp it correctly in the vise!

jreb10 · Oct 14, 2015

dodge610 said:
Okay vice gurus just had a powr craft vise show up for sale any info on this brand name. By the pics think it says made in usa. The guy painted it up red but looks like he threw it on from second base. Will need stripped and redone. What say the masses ?

I have a couple of these, a 5" I used for a couple of years and a 3" that my father bought when I was young. They are good, USA-made homeowner vises from Milwaukee Tool Co. Here is the 5":

I think they are as good as the popular Craftsman homeowner vises of the same era. But they are not nearly as popular, which is strange given that they are much harder to find.

If the price is cheap and you need or want it, go for it.

bagged89s10 · Oct 14, 2015

balane said:
I would find a threaded nut that fits it and clamp that tight into a vise. Then thread the bolt into it just to the bend and try some light, precise tapping with a hammer to true it up.

Lugnutz said:
1. Use a DTI (dial test indicator) to find the high spot of the bend. You need to put a clock position mark on the "head" of your bolt and the other mark on the high spot of the threads. Something like a dab of liquid paper or if you've got a paint type parts marker, like the junk yards use to mark with is perfect.

2. Use two matching nuts, run one up to the root thread of where you found the "high point" of the bend in step 1. Take the second nut and use it to jam/lock that nut in position.

3. Clamp your new "assembly" into your favorite/strongest vise, paying attention to your "clock position" mark on the head so that you can orient the bolt to a position where you will be bending down and against the vise jaws. Take your trusty pair of Knipex pliers wrench and bend it judiciously. I've used a box end wrench and, of course good old vise grips, but those Knipexes are perfect for a task like this.

4. Unclamp and inspect.

5. Repeat 1 thru 4 till satisfied.

EDIT: Important Tip! ..take the two nuts that are jammed together and grind new "flats" in them to eliminate the points of the nuts that won't line up. Once again, pay attention and do this perpendicular to the high point axis so that you can clamp it correctly in the vise!

Thanks for the advise. I will try to do it this way. It's for my Parker 975 and I'm hoping the threads are standard.

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