The VISES of Garage Journal
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06wt
Well-known member
murph64
Well-known member
I have one of these also, picked it up from HomeyD's a couple of years ago. The rotating jaws came in handy a couple of times.
Andy
DS-21
Active member
wadd1
Well-known member
Awesome Vices...
i feel so inadequate with my #4 Record
i feel so inadequate with my #4 Record
greenreese
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Wilton 1780:
How can you tell a Wilton? The one we have at work looks pretty close to that one, with the rounded closed back, and has the same "Made in USA". But it doesn't have a name anywhere I can see.
Your CP @ 140# is all most 1/2 a vise, as for the little wilton @ 110# It's only a little bigger than a 1/3 of a vise
I suppose I'm now going to have to re-post the pictures of the CP 978 @296#
William....
murph64
Well-known member
Your CP @ 140# is all most 1/2 a vise, as for the little wilton @ 110# It's only a little bigger than a 1/3 of a vise
I suppose I'm now going to have to re-post the pictures of the CP 978 @296#
William....
I knew you would do that...
I know how to bait you....
caper
Well-known member
Now that's cool.I've never seen one like that before.
Yes. yes you are.
Andy
ok I guess I can
I knew you would do that...
I know how to bait you....
Now I feel abused.....
William....
So the pop can might allow for some size perspective....
And the other side
And the Front I need to replace the finger saver...
I don't think that I will repaint the vise as I really like the patina it has now might wipe off some or the over spray on the jaws from the years of painting what was held in them....
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wantedabiggergarage
Member Emeritus
The above one, is an import. If you find a used one with the round shaft, that DOESN'T look like the above, chances are it is made here. The above one matches all the imports in that style, in different colors. (I have one for outside, light duty use)
Now Columbian vises, used to be made here, and there is old stock of them (they cost), at places like Harry Epsteins. Wilton bought them out years ago, and then they started using them as the import line (available at the borgs under $100). The old method of (the above exception) was round shaft, made here, square shaft, made elsewhere, unless you found old marked Made in the USA.
Now it was discussed (last year?) that Wilton has dropped at least one size and is importing components. The one size they dropped is now sold at Sears, in the same tensile strength (doesn't open as far though) for $129 as their USA models. The model is 87018.
As you can see, not exactly a straightforward answer.
greenreese
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So wait, the one I quoted is an import?
I'll be back, going to take a pic of my newfound vise...
wantedabiggergarage
Member Emeritus
Pictures didn't follow posts. The one JohnFreeman posted is an import (round shaft import). The one you showed, is either made in the USA, OR a combo (USA of globalized components), that they now also produce the Sears one, at an offshore factory.
greenreese
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wantedabiggergarage
Member Emeritus
That one, UNLESS you find USA on it, is an import. NEVER seen any that weren't.
old salvage
Well-known member
Loving the tool **** in this thread...
My 2 main vises. A 4" Reed and a 4 1/4" parker that is my biggest at 80 lbs.
A ww2 era Craftsman 3" jaws.
3" jaw Wilton
My favorite vise. I dont use it anymore since it needs new jaws. A Rock Island 574. ..
Athol Machine Co with 3 1/8" jaws. This vise has 'No 79' cast into the body and '1884' cast in raised numbers into the movable jaw. I wonder if thats a date.
Another Athol vise. This one has 1 1/4" jaws. Model No 3
My 2 main vises. A 4" Reed and a 4 1/4" parker that is my biggest at 80 lbs.
A ww2 era Craftsman 3" jaws.
3" jaw Wilton
My favorite vise. I dont use it anymore since it needs new jaws. A Rock Island 574. ..
Athol Machine Co with 3 1/8" jaws. This vise has 'No 79' cast into the body and '1884' cast in raised numbers into the movable jaw. I wonder if thats a date.
Another Athol vise. This one has 1 1/4" jaws. Model No 3
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greenreese
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Any idea who made it?
Mine has a plate on the other side that says Wilton.
Your CP @ 140# is all most 1/2 a vise, as for the little wilton @ 110# It's only a little bigger than a 1/3 of a vise
I suppose I'm now going to have to re-post the pictures of the CP 978 @296#
William....
NICE! A rare instance where I am very pleased to be beaten out!
I want one that size. Where did you find it?
caper
Well-known member
Loving the tool **** in this thread...
My 2 main vises. A 4" Reed and a 4 1/4" parker that is my biggest at 80 lbs.
A ww2 era Craftsman 3" jaws.
Wow that Craftsman is a little twin to the Reed.Not hard to guess who made the Craftsman for them.
wantedabiggergarage
Member Emeritus
Only COO. From one of your pics, it looks like it had a silver sticker/label with the "brand" it was put under.
old salvage
Well-known member
Wow that Craftsman is a little twin to the Reed.Not hard to guess who made the Craftsman for them.
Good eye. The Craftsman also has the Reed type split nut that holds the screw in the slide and the patented Reed threaded pin that takes up slop behind the main nut. http://www.google.com/patents?id=AodUAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&dq=reed+vise&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q=reed%20vise&f=false It even has Reed stamped on the inside of the swivel base.
Here's my beautiful Rock Island vise. I think it weighs at least 60ish pounds. The jaws open to just under 6". This thing is built like a tank. When I completely rebuilt my old workbench, I designed it around the vise. it works beautifully. I don't remember how much I bought it for, probably 30 bucks at the most. From the marks on the bottom, I think it dates to the very early 1900's.
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Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
My Desmond Stephans vise. After seeing all of these I may have to tear mine apart this weekend and get it mounted to my new bench.
Displaced Hokie
Well-known member
Mine...
Tiny one from a yard sale. Handy for soldering and small stuff. Well made little thing...
My main vise. Japan made, but belonged to my wife's father so it has sentimental value...
Just picked this up from a thrift store for $8 and would like to know more about it. It's bigger than my current bench, so I'm not using it yet. Was rust red, so I hit with some rust converter. It's a Simplex made in Ohio, USA. Says "The Desmond Stephan Mfg Co, Urbana, Ohio"
*Edit* I see the poster above also has a Desmond Stephan vice. Must have posted his while I was posting mine. What's the history on these?
Pat
Tiny one from a yard sale. Handy for soldering and small stuff. Well made little thing...
My main vise. Japan made, but belonged to my wife's father so it has sentimental value...
Just picked this up from a thrift store for $8 and would like to know more about it. It's bigger than my current bench, so I'm not using it yet. Was rust red, so I hit with some rust converter. It's a Simplex made in Ohio, USA. Says "The Desmond Stephan Mfg Co, Urbana, Ohio"
*Edit* I see the poster above also has a Desmond Stephan vice. Must have posted his while I was posting mine. What's the history on these?
Pat
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caper
Well-known member
My Desmond Stephans vise. After seeing all of these I may have to tear mine apart this weekend and get it mounted to my new bench.
That's awesome!How wide does it open?The slide looks really long in the pic.
Alowes2837
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It was/is the biggest vise I have seen. I knew when I saw over 25 years ago I wanted it. I had to wait until the owner retired from his welding/fabrication business a few years ago. Then I made him an offer that we both could live with for it. Now I need to find some thing stout enough to mount it to. He had it attached to a table made of old growth doug fir 2X12's ( 8' long) standing on edge bolted through, to make a top 8'X3'X1' thick (think the table weighed more than the vise by quite a bit)
William...
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06wt
Well-known member
heres the old columbian that i broke
and heres waht replaced it
and heres waht replaced it
06wt
Well-known member
now does anybody have any history on this vise? I dont know anything about it, other then its heavy and big, 8" jaw
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
If I remember correctly, it will open up to right at 12"
Griff93
Well-known member
Columbian Vise that was my Grandfather's. Still works great.
Morgan woodjaw vise that was also my Grandfather's. Its really nice for holding stuff you don't want to marr up.
Ridge Tool Co pipe vise. I love having one of these. I do a lot of round and square tube work so its really nice. I have it mounted to my welding bench.
Import 4 in drill press vise that I have mounted to my welding bench.
Palmgren 6" vise.
Import swivel mill vise.
Morgan woodjaw vise that was also my Grandfather's. Its really nice for holding stuff you don't want to marr up.
Ridge Tool Co pipe vise. I love having one of these. I do a lot of round and square tube work so its really nice. I have it mounted to my welding bench.
Import 4 in drill press vise that I have mounted to my welding bench.
Palmgren 6" vise.
Import swivel mill vise.
banditbigdog
Well-known member
2.5" Canedy - Otto
Small USA made Stanley
4" Columbian
Noga Arm with mini Kant Twist Clamp
Not really a vise, comes in handy as a 3rd hand
Small USA made Stanley
4" Columbian
Noga Arm with mini Kant Twist Clamp
Not really a vise, comes in handy as a 3rd hand
jamesemery728
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murph64
Well-known member
This little vise is well suited for small work. It was one of those pitiful vacuum mount hobby things with plastic parts. I mounted it to a block of wood I clamp in a larger vise and machined steel parts to replace the plastic.
yours Scott
Brilliant! I will be stealing, um, borrowing
this idea...Andy
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Mine...
Tiny one from a yard sale. Handy for soldering and small stuff. Well made little thing...
My main vise. Japan made, but belonged to my wife's father so it has sentimental value...
Just picked this up from a thrift store for $8 and would like to know more about it. It's bigger than my current bench, so I'm not using it yet. Was rust red, so I hit with some rust converter. It's a Simplex made in Ohio, USA. Says "The Desmond Stephan Mfg Co, Urbana, Ohio"
*Edit* I see the poster above also has a Desmond Stephan vice. Must have posted his while I was posting mine. What's the history on these?
Pat
Desmond Stephans has been in business for quite a long while. Not only did they make vises, but they also make dressers for grinding wheels on benchtop and pedestal grinders. I'm about three miles from where they are located. If anyone has ever been through Urbana, Ohio, they are one block south of the Post Office in town. I'll have to ask to see what they make total in the way of products. I'm not sure if I know anyone that works there though.
I know they still make dressers, but I don't think they make the vises anymore. We have quite a few of the older Simplex vises at work. I'll have to look at the other side of my vise to see if it is a Simplex or has a different name on it. It now has my curiosity peaked as to how many different Desmonds that we actually have at work. The rson that we have them is at one time years ago, Urbana used to be a real close knit town. It seems that everyone was related and the different factories in town almost always catered to other factories. That is why we had so many Simplex vises in our shop