The VISES of Garage Journal

va.grouseman · Jun 21, 2017

KMS, you stole that one.---Now that's a vise.---And you are just the man to machine some tempered pipe jaws to go with it.---I guess it depends on what you are going to do with it though.---Some fellows don't like the pipe jaws getting in the way of perpendicular held items, and so remove them, but if that were mine I would have to bring it back to as close to original as possible.---That's just me.---A huge Rock Island Combo, and in really good shape for $75, you done real, real good.---Don't you just love it when a seller says ''this thing is just way to big for my use purposes".

Yea, that one deserves a big stout stand.

How did you discover that the 577 jaws were compatible?

Outlawmws · Jun 21, 2017

Holy Crud that's a bruiser Dr. Scott! Well done! Can't wait to see the "after" shots!

KMScott · Jun 21, 2017

"How did you discover that the 577 jaws were compatible? "

VA, without pulling them off they sure look like there the same ones. These jaws are fine as they are. I believe this vise came from Coors in Golden. The guy I bought it from was a retired machinist.

G-ManBart · Jun 21, 2017

Had a super nice guy stop by to pick up a vise from me over the weekend...standard Wilton 450S. He mentioned he had a bigger vise that was "often too big" so I asked what it was. Then he showed me a picture. Too big? :dunno:

RG Rude · Jun 21, 2017

Celebrating Soltice Day with a Rock Island that I picked up on Sunday.

KMScott · Jun 21, 2017

Since we are showing some big iron, is that a 98 G-Man? Wow, are you gonna get it or is Kansas, New Mexico or Texas gonna end up with it.

On my same trip to Denver I picked this one up that is almost as clean as the 544B. Its a Rock Island #97, 6" cast in 6" jaws. Weights in at 135lbs. I am thinking of putting the 577 jaws on it but need to buy a few cutters. Fitting jaws on a cast in vise eats up end mills. I am working on this one first. It has the tear drop casting we see on a few other Rock Islands.

compunaut · Jun 21, 2017

Perhaps a little tip for the vise restorers who might be looking for something a little longer-lasting than paste wax to protect polished metal:
Corrosion-X, available at Amazon & other fine retailers.

So here's the short version - I'm having a conversation with a veteran aircraft mechanic and he swears that Corrosion-X is the commercial version of what the military & aerospace companies use per their corrosion-prevention protocol when bare metal is necessary. He claims it's practically magical!

Haven't had an excuse to buy any yet. Anyone have any experience with this stuff?

MissileBear · Jun 21, 2017

compunaut said:
Perhaps a little tip for the vise restorers who might be looking for something a little longer-lasting than paste wax to protect polished metal:
Corrosion-X, available at Amazon & other fine retailers.

So here's the short version - I'm having a conversation with a veteran aircraft mechanic and he swears that Corrosion-X is the commercial version of what the military & aerospace companies use per their corrosion-prevention protocol when bare metal is necessary. He claims it's practically magical!

Haven't had an excuse to buy any yet. Anyone have any experience with this stuff?

When growing up, I knew a few guys that used it on certain metal parts on their boats.

It doesn't dry - stays greasy and is really hard to wash off, which is why it's popular in the marine world.

joe.striper · Jun 21, 2017

Picked up this anvil and vise today. Anvil is 160 lb Arm and Hammer. The stand is supercool and the height at the top is 34".

Then I bought this Parker 206 (5") vise and stand. I noticed a plate on top so I removed it and found this beautiful original mounting plate for a fixed base vise. My intial measurements show a 4 or 4.5" Parker would fit.

trijeff · Jun 21, 2017

Wow, those bases are nice!

bagged89s10 · Jun 21, 2017

Perrorojo said:
If I ever get to 500 vises it'll be because I'm single. My wife was not amused when I said I was looking for another one to put on the top shelf.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

Love the vise tree. Beats my little 3 tier one I made with drill press parts.

bagged89s10 · Jun 21, 2017

joe.striper said:
Picked up this anvil and vise today. Anvil is 160 lb Arm and Hammer. The stand is supercool and the height at the top is 34".

Then I bought this Parker 206 (5") vise and stand. I noticed a plate on top so I removed it and found this beautiful original mounting plate for a fixed base vise. My intial measurements show a 4 or 4.5" Parker would fit.

Nice stands!

gman007 · Jun 21, 2017

joe.striper said:
Picked up this anvil and vise today. Anvil is 160 lb Arm and Hammer. The stand is supercool and the height at the top is 34".

Then I bought this Parker 206 (5") vise and stand. I noticed a plate on top so I removed it and found this beautiful original mounting plate for a fixed base vise. My intial measurements show a 4 or 4.5" Parker would fit.

Joe
Both the AH Anvil and CP 206 are great finds.

I have both a CP 204 and CP 974 and to be honest I like the 200 series better for a couple reasons. They seem to be a less common than 900s (being older this make sense). The pear shape screw end to me looks a lot nicer than cylindrical ones. Also I like the 1910 patent marking on the 200s (ie pre WWI) vs 1930 patent marking on 900s (ie pre WWII). Of course some of our friends here like the swivel wrench on the 900s vs the swivel arm (some of the later 200s also have the wrench), plus they will point out the superior split ring brake shoe of 900s.

By the way how much does the CP 206 weigh, like around 105 lbs? Also is the jaw width really 5"? Based on the model number one would guess the 6 might designate 6" (for example 204 is 4" , 955 is 5" and 974 is 4" etc) but I think somewhere I saw the 206 jaws are 5"
007

va.grouseman · Jun 21, 2017

KMScott said:
"How did you discover that the 577 jaws were compatible? "

VA, without pulling them off they sure look like there the same ones. These jaws are fine as they are. I believe this vise came from Coors in Golden. The guy I bought it from was a retired machinist.

I believe you are right on the jaws, but you don't need to touch that thing any.---The more pics you show, the more it shows it had a real easy life.---You'd think a machinist would have bruised it a little.---Man that is a nice one.---If you ever stop loving it, let me know. :drool:

cheechi · Jun 21, 2017

Thanks both of you for the suggestions

GETRIDAONE said:
Replace it with a washer and a C clip or a machine collar with a set screw.

I was thinking originally of a C clip as I have a full set of pliers for them but wasn't sure if that will hold so I figured I'd ask. I mean this ring is beefy and most C clips, while they do their job well, are less beefy. If I find one the size I need this is the front runner idea.

I had to look up what a machine collar is, I've never called it that. In fact other than a drill stop I've never called one anything. I'll look into that too.

gman007 said:
cheechi
I had the same issue with D43 1/2 and D44. That is a one very hefty and thick C ring.

Now if you want to risk possibly braking the ring you can try what I did. I pried (I hope I am describing this clearly) the two ends of the C ring away from each other VERTICALLY to the plane that they are at. Imagine the C ring is set flat on table. You want to push one end downwards and the other end upwards (ie vertically the plane of the ring away from each other). I did so as much as I needed to slip the ring back on the smooth end (the end near the dynamic jaw) of the cork/acme screw through the vertical gap in the ring. Then used a plier to bring the ends back together in the same plane.

This is in spirit of saying "If it does not work, use a hammer, if it still does not work use a bigger hammer. If it brakes, it needed replacing anyway!"

If it brakes then you might want to follow the suggestion of GETRIDAONE for replacing it with a washer and regular C ring.
007

How you pried it to get it together is how I pried it to get it apart. I wedged the pry bar into the opening and twisted it open. Since, I have got it so it's more or less 'flat' again but it's so spread there's barely any clearance between it and the inner walls.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit to this. My thought after banging, prying, etc for a good 10 mins was a washer and a fat zip tie. Let's say this vise would get 'medium duty' use at most, how long you think it would take me to break the zip tie?

va.grouseman · Jun 21, 2017

joe.striper said:
Picked up this anvil and vise today. Anvil is 160 lb Arm and Hammer. The stand is supercool and the height at the top is 34".

Then I bought this Parker 206 (5") vise and stand. I noticed a plate on top so I removed it and found this beautiful original mounting plate for a fixed base vise. My intial measurements show a 4 or 4.5" Parker would fit.

Nice haul Joe.striper.---Good looking stuff.

I tell you, you fellows have produced some really nice iron these last 3 days.---There's been some serious shopping going on lately.---And all for my entertainment.

joe.striper · Jun 21, 2017

gman007 said:
Joe
Both the AH Anvil and CP 206 are great finds.

I have both a CP 204 and CP 974 and to be honest I like the 200 series better for a couple reasons. They seem to be a less common than 900s (being older this make sense). The pear shape screw end to me looks a lot nicer than cylindrical ones. Also I like the 1910 patent marking on the 200s (ie pre WWI) vs 1930 patent marking on 900s (ie pre WWII). Of course some of our friends here like the swivel wrench on the 900s vs the swivel arm (some of the later 200s also have the wrench), plus they will point out the superior split ring brake shoe of 900s.

By the way how much does the CP 206 weigh, like around 105 lbs? Also is the jaw width really 5"? Based on the model number one would guess the 6 might designate 6" (for example 204 is 4" , 955 is 5" and 974 is 4" etc) but I think somewhere I saw the 206 jaws are 5"
007

206 is 5" jaws. Its over 100 lbs, its a load. This one has the bolt but no tool. I'll have to look closely to see if it has the ring on top of the bolt.

compunaut · Jun 22, 2017

Anybody here from Detroit area? There's an online auction 21-23Jun of the assets of Mid-West Wire Products (Ferndale, MI; 20min NE of the airport) that includes bunches of industrial-strength equipment, including vises, benches, tool chests, band & table saws :willy_nil

Mid-West Wire auction
Perhaps there are bargains to be had - it's American Iron country

GETRIDAONE · Jun 22, 2017

cheechi said:
Thanks both of you for the suggestions

I was thinking originally of a C clip as I have a full set of pliers for them but wasn't sure if that will hold so I figured I'd ask. I mean this ring is beefy and most C clips, while they do their job well, are less beefy. If I find one the size I need this is the front runner idea.

I had to look up what a machine collar is, I've never called it that. In fact other than a drill stop I've never called one anything. I'll look into that too.

My mistake, it is a "shaft collar"
The clip and washer should be fine as it only pulls the dynamic out with no tension on it.

TinkTinkForge · Jun 22, 2017

Some 2" and a Reed 2 1/2"

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

G-ManBart · Jun 22, 2017

compunaut said:
Anybody here from Detroit area? There's an online auction 21-23Jun of the assets of Mid-West Wire Products (Ferndale, MI; 20min NE of the airport) that includes bunches of industrial-strength equipment, including vises, benches, tool chests, band & table saws
Mid-West Wire auction
Perhaps there are bargains to be had - it's American Iron country

The annoying thing with that one is they limit the payment to only wire transfers...PITA.

vintage nut · Jun 22, 2017

I saw a rather interesting idea for an engravers vise last night, think I'll put one together sometime.
A bowling ball with one side cut or ground flat, a plate screwed onto that, and a small drill press vise mounted on the plate. Set the bowling ball in a ring on the bench and it can be positioned however you want, and moved smoothly.

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

gman007 · Jun 22, 2017

Check this out, A super cool vise stand for a cool vise

drivesitfar · Jun 22, 2017

007: that cool stand with the vise with the modified handle on it is also one of my favorites and it's been posted on a few threads besides this one. in case you might want to know what the big brother to your AVATAR looks like here's one of my favorite Parkers and its a #978 no little guy at about 300 pounds. Maybe Cretedog will post a few more pictures of it as i think it's still sitting in his living room?

Joe: not sure what i like better. your cool stands, anvils or vises so let's just call it a tie and nice find on the latest addition. do you own a parker with that base to fit on that stand for a picture?

WELL DONE!!!

Vintage: i think that bowling ball vise stand is posted on the vise and grinders stand thread and i think there was a YouTube video on how he made it. pretty cool cause he releases and locks it in place with a foot pedal if I recall correctly.

gman007 · Jun 22, 2017

drivesitfar said:
007: that cool stand with the vise with the modified handle on it is also one of my favorites and it's been posted on a few threads besides this one. in case you might want to know what the big brother to your AVATAR looks like here's one of my favorite Parkers and its a #978 no little guy at about 300 pounds. Maybe Cretedog will post a few more pictures of it as i think it's still sitting in his living room?

Joe: not sure what i like better. your cool stands, anvils or vises so let's just call it a tie and nice find on the latest addition. do you own a parker with that base to fit on that stand for a picture?

WELL DONE!!!

Vintage: i think that bowling ball vise stand is posted on the vise and grinders stand thread and i think there was a YouTube video on how he made it. pretty cool cause he releases and locks it in place with a foot pedal if I recall correctly.

drivers
That is indeed a magnificent monster of a vise and a sight to behold. Where I saw the photo of the stand and vise (pinterest.com), also had a photo of a CP 978 and based on the lettering and new jaws inserts with a bit of discoloration mark on side of one of the inserts, it seems to be the same one as the one that you have posted (see attached photo). Is this vise owned by someone from this forum?

Good Lord, there is so much cool stuff out there. Here is another photo from the same site of a pair of Sawyer combo vises (most likely someone has already posted this here in the past but I couldn't help posting it again) that makes me droooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool. The darn beauties remind me of maxim machine guns

007

drivesitfar · Jun 22, 2017

007: i'm not sure if the person that restored that big Parker is a member yet, but his son is. I think he bought those jaws from KMScott and it might have been KM's first attempt at Parker jaws. in any case a member (not a member at the time) drove 2,000 miles to pick that vise and stand up in person and i think i heard his bride let's him keep it in his living room, but not sure if that's still the case.

those old versions of CWV (Chinese Wonder Vise) are too cool and i agree some of these old vises really do almost have to be qualified as art.

Rileysan · Jun 22, 2017

Ok vise gurus and junkies. Tell me what you think of this vise.

I will say very little about it's location and status except to say that it is up for auction, and I have a bid in on it.

The description is terrible. It states:

"Concrete solid drum with vise on top"

It's impossible to know the scale of this thing. The drum looks like a 20 gallon grease container which are 16"-18" in diameter. The base of this vise barely fits on top of the drum. It has to be massive - 8" jaws at a minimum but I'd swear it was even bigger.

The jaw style remind me of Prentiss. I see a crack at the base of rear mounting hole. No other pictures exist.

I am going to look at it tomorrow!

Please discuss.

Brian

drivesitfar · Jun 22, 2017

Riley: Probably not a Prentiss but it does look like you might need a hand lifting it into your Camry. Good luck

trijeff · Jun 22, 2017

Not a Prentiss and not over 8". Check it out carefully, I think I see a big crack on that rear mounting foot.

EDIT: I now see that you're aware of the crack.

Joefriday · Jun 22, 2017

Good afternoon sirs..

I picked this one up today. I grew up not far from Oswego so that's a bit interesting to me.

Sawyer Tool Co. - Oswego 24 1/2 B . I read somewhere on here that the company sold out to another in 1930 so this is apparently a fairly old vise if I'm not mistaken.

Weighs in at 65lbs.

I stripped off a layer of heavy black paint and this gray/blue/black finish that was underneath seems to be the original finish the best I can tell.

Best,
Rob

jakemac · Jun 22, 2017

Given its age, that "heavy black paint" may have been its original Japaned finish.

Still, it looks good nekkid.
Give it a few light coats of BLO (boiled linseed oil) to preserve that look.

eddieK · Jun 22, 2017

Rileysan said:
Ok vise gurus and junkies. Tell me what you think of this vise.

I will say very little about it's location and status except to say that it is up for auction, and I have a bid in on it.

The description is terrible. It states:

"Concrete solid drum with vise on top"

It's impossible to know the scale of this thing. The drum looks like a 20 gallon grease container which are 16"-18" in diameter. The base of this vise barely fits on top of the drum. It has to be massive - 8" jaws at a minimum but I'd swear it was even bigger.

The jaw style remind me of Prentiss. I see a crack at the base of rear mounting hole. No other pictures exist.

I am going to look at it tomorrow!

Please discuss.

Brian

The molding detail at the bottom and back of the static does not look like Prentiss - from what you can see of the dynamic it looks wrong as well.

Joefriday · Jun 22, 2017

jakemac said:
Given its age, that "heavy black paint" may have been its original Japaned finish.

Still, it looks good nekkid.
Give it a few light coats of BLO (boiled linseed oil) to preserve that look.

I don't think the heavy black paint was original. The handle and swivel locking lever was painted over and it was done pretty crude but who knows..maybe.

It's hard to tell in the pictures but it still has a gray/blueish/black finish on it. There are some bare areas from wear and I have already given it a few coats of BLO.

Best,
Rob

va.grouseman · Jun 22, 2017

Originally posted by Joefriday.

Good afternoon sirs..

I picked this one up today. I grew up not far from Oswego so that's a bit interesting to me.

Sawyer Tool Co. - Oswego 24 1/2 B . I read somewhere on here that the company sold out to another in 1930 so this is apparently a fairly old vise if I'm not mistaken.

Weighs in at 65lbs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joefriday, let me just say that you ain't the only one that thinks the Sawyers are top shelf.

FMC1959 · Jun 22, 2017

Rileysan said:
Ok vise gurus and junkies. Tell me what you think of this vise.

I will say very little about it's location and status except to say that it is up for auction, and I have a bid in on it.

The description is terrible. It states:

"Concrete solid drum with vise on top"

It's impossible to know the scale of this thing. The drum looks like a 20 gallon grease container which are 16"-18" in diameter. The base of this vise barely fits on top of the drum. It has to be massive - 8" jaws at a minimum but I'd swear it was even bigger.

The jaw style remind me of Prentiss. I see a crack at the base of rear mounting hole. No other pictures exist.

I am going to look at it tomorrow!

Please discuss.

Brian

Not positive but I think the only swivel jaw 8" was Reed, and that is not a Reed, and I don't think that is a 20 gallon drum. More than likely that is a 6" vise, possibly smaller.

Other "nots" .......not a Parker, Prentiss, Athol. Looking a the jaws and towers, as well as the bit of the handle and lead screw, it might be a Columbian, maybe a Morgan, but my first guess would be a version of Ridge Tool/Simplex/Desmond Stephens.

Never bet the farm on my guesses, or even a bird hose, but that is my 2 cents.

FMC1959 · Jun 22, 2017

Joefriday said:
Good afternoon sirs..

I picked this one up today. I grew up not far from Oswego so that's a bit interesting to me.

Sawyer Tool Co. - Oswego 24 1/2 B . I read somewhere on here that the company sold out to another in 1930 so this is apparently a fairly old vise if I'm not mistaken.

Weighs in at 65lbs.

I stripped off a layer of heavy black paint and this gray/black finish that was underneath seems to be the original finish the best I can tell.

Best,
Rob

That is an absolute beautiful looking vise. I love some of the paint jobs and restores guys do on this thread. But for me that is what a vise should look like, no apparent gouges or big scratches.

That might be one of the few vises I would never use if I owned it, it is just perfect from how it looks in the photo. (Let me know if it is for sale)

Outlawmws · Jun 22, 2017

I have a 20 gallon barrel and its exactly 14" I think that could very well be an 8". Since we don't have a clue who made it there is no saying no one made a Swivel jaw that size.

I'll be interested to hear Brian's report!

eddieK · Jun 23, 2017

FMC1959 said:
Not positive but I think the only swivel jaw 8" was Reed, and that is not a Reed, and I don't think that is a 20 gallon drum. More than likely that is a 6" vise, possibly smaller.

Other "nots" .......not a Parker, Prentiss, Athol. Looking a the jaws and towers, as well as the bit of the handle and lead screw, it might be a Columbian, maybe a Morgan, but my first guess would be a version of Ridge Tool/Simplex/Desmond Stephens.

Never bet the farm on my guesses, or even a bird hose, but that is my 2 cents.

I can see the Desmond Stephan resemblance

tool_scrounge · Jun 23, 2017

Found an interesting clamp on bench vise a while back. It is the largest vise I have seen with 1.5" wide jaws. It is marked NNV on one side and 40 (mm of jaw width?) on the other side. These is a sticker that says "made in Poland", which make sense as the reverse action is similar to a Polish FPU vise.

In one of the photos I have a typical 1.5" Palmgren drill press vise for comparison purposes and the NNV is much bigger and 3X the weight (1.7 vs. 5 lbs).

One of the nicer tiny clamp on bench vises I have seen, though the Stanley Sweetheart vises are also pretty good.

Joefriday · Jun 23, 2017

Great looking vises Mr. Grouseman. That 26B looks pretty large. Thank you for sharing the pictures. I need to re-paint my "T" area. I can see remnants of red paint around mine.

Thanks for the compliment FMC. Agreed, some great restoration jobs on here and most of the restoration jobs probably make the vises look better than new.

Personally, I just like to clean items up and call it a day. I don't really have the patients for much more unless the item is totally trashed.

Best,
Rob

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