The VISES of Garage Journal
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joe.striper
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joe.striper
Well-known member
Made a set of vise jaws today for a craftsman vise. No where near the quality of kmscotts and for that my hats off to him as always.
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Rusty I agree. when I've don a few I'm thinking "how hard can this be?". well it is plenty hard!!!
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gman007
Well-known member
Joe
That is a very nice looking little vise and great restoration job too. It seems that the vise also came with bonus ring and watch too
How does the swivel mechanism work? Just looking the swivel mechanism and going on a limb, it almost looks like one pulls up the swivel "pin" and rotate the vise and drop the "pin" to lock it and it might even be spring loaded. Is this even close? Whatever way it works, it is cool and different!
007
joe.striper
Well-known member
Yes, it pulls up. It is spring loaded. I've dismantled these in the past but I cannot figure out how to take this teeny tiny spring loaded base clamp apart, so I oiled it up and left it.Joe
That is a very nice looking little vise and great restoration job too. It seems that the vise also came with bonus ring and watch too
How does the swivel mechanism work? Just looking the swivel mechanism and going on a limb, it almost looks like one pulls up the swivel "pin" and rotate the vise and drop the "pin" to lock it and it might even be spring loaded. Is this even close? Whatever way it works, it is cool and different!
007
Here are a couple of pics from my 7" Prentiss. Exact same design except that on the little one the holes don't go all the way through the base.
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Yost also makes a reversible combination 8" vise....I have one.
http://www.yostvises.com/products/m...-reversible-combination-vise-swivel-base.html
Much thanks for the pictures; great looking vises..
I'm not a total purist on vises (yet) so I am not opposed to picking a color of my choice, and I have on a few others. I figured I'd go with something close to the original color on this one if I can find something easily off the shelf. I like the looks of the lighter almost olive color green.
Best
Rob
eddieK
Well-known member
My 624 Parker base looks like that...
eddieK
Well-known member
I am a fan of that olive color green as well -
GETRIDAONE
Well-known member
That vise is so small you could have used a bottle of finger nail polish on it.
Looks Good !
Sorry...I almost missed this. Thanks!
I only wish it was mine. I tried, but no dice
KMScott
Well-known member
Rusty, thanks for the kind words but in my world jaws are a rectangle block with a couple holes, the serrations are another story. I bet that holder I made in 2011 has cut 6,000 jaws and I made it long to cut 8-1/2 inch jaws at 6-1/2 deep, jaws are rotated 30 degrees in case you guys need to make your own.
Joe awesome 2" Prentiss, need a top pic on the mirror so we can see your face, ha ha.
Joefriday, I used Krylon Italian Olive Satin paint on my Parker.
Joe awesome 2" Prentiss, need a top pic on the mirror so we can see your face, ha ha.
Joefriday, I used Krylon Italian Olive Satin paint on my Parker.
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MissileBear
Well-known member
Rob - I've seen the green already mentioned. It seemed that Union switched to a black(ish) paint once they acquired the Parker name.
Last night I finished up the Craftsman for my pops. He's thrilled...I am going to ask him for the 2" exposed screw Columbian that I beat on when I was a kid (which this 5" will be replacing).
I then spent almost 2 hours today beating the pins out of a 2-pin Wilton 350S. Neither hole was anywhere close to lining up with the other; I had to make a custom punch tool from an allen wrench to drive the pins out. I used the first pin to drive out the second; being that the pins are mild steel I had to drive the second pin the opposite direction back into the nut, and then use a very small file to remove the mushrooming on the first pin before I could drive it back out the other side. I yelled and swore a whole lot. KMScott - maybe you can weigh in here and explain something that I don't understand....but, this seems like an absolutely asinine design to me. The holes look like they were hand drilled at completely different angles, unlike the single pin designs.
I have yet to get the end piece off....it is soaking in some penetrating oil. It very much looks like it was forcefully hammered into the body as I see small hammer marks post machining, under the factory paint. I know this part was friction fit, but it is really on there, and the vise is extremely clean. I wouldn't expect this kind of resistance with no rust or build up.
I doubt I will ever buy another Wilton again. I've rarely had issues like this outside of salt-belt automotive projects.
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Thank you sir.. I saw that color and was leaning toward it.. Thank you for the confirmation.
It's too easy to miss a message here and not reply to someone. If you stay away from this thread for more than 1 hour; the thread has three more pages of pictures and comments and it's easy to miss one.
I've never seen a thread move so fast.
Also, thank you MissleBear. Do you know when the company changed hands?
best,
Rob
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Made a set of vise jaws today for a craftsman vise. No where near the quality of kmscotts and for that my hats off to him as always.
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rusty65 If those jaws have 3" C-C there is a good chance KMScott is making them as we speak.
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KMScott
Well-known member
Missile I feel your pain. I do not know what to tell you then to say if it was done right at the factory then it would have been easier to remove. Looks like a late Friday job. If the vise was set up correctly and the center of the threads in the nut were picked up on center and the drill was carefully drilled through both sides and then reamed. (breaking through one side and hitting a rough cast on the opposite side will make the drill wander if not done slowly) Done right the pin holes would be in line. A real screwy design I agree. What could they change? Maybe add a special threaded set screw with a smaller diameter to pilot into the end cap housing and nut. Redesign the end cap housing to be screwed in from under neath the end cap. I do not know. Just to bad you are having a hard time. Keep at it and it will work out. I would suggest reaming the holes to 9/32 and purchasing over size drill rod to replace if the holes are buggered up. Good luck.
MissileBear
Well-known member
The Columbian/Craftsman jaws are 3" C-C. Another member asked me about this a while back - lousy pic, but you get the idea. This is a 506-51810, which was identical to the Columbian D45.
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The method you used to take the pins out is the hardest way to go about it.
This method usually takes about five minutes. Only one time has it failed me, and that was on a 600S that sat rusty for decades. I had to drill out those pins.
The end cap assemblies are sometimes very snug. If you bolt the vise to a bench, you should have no problem driving it out from the front with a long drift. If the vise isn't bolted down, it can be difficult.
If anyone has ever wanted to share your vises with others in a new section of FB, we'd be more than glad to have you. As long as you can speak english and you love your vises, wecome aboard!
https://www.facebook.com/benchvisesforever/
https://www.facebook.com/benchvisesforever/
compunaut
Well-known member
Hi
Does anyone know what is the jaw width of a Prentiss No. 183? The seller seems to imply it is 8" ("PRENTISS 8" VISE N.183 ON STAND ") ! And since the seller also states that “IT OPENS 9" " by 8" the he does not seem to be referring to the jaw opening (like some do and which personally always bugs me).
But from the sketchy info that I have found it seems 183 might have 6" jaws (which based on the photo it makes more sense) and might weighs around 170lb and which would be too light for an 8" Prentiss.
By the way there must have been a fire sale on blue spray cans as not only the ENTIRE vise including the handle as well as even the screw (well minus the red lipstick jaw inserts, must be a female Prentiss species) as well as several other pieces of equipment in the background are drenched in blue paint
(see photo).
Thx
Some idiot in Austin painted a whole machinists chest like that: slides, handles, knobs - EVERYTHING. Literally made me shudder
eddieK
Well-known member
Finally got her done...
akasrick
Well-known member
eddieK
Serious eye candy. Nicely done!
Did the original jaw insert have a chamfer where the parts met?
akasrick
Serious eye candy. Nicely done!
Did the original jaw insert have a chamfer where the parts met?
akasrick
If anyone ever gets bored from time to time and would like to post their vise photos into a specialized bench vise group, please feel free to come here and enjoy when GJ is running slow
https://www.facebook.com/groups/573427813048048/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/573427813048048/
gman007
Well-known member
Hi All
Has anyone seen a bullet type vise like this before? It looks funky and interesting specially since it has a hand wheel as opposed the standard arm. It also seems to have a pull up pin swivel mechanism (like the Prentiss that joe.striper recently posted)
The only markings on it are "PA APPL'D FOR" which might stand for "Patent Applied For"
007
Has anyone seen a bullet type vise like this before? It looks funky and interesting specially since it has a hand wheel as opposed the standard arm. It also seems to have a pull up pin swivel mechanism (like the Prentiss that joe.striper recently posted)
The only markings on it are "PA APPL'D FOR" which might stand for "Patent Applied For"
007
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eddieK
Well-known member
I love unique...that's a keeper
trijeff
Well-known member
Never seen one like that! You're right, that pin looks very Prentiss along with the shape of the jaws and front of dynamic
eddieK
Well-known member
If you are talking about the back of the jaw piece...no. Serrations on the face and everything else smooth.
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gman007
Well-known member
eddieK and trijeff
Even though the vise seems to be 22 inches long with 4 " jaws and hence presumably with some weight to it, with the wheel being so small, it does NOT look like one could apply a huge amount of force (wheel diameter is too small hence torque will be small) but the movement could be a lot more precise (compared to a standard arm). So may be it is some kind of machinist vise for more delicate parts.
Why would one put "Patent Applied For" on the vise but make no mention of the company name etc? Strange
!007
Looks like a Prentiss to me as well, but I suspect the round handle may have been added sometime during its 100 year life
Smokeshow69
Well-known member
Finally got her done...
Nice job on the resto ! Do you happen to have pictures of the columbian built craftsman crown top vise in the background? Or have you already posted pictures here ? [emoji1]
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Shiftless
Well-known member
FMC1959
Well-known member
True, but the Tradesman vises are more like workshop or utility vises. Both Yost and Wilton have combination series vises and they like most combo vises very stout. A Wilton 8" Tradesman weighs about 100 pounds, the 6" C3 weighs about 200 pounds. If you check Parker, Reed, Yost and just about any of the old American vises, the combo was usually the heaviest in that particular size.
Back to the point, you are right, the photo could be an 8" vise with pipe jaws.
Also has some resemblance to some Odin vises we have had posted on here.
Google Stewart vise, not sure it is identical, but looks pretty similar
Shiftless
Well-known member
FMC:
Thanks for the lead. I think you are right.
Joe:
That little guy is a jewel! Great work. It deserves a top shelf display space.
Thanks for the lead. I think you are right.
Joe:
That little guy is a jewel! Great work. It deserves a top shelf display space.
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joe.striper
Well-known member
Thanks Shift. I have located a fixed base version that I'm getting soon. I know Rev Scott has the 2" swivel jaw version. I may have to break into his shop to get it though...
Fretters
Well-known member
Looks like a Prentiss to me as well, but I suspect the round handle may have been added sometime during its 100 year life
I seem to recal bl00(?) posting a catalogue page ages ago showing that vice. Can't recall any details though.
Muggzy
Well-known member
I found this Dunlap 5244 at a junk shop near me but didn't take it 'cause I didn't know what it was worth. What you can't tell in the pictures is that the swivel base is seized up pretty good (ok, solid) and the main jaw screw is really stiff. Seems like it needs to be completely disassembled and restored but I've got no experience with vises so I'm turning to you experts. I saw 454ragtop restored a very similar one back on 23828. His had is the same model 5244, but had a name plate for Dunlap, whareas this one has the brand cast into the side. So what's it worth?
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Outlawmws
Well-known member
Basically what someone is willing to pay. It is a fairly light duty vise, one cut above an exposed screw homeowner's vise. probably weights under 20 lbs.
What is had going for it is style points. The Art Deco look.
the rust generally is an easy fix, as it the stiffness and seized base. the real damage is the pitted plating . You don't see old US vises with plating very often.
As a cool user you can simply strip the remnants of the plating off. if you want it restored, those need re-plated which is $$$
Personally, I probably wouldn't pay more than $20 or so, and would rather keep it to maybe $10-15. As a price point I generally never pay more than about $5 for a homeowners vise... YMMV...
What is had going for it is style points. The Art Deco look.
the rust generally is an easy fix, as it the stiffness and seized base. the real damage is the pitted plating . You don't see old US vises with plating very often.
As a cool user you can simply strip the remnants of the plating off. if you want it restored, those need re-plated which is $$$
Personally, I probably wouldn't pay more than $20 or so, and would rather keep it to maybe $10-15. As a price point I generally never pay more than about $5 for a homeowners vise... YMMV...
trijeff
Well-known member
Shiftless
Well-known member
I agree with outlaw.
Unless you are looking for a project, you might want to pass unless you can get it for almost nothing.
I bought a Dunlap like that one but in much better condition for $10 at a professionally run estate sale out here on the west coast where prices tend to be higher.
One thing to think about is that if you want to gain experience fixing up and restoring vises, that would give you a start. Remember that Dunlap is not a big name so don't plan to fix it up for resale and make any reasonable amount for your time.
Unless you are looking for a project, you might want to pass unless you can get it for almost nothing.
I bought a Dunlap like that one but in much better condition for $10 at a professionally run estate sale out here on the west coast where prices tend to be higher.
One thing to think about is that if you want to gain experience fixing up and restoring vises, that would give you a start. Remember that Dunlap is not a big name so don't plan to fix it up for resale and make any reasonable amount for your time.
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KMScott
Well-known member
You mean this one, I'll sick my pet snakes on you. Jaws are 1-3/4 but this guy needs work, has a crack below the anvil.
