The VISES of Garage Journal

murph64 · Feb 26, 2010

IONH said:
I have this vise. It's my only one and has worked well so far.

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa...o?itemid=67415&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

I've got one of those too, only it came from Homey's...The pipe jaws are real handy sometimes.

Andy

emeraldcoupe · Feb 26, 2010

IONH said:
I have this vise. It's my only one and has worked well so far.

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa...o?itemid=67415&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

looks just like the wilton i use at work

bsakal · Mar 2, 2010

Here's my Wilton Tradesman 1755 that I got off of Craigslist for $45

a vise just given to me today, Parker Vise Division, Union Manufacturing Co., New Brittain, Ct. 4" jaw width, opens to 6-1/2", about 17" long when closed, 360 degree swivel, and weighs a good bit....

bsakal · Mar 2, 2010

and finally, and old Holland vise from Erie Pa. It was in my grandfather's (now my aunt's house) basement. She asked me if I wanted it so I snagged it. It has a 3-1/2" jaw width. I almost chucked it since it's kind of small, but it has some sentimental value. So I cleaned it and painted it. I have a set of Wilton jaws that I might install on it since the jaw faces are kind of worn. I did that to an old Reed I had, I machined the jaws to accept a Wilton replacement jaw.

bmwpower · Mar 2, 2010

bsakal said:
a vise just given to me today, Parker Vise Division, Union Manufacturing Co., New Brittain, Ct. 4" jaw width, opens to 6-1/2", about 17" long when closed, 360 degree swivel, and weighs a good bit....

OMG, I love this vise. Please don't paint it.

old salvage · Mar 2, 2010

bmwpower said:
OMG, I love this vise. Please don't paint it.

I agree. I think its a rare bird.

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Mar 2, 2010

old salvage said:
I agree. I think its a rare bird.

+1

bsakal · Mar 3, 2010

Funny thing is, when I first brought it home yesterday, I was going to strip it and repaint it. But the more I thought about it, I'm going to mount it the way it is. It works so smooth.
The handle for the lockdown says The Charles Parker Co Meridian CT USA, but as you can see, the main body says Parker Vise Div,. Union Manufacturing Co. New Britain CT. There is a stamping on the bottom that is barely visible 974A. I have no idea how old it is. I think Union bought Parker in the '50's.

OldCarGuy · Mar 3, 2010

My 6” Columbia vise that I purchased at an auction a few years ago for $50.00

My almost new Craftsman 5 1/ 2” Vise that I purchased at at garage sale a couple years back for $18.00

Two Vises that came along with my 2008 acquisition of the antique car restoration shop...

Good reason not to purchase an imported vise! After only a few years this baby bit the dust! A good reason to purchase an old American made vise.

bsakal · Mar 3, 2010

I love this thread. Why can't this be a sticky?

rodnok1 · Mar 3, 2010

Here's mine, inherited it from an uncle years ago. I've moved with it many times.
It's a Simplex 43P Made by The Desmond Stepran Mfg Co Urbana Ohio.
I have beat the ever loving **** out of this thing and it still works great.

BanjoSavesTheDay · Mar 6, 2010

bmwpower said:
OMG, I love this vise. Please don't paint it.

I hate to admit it, but I have to agree that there is something about that vise that just says, "No paint for me, thanks". lol

Rodnok, that is a great use for a rail! I've never seen anyone do that before. The vise is also very cool. I've started looking for a Simplex but no luck yet.

bsakal · Mar 8, 2010

I must be stepping in something lately. I was given another vise today. Chas Parker 973A. The co-worker who gave me the previous Parker pictured also gave me this one... I also have a Columbian that was my Grandfather's that is currently at my friend's race car shop, I milled it to accept replacement Wilton 3-1/2" jaws. Pics of that one to follow. I gave up the red Hollands yesterday to my uncle, he loved it, and since it was his dad's I know it will be cherished.

Displaced Hokie · Mar 8, 2010

My restored Simplex model 41S. Circa 1941. It's probably more "customized" than restored as I know it wasn't quite as colorful when new! It was green though. The unrestored photos are in post #68 of this thread. And I do plan on using it as harshly as required, my son can paint it back up when I'm long gone.

Kevin54 · Mar 8, 2010

The Desmond Stephens company is still in business and about 5 miles from my house. I don't think they make vises anymore and haven't for a number of years but I do know they make dressers for grinding wheels and have made them for years http://www.desmond-stephan.com/ Almost every bench vise at our shop was or is a Desmond Simplex. It's unbelievable as to how many of these made it to the dumpster too. "5S" has turned them into scrap metal.

jwitt · Mar 9, 2010

My 1950's Metl-former
Info - http://books.google.com/books?id=39...d=0CBsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=metl former&f=false

Jim

BanjoSavesTheDay · Mar 9, 2010

How cool is that! It's awesome that you still have all the pieces, too.

old salvage · Mar 9, 2010

Wow, another uncommon specimen !
This thread definitely has some serious historic reference value.

mr2autoxr · Mar 9, 2010

Here's mine. Got this a couple years ago after getting sick of breaking cheap China Sh*t

alex71 · Mar 9, 2010

IONH said:
I have this vise. It's my only one and has worked well so far.

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa...o?itemid=67415&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

I broke the **** out of one of those years ago. Wasn't even trying that hard.

BanjoSavesTheDay · Mar 9, 2010

mr2autoxr said:
Here's mine. Got this a couple years ago after getting sick of breaking cheap China Sh*t

You can look at pictures of 8" wide vise jaws all day but when you actually stand there in front of them, they always look so much bigger. I'm really hoping to find a vise with 9" jaws some day. :drool:

Nuit Damnant · Mar 9, 2010

BanjoSavesTheDay said:
Last but not least, I have another funny "before" picture of the Wilton. I think I've posted this somewhere else but it is in the jaws of my Columbian 608. The bolts that connect the vise to the base were on there super tight.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/45099362@N02/4198357741/" title="IMG_2841 by BanjoSavesTheDay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2493/4198357741_06bdb9b813.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_2841" /></a>

The Columbian....HOLY **** I WANT ONE.... :thumbup:

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Mar 9, 2010

Nuit Damnant said:
The Columbian....HOLY **** I WANT ONE....

Reminds me of a big snake eating a smaller snake! :spit:

ZRX61 · Mar 11, 2010

Guess I better get with the program....

As bought:

24 hours later:

Others:

I also have a Paramo that I will be painting in the near future, it's aready apart & cleaned up. I'll use the same grey I used on the Wilton.

scoutkid · Mar 12, 2010

Ok, what did i buy?

$20 on CL i didn't think was too bad no matter what it is. It's big and heavy and I will make it purdy no matter what it is

jwitt · Mar 13, 2010

Here are a couple I picked up today. A Littlestown #3 and a real tiny no-name. The tiny one I've seen before but they were always clamp-on table top, this one is made to be bolted down.

Jim

ZRX61 · Mar 13, 2010

Here's the Paramo. This is going to be my *beater* welding vise as it has 4 chunks missing from it, 2 below each jaw. I could fire up the welder & fix it, but thats not a priority right now (or possibly, ever).

kbeitz · Mar 13, 2010

This first picture is my biggest vise... It open 12 inches and weights a few hunderd lbs...

The second picture is one of two vises I have made by Stewert Co.

BanjoSavesTheDay · Mar 14, 2010

kbeitz, what is that first one?? I would reeeeally like to see more pictures of it. What brand and model? How wide are the jaws? It looks obnoxiously large...

32rules · Mar 14, 2010

Bought this one at an auction for $42.50 and included the neat table.

It is an Eriie model 401
Pic of tag on table

kbeitz · Mar 14, 2010

BanjoSavesTheDay said:
kbeitz, what is that first one?? I would reeeeally like to see more pictures of it. What brand and model? How wide are the jaws? It looks obnoxiously large...

The big ones a Reed 7-1/2" jaws opens 12"... I need to put it in two pices to lift it to the bench by hand... The handle was 28" long... I almost hit my jaw a few times swinging it around so I made it shorter... If needed I can put a cheater on it...

banditbigdog · Mar 14, 2010

Picked up a very good condition Wilton 4" vise with smooth jaws.

Previous life was holding circuit boards, very little wear on jaws, you can still see the crosshatch pattern on jaw faces.
I took it apart and all internal parts looked brand new.
Very tight.

$ 50.00 for the vise and butcher block table.
Table is nice too.

$ 55.00 for the 1/4" neoprene rubber top.

Adam McLaughlin · Mar 14, 2010

I like the rubber work surface shown here, nice touch!

Adam

ZRX61 · Mar 14, 2010

Paramo progress:

banditbigdog said:
Picked up a very good condition Wilton 4" vise with smooth jaws.

$ 50.00 for the vise and butcher block table.

YES! I can now pass my recently acquired suckage on to you as I paid $50 for mine without a table & without a swivel base

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Mar 15, 2010

banditbigdog said:
Picked up a very good condition Wilton 4" vise with smooth jaws.

Previous life was holding circuit boards, very little wear on jaws, you can still see the crosshatch pattern on jaw faces.
I took it apart and all internal parts looked brand new.
Very tight.

$ 50.00 for the vise and butcher block table.
Table is nice too.

Man, you stole that thing! :shocking:

Kevin54 · Mar 15, 2010

That table is kind of a collectors item in itself. A jig table for the Studebaker Commander. Clean that tag up a little bit!!!

If you only paid $50 for the table and vise, you got ripped on the rubber mat. That is a super sweet deal for $50.

Moose-LandTran · Mar 15, 2010

ZRX61 said:

Now, that's what i'm talkin' about. :pimpflash

gilbo · Mar 15, 2010

here is a little i toy i recently got, its a yost 55c

nolatoolguy · Mar 15, 2010

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv said:
Taskmaster...built like an old Wilton

Columbian

old Yost

Sears

man i have know idea how you keep yours that clean :headscrat

GeorgiaHybrid · Mar 15, 2010

nolatoolguy said:
man i have know idea how you keep yours that clean

John takes them off of the workbench every Saturday and washes them off and gives each and every one a new coat of wax... If the paint has some swirls, he breaks out the PC polisher and Menzerna and gets to work until it is flawless again.

The first Saturday of the month is reserved for a full disassembly and repaint.. :bounce:

Actually he took those photos after he had cleaned and painted each one and before they went on the bench to be used.

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