Rock island 77 vise

paris by night · Oct 13, 2019

Hi guys. found this week this serious US vise. just disappointed because this one don't be abused but just bas used. i hate people who don't respect the materials, especially good ones. however impossible to blame the seller because it was an old lady whose husband had just died.
the end of the sliding part have a crack so need to do a repair.
i don't found photos or thread on this model so or i am lucky by find rare vises or very clumsy with the "search" option
just want to precise my kids and me don't made the artistic paint job !

drivesitfar · Oct 13, 2019

Paris: your vises you find are not only made in the USA, but they also need a wine bottle (maybe a liter one) to show just how big they are.

i'm not sure if your 77 is just an older Rock Island version of their 577, but here's mine to show you maybe how a Rock Island vise looks with blue paint on it. I had this vise painted before I learned to like just BLO.

the handle on yours doesn't look like a Rock Island handle I've ever seen so wondering if maybe it's not original and that it came from another vise?

nice find AGAIN!!

paris by night · Oct 13, 2019

ok for the next vise i will use a wine bottle scale !
as i told i don't find photo of the #77 so impossible to be sure. the head of axle is clearly not the same but are they from the same era ?
hope members of GJ will have details on.

thehorse13 · Oct 13, 2019

With a good cleaning and a new paint job, your vise will look and operate beautifully.

Leviton · Oct 13, 2019

Paris, you are coming up with some nice finds!

Sheesh. Am I going to have to start flying to fly to France to find good US made vises?

drivesitfar · Oct 13, 2019

Paris: if I recall correctly my blue Rock Island 577 left the factory in mid 1930's. yours I'm guessing is around late 1910's or maybe 20's, but not certain about the older Rock Island vises that don't have removable jaws.

other than the different handle your vise doesn't look all that bad, but since you've been a bit spoiled and found two monsters in terrific shape i don't blame you for being a bit disappointed. if the back of the slide of your 77 is cracked are you planning on brazing it?

there were several members who brazed slides and documented their process in the vise repair 101 thread, but I'm not sure how long ago or who did it at the moment.

yep a bottle of your favorite wine or champagne might be in order for future pics of vises that weigh over 150 pounds or 75 Kg.

cheers

paris by night · Oct 13, 2019

Leviton : hard to find, you are welcome and even you don’t find i am sure you will have a nice trip
Drivefit : i already do this repair on cast iron simple job but the result never beautiful as original.

drivesitfar · Oct 14, 2019

Paris: if you'd like to take pics (or have your son take pics and maybe he'll learn how to braze) of the braze work on the Rock Island 77 along with a few key pointers i'm sure more than I would like that.

either way I wish you the best of luck!!

keep finding that big iron and hope you keep that money tree growing cause I can't imagine any of these big vises and safes are free.

cheers!!! :beer:

paris by night · Oct 14, 2019

Drivesit : unbeliavable, do you launch a spy drone above me ? Just finish the welding job now. Need to heat before and use special stick arc welding for cast iron.
This specials sticks are expensive but do something strong.
When i dismantled the vise the static part has been very hard to remove on the end of slide because each side of the crack has expanded. Fortunately the Yost cavalerie was here to proudly clamp his brother during the welding !
Now need to wait tomorrow for grind or my neighbors will kill me.

drivesitfar · Oct 14, 2019

Paris: we are on the same page with liking naked steel so I'm not surprised we think a bit alike. sometimes our thoughts might be the same too and happy to see you posting your braze job.

also nice that you think of your neighbors before running your power tools at night.

did you grind out a big V for the braze and drill a hole at the end of the crack? I've heard putting the vise (or the cast iron you are brazing) in a BBQ with the heat on and then back in again as you slowly turn down the heat over time to do the brazing. yes? or some heat with torch and then when done wrap in blanket or put in sand i've heard. I haven't attempted it yet, but I might some day.

looks good so far!!

paris by night · Oct 14, 2019

Drivesit : the crack was big enough so don’t need to shape larger. Just clean well. With this special sticks no need to keep heat after. Just a little bit before.
A welder friend of me, now in retreat, told me to hammer the welding during the cold down. If i remember well that’s to expand the nickel particles present in the stick for maximize the stronger of welding. Anyway the color difference is visible and in my previous same job i find that’s the most awful welding result but i prefer something strong vs destroy.

paris by night · Oct 15, 2019

Done the grinding and patina finish. The welding is very strong and now the sliding part work fine. Swivel and axle greased, turn smoothly and easily.
The bolt to block the embase rotation is it something original ?
The number 20 are stamped on the sliding and fixed part. Any idea ? Date of manufacture ?
For scale a standard bootle of wine 75cl (30cms/1foot high)
Thanks

drivesitfar · Oct 15, 2019

Paris: WELL DONE SIR!!

i'd wager that the main screw is not original and the bolt for the swivel base isn't original either. sorry I don't have any catalog pages saved cause if I did that computer crashed a few years ago.

someone might have those Rock Island catalog pages. i'd also say the 20 is a part # so the workers would get the 2 parts to match later after doing their work on them, but that is close to the right year that vise left the factory.

keep up the great work and now that you have a couple safes to restore I'm guessing your vise hunting will slow down for a few days?

cheers

paris by night · Oct 16, 2019

I could never have imagined that the handle does not seem original. When i dismantled, don’t notice any details who can reveal a repair or remplacement part.
Now just hope someone from GJ have original brochure or example of matching rock island vise !
Thanks in advance

drivesitfar · Oct 16, 2019

Paris: i've seen a lot of vises in person and on this site in the last few years, but I'm still not an EXPERT and a few things still show up that are new to me. since your Rock Island 77 is older and in Europe than the ones i've bought maybe that screw is original. it sure looks a lot different than the ones I normally see.

here's a Rock Island vise that is a bit smaller, but it has an older swivel base and it's handle is more like the one on my other Rock Island vises.

in any case it looks a lot better now with your repair and cleaning up and you might be the first to put a quality bottle of wine next to a big vise for size.

cheers

paris by night · Oct 16, 2019

Drifesit effectively in regard of your same period photos no question : this is not the original handle. A friend is very hot on and probably i will going to do a friendly deal, and drink the bottle. 70kgs on the scale.

drivesitfar · Oct 18, 2019

Paris: since you have some pretty cool stuff how about starting up a garage gallery thread and showing off your shop and stuff? click on the link to my thread and while I don't have a big garage or a ton of followers posting it gives some of the members ideas on how to fit things in smaller spaces and also maybe a few DIY or helpful tips along the way.

feel free to also post on my thread to let me know you found it and maybe you can offer a few tips or see something that might help you.

glad to hear your friend now has a bench for that big rock island vise. also do you guys in France always seal the deal with a good glass of wine (or a bottle or two)?

paris by night · Oct 18, 2019

Drivesit, actually my garage look like a WW3 battle area but i will do.

Rock island 77 vise

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