The VISES of Garage Journal

Shiftless · Mar 12, 2020

sqyards said:
i should have taped off the anvil, i will when i do another one. the threaded rod worked out goid and it gave me a way to move it around. the letters and numbers I painted with a little brush (the best my shaky hands could. it was a fun project gonna do a scout sometime in the near. gotta finsh a bicycle project first

I like your idea of the threaded rod. I will copy that.

If you want the anvil bare, May I suggest a careful wipe off with acetone. Put acetone on a rag, not dripping wet, and wipe off the spray paint. Work outdoors for that. Very flammable and also the fumes are hazardous to inhale. In my experience, fairly new spray paint comes off very easily.
If your anvil area is dinged up, the red will remain in the divots. If so, just ignore my suggestion unless you want to file it smooth. (Yes, I have done that)
Good luck with your bicycle project. It’s good to have some variety in ones projects.

Shiftless · Mar 12, 2020

What’s your best guess? Damaged and repaired or ??

I see this photo for an upcoming estate sale many miles from my house. Looks to me to be an Athol and not a small one. But those plates on the side look to be a deal killer.

Any opinions?

KMScott · Mar 12, 2020

Smitty said:
KMS, the 1/2 sizes designated nickel plating.
Scan courtesy of Jeppen.

This is he muddy old scan I had from a 1902 catalog.

Thanks Smitty and Jeppen. I'll update the Spreadsheet.

tool_scrounge · Mar 12, 2020

Shiftless said:
What’s your best guess? Damaged and repaired or ??

I see this photo for an upcoming estate sale many miles from my house. Looks to me to be an Athol and not a small one. But those plates on the side look to be a deal killer.

Any opinions?

Looks like a Prentiss to me.

Dan8906 · Mar 12, 2020

What do y’all think about $50 for this 3-1/2” wilton scout.

va.grouseman · Mar 12, 2020

A little high for a 3 1/2'' vise, even if it is a Scout.---JMO.

dkroth · Mar 12, 2020

But it's already clean. Little effort required. Just wipe it down and display in the living room cabinet.

.

sqyards · Mar 12, 2020

Shiftless said:
I like your idea of the threaded rod. I will copy that.

If you want the anvil bare, May I suggest a careful wipe off with acetone. Put acetone on a rag, not dripping wet, and wipe off the spray paint. Work outdoors for that. Very flammable and also the fumes are hazardous to inhale. In my experience, fairly new spray paint comes off very easily.
If your anvil area is dinged up, the red will remain in the divots. If so, just ignore my suggestion unless you want to file it smooth. (Yes, I have done that)
Good luck with your bicycle project. It’s good to have some variety in ones projects.

i have to try and clean the paint off tonight ill post a updated pic

Smitty · Mar 12, 2020

Shift, I would definitely take a look at the athol. While you’re there you can ask him if the Prentiss is for sale.

Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app

Shiftless · Mar 12, 2020

Maybe they are both Prentiss. T.S. might be right.

The one I circled looked to me to have the super chunky dynamic jaw support shaped like Athol.

Driving a hundred miles each way for a maybe deal on vises that might be broken at unknown estate sale prices doesn’t seem like a good use of resources.

DaveT · Mar 12, 2020

Burn1 said:
Cleaned up a Craftsman, but left its original paint.
Need to mount on a vise stand.

That is a beautiful vise. It’s on my bucket list!

TonyCH · Mar 12, 2020

Found a promising and cheap Record No.5 Mechanics' vise today from flea market today. 5" jaws, 52lbs/23.5kg.

Its missing a jaw, somebody snapped a jaw screw and didn't bother to dig the stub out. The loose jaw didn't come with the vise so, I need to find a replacement pair from somewhere. Jaws are not available here so I need to find them online and get shipped over. I'll clean it up and might even do a repaint.

Shiftless · Mar 12, 2020

Records are fine vises. Once you solve the jaw problem you’ll have a great user.

Looking at replacement jaws, I saw this ad. I’d be very worried about quality at this price. ($9.66) ?????

Now that Kevin Scott has retired, who is taking up the job of fabricating high quality jaws?

As most already know, the Record name was acquired by Irwin tools. I wonder what these jaws are made of. Perhaps floor sweepings from a machine room pressed together into a form? :evil:

.

TonyCH · Mar 12, 2020

Hi, thanks. I was looking at those same jaws. Price is good, they seem to go for 50€/$55 a pair + shipping in Europe. :wtf:

Don't know yet if they ship abroads though. Amazon has them too and they are about 30€ shipped so that is an option.

Yes, I'll usually stay away from the Irwin stuff

but maybe I'll need to make an exception with the jaws. I also asked a friend and he promised to machine me a pair but his schedule is full for 6 months.

From another thread (post #17): the vise is probably from 60's. The shape changed slightly in 70's.

Shiftless · Mar 12, 2020

I bet the ones you’re considering are of much higher quality than the Irwin replacements. But I suppose it all depends on what your plan to use that vise for. The inexpensive Irwin ones might certainly be adequate.

Smitty · Mar 12, 2020

I just finished cleaning the Prentiss no. 34 1/2 and I couldn’t be happier. I didn’t think it would clean up this well but Evaporust saved the day (thanks Shift). I used Blue Magic on a buffing wheel at 900 rpm to bring the nickel plating back. No sanding, scotch bite or wire wheels were used on the vise.

There’s a bit of double double stamping on the logo.

Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app

davethorik · Mar 12, 2020

Smitty said:
No sanding or scotch bite was used on the vise.

Attaboy! Great job.

chrisnazzy · Mar 12, 2020

Smitty

Nice work on the little 34 1/2. You've got an incredibly awesome and rare pair of jewelers vises now. Probably a crowning achievement for a Prentiss collector. BTW, you need a 58 or 98 and I'd say you're about done!

Shift

I'd definitely agree with you on the vise in question being an Athol but don't count on it being too big. I'd say it's a 614 1/2 or 615 at the biggest. With Smitty's keen eye on the Prentiss though I'd say you should go for a drive and see what you can come home with. I'll bet they are both well within your realm of restoration ability.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Vise · Mar 12, 2020

Dang. Looks great Smitty. Nice work!

Smitty · Mar 12, 2020

Thanks guys, this is only the second nickel plated 34 that I’ve seen so I wanted to be careful with it. These rarely come up.

jerryd67 · Mar 12, 2020

No, it's not a Parker/Reed/Yost, but happy with the way my very first vise resto came out...

pelletman · Mar 12, 2020

I picked up a pile yesterday

2” early swivel vise – can anyone identify it?

Columbian 6” 206 M3 combi, anyone have any of the static pipe jaws?

Yost 33C 5” Combi I like this, might use it

Yost 6” with broken foot, anyone know model?

Parker 654 ½ C, not on the spreadsheet, at least as a C, rough

I'm going to post a link to the pics and then do a post on each one

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9ydW3VMvPiEcRJVY9

pelletman · Mar 12, 2020

Yost 33C 5" Combination

Not sure what is going on here but I am sure I will figure it out quickly

pelletman · Mar 12, 2020

2" swivel, anyone know the make on this? It's cute.

Edit: Fierljeppen figured out this is a Trenton swivel vise. Thanks!

Shiftless · Mar 12, 2020

Smitty:
That little guy turned out great! :beer:

And congrats for preserving the integrity of the original plating. I would consider that the crowning jewel of your already impressive collection.

Jerry:
That Craftsman is a modern classic! You did a fine job on that 2 tone paint job.

Pelletman:
I don’t know the maker but that is certainly a nice little vise. Is it yours or are you considering a purchase or ???

.

.

pelletman · Mar 12, 2020

Columbian 206 M3 6", missing rear pipe jaws, anyone have them? It is the one on the left in the picture with more than one

pelletman · Mar 12, 2020

Parker 654 1/2 C. Not on the spreadsheet yet, at least as the C version. Ruff

akasrick · Mar 12, 2020

pelletman said:
2" swivel, anyone know the make on this? It's cute

Parker?

akasrick

rayh · Mar 12, 2020

I've read every post over the years but I have to say those 2 nickel Prentiss are simply the coolest vises I've seen on here. I only have a couple using vises but glad I can come here and see the fine collections some of you guys have put together. Keep up the great preservation work. Too many people today don't appreciate a good vise.

Smitty · Mar 12, 2020

Thanks Shift.
Pelletman, that an impressive score. That little 2” is cute as a bug in a rug and that 206 is a beast.

pelletman · Mar 12, 2020

Yost 6" with broken foot, anyone know the model?

pelletman · Mar 12, 2020

Smitty said:
Thanks Shift.
Pelletman, that an impressive score. That little 2” is cute as a bug in a rug and that 206 is a beast.

Thanks Smitty!

va.grouseman · Mar 12, 2020

Previously posted by Rayh.

I've read every post over the years.
---------------------------------------------------

Now that's impressive.---I took the Evelyn Woodhead Sped Reding Course and there is no way I could accomplish that.---Actually I'm not sure the course helped me much. :headscrat

DaveT · Mar 12, 2020

Burn1 said:
Cleaned up a Craftsman, but left its original paint.
Need to mount on a vise stand.

jerryd67 said:
No, it's not a Parker/Reed/Yost, but happy with the way my very first vise resto came out...

Jerry that restore looks as good as any I’ve seen. Nice job. What process did you use to get the raw metal shiny?

sqyards · Mar 12, 2020

jerryd67 said:
No, it's not a Parker/Reed/Yost, but happy with the way my very first vise resto came out...

looks good i just did my craftsman and should have left anvil bare. nice job

Smitty · Mar 13, 2020

Rayh. In glad you like the Prentiss jewelers vises. I feel lucky to have found them both to create the set.

lardy1 · Mar 13, 2020

I'm going to look at this little vise (listed as three inch) today at the auction house. Vises go for ridiculous prices at this auction usually so I'm probably ******* in the wind.

I have never seen this design so I'm posting it for others to see.

GETRIDAONE · Mar 13, 2020

That appears to be an Erie Tool oval slide vise from the 1920's. Other manufacturers had there versions and all were light duty .

lardy1 · Mar 13, 2020

Thank you for that. I now see other examples online. I like old and I like unusual.

TonyCH · Mar 13, 2020

Here is a one more of mine I plan to freshen up a bit. Its a old German Triumph-85. The jaws are 85mm (about 3.35") and it weights 8.5kg (about 19lbs). As some might remember from other Triumph-vises shown here earlier interesting thing about this design is that the rear jaw is the one that moves.

The DRGM -marking places it somewhere between 1891 and late 40's, based on the looks I think most likely latter half of that time scale.

Its in very nice condition, even has some (probably) original green paint left. Seems to have lived an easy life. Haven't decided yet how extensively I will overhaul it. Maybe just clean and lube, maybe more.

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