Reed 3C repair questions

Mitchw123456 · Jun 29, 2014

I've done a little searching without much. I just picked up a 3c and a 4c for a pretty good deal in my book (free).

The 3C handle is broken off the shaft. Anyone see any reason why I couldn't cut the shaft off straight on the lathe and weld it directly to the handle assembly. Excuse my reed noobness!

And the 4c for grins..

Thanks in advance

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drivesitfar · Jun 30, 2014

that looks like a pretty lethal break on the screw for your 3C and that area would get a lot of action turning a big vise like that so probably would break again if welded/brazed. one of the handier welders or machinists in the group might have something to say that might help you and i'll defer that to them.

it looks like your 4C has had the jaws modified by cutting slots in the solid jaws and putting in some homemade ones. it also looks like it is missing the pipe jaws.

here's what i'd do and see if it might work. i'd take the screw and vise nut out of the 4C and put them in the 3C (compare the sizes first alongside each other when they are both removed from the vises) and see if you can make one good 3C.

both were terrific vises in their day and I'd like to own either to add to my Reed crew since i only have a 2C which is pretty stout in it's own right.

Mitchw123456 · Jun 30, 2014

Well we ended up machining out the handle and pressing the shaft on. A couple tack welds later we drilled of the shaft and handle tapped it and ran a bolt through both. I don't think it will be going anywhere.

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drivesitfar · Jun 30, 2014

very nice looking 3C. just curious is the 4C screw the same size or is it a bit bigger since i don't own either one of those vises?

do you have any pictures of the handle on your lathe or mill while machining out the break? or in the press putting the broken screw back inside the hub? is it now a couple inches shorter?

glad you figured it out and were talented enough with the right tools to make the fix. :thumbup:

Mitchw123456 · Jul 1, 2014

I honestly am not sure about screw size between the two. I only lost about an 1.700 on the screw length. Didn't take many pics

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drivesitfar · Jul 1, 2014

Mitch that is one big lathe to be able to lock in the hub with the handle still attached. since that area where you tack welded the shorter screw in will take a lot of stress i might put a few more tacks on it, but that's up to you. that's an awful big vise so you shouldn't need a cheater bar on the handle or hitting it with a hammer and you might be fine as is. :thumbup:

Nice work and good luck on the 4C that you also got in the deal. any issues on that besides the homemade jaws and the remodeling of the jaws?

Mitchw123456 · Jul 1, 2014

Yea my dad is a machinist who use to own/operate a machine shop back in the 80s. I believe this is one of the old lathes from his shop. There is also a 3/8 tapped hole in it that has an Allen bolt backing up everything else. If I break the tacks and that. 3/8s bolt I had a little much *** on it. The only other issue I found with the 3C is one of the swivel hold down bolts jaws are pretty tore up.

The 4C u believe has the original jaws in at along with the pipe clamp that's not in in the pic. I haven't broken it apart yet but everything seems to function on it. It's really too big for the amount of space I have so after I clean it up I'm going to give it to my dad as he has a 30x50 with a little extra room to spare compared to my 2 car garage.

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drivesitfar · Jul 1, 2014

should work great if you treat it like a vise and not a press or anvil. here's a couple pictures of my Reed 2C which has the solid jaws like your 4C should and maybe that your 3C does.

i have a Reed 106 that might need a fix sort of like the 4C you just inherited does or maybe i'll get lucky and just find another dynamic jaw where the static jaw is toast on the other vise.

nice gesture on the 4C going to Dad's shop and i bet it's fun to go to his place to work in a space that big since he sounds like a great guy.

autopts · Jul 1, 2014

Correct me if I'm wrong and it was mentioned already but that one bigger vise is a Reed 4CA made by Columbian for Reed. That answers why the pipe jaws are slotted. it probably weighs about the same as the 3C. I could be wrong. 2 nice scores regardless

http://www.reedmfgco.com/en/products/vises/combination-bench-and-pipe-vises/4ca/

Mitchw123456 · Jul 1, 2014

autopts said:
Correct me if I'm wrong and it was mentioned already but that one bigger vise is a Reed 4CA made by Columbian for Reed. That answers why the pipe jaws are slotted. it probably weighs about the same as the 3C. I could be wrong. 2 nice scores regardless

http://www.reedmfgco.com/en/products/vises/combination-bench-and-pipe-vises/4ca/

You are right on the CA part. Got the wire brush on it and could see the A. As for weighing the same my back doesn't agree!

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Mitchw123456 · Jul 1, 2014

And yes it's nice to go over there and have plenty of room. Hopefully in the near future I'll find a few acres and build a 40x60 on it first, house second

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drivesitfar · Jul 1, 2014

Mitch: my plan too for the big shop first and then the house. :thumbup:

AutoPts: seems like Columbian was making a lot of company's vises. i wonder if that was just during WWII or why that was? thanks for sharing your knowledge and glad to hear Mitch's vise might not have been a remodel.

autopts · Jul 1, 2014

drivesitfar said:
Mitch: my plan too for the big shop first and then the house.

AutoPts: seems like Columbian was making a lot of company's vises. i wonder if that was just during WWII or why that was? thanks for sharing your knowledge and glad to hear Mitch's vise might not have been a remodel.

Yes, Columbian picked up making Reed's 4C after production stopped maybe sometime in the 70's. The only difference between the Reed 4CA and the Columbian 206M4 is that the Reed has dual lock downs. They also made vises for Armstrong Tools and Ridgid
The 4 1/2" NOS Armstrong sold at auction for $144. The lucky buyer asked if I had more. hahah

drivesitfar · Jul 1, 2014

AutoPts: thanks for the education and of course the awesome pictures. :thumbup:

Reed 3C repair questions

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