Athol Machine Co. Catalog No. 31 Vises

Fierljeppen · Feb 29, 2020

Here's the vise portion of an extremely rare Athol Machine Co. Catalog No. 31, graciously provided by "wrenchguy".

A future link will be provided here for the complete catalog. Thanks wrenchguy!

Fierljeppen · Feb 29, 2020

Fierljeppen · Feb 29, 2020

Fierljeppen · Feb 29, 2020

wrenchguy · Feb 29, 2020

Your welcome, but kudos go to you offering and the time /effort involved. Looks like a super result.

DFB · Feb 29, 2020

Thats pretty cool stuff... I have a 90 :thumbup:

Overall looks just like the drawing though the markings are different. Foundry lettering on the opposite side and the number on the right.

Also have a 61 not in that catalog

paris by night · Feb 29, 2020

beautiful people share beautiful things on this forum. i do not have athol vise but i have been more admiring if.
thanks men

Stuart in MN · Feb 29, 2020

I have an Athol out in the garage - I'll have to go out tomorrow and look to see if it's one from the catalog.

Thanks for posting.

Fierljeppen · Mar 1, 2020

Here's a few more relevant vise pages from the catalog.

KMScott · Mar 1, 2020

Great stuff Wrench and Fierljeppen. This will keep me busy for a while. Athol was a special vise company and Starrett was lucky to acquire them.

Made in USA · Mar 1, 2020

Thanks for posting! I have one of the hand vises with the removable handle, but I'm missing the handle. Anyone have an extra?

The design is pretty clever. The jaws tighten from either side, so whatever you insert (so long as it is centered in the small middle notch in the jaws) is always on center. In theory you can insert the hand vise into a brace, and use it as a chuck for holding bits of any configuration.

I tried it. Once was enough.

ale · Mar 1, 2020

Just about finished.

Stuart in MN · Mar 2, 2020

Stuart in MN said:
I have an Athol out in the garage - I'll have to go out tomorrow and look to see if it's one from the catalog. Thanks for posting.

It turns out my vise is a model 614, which isn't shown in this catalog...darn it.

wrenchguy · Mar 2, 2020

ale said:
Just about finished.

Nice, I like stands that have tool/part trays :thumbup:

What vise it that?

Fierljeppen · Mar 2, 2020

Stuart in MN said:
It turns out my vise is a model 614, which isn't shown in this catalog...darn it.

Wow! The Athol vise no. 614 was advertised from (1920's-1970's). You know it's a solid vise with a mfg. life like that.

Found you an ad from a 1960 Athol catalog.

DFB · Mar 2, 2020

^^^ I find that interesting on the different ad copies posted the actual number and lettering casting location of the Athols I have are just the opposite of the drawings.

I also have 61 3-1/2 :thumbup:

Fierljeppen · Mar 2, 2020

DFB...From experience, I use the ads as a guide and the real vises as the rule.

Please post a good photo of your no.61 vise. I can't find any record of Athol making a no.61? I'm very interested to see what you have.

hop up · Mar 2, 2020

Very cool thank you for sharing

DFB · Mar 2, 2020

Fierljeppen said:
DFB...From experience, I use the ads as a guide and the real vises as the rule.

Please post a good photo of your no.61 vise. I can't find any record of Athol making a no.61? I'm very interested to see what you have.

Its 61 3-1/2

3 1/2"jaw width

Well I could be wrong here but the way I read that model is that they are 61 series vise and then the following numbers correspond to jaw width

614 is 4" jaw width

I have photos posted before here on TGJ I have to look for them

Fierljeppen · Mar 2, 2020

Oh, I see what you did there. It's actually an Athol no. 613-1/2 and had the same mfg. life as the no. 614. Your vise is in the 1960 catalog above in post #15.

DFB · Mar 2, 2020

Fierljeppen said:
Oh, I see what you did there. It's actually an Athol no. 613-1/2 and had the same mfg. life as the no. 614. Your vise is in the 1960 catalog above in post #15.

Yeppers that's the one... :thumbup:

I have the 613-1/2, the 90, and a much more later one which has an exposed screw

Its labeled as a A 3 1/2...has a swivel base and locknnut wrench

And then a small Starrett too

Stuart in MN · Mar 2, 2020

Fierljeppen said:
Wow! The Athol vise no. 614 was advertised from (1920's-1970's). You know it's a solid vise with a mfg. life like that.

Found you an ad from a 1960 Athol catalog.

Thanks! I suspect mine is quite a bit older than 1960, here are a couple pictures. Note how its shape has a little more 'style' and how it's designed to wrap around the front edge of the bench when bolted down.

DFB · Mar 3, 2020

Stuart in MN said:
Thanks! I suspect mine is quite a bit older than 1960, here are a couple pictures. Note how its shape has a little more 'style' and how it's designed to wrap around the front edge of the bench when bolted down.

Stuart that's a good point. The one of these I have 613-1/2 the base is also squared off flat at 90 degree at the front so to sit tight up against the edge work table. And that's not seen in the later drawing that was posted

The Athol 90 on the other hand, one that was in the original posted catalog that front lower plate casting ties back to the base so a small angled notch has to be chiseled in the the leading edge of the workbench to sit down flush.

That notch really locates in a way.

What can anyone say about the jaws on older ones. One piece? Clearly in the 60's photo they are inserts.

Interesting stuff :thumbup:

Stuart in MN · Mar 3, 2020

DFB said:
What can anyone say about the jaws on older ones. One piece? Clearly in the 60's photo they are inserts.

Mine has replaceable jaw inserts, I think you should be able to see them in the pictures above.

DFB · Mar 3, 2020

Well hard to say for me. Both of my older Athols do have a distinct line outlining the much worn down jaws faces, but on either vise they sure don't look like they'll ever come off :wtf:

davethorik · Mar 3, 2020

They're cast in, just like Reed and Hollands did.

Stuart in MN · Mar 3, 2020

davethorik said:
They're cast in, just like Reed and Hollands did.

Guess I'll have to take a closer look...I figured they were removeable, but I've never examined it closely.

Oregon rock crusher · Mar 3, 2020

I really like certain design features on the Athol vises. They have about as heavy a front underslide support as any vise. Also the casting is very thick behind the static jaw above the slide which is also quite thick. The jaws on my 616 are cast in. One tough vise. Love that Athol vise sales carousel. Ed.

Fierljeppen · Mar 3, 2020

Here's the -4- main changes from (1920ish-to-1976), before they went to the universal base.

Yeah, you gotta love those heavy support shelves. The old Parkers are notorious for having broken shelves.

davethorik · Mar 3, 2020

Stuart in MN said:
Guess I'll have to take a closer look...I figured they were removeable, but I've never examined it closely.

It looks like the newer Athols did have removable jaws. But the older ones were cast in.

levinll1 · Oct 10, 2020

I just picked up a #80 Athol vise.

Here are some photos of it.

slowtwitch73 · Oct 10, 2020

Here's my Dad's 614. I think he bought it new. Original paint, straight as an arrow. I have tons of memories of this vise from when I was young.. always seemed like the 'real deal'. Will be going into my new shop this fall.

Mark Stansbury · Jan 21, 2022

Fierljeppen said:
Here's the vise portion of an extremely rare Athol Machine Co. Catalog No. 31, graciously provided by "wrenchguy".

A future link will be provided here for the complete catalog. Thanks wrenchguy!

Just turned the images here into a pdf on the Tool Catalog Library, with credit to wrenchguy. If the complete catalog is scanned I can swap it out for this one. The date came from this 1916 Hardware Age ad.

wrenchguy · Jan 21, 2022

Catalog 31 = 1916, awesome. Now I wonder when catalog 31 began then ended being valid? Their warranty is open ended.

Fierljeppen · Jan 21, 2022

Excellent job Mark Stansbury, thanks for picking up my slack.

I will provide the missing pages from the Athol catalog no. 31 provided by "wrenchguy". Please make all credits to him, he's very humble and modest, and should be recognized as the source.

The earliest ad I could find for the Athol catalog no. 31 was 1911, while the latest was 1916. I did find a 1917 magazine ad advertising the Athol catalog no. 32.

As for now, I'm dating the Athol cat. no. 31, as (1911-1916).

1917_machinery_jan_pg.452_athol catalog no.32.png

Mark Stansbury · Jan 22, 2022

Fierljeppen said:
Excellent job Mark Stansbury, thanks for picking up my slack.

I will provide the missing pages from the Athol catalog no. 31 provided by "wrenchguy". Please make all credits to him, he's very humble and modest, and should be recognized as the source.

The earliest ad I could find for the Athol catalog no. 31 was 1911, while the latest was 1916. I did find a 1917 magazine ad advertising the Athol catalog no. 32.

As for now, I'm dating the Athol cat. no. 31, as (1911-1916).

Will have to credit you both... I'll change the date issued to 1911. I need to give you my email for the additional pages.

Athol Machine Co. Catalog No. 31 Vises

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