Chicago Morgan #145

[mc4life27]

So I have a chance to buy a Chicago Morgan #145 vise locally. The guy is asking $125. He claims its smooth with minimal slop and saying the jaws are in good shape. By the pictures it looks like it needs to be cleaned up and repainted. I'm a little OCD when it comes to things like that. My question is, is the vise worth that much or should I hold out or get the fire ball forge vise I have been looking at. I was thinking of getting the 6 inch fireball one and I know the jaws are bigger on it but not sure if I should just pay the extra
35ish bucks and order the fireball or get the Morgan. Or should I offer the guy 80 or 100 and see if he is willing to take that? What do you guys think. Here is a picture that's in the ad.


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[1982fxr]

I can't remember what style of lock down those use but it ain't that bolt.

Otherwise yes it's a good vise at that price.

 

[exmaxima1]

I've owned a handful of Morgan vises, and while they are well-made and sturdy they do not command the prices of Wilton, Reed, Parker, Athol, etc. That Morgan 145 in that shape is worth no more than $60-75 in the Chicago area. If you get it for a reasonable price, paint it dark blue like the old Ford engine enamel, which is most like the Morgan Aurora models. Or black if you want it like the original Morgan Chicago vises.

I also still own a Ridgid (Germany) forged vise that looks very much like the Fireball Tool (Taiwan) model you noted. My vise works great, grips amazing, and feels like a quality tool. But my 140mm vise weighs almost double that of the Fireball counterpart. That would concern me as forged vises aren't exactly beefy to start with. If all you need is something to hold parts while you grind or saw, the weight should not be a concern, and if you are a machinist the copper jaws are a great option. But if you ever need to hammer (and forged steel vises are actually designed for that) I would look at something with more mass.

 

[bochnak]

I paid 60 or 80 for a morgan 135 if that helps. Mine needed nothing and wasn't rusty.

I'm in the Chicago burbs.

 

[mc4life27]

Thank you guys for the input I'm going to try and go see it tonight. I already have a couple other vise
That I beat on items with so this mainly would be just adding to my tool collection and more use it in times
Of using the vise I. The proper way and not beating it up to death. If I can get it for a better price then the 125 the. I will get it. If not I'm
Thinking I will go towards the fireball route.
Now exmaxima when you say forged steel vises are designed to hammer on, aren't both of them forget steal. The fireball one is a forged steel and the Morgan isn't it a ductile iron vise
Or wait the Morgan is a vast steel right?


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[exmaxima1]

Thinking I will go towards the fireball route.
Now exmaxima when you say forged steel vises are designed to hammer on, aren't both of them forget steal. The fireball one is a forged steel and the Morgan isn't it a ductile iron vise
Or wait the Morgan is a vast steel right?

My Ridgid forged vise has a hardened anvil that is engineered for hammering on it. Since it is steel, it shouldn't crack like a cast iron vise. Of course, you aren't supposed to beat it to death either....

That other vise is a Morgan Chicago, and I've read that it would be pre-1946, or so. Morgan changed owners to Morgan Aurora (very close to where I currently live), and later to Morgan Milwaukee. Don't know if any of them are ductile iron. I think the first ductile iron vises were Columbian starting in the 60's, and advertised them as "indestructible". In any case, Morgan Chicago made excellent vises and if the price is agreeable you will be very happy with that 145

 

[IdahoMan]

Bump for info on what type of metal the Morgan Chicago vises are made of. I have a 145 with a couple of small chunks missing and wondered if they could be filled via welding and what type of rod/metal to use.

 

[exmaxima1]

Per Morgan:

"The following details of construction are found in all Mor¬
gan Vises:

Castings. Castings are made of charcoal iron, which is an iron of an
unusual degree of fineness. Ordinary gray iron is very porous, and
while strong, has not the long life qualities of charcoal iron. The break¬
ing strain of charcoal iron is about 40% greater than for gray iron.
In the metalworking vises the sliding bar is accurately milled and
properly fitted to the opening which is broached by special, heavy,
expensive machinery."

https://archive.org/stream/MorganViseCo1930/Morgan Vise Co 1930_djvu.txt