Columbia D43 1/2 and Reed 2c

[cudamank]

Hi, decided to pull out my grandfathers shop vice and want to restore it. Its still mounted to a plate on a pipe cemented to a car wheel. Im 48 so i figure its close to that age.

I also have a Reed 2C vise. It came with the workbench, from an older gentleman. Probably about my grandfathers age. Looking to find out about them, mostly their age.

Appreciate the site and the knowledge.

 

[Maui]

My Reed 2C has a flat nose at the end of the screw instead of the round ball that I see on your vise. I think your 's must be older than mine...

 

[gman007]

Hi, decided to pull out my grandfathers shop vice and want to restore it. Its still mounted to a plate on a pipe cemented to a car wheel. Im 48 so i figure its close to that age.

I also have a Reed 2C vise. It came with the workbench, from an older gentleman. Probably about my grandfathers age. Looking to find out about them, mostly their age.

Appreciate the site and the knowledge.

CUD Welcome to the GJ. The Columbian D43 1/2 is an ok vise. It was a mechanics vise for home use and manufactured in 50s-70s.

Your Reed 2C on the other hand is one of the finest vises. It is not only a machinists vise which are much higher quality than mechanics vises but also Reed itself is in much higher class than Colombian. Your Reed 2C is an older one probably manufactured between 1900-1930. Maui mentioned that his 2C looks a bit different. His 2C was probably manufactured after 1942 and is contemporary of the Reed R series vises which have the distinct flat nose, oil hole, split collar and the later models also have replaceable jaw inserts


Believe or not there 100s of GJ members who are vise enthusiasts (polite way of saying the are vise addicts ). In fact there are several threads dedicated to vises. The main thread which has over nearly 3300 pages!

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44782

There is also a smaller offshoot dedicated for repair and restoration of the vises
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252830

I suggest you visit these threads and if you have any questions or need help myself and many others on these threads would be happy to assist you.

PS
Here is a photo of newer Reed 2C with the features that I described above

 

[drivesitfar]

Cuda: I'll confirm what 007 wrote and I agree that the Reed 2c you own is one of the best vises made in that era of non throw away tools. i've got both versions of the pre 1950's made Reed 2c's and love them both. Reed also made an older model pre 1930 (ish) of the 2c that is a #32 with a different type of swivel.

here's a few pictures of my Reed 2c's and since I don't own a #32 here's a #31 that is just a little smaller version of the #32.

your Columbian is a good working vise and since it was your gramps I'd clean it up and put it to use. I know more than a few very handy guys with that Columbian as their go to vise in their big shops.

nice finds and welcome to GJ!!

 

[bluebolt]

cudamank, I think your Reed is very late 1930's or early 1940's. It looks like it has the split collar which came out around 1938.