Help identifying an old vice and tool box circa 1900

[THEFIX]

I was digging around the old family farm looking for new restoration projects and came across these two. The vice may have been part of an old piece of farm machinery possibly, I'm not sure. The screw only closes in the jaw a little bit, to really open it up, you pull the pin at the bottom and the whole jaw assembly extends out.

The tool box looks like maybe an old machinist's box?? The wood grooved section on the front fold down leads me in that direction. The history clues I have are sketchy at best, circa 1900, great grand dad worked at a Ford dealer in town around the Model T era. Close enough to metro Detroit it could have been from an automotive manufacturing source, no clear markings on either. Any help with ideas or original manufactures would be really appreciated. Thanks

 

[THEFIX]

Couple more shots

 

[ears]

The box looks like it was built for a set of some sort? Kind of reminds me of a valve seat grinder box.
Maybe something for front end work. The wood partitions could hold kingpin reamers?
Do the other compartments look like they were for general stuff or are they shaped to hold a specific item?

I have no clue really just posting so I can see when someone smarter than me figures it out.

 

[Packard V8]

That vise you've unearthed is sufficiently unique and sufficiently trashed to benefit from shot blasting, a proper sliding handle and a new wooden handle on that crazy second crank.

We'd appreciate some photos of the disassembled pieces to see how it all operates.

jack vines

 

[Outlawmws]

Please use Electrolysis if you decide to de-rust the vise. It is the least abrasive way to go about it. if you can't manage that (it really is an easy process, I can give you guidance...), try Evaporust. You want to preserve as much as you can of he original metal.

I've seen pics of a few of that type, and it's basically something a blacksmith might use for portable mobile operations (portable forge and that vise/anvil for say horseshoeing.)

The box somewhat resemble the very early Plomb boxes in some ways...

Cool Finds!

 

[JASTECH]

What Jack & Outlaw say is the way to go. Keep Great Gpa's stuff looking good, nice memory of and for him.

 

[spongerich]

On similar vises I've seen, that crank handle was used to turn a grinding wheel.

 

[Gort the giant robot]

I have the anvil half of you vise. Someone told me that is a ships vise. 2 tools in one to save weight. I bought the anvil half i have at a flea market for $15.00 a few years ago. Kinda light duty for any heavy hammering.

Gort.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

I second the suggestion of valve seat grinder set for the box.

 

[CouchSpring]

You are missing the drill press part and the grinding wheel.