help with information on this vise?

[damnesia]

I've been hem hawing about buying a vise. Today my wife talked me into it because I was driving her crazy thinking and talking about it. I ended up getting what I feel is an okay deal on it. I wasn't familiar with the shape of the jaws and I can't find a lot of pictures or information about it. I've seen more pics of ones like it by other manufacturers and some times it's referred to as a coach builders, coach makers or sheet metal vise. Or that it they were intended for wood. The handle, which looks original, is 14" long and this thing about 50-60 pounds. Seems like it would crush wood even if one was trying to be careful. Definitely needs new jaws, other than that no repairs or cracks, and some of what looks like original black paint. It's a Columbia 124-1/2, which seems to indicate it opens 12" and has 4-1/2" wide jaws. I'm sure someone on this forum can provide me with more info.

 

[Provincial]

That is a Coachmaker's Vise. It is made for holding wood that is being carved on. The jaws are tall and angled so the worker could have better access for carving. They are very good for their designed purpose.

This type of vise is not strong enough for general shop use. Hammering or twisting on metal can overstress the jaws and break them. Your vise exhibits damage from such misuse. If you are going to be using your vise for general mechanics or forming steel, trade this one off for a sturdier vise.

 

[damnesia]

That is a Coachmaker's Vise. It is made for holding wood that is being carved on. The jaws are tall and angled so the worker could have better access for carving. They are very good for their designed purpose.

This type of vise is not strong enough for general shop use. Hammering or twisting on metal can overstress the jaws and break them. Your vise exhibits damage from such misuse. If you are going to be using your vise for general mechanics or forming steel, trade this one off for a sturdier vise.

Thanks for the info. I might try to trade this off if I can find someone local who wants it. I also might just keep it. I haven't seen or heard of one of these before I looked at this one, might be cool just to have around.

 

[Carla]

You've a really early (1920's or earlier) Columbian coach-makers' vise, to be sure.

Cleaning up and re-fitting the jaw faces should be easy, and that vise is well worth keeping to use if you do any woodworking. A common practice was to glue in replaceable 'pads' of sheet cork or balsa wood to protect delicate wooden parts.

cheers

Carla

 

[damnesia]

I don't work with wood enough to use this vise. I'll probably just have it kicking around the shop until someone who does work with wood is interested in it. I'll probably see about getting new jaw covers for it.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[2oolhound]

I can see having something like that around. A lot of the time you're using a vise there is not a lot of stress being put on the vise. That one has very little restriction for working near your work so it would be nice for things like die grinding and filing and similar light duty tasks.

 

[damnesia]

It's turning out to be harder than I originally planned to find the jaw inserts. It's usable for some stuff the way it is, but I'd sure like to have new jaws. I've looked online and can't find them. Also, I have contacted benchvicejaws.com and they are not interested in making a set. I don't have a milling machine, although I do have a lathe with a milling attachment and I was thinking about trying to give it a go. But since I know nothing about what type of material I would make them from and a lathe milling attachment isn't such a great setup, I wanted to ask here to see if any of you have leads on how to get these made.

Thanks.

 

[eddieK]

Why not clean them up and cover them with cork or balsa?

 

[damnesia]

Why not clean them up and cover them with cork or balsa?

That was a quick response. Covering them would make it better for sure, and I'll probably give it a try. One of the inserts doesn't sit flush with the jaw anymore, but with cork it might compress enough to make it not matter much. Thanks for you're reply.

 

[jimreed2160]

If you post a query on the VISE REPAIR thread, you should receive some responses on your jaw inserts. Our own KMScott makes them.

As for your vise, it is pretty rare. Coachmakers vises are used and much appreciated by woodworkers--I have an old Parker in my woodshop. If you post some questions on one of the VISE threads I am sure you can find someone who wants to trade. GJ is a place where ViseHounds hang out and several of us have a, um, FEW vises on hand.

 

[G-ManBart]

If you post a query on the VISE REPAIR thread, you should receive some responses on your jaw inserts. Our own KMScott makes them.

As for your vise, it is pretty rare. Coachmakers vises are used and much appreciated by woodworkers--I have an old Parker in my woodshop. If you post some questions on one of the VISE threads I am sure you can find someone who wants to trade. GJ is a place where ViseHounds hang out and several of us have a, um, FEW vises on hand.

The OP mentioned he contacted Kevin through his website. I know from talking to him that he's swamped just keeping up with the parts he already supplies and he's working 6, sometimes 7, days a week.

For the OP, I think the only solution is likely to find a small, local machine shop to make a set. Any decent machinist can make them, but the price might make it so you can't get your money back out if you sell it.

 

[davethorik]

It's turning out to be harder than I originally planned to find the jaw inserts. It's usable for some stuff the way it is, but I'd sure like to have new jaws. I've looked online and can't find them. Also, I have contacted benchvicejaws.com and they are not interested in making a set. I don't have a milling machine, although I do have a lathe with a milling attachment and I was thinking about trying to give it a go. But since I know nothing about what type of material I would make them from and a lathe milling attachment isn't such a great setup, I wanted to ask here to see if any of you have leads on how to get these made.

Thanks.

Why not? No need to get anything fancy for jaws. You could use brass, which is generally easy to machine. Could be a fun project and save you $ from having a machine shop do it.

 

[drivesitfar]

Damnesia: if you tell me where Gilligan's Island is we might be local or is it a 3 HOUR TOUR.

i'm not a huge fan of Columibians, but i probably have a standard Columbian bench vise to trade you if you just need a good vise and i'll put yours on a shelf until later when i decide what to do with it.

i live in South Seattle, but as my handle implies i have driven a few miles to buy or trade tools so send me a PM with your location and an email if you might be interested in a trade rather than trying to repair yours.

 

[damnesia]

Damnesia: if you tell me where Gilligan's Island is we might be local or is it a 3 HOUR TOUR.

i'm not a huge fan of Columibians, but i probably have a standard Columbian bench vise to trade you if you just need a good vise and i'll put yours on a shelf until later when i decide what to do with it.

i live in South Seattle, but as my handle implies i have driven a few miles to buy or trade tools so send me a PM with your location and an email if you might be interested in a trade rather than trying to repair yours.

Gilligan's Island is more commonly known as Vashon , so it sounds like we're fairly close geographically. This vise is sort of starting to grow on me but I'm not attached to it yet. PM sent.