Huge Vise

[imdoinitnow]

I recently acquired a huge vise.
It is a 6", weighs about 70 lb.
It has adjustable ways on one side which makes me think it is some kind of precision vise. I have never seen one like this.
The mark on it looks like a backwards F, a forward P, inside of a U.
Does anyone know who might have made this, and what it is exactly.
I got it to resell but I would like to know more about it.
Thanks for any help.
This is my first time posting here.

 

[Billythekid1]

Fpu vise does the jaw open backwards?

 

[PugetDude]

Sorry to burst your bubble but 70 pound isn't huge...

Post pics if you need help identifying/pricing it.

 

[JimNC]

Sounds like an FPU Bison, there have been a couple cleaned up by GJ members, here is a nice example from a member who has questionable taste in college sports.

 

[woody 73]

Sorry op you do not have a "Huge" vise, more like a little baby vise but still a very nice vise!

Some pictures for you, (largest vise on paper that I looked at was a 600 lb. railroad vise).:


https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/43919-whats-the-biggest-vise-youve-seen/

 

[woody 73]

Found it...See post #12

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=392662


That op is one Mother of all vises!

 

[shanny19]

Sorry to burst your bubble but 70 pound isn't huge...
.

Nice find OP, but, yeah you've got us all playing Sherlock Holmes....... Let's see, you didn't grow up in logging country, you've never seen the bowels of a mine, or the caverns of a railroad roundhouse.....

 

[Billythekid1]

I think it weighs more then 70 if it's a 6"

 

[imdoinitnow]

Thanks, It looks like the one in your picture, except not cleaned up.
Do you know what FPU stands for or who made it ?
( 70 lbs IS huge when an old man is trying to pick it up.
Thanks

 

[JimNC]

Thanks, It looks like the one in your picture, except not cleaned up.
Do you know what FPU stands for or who made it ?
( 70 lbs IS huge when an old man is trying to pick it up.
Thanks

I don’t recall, but made in Poland.

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

delete

 

[Fretters]

Do you know what FPU stands for or who made it ?

Bison-Bial.

 

[JimNC]

Worth mentioning that Bison made 4 jaw chucks for lathes, I think they were well regarded, at least I liked mine. I expect that it is well made, and I’d buy one just for the fun of restoring it, but I can’t think of a good application for a vise with a fixed front jaw and dynamic rear jaw so it’d just be an oddity on a shelf.

 

[Billythekid1]

Fabryka Przyrazow Uchwytow

 

[BFBOB]

- Bison, also three jaw automatic lathe chucks. That's what came on my Buffalo 9x20.
Works fine.

 

[imdoinitnow]

Thanks for the help.
Any ideas what it might be worth in unrestored condition ?
Probably going to put on Craigslist.

 

[Shelbylex]

Please post a picture and your location - hard to advise if we can not see it and price really depends on location

 

[WZRoberts]

My rule of thumb is to look at the asking prices on eBay and ask for 2/3 of that. Sell for 1/2!

Funny, today I was given a vise by an older gentleman because (among other things) he couldn't pick it up. I agreed to take it, he asked "how will we load it?" and I picked it up and put it in the back of my truck (tailgate down). Lift with the legs, not the back!

 

[zkling]

The larger FPU vises are pretty well known for cracks at the gib screws. They are a neat vise, but not the most practical for general shop use.

 

[55chevy]

I was just gifted this FPU Vise. Just cleaned it up a bit. Lucky day

 

[slowtwitch73]

They are great vises. I sold my 4" Wilton bullet... much prefer my 6" FPU

 

[55chevy]

Thanks for your response. I'm bolting mine down tomorrow.