MORGAN AURORA 88 Rebuild

[Built To Work]

I scored an old vice from my buddy for a case of beer. It's a Morgan Aurora 88.
You Tubed it and apparently Morgan moved shop to Aurora sometime in the 70's ish. Before being bought by Milwaukee.
It is useable, but in rough shape - but with some searching in this forum and google, I was able to find parts for it (hopefully).

Milwaukee Tool & Equipment Company

And now to the pictures:

Before tear down:








And the tear down:

 

[Built To Work]

Found some issues - the screws were bent, so I had to rotate the screws, then beat the jaws to bend them back enough for extraction:
Issue #1




Issue #2

The retaining collar on the screw shaft was cut - causing play when tightening and loosing:


Issue #3
Missing parts:
Some of the clamp parts are missing and the square head screw (on the left)

 

[Built To Work]

Now I have to buy a parts cleaner!

 

[Built To Work]

The Parts I need ~$160.00





I hope I can get them, will try this week.

 

[M635_Guy]

This forum has some of the broadest vintage-vise experience on the internet. I'd guess some of them are subscribed to that thread and might not be watching the rest of GJ traffic. If you're not connected to them, I'd highly recommend it.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Good luck with getting the pipe jaws. i have an 87 vise which is smaller with 4.5” wide jaws. It has the “old style” pipe jaws similar to yours, which #15 are no longer available. Hopefully they have some NOS ones around for the 88.

 

[Built To Work]

This forum has some of the broadest vintage-vise experience on the internet. I'd guess some of them are subscribed to that thread and might not be watching the rest of GJ traffic. If you're not connected to them, I'd highly recommend it.

Great advice, will do!

 

[Fierljeppen]

Wow! That's a really rare and first Morgan "Aurora" combination vise that I've seen. The Morgan Vise Co. changed ownership and moved from Chicago to Aurora in 1968, before being acquired by the Milwaukee Tool & Equipment Co. in 1972, so there aren't a lot of Morgan "Aurora" vises of any model out there.

Your vise is a derivative of the 1865 Dart patent vise and was produced by many vise companies over the years.



That's a truly proven workhorse of a vise and I hope you're able to restore it to a condition that pleases you and allows you to use as necessary.

 

[Built To Work]

Your vise is a derivative of the 1865 Dart patent vise and was produced by many vise companies over the years.

Interesting, thanks! Patent# 49094 (numerical palindrome)

Good luck with getting the pipe jaws. i have an 87 vise which is smaller with 4.5” wide jaws. It has the “old style” pipe jaws similar to yours, which #15 are no longer available. Hopefully they have some NOS ones around for the 88.

They just E-mailed me and said the parts are in-stock!
Has anyone ordered from milwtool.com before?

 

[Built To Work]

Well... They sent me a parts catalog, but it only lists the whole vice.
I'll call them and see if I can just buy the parts I want.

 

[decableguy2000]

Here's an older price list. Should get you in the ball park maybe. Milwaukee Tool has been very helpful for me. I have 2 Morgans.

 

[Built To Work]

Here's an older price list. Should get you in the ball park maybe. Milwaukee Tool has been very helpful for me. I have 2 Morgans

Thank You!

 

[Mgdoug3]

I ordered new jaws for my Morgan Chicago 45. They had the jaws in stock and I'm fairly sure new screws came with the jaws. I don't remember ordering the screws separately but I installed the jaws with new screws.