Picked up a vise being thrown away.

[Fordguy1964]

So I was driving to work yesterday and found a vise sitting on top of someone's trash can. It is functional but in really poor shape. For some reason someone has tried to weld the jaws onto the vise. I still have not figured out why.


Is this a good brand? Are there any parts available or will I have to fabricate whatever I get?

 

[Packard V8]

Parker is one of the better USA vises ever made. If it were mine, I'd run it through the shot blaster and get a base metal look at condition. Some here prefer evaporust or electrolysis; whatever.

The welding kluge may be because there haven't been replacement Parker jaws forever and even if/when there were, they're a huge PITA to remove and then hand-fit the new ones.

Clean it and decide how much time it's worth investing.

jack vines

 

[Duke74]

I will give u a dollar for it. You would be making a 100% profit

 

[Duke74]

Great find though! I would have grabbed it in a heartbeat.

 

[exmaxima1]

Looks like it was welded because the support was broken off. I don't think I would spend too much effort restoring that mess

 

[Ryan_340]

Why not clean it up, smooth out the welds on the jaws and use it!

 

[B_Bimmer]

Looks like a user to me.

 

[Shiftless]

Looks like it was welded because the support was broken off. I don't I would spend too much effort restoring that mess

I agree. The jaw support on the dynamic is broken. Compare the area circled in red on your vise with the same area on a really nice Parker I found online.
But if you want a user, you have a user. I assume the welds are solid and the jaws don’t wobble.
It will never be a museum piece but congrats on rescuing a Parker from a fiery death in a smelter somewhere.

 

[Old Man Roger]

If it squeezes stuff, I would use it to squeeze stuff lol

 

[WAS Jr]

That's a damned shame. That vise, based on the style of lettering on the vise, probably dates from the 1890s. Bubba finally found a way to ruin it, then ruin it worse in that repair. That vise had put in honest work for half the time this country has been in existence. Who knows what stories it could tell.
Bill S

 

[anndel]

Awesome find, you ****. I would clean it then see if the welds could be cut off and grind the the welds/jaws smooth. The search for replacement jaws. That's a big find, I've seen something worse here on Craigslist go for $450 and someone bought it.

 

[Sleeper]

That looks like a good user or a great project. If you’re looking to give restoring it a shot there are lots of videos on YouTube that can help. I watched this one the other day, I have no connection to the guy but I thought the video did a nice job to talking through the processes he used to restore a nice old Parker with welded on jaws similar to yours.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Even as a restoration project (which is what I'd do) or a working beater, getting a Charles Parker for free? You ****!

I'd clean it, tear it down, grind out the welded mess, build it back up, make jaws if you need to, fix any small issues you find, and put it back together... and THEN I'd use it.

I have a brass jaw (which was the best part of it) Wilton non-swivel bullet like that, It wasn't broken but it had a hard, hard life... cleaned it up, fixed the decades of abuse, re-trued the jaws, lubed and painted it, and it's a performer living it's second career.

 

[IndyGarage]

That is a great vise. I would take a sanding disc to the weld joints and clean them up.

I had one just about like that. It's the nicest vise I've ever used. I'd take it apart, wire brush it, tape it off, spray paint it with some satin finish rustoleum and grease the nut when you put it back together.

About an hours work - bolt it to your bench for the next 20 years or so - before it will need anything.

 

[splicedude]

So I was driving to work yesterday and found a vise sitting on top of someone's trash can. It is functional but in really poor shape. For some reason someone has tried to weld the jaws onto the vise. I still have not figured out why.


Is this a good brand? Are there any parts available or will I have to fabricate whatever I get?

 

[splicedude]

I aquired this. Hoping I can repair shelf.
Wilton 500s I think 5" jaws.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

That's a damned shame. That vise, based on the style of lettering on the vise, probably dates from the 1890s. Bubba finally found a way to ruin it, then ruin it worse in that repair. That vise had put in honest work for half the time this country has been in existence. Who knows what stories it could tell.
Bill S

That vise was designed, built and sold to be used. The weld job may be older, done more work and held up longer than many tool polishers/collectors will attempt in their lifetimes. Not pretty but appears to be functional and doesn't look like it's failing.

Damage and alterations are part of it's history. If I found that (assuming it works at even a basic level) I'd find a place to bolt it down and put it to use.