Reed Vise 31

[ldg397]

Well I bought a Reed Vise 31 in really great condition or so I thought until I cleaned it a little bit. Has sure signs of brazing the moveable jaw back together. Whoever did it did a great job feathering it back in but it is going to bother me.

Luckily I didn’t pay much for it. Was thinking about parting it out to get my money back. Anyone working on a restoration and need quality parts for one??

 

[TheRealZeus]

Keep thinking! Perhaps you can fix it! whether you do, or decide to piece her out, pics are awesome.

Here is a link to the parts swap thread, should you choose too part her out;

The Unofficial Vise Parts Swap Thread.

I've been noticing lots of posts of people finding vises with broken or missing parts. I've been meaning to start a thread, so here it is. Need a part? Got some parts?

www.garagejournal.com

 

[PierceA]

I purchased an early Wilton No. 4, and a later Reed 206R today.
The Wilton is either during WWII, or just after. The date stamp is 2-945 ? Which might mean February 9th, 1945? Or ?
The retaining pin for the nut is low, well below centerline like the later Wiltons.
But so far all the 'fish hook' No. 4's I've seen have a smooth cylindrical dynamic adjacent to the swivel lock nuts.
This one has a cast in recess, like in anticipation of having the later lock nuts with the slide through handle. But it has Acorn nuts.
The swivel base is in excellent condition but of course it may have been replaced.
The jaws are missing.. I will likely make a set of jaws with the straight-line ribs instead of serrations. But i'm not sure if that type
of jaw is correct for a Wilton of this vintage?
I assume there is a dedicated 'Wilton vise' thread that might have some additional info for me to read?
Can someone post a link to any Wilton thread if there is one.. ?

Regarding the Reed 206R, this one was used as a holding fixture for a LOT of arc welding. A lot of splatter and plenty had been ground off the jaw towers.. The swivel base has had some welding repairs done on it. they look 'workman-like' but not cosmetically appealing..
I still need to soak the paint off the dynamic and static.. I can see a trace of a date stamp on the dynamic.. but will have to wait to find it on the static..

So I might use this Reed as my daily driver/ welding vise.. The imported 6" rotator I've been using [abusing] is often a problem because it only opens to 6", the Reed will open to I think 12". I need to measure.
I didn't take a photo of the 'meatball', but it is the later 'hockey puck' style. And the mainscrew nut is a forged one, and has the tightest fitting dovetail I think I've ever seen. and the split-pin for taking up the free play in the nut.

The Reed R models are really nice, tough vises. I believe I will enjoy using a Reed again as my daily driver. I used to have a 204 1/2 R as my user vise.. but I cleaned it up and it is 'retired' to a shelf/rack.

PierceA