I acquired a Rock Island #53 vise the other day and knew I had to have it as soon as i saw it. I cleaned it up a bit and discovered it is missing the swivel lock. The only other information I have on it is that it had the number 84 stamped on it in two different places. My first google search found it in a 1920 catalogue. I am trying to figure out what year it was made.
Rock Island # 53 vise
- Thread starter jaygo
- Start date
thehorse13
Well-known member
Your vise is very early. See how it says, "Rock Island Manufacturing Company"? It could be as early as 1910-1920 or there abouts.
The swivel lock is missing but that jaw pin is not right either. It's hard to tell but it looks like a homemade job.
Overall, you found yourself a really nice extremely early example of a Rock Island vise. Good grab.
The swivel lock is missing but that jaw pin is not right either. It's hard to tell but it looks like a homemade job.
Overall, you found yourself a really nice extremely early example of a Rock Island vise. Good grab.
Shiftless
Well-known member
Nice find! 
You should make a tapered pin to fit into that hole. A threaded bolt will just gouge things up.
As far as the lockdown is concerned, you could just get the proper sized acorn nut and run with that. Easy upgrade. That’s what I did with this Wilton C1.
What is the thread size? I have some large lockdowns with 3/4 inch thread.
You should make a tapered pin to fit into that hole. A threaded bolt will just gouge things up.
As far as the lockdown is concerned, you could just get the proper sized acorn nut and run with that. Easy upgrade. That’s what I did with this Wilton C1.
What is the thread size? I have some large lockdowns with 3/4 inch thread.
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Chris Christiansen
Well-known member
Cool find! As you prolly already know, there's a helpful Rock Island vise string you might check out. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/rock-island-vises-history-info.124285/
I wouldn't mind gloming onto a lockdown for that vise and could always just make the bolt part. Did you have a price in mind for the lockdown?Nice find!
You should make a tapered pin to fit into that hole. A threaded bolt will just gouge things up.
As far as the lockdown is concerned, you could just get the proper sized acorn nut and run with that. Easy upgrade. That’s what I did with this Wilton C1.
What is the thread size? I have some large lockdowns with 3/4 inch thread.
That thread is pretty interesting Thank you
Shiftless
Well-known member
Do you have room for a big, 3/4 inch bolt to come up through the base? Probably not.
If you could get a threaded bushing to adapt a half inch bolt to 3/4 it might work.
Let me know if you want to proceed.
A 3/4 bolt would work, here are some photos to illustrate that, I would actually cut the head off of the bolt and weld it to the plate.
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Shiftless
Well-known member
2 3/8 inches tall
1 inch in diameter
Has a through hole 3/8 inch in diameter
As you see, there is no handle. Make your own with an appropriate length or salvage one from a big C clamp. I have seen OK handles made from nuts and bolts with the hex ends rounded off.
I made a vise handle from a length of steel rod and two set screw bushings. Not the best but for a guy like me who doesn’t weld, OK enough.
Will this work for you?
1 inch in diameter
Has a through hole 3/8 inch in diameter
As you see, there is no handle. Make your own with an appropriate length or salvage one from a big C clamp. I have seen OK handles made from nuts and bolts with the hex ends rounded off.
I made a vise handle from a length of steel rod and two set screw bushings. Not the best but for a guy like me who doesn’t weld, OK enough.
Will this work for you?
Shiftless
Well-known member
Would you like me to ship it in a small flat rate box or something else?
I don’t have a price in mind. postage plus what ever you think is fair.
Whatever you do, don’t buy this one listed now on eBay. Crazy money.
Do you do PayPal?
I don’t have a price in mind. postage plus what ever you think is fair.
Whatever you do, don’t buy this one listed now on eBay. Crazy money.
Do you do PayPal?
Shiftless
Well-known member
I assume you have a US mailing address.
If you PayPal me $20, I will send you that part in a flat rate box with Priority shipping and tracking. Since we don’t know each other, you should use PayPal goods and services rather than friends in order to get protection through PayPal. If you don’t get the item, PayPal goes after me. I will absorb the small fee for that.
Don’t Post your address here on a public forum. Use the private message feature.
I hope that’s OK with you.
If you PayPal me $20, I will send you that part in a flat rate box with Priority shipping and tracking. Since we don’t know each other, you should use PayPal goods and services rather than friends in order to get protection through PayPal. If you don’t get the item, PayPal goes after me. I will absorb the small fee for that.
Don’t Post your address here on a public forum. Use the private message feature.
I hope that’s OK with you.
Sorry for the delayed response, my ADD kicked in and I got distracted with other things
So I received the lock down clamping nut from Shiftless and this is what I have been able to get done with it so far. As time allows I will unscrew it, weld it up some more and do a better job of filling-grinding it into a more aesthetic form. Thank you Shiftless for sending me the part I needed.
