Rock Island Vice

[captjack]

Good morning:
After many years absent from the farm, I am finally back and going through all the items.
Among them I have a Rock Island vice that is in excellent condition.
This is in excess of my needs and I have disassembled it to check for any hidden problem which there are none.
I am cleaning it up and will be offering it for sale. I am not painting it as I do not know what color the eventual owner would like.
My question is: What venue should I offer the vice?
I have ebay, facebook and, of course, here.
Have a wonderful day.
captjack

 

[Packard V8]

Any large vise is a PITA to crate for shipment and expensive for the purchaser.

Give it up on craigslist for your local and surrounding areas. Costs nothing and a buyer can pay you part of the cost of shipping and still be ahead and you won't have the hassle of building the crate.

jack vines

 

[captjack]

Good morning and thank you for the comment.
That, Craig's List, is one of the venue's I considered.
I am very much willing to deliver about 500 miles from the farm and at only $.50 per mile one way.
Again, thank you
captjack

 

[captjack]

Here are a few of the photos I took of the vice this morning.
The brass tag reads: Manufactured by
Birman Electrical Company
Rock Island Division
Rock Island Illinois
Made in the United States of America
The only 'strange' thing I can find is the jaw plate. (see photos below)
I will take a photo of the entire assembled vice soon.
I also need to find out how to post photographs here.
Thank you all.
captjack

 

[captjack]

I guess I need 5 or more post to be able to put the photos up.
So here is number 4.

Thank you
captjack

 

[captjack]

This should be post #5 and meet the requirements for posting photos or URL's.
captjack

 

[captjack]

I hope this works to show the photographs.
https://captjack1.imgur.com/all
If not I really need some help with this.
Thank you
captjack

 

[txlonghorn1989]

It's not intuitive to post pics on GJ but it isn't that hard once you get the hang of it. While posting a reply, click on the little paper clip (if you don't see it you need to click on 'Go Advanced' button. From clicking on the paper clip you can select the pics from your PC you want to post. You will have to upload them as well. When you have all the pics you wanna post uploaded you can lower that window and either preview your reply or submit it. Good luck.

 

[captjack]

Good morning and thank you so much.
I was becoming paranoid thinking the site was after me.
I shall post them at first chance today.
Have a great day
captjack

 

[captjack]

To Shiftless and others.
I can't seem to be able to answer emails...and I do not know why yet be aware that I thank you all for your comments...
Have a great day
captjack

 

[Packard V8]

Good morning and thank you for the comment.
That, Craig's List, is one of the venue's I considered.
I am very much willing to deliver about 500 miles from the farm and at only $.50 per mile one way.
Again, thank you
captjack

Well, personal delivery is a seldom seen option, but captjack, that's potentially a $250 trip charge; so just how much are you expecting your Rock Island vise is worth? FWIW, I've never paid $250 for any of the several large vises I've owned over the years.

jack vines

 

[captjack]

Good morning:
A Rock Island like mine except in very poor (in my eyes) condition just went for $475.00 at David Beards Auction here in East Texas.
I am sure I can work out a delivery that will please everyone.
Yet, of course, I am not going to let the vice go at those low prices that are being mentioned. I can just keep it and put it as a spare just in case.
Have a wonderful day
captjack

 

[Corndoggeh]

Crating a vise is easy. Ive done vises and tool boxes. Pick a cardboard box and build the crate inside it by nailing through the cardboard, mount and pack the vise and put the top on it.

Id also love to see pics of that rock island. Rarely are old vises in good enough shape to be worth the money they go for. Ive seen old wiltons and athol vises sell for double what morgan milwaukee vises go for new.

 

[Shiftless]

To Shiftless and others.
I can't seem to be able to answer emails...and I do not know why yet be aware that I thank you all for your comments...
Have a great day
captjack

Thanks captjack!
That auction price for a rough condition RI vise is puzzling.
I have 2 RI vises in that size range and in pretty good condition. I’d be happy to sell anyone BOTH of them for that price.
If you’d like some more input or maybe firm offers, you’ll have to post more pictures. In addition to this thread you started, GJ has a Classified section for members to sell tools and garage stuff.

Packers V8 has a good point. A vise has to be very exceptional to pay that much for delivery.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

A Rock Island like mine except in very poor (in my eyes) condition just went for $475.00 at David Beards Auction here in East Texas.

If your "like mine" reference is to the Birtman Electric (bought Rock Island in 1930) Rock Island "574" (swivel base, 4-1/2" jaws) vise that you posted a few photos of in the 'Vises of GJ' thread two days ago, linked here, $475 is about $400 more than the average going rate for a decent 1930's-1940's era Rock Island 574 vise. Ironically, the last Rock Island 574 that I can recall popping up here in conversation on GJ was bought in Texas for $25 and a 2-hour drive. Link here. Sonny (thehorse13) paid $100 for one a few years ago, linked here. They are popular, respected vises, but they are not commanding those kinds of prices. They usually go for somewhere in between those two numbers. Higher only in like-mint restored conditions.

That auction price for a rough condition RI vise is puzzling.

Puzzling is not the word I would choose!

 

[Packard V8]

A Rock Island like mine except in very poor (in my eyes) condition just went for $475.00 at David Beards Auction here in East Texas

Thanks captjack!
That auction price for a rough condition RI vise is puzzling.

Any auction price is a one-time-random-event. The sell prices bear little relationship to the real world retail.

Only slightly OT, but a friend watching an auction on TV, saw some hotrods no better than his sell for sky-high prices at an auction. Thinking he'd like some of that, he consigned his to the same company at another venue and date. Sadly, he believed the BS on their website.

2. What is the benefit of selling a vehicle at No Reserve?
No Reserve attracts serious bidders. A vehicle being sold at No Reserve indicates that it will be going home with the highest bidder, generating true auction block excitement – which typically equates to higher bids.

They ran his car through early in the day, early in the week when the high rollers were not yet there or still in bed with hangovers. Without a reserve, he lost his *** on the sell price; then, the auction company subtracted the 8% fee they charged, plus he had paid them an entry fee for them to lose him the money.

Your results may vary.

jack vines

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Any auction price is a one-time-random-event. The sell prices bear little relationship to the real world retail.

Very true, jack. My reaction goes beyond a freak anomaly, though. Frankly, I don't believe it's true. I'm not calling captjack a liar. Either it wasn't a routine Rock Island 574, or it didn't sell for $475. One or the other. If I'm proven wrong, I'll gladly eat crow for it. But that's about 6 x the going rate. Something is amiss.

Linked here is what I consider a top notch example of an original (un-restored) Birtman era Rock Island 574 in very good condition going at public auction for $140.

 

[Shiftless]

Puzzling is not the word I would choose!

I used that word because I like comic understatement.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I used that word because I like comic understatement.

My apologies, Shiftless! My dry humor meter is on the fritz.

 

[Shiftless]

No problem Lugz.

Here is a very similiar one on eBay now. The Rock Island 542bx has 4 1/2 inch wide jaws and weighs IIRC 80 pounds.
Formerly listed at 465
Didn’t sell
Lowered to 350 buy it now. Still available for pick up in southern CA which is a high priced area.

Look at the picture below...it is beautiful!

BTW, I have a 542bx in my collection but it is unrestored. It’s in very good original condition and bears the Birtman Electric Tag. I think I paid about $75 for mine. It was advertised on my local Craigslist and had been listed for a couple of days before I went over and bought it.

 

[captjack]

How do you wish you crow cooked?
Have a great day....
captjack

 

[captjack]

I think I shall just keep the vice and use it for a show piece as, as many of you have stated, it has no real value.
I very much appreciate all the comments and suggestions.
Have a great day.
captjack

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here is a very similiar one on eBay now. The Rock Island 542bx has 4 1/2 inch wide jaws and weighs IIRC 80 pounds.
Formerly listed at 465
Didn’t sell
Lowered to 350 buy it now. Still available for pick up in southern CA which is a high priced area.

Look at the picture below...it is beautiful!

I don't like red, but someone did a nice restoration, I agree. At $350 it will sit longer if I had to bet, even in SoCal.

BTW, I have a 542bx in my collection but it is unrestored. It’s in very good original condition and bears the Birtman Electric Tag. I think I paid about $75 for mine. It was advertised on my local Craigslist and had been listed for a couple of days before I went over and bought it.

Sounds about right. I would normally think $140 for an original unrestored high, but you can just tell from the original finish, the condition of the jaws, and the stance that the vise in that NC public auction I linked was used right and well-maintained.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

How do you wish you crow cooked?

When I stick my neck out as far as I just did, raw, of course! But I must've missed something. Did you prove me wrong somewhere? If so, the link or photo didn't work.

 

[Shiftless]

I think I shall just keep the vice and use it for a show piece as, as many of you have stated, it has no real value.
I very much appreciate all the comments and suggestions.
Have a great day.
captjack

Of course it has value!
Use it for what it was designed to do. RI’s are great vises. Very well built and will hold up to any reasonable use for generations of users. They just don’t command big price tags right now.

BTW, like lugz, I couldn’t open your link to the photos. I have the Imgur app and even searched for your picture gallery by your name. No captjack1 although there is a captjack8.

 

[bluebolt]

Some of the pictures are here. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7642733&postcount=68809

 

[kenc184]

Is that last picture one of the jaws? Holy moly, if so it flies in the face of "outstanding" condition.