demographic
Well-known member
The end vise is on and the bench is nearly finished. Just need to drill some bench dog holes but didn't have it in me today to do the drilling after wrestling with that vise for about two hours.
Good bench.
The VISES of Garage Journal
- Thread starter mjozefow
- Start date
Good bench.
vintage tools rule
New member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2011
- Messages
- 2
Greetings all,
Love the vise resto's!
Who ever thought there were so many different types.
They are art in metal.
Here's one I restored recently. I liked the shape and size for my welding table.
To my knowledge, it is early 60's
before
after
Love the vise resto's!
Who ever thought there were so many different types.
They are art in metal.
Here's one I restored recently. I liked the shape and size for my welding table.
To my knowledge, it is early 60's
before
after
kissmeimgerman
Well-known member
Finally took a few pics of my Columbian, she isn't purty or large but she works.
Some day I would like to do a nice restoration.
Some day I would like to do a nice restoration.
I bought a hunk of paint yesterday from CL and found a Wilton vise in it!
I had to remove some paint to reveal what looks like "C1165." I assume that means a 5" model C1, right? Date is 2-78 and looks great on the inside. Hopefully when I remove the rest of the paint there will be no surprisses.
That looks to be the big 500N. Might have a jem there once you remove all that paint. Don't dip it. Spray stripper works very well on vises. Very nice.
TreePointer
Well-known member
Thanks, autopts. I was going to try a 3M Clean & Strip disc, but I think I'll try that spray stripper. It certainly sounds more gentle.
As is, it's around 80 lbs and has a very smooth action. The dust cap is dinged up, but is still attached. A farm/feed store was getting rid of a lot of older equipment, and I was happy to see it so close to home. I actually caught a whiff of manure when I slid the dynamic jaw out.
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Finally got a pic of my resto. It wasn't really in bad shape, but it was fun to do the work.
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VCTskH2gfCk244nRa3d_FQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nc35b9utveI/Tr28gyS3DVI/AAAAAAAADds/_XpZEbBAL2o/s800/IMG00020-20111111-1205.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/dseybert/Vise?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Vise</a></td></tr></table>
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VCTskH2gfCk244nRa3d_FQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nc35b9utveI/Tr28gyS3DVI/AAAAAAAADds/_XpZEbBAL2o/s800/IMG00020-20111111-1205.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/dseybert/Vise?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Vise</a></td></tr></table>
Acacia
Active member
Hollands
Picked up a Hollands Model 25. It was headed for the scrapyard and I managed to snag it out of the scrap pile for free.
5" wide jaws, weighs about 130 lbs (just a guess).
Bottom of the slide reads "60T" - maybe 1960 was the year of manufacture.
Disassembled and ready for restoration...
The only problem is that the bolt that loosens the swivel is rusted solidly in place...already bent a couple bolts I stuck in there to try to turn it.
Picked up a Hollands Model 25. It was headed for the scrapyard and I managed to snag it out of the scrap pile for free.
5" wide jaws, weighs about 130 lbs (just a guess).
Bottom of the slide reads "60T" - maybe 1960 was the year of manufacture.
Disassembled and ready for restoration...
The only problem is that the bolt that loosens the swivel is rusted solidly in place...already bent a couple bolts I stuck in there to try to turn it.
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Lump
Well-known member
Re: Hollands
This looks like a job for, FLAMEWRENCH! That super-hero of rusted bolts, frozen studs, and stubborn nuts!
If you don't have access and/or skills with an acetylene torch outfit, find a friend or neighbor who will do it for you...BEFORE breaking or bending something else the hard way.
By the way, Congrats on finding a great old large vise for free, and, YOU ****!
Picked up a Hollands Model 25. It was headed for the scrapyard and I managed to snag it out of the scrap pile for free.
5" wide jaws, weighs about 130 lbs (just a guess).
Bottom of the slide reads "60T" - maybe 1960 was the year of manufacture.
Disassembled and ready for restoration...
The only problem is that the bolt that loosens the swivel is rusted solidly in place...already bent a couple bolts I stuck in there to try to turn it.
This looks like a job for, FLAMEWRENCH! That super-hero of rusted bolts, frozen studs, and stubborn nuts!
If you don't have access and/or skills with an acetylene torch outfit, find a friend or neighbor who will do it for you...BEFORE breaking or bending something else the hard way.
By the way, Congrats on finding a great old large vise for free, and, YOU ****!
Lump
Well-known member
ZRX61
Well-known member
Finally got a pic of my resto. It wasn't really in bad shape, but it was fun to do the work.
<table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From Vise</td></tr></tbody></table>
Did mine metallic blue
Lost Road
Well-known member
Lost Road
Well-known member
tool_scrounge
Well-known member
Columbian Howe vise - Cleveland, O (for Ohio I presume). It has 4" wide jaws and three mounting tabs. This version was not designed for a swivel base. I am curious when the vintage is as I cannot find any information on the Columbian Howe company. otherwise a pretty nice vise, though not quite as beefy as a Rock Island.
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demographic
Well-known member
This is the leg vise I picked up on the same day. I had a bunch of heavy metal and a front clip from a Camaro in my vw van that day!
Now that is some serious piece of kit.
Very nice indeed.
illmatyk
Well-known member
Had pics of these two vises in my garage thread, figured I'd show it off here as well
My old school Dunlap 5244. This is original, not restored!
I like that Dunlap you got there.
bl00
Well-known member
I believe it reads COLUMBIAN HDWE, short for Columbian Hardware. HDWE is commonly seen as an abbreviation for hardware when looking through the old trade journals in google books.
tool_scrounge
Well-known member
Thanks for the information. That make a lot more sense.
Recoil Rob
Well-known member
Had pics of these two vises in my garage thread, figured I'd show it off here as well
My old school Dunlap 5244. This is original, not restored!
Anyone know where I might find a set of the pipe jaws for my same model Dunlop?
I get my spray stripper at Menards. Home Depot? Not so good. One can will do. In summer, I pressure wash the scale off. You might find a very nice casting under all that paint. That 5" machinist is a brute!
Zeke
Well-known member
Not doing to well on a search here
Please help me to find pics of a type of vise that flips over on a round shaft for 2 types of jaws, square and pipe. Also on the top of the pipe side are another set of jaws oriented like a work mate, or tool clamp. The whole tools is on a swivel base and looks to be originally gray in color.
There is an adjusting nut out the back end on the screw. That's unique as I've never seen this. The body of the thing is round and about the size of a 1/2 HP motor.
There is not a sign of what brand it is anywhere. One riveted label is ripped off. Pics later if one of you can't steer me in the right direction.
Pretty close to this Larin:
So what are the jaws used for the are looking down in the pic? Not the pipe ones, the ones on top of the pipe side.
Found another pic, but my vise is not a Columbian.
I'll bet it's bigger than that one. Probably a Chinese copy.
Still searching on the Net. Looks a lot like this HF vise, but the pipe jaws are removable.
Please help me to find pics of a type of vise that flips over on a round shaft for 2 types of jaws, square and pipe. Also on the top of the pipe side are another set of jaws oriented like a work mate, or tool clamp. The whole tools is on a swivel base and looks to be originally gray in color.
There is an adjusting nut out the back end on the screw. That's unique as I've never seen this. The body of the thing is round and about the size of a 1/2 HP motor.
There is not a sign of what brand it is anywhere. One riveted label is ripped off. Pics later if one of you can't steer me in the right direction.
Pretty close to this Larin:
So what are the jaws used for the are looking down in the pic? Not the pipe ones, the ones on top of the pipe side.
Found another pic, but my vise is not a Columbian.
I'll bet it's bigger than that one. Probably a Chinese copy.
Still searching on the Net. Looks a lot like this HF vise, but the pipe jaws are removable.
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I think Columbian HDWE goes back to early 1900's. I had a Coachmans style and it was ancient.
BanjoSavesTheDay
Well-known member
SweetD
Well-known member
That's a very cool vise!
What do you work on that you will find use for it?
Thanks,
Dave
What do you work on that you will find use for it?
Thanks,
Dave
I picked these up today for $50 each. Not a great deal but I didnt want to see them get scrapped. The bench vise is made by the Desmond Stephan Company in Ohio but has Simplex on the other side of it. The sad part is I bought them from a small local compnay that was out of business.
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Did mine metallic blue
Love that color! It looks like you painted the faces that it slides on when it swivels. I did that originally as well, but the painted surfaces had too much friction. Maybe I just didn't wait long enough, but I ended up cleaning the paint back off them so it would move freely.
The Columbian Hardware Company dates back into the 1800s. I forget when they were founded exactly, but I want to say 1870s or 1880s. The name was used until 1926 when it was changed to The Columbian Vise & Manufacturing Company.
Picked up two more vises today, a Made in USA Craftsman ($9) and my first Simplex / Desmond Stephens ($25). The Craftsman is mounted on some old machine base, it's heavy!. Going to clean it up and repaint it and give it to a friend to replace his Chinese vise. The Simplex came from an old factory, has smooth jaws, no serrations at all.
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whelenfan
Well-known member
i really like that simplex, how smooth is the swivel?
Pretty good after some clean up. The swivel has a "toothed" bolt that fits into serrations on the swivel base. You do have to loosen it up more than some to swivel the vise. If you had an extra toothed bolt and t handle nut you could put it on the other side for the ultimate lockdown.
I gave the vise a quick cleanup. Verdict is this vise is in fine mechancal shape, one of the best I have. It's also a little bigger than I thought, 4 1/2 wide jaws, 7" opening with dynamic jaw slide flush with the back of the static jaw body and 70 pounds according to my old mechanical scale. Here's some pics. You can see the smooth jaw pads which are held in by 3 pins per side.
If you can't see it above the Desmond Stephens lettering is what I believe is the model number, 43. The little pad next to that has "SN" stamped in it.
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ZRX61
Well-known member
Jagmandave
Well-known member
Can anyone tell from these numbers what year this Wilton is? I've had it since about 1990, but it's probably 10 or more years older than that.
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Jagmandave
Well-known member
I also have a couple of Crafty's, one of which is on my welding table and has been used HARD, the other has had a much easier life....
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TreePointer
Well-known member
Crank open the jaws and look on the bottom of the slide for a plate with the date on it.
This one from my vise is February, 1978:
Jagmandave
Well-known member
Aha! I couldn't read it with my old eyes, but I took a pic and "viola!" there it is....
Thanks for the tip!
Is there a place where I can buy a new metal "Wilton" plate to replace the bent up original? If not, I'll just leave it, it adds patina....
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Thanks for the tip!
Is there a place where I can buy a new metal "Wilton" plate to replace the bent up original? If not, I'll just leave it, it adds patina....
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MastoidPress
Active member
Picked up this old Morgan (Milwaukee) about 2 weeks ago. There's also this Scout 4" that I saw at a flea market which I dropped the ball and didn't get...hopefully it will still be there this Saturday.
Thats a 1760 and its a rugged vise for a Tradesman. Wilton dis continued that number a few years ago. Its in nice shape.
brianpgriset
Well-known member
Need some help on a vise...
I was back in town at my parents and found a very old vise, looks to be an old swivel jaw prentiss, swivel base. 5" jaws. ~60-70 lbs. Decent shape. Only problem is: 1) the swivel jaw lockbolt is missing 2) one of the mounting ears broke off!
I haven't ditched the idea of buying it. I was considering buying it and scrapping the swivel base, and just hard mounting it with two bolts on the main body flange that mounts to the swivel, or searching until I get a base off someone else.
The place (antique shop) wants $115. I was thinking if I could get it to $80 or $85 to jump on it. Does this seem smart?
Should I do it????? Anyone convert a swivel to fixed base?
Here is a pic:
I was back in town at my parents and found a very old vise, looks to be an old swivel jaw prentiss, swivel base. 5" jaws. ~60-70 lbs. Decent shape. Only problem is: 1) the swivel jaw lockbolt is missing 2) one of the mounting ears broke off!
I haven't ditched the idea of buying it. I was considering buying it and scrapping the swivel base, and just hard mounting it with two bolts on the main body flange that mounts to the swivel, or searching until I get a base off someone else.
The place (antique shop) wants $115. I was thinking if I could get it to $80 or $85 to jump on it. Does this seem smart?
Should I do it????? Anyone convert a swivel to fixed base?
Here is a pic:
Jagmandave
Well-known member
It came out of an automotive shop (Jaguar - of course!
) that had been bought out by another dealer and wasn't moving it's shop equipment. I bought this and the metal bench it's on for $25! Wish I had gotten more, but it was all pretty picked over by the time I found out it was available. Still, i've used it a lot and it's still in great shape!That's why my Crafty is so beat up, I use it for all the nasty stuff, welding etc....