Vice maker

[mixteca matt]

I have an old vice and don't see any marking on it..3 tie down legs. Massive 8 opening. Permanent jaws. Green and gray are colors i see. But coming up empty for the maker.
Thx in advance.

 

[Packard V8]

WOW! That's a big sucker and pretty old. The ball head on the screw, front retaining collar and the swivel jaw are clues.

The major and minor vise makers, i.e. Morgan, Rock Island, Athol, et al, made private label for Craftsman, Montgomery Ward, hardware stores, railroad and military contracts.

Yours bears some similarity to Morgans I've seen.

jack vines

 

[crguy]

I have an old vice and don't see any marking on it..3 tie down legs. Massive 8 opening. Permanent jaws. Green and gray are colors i see. But coming up empty for the maker.
Thx in advance.

You measure a vise by how wide the jaws are, not how far they open. Where did you get the 8" dimension?

 

[Shiftless]

If you’re thinking of buying it do that and figure it out later. It’s a nice vise and doesn’t look too worn out. What are they asking?

Whether it’s a Morgan or Rock Island or Prentiss, it’s still a great vise.
It sounds like you are considering the purchase and want verification of brand name first.

Assume it’s a Prentiss and act accordingly. At $100 around here, that would be gone in minutes.
If the jaws are 6 inches it would quickly bring double or triple that.

 

[mixteca matt]

You measure a vise by how wide the jaws are, not how far they open. Where did you get the 8" dimension?

Not at jaws sir. But at opening. Guessing its 5"to 6" jaws width

 

[loganb]

Looks very close to a Reed 405, 406 or 408, depends on what the across width on that jaw is?

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I'll guess Prentiss. Early ones were marked in the flat right behind where the rear of the swivel jaw is. Also used a plunger for the swivel lock. Also had that step feature where the spindle barrel bears that looks angle iron ish. Ed.

 

[mixteca matt]

I'm no dummy guys. I bought knowing it was a decent vice for my tinkering ****. But at a 100 this thrifty man would walked. I payed 30 bucks. A 20 and 2 fives.

 

[loganb]

I'm no dummy guys. I bought knowing it was a decent vice for my tinkering ****. But at a 100 this thrifty man would walked. I payed 30 bucks. A 20 and 2 fives.

That's a "You ****" level price for what it appears you've got...well done!

 

[mixteca matt]

Ok gentlemen its a 5inch jaw. Other good news its tore apart and really so far the only bad spot was in the main spindle slide. Just one side is pitted. Now do we post new.pics of it taken apart or just keep it all here in one place. Cause now we have to clean grease paint and assemble..
So what do we do?
Thx men for the help in finding the maker. I'm going with the REED VICE

 

[BlackVersa2]

That's a Prentiss.
not a morgan or reed.

 

[mixteca matt]

That's a Prentiss.
not a morgan or reed.

Nice
Thank you!

 

[drivesitfar]

my vote is Prentiss too. swivel jaw vises that big should be worth a lot more than $100 if everything works, but if pin is stuck and swivel jaw rusted and any other missing or broken or welded parts could change that.

nice find!!

 

[MileHighRover]

...I payed 30 bucks. A 20 and 2 fives.

You got ripped off. No way I would have given anymore than 3 tens.

 

[twertsy]

That's a Prentiss.
not a morgan or reed.

Looks an awful lot like my Reed swivel jaw. I'm not sure I've seen a Prentiss unmarked? I could of course be mistaken..............

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Here are two examples of early Prentiss markings. Nothing on the sides. They put the raised letters in a vulnerable position right behind the swivel pin hole where they often took a beating and can be obliterated. The big No. 22 6" vise is my main fab shop workhorse and still gets used hard. I've also got a fixed base swivel jaw No. 3 on the stove getting spruced up right now and it's markings aren't as clear, having been beat to **** at some point. Ed.

 

[mixteca matt]

You got ripped off. No way I would have given anymore than 3 tens.

He was a hard driver. ⁵