Vintage vise ID anyone?

[upwrencheh]

According to the seller this vise has 5.5 inch jaw width and weighs in at 80 pounds. It has No. 400 on one side. No other manufacturer markings evidently. It looks like it may be an Athol. Any idea?

 

[Carla]

The jaws are characteristic Parker, and the casting shape would suggest some vintage in the 1890's to early 1900's.

Possibly made by Parker, but sold by Sears Roebuck, or some other supplier who ordered unmarked vises to sell as their 'house brand'?

cheers

Carla

 

[drivesitfar]

UP: i agree with Carla. welcome to the forum and nice looking old Parker. i'm guessing it has 4 inch wide jaws, but you'll need to measure to verify. some sellers put down the width the jaws open, but it might be bigger. i don't know the Parker vises as well as some of the other old brands, but it does look like the screw's holding retainer is missing and there is a stub of a broken screw sticking out.

 

[upwrencheh]

If I get a chance to get a look at this vise I'll definitely check out the screw retainer. Thanks for the input on possible manufacturer. I just got the old vise bug and I am looking to make my first purchase........

 

[bl00]

Here's an ad for one from 1894

 

[Hemi49]

Here's an ad for one from 1894

B100
Thanks for the post....I have a Parker 0000 and was curious about the number's significance.....

 

[drivesitfar]

Bl00: you are the best and thanks for knowing and posting that catalog page. i love the prices of these posted in the ads too.

Up: here's a picture of just the retainer and maybe a better picture of one so you'll know what that screw was holding. i think KMScott actually can make you one if you don't want to make one yourself so PM him or put up a wanted ad in classifieds and you might find an older one.

good luck and post more pictures if you buy it.

 

[Fretters]

Here's an ad for one from 1894

bl00, on a tangent, you wouldn't happen to have come across one anything like this in your catalogue perusing, would you?

Still haven't got the faintest what this is or where it originated, as yet.

p.s: Apologies to the OP for the thread sidetrack.

 

[bl00]

Fretters, here are a few ads that show similar vises. None match exactly, but the Stearns vise is probably closest. I don't know who made yours.

 

[Fretters]

Cheers for those bl00. Still looks a bit of an enigma, this one. Like you say, it definitely has a lot of similarities, but not quite the same.

 

[Carla]

Bl00: you are the best and thanks for knowing and posting that catalog page. i love the prices of these posted in the ads too.

Up: here's a picture of just the retainer and maybe a better picture of one so you'll know what that screw was holding. i think KMScott actually can make you one if you don't want to make one yourself so PM him or put up a wanted ad in classifieds and you might find an older one.

good luck and post more pictures if you buy it.

Actually, the missing screw retainer for a Parker vise is one of the easiest parts to re-make.

Simply make a pattern by 'whittling' the part from wood, checking for fit, then get a little bit of fibre-glass cloth and resin, build up the the pattern a bit to compensate for 'shrink', then, after sanding the pattern smooth, take the pattern to a non-ferrous foundry and have it cast in bronze.

File to fit as needed, drill and counterbore for the screw, and....as the old saying goes.....'Bob's your uncle'....... : )

(of course, having a CNC mill is a much more 'elegant' way to make a 'really nice' replacement part, to be sure.)

cheers

Carla

 

[Rileysan]

Actually, the missing screw retainer for a Parker vise is one of the easiest parts to re-make.

Simply make a pattern by 'whittling' the part from wood, checking for fit, then get a little bit of fibre-glass cloth and resin, build up the the pattern a bit to compensate for 'shrink', then, after sanding the pattern smooth, take the pattern to a non-ferrous foundry and have it cast in bronze.

File to fit as needed, drill and counterbore for the screw, and....as the old saying goes.....'Bob's your uncle'....... : )

(of course, having a CNC mill is a much more 'elegant' way to make a 'really nice' replacement part, to be sure.)

cheers

Carla

And I might add - there are often local community colleges and high schools with foundry programs. Instructors are suckers for this kind of opportunity whereas a local foundry is likely to over-engineer a gating and riser solution for the mold(s), even if you have a viable pattern - making it more costly to you.

I would begin my search with the American Foundry Society. The AFS has chapters that meet all over the US and Canada and contact information can usually be found via Google search. Find the Chapter that is closest to you and inquire about trade schools that might be able to help you.

Brian