Vise Info Thread

[KMScott]

Charles Parker # 86. No Spec:s yet except for weight. 76 lbs. Thanks to Fierljeppen for the catalog pages. Swivel releases from under the bench.

 

[454ragtop]

2 notes - the Starrett 014 vise 2 posts up is missing it usually supplied with swivel base.

^^^ Way cool Parker vise, but may actually be an # 82 unless they have the other set of jaws, at least according to the catalog page shown.

 

[Fierljeppen]

2 notes - the Starrett 014 vise 2 posts up is missing it usually supplied with swivel base.

^^^ Way cool Parker vise, but may actually be an # 82 unless they have the other set of jaws, at least according to the catalog page shown.

Good point. If I understand the ad correctly and my Algebra is accurate, the vise would weigh as follows:

vise, with no jaws.............47 lbs.
round jaws..........................13 lbs.
pipe jaws.............................16 lbs.

vise, with round jaws......60 lbs. (model no. 81)
vise, with pipe jaws.........63 lbs. (model no. 82)
vise, with w/ both jaws...76 lbs. (model no. 86)

And that may be the coolest Charles Parker vise I've ever seen!

Edit...I found an 1895 catalog scan with the same vise and jaws, plus an additional option of coachmakers jaws that weigh a ton. 1900 is the latest catalog scan I could find for these models.

 

[KMScott]

On the Parker 86 the owner does not have the second set of jaws or at least showed a picture of them. He might have seen the 76lbs noted in the catalog page. I made the assumption that the casting was in fact #86 after seeing what the #82 casting looked like So I posted what the owner said. I can only post what I am told until I see it was a mistake.

454, I noted in the Starrett #014 the vise is a swivel base and the poster did not mention the swivel base was missing.

 

[twagler]

FMC - Henry vises were made in London, Ontario. Their brand was called Craftools. So it was "Made in Canada". Typically that is part of the wording on the other side of the fixed tower. Lots of influence from England in Canadian vises. Another interesting fact is that the nut on these vises were part of the main casting. There is no pin holding in a dovetail nut on these vises. Here is a photo of a Henry 3 I refurbished back in January showing the bottom and a side view showing "Made in Canada".

Here's my recent acquisition:

Henry / Craftools "Bulldog" #2 Bench Vise, jaw width of 3-1/2", opens to 3-3/4", weight 20.1 lbs.

I'm calling this a #2 vise based on the English/Record numbering system where #1=3", #2=3.5", #3=4", #4=4.5", #5=5", and #6=6", etc. but actually I'm just guessing at the model number since unlike most Henry vises, this one doesn't have any molded-in casting marks, only the faint remnants of a stick-on label. Here are some pictures:






Thanks to Dave600 who I.D.'d this vise for me over on the mega-thread when all I had was the seller's poor quality on-line ad photo to go by. Here's a picture of Dave600's similar looking vise, just a larger #6 model:


I like the style of these particular vises, with their "Art Deco" accent lines and the mini-anvil on top of stationary. They are quite different from the older Henry's from the '40's which are very much "Record clones" in appearance. I think these "Bulldog" line of vises might be newer, from the very end of Henry's life as a company, probably mid' '50's or so. There's a few oddball things about this vise, one thing being that there are absolutely zero casting ID/number/mfr. marks on any of the castings. It can only be identified by the comparison to Dave600's picture which shows a mfr. tag and by the very faint remnants of a label. There are enough "pixels" of it left to tell that it must have looked like this label:


Another odd thing is that this vise is set up with many of the features of a "Quick Release" vise, except it is missing the half-nut and lever that would be required. Here are some pictures of those features:










If you've ever seen the internals of a quick release mechanism, you'll recognize the extra cast-in bits and pieces that usually hold the half-nut in place, and the one on the slide that keeps the end of the screw tethered. Very strange that they would go to all the expense of these fairly complex extra features on a standard non-quick release bench vise. Especially since this vise seems to be in the category of light-weight, home-owner grade rather than industrial kit. In fact, the casting has been molded to make every bit as thin as possible. You can see how the base is hollowed out, but additionally each jaw is hollowed out, and even the mini-anvil is hollow underneath.

So, I'm just curious if anyone has any catalog cuts of Henry vises (I've looked but found zero on-line) or if they have ever actually seen a Henry vise with a working quick-release mechanism.

Thanks, Tom

Bonus picture - archival photo of the Henry / Craftool factory in London, Ontario, Canada. From all the sand on the floor, looks like it must be the casting mold room, and the mold shown looks like handwheels of some sort.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Hollands? 2 or 2-1/2" jaws. Anyone have a catalog page on this guy. Thanks in advance.

This has been an unsolved vise puzzle for myself for quite a while now. Since I haven't been able to find any printed sources about the model or time era, I just refer to it as the Hollands "steel rail" vise.

I picked mine up several years ago and it seems to have the same specs as all of the other Hollands "steel rail" vises that I've seen.

jaw width...........3"
jaw opening......3-3/8"
weight................11 lbs. 14 oz.



Besides the "steel rail", the handle is kind of unique. It's similar to the Hollands combo vise handle from the late (1930's-1940's), as seen on DaveThorik's vise below.



I've also seen other style handles on the same Hollands "steel rail" vises from GJ members: Ejot, Getridaone and PierceA. This would indicate to me that this Hollands vise model was mfg. for more than just a couple of years. The under bench swivel nut on PierceA's vise is very intriguing.



va.grouseman has a very similar vise with an Italian name and date stamped on it. Although, I wasn't able to find any information about his vise, I do think it's possibly related somehow.



Anyway, this is all the information that I've acquired so far. Hopefully, someone will be able to find a dated catalog scan so we can put this vise puzzle to rest.

You'll have to excuse me, I'm about to eat my way into a comatose state and dream about finding the ever elusive "Long patent" railroad vise...Gobble, gobble!

 

[master Zoda]

2 notes - the Starrett 014 vise 2 posts up is missing it usually supplied with swivel base.

^^^ Way cool Parker vise, but may actually be an # 82 unless they have the other set of jaws, at least according to the catalog page shown.

Any idea how a swivel base would have attached to the 014? When I first got it I thought it was missing but I don't see how it would have attached. If you see in the pictures the bottom has only a small taped hole that is being used to secure the spindle nut I belive.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Any idea how a swivel base would have attached to the 014? When I first got it I thought it was missing but I don't see how it would have attached. If you see in the pictures the bottom has only a small taped hole that is being used to secure the spindle nut I belive.

Here's a 1976 Starrett catalog scan and some photos of other Starrett/Athol no.14 vises showing how the swivel base would attach to the vise. You'll see that your vise is a little light compared to the catalog specs because of the missing swivel base.



No worries, your vise will work just fine without a swivel base, maybe even better. Thanks for adding your vises to the spreadsheet!

 

[master Zoda]

Here's a 1976 Starrett catalog scan and some photos of other Starrett/Athol no.14 vises showing how the swivel base would attach to the vise. You'll see that your vise is a little light compared to the catalog specs because of the missing swivel base.



No worries, your vise will work just fine without a swivel base, maybe even better. Thanks for adding your vises to the spreadsheet!

It seems odd to me that they would use such a small bolt for attaching the vise to the base. I personally have never seen such a small bolt used. The link for the 015 on the spreadsheet has has 324 1/2 below it. That vise is disabled you can see how large the center hole is you can also see an additional small hole with a screw or pin in it I assume this is holding the spindle nut. I would like to see a similar model disabled. Is it possible that this vise never had a swivel?

 

[Fierljeppen]

It seems odd to me that they would use such a small bolt for attaching the vise to the base. I personally have never seen such a small bolt used. The link for the 015 on the spreadsheet has has 324 1/2 below it. That vise is disabled you can see how large the center hole is you can also see an additional small hole with a screw or pin in it I assume this is holding the spindle nut. I would like to see a similar model disabled. Is it possible that this vise never had a swivel?

All of the Starrett catalogs from (1976-1993) only offered those vises in the swivel version. That model was an economy model vise, so it shouldn't be surprising for the hardware to be light weight. The Athol / Starrett model no. 324-1/2 vise that you were referring to is in a completely different league, with regard to construction, quality and price.

Here's a photo of a Starrett / Athol model no. 15, with consistent looking hardware as the no. 14 vise photo shown in my previous post.

 

[KMScott]

Here is a #3 mystery vise. Possibly a Electric Vise. I'll wait to add it to the spreadsheet in case someone might have seen one before.
3" jaws that opens to under 4" and weights 22-1/2 lbs.

 

[FMC1959]

Here's a Record vise that I saw listed for sale. Aside from the pics, the only other info I have is what the seller had listed. That being that it is all steel forged and welded, no cast iron or cast steel.

I have to say I have never seen another Record like it.

 

[Dave600]

Here's a Record vise that I saw listed for sale. Aside from the pics, the only other info I have is what the seller had listed. That being that it is all steel forged and welded, no cast iron or cast steel.

I have to say I have never seen another Record like it.

FMC - this is a Record brand called Leader vises. Welded steel. Did come with Quick Release as an option. I have three catalog pages for them. It was not listed in the 1960 catalog but is shown in the 1963 and 1967 Catalogs. Originally the slide rail was square. In the 1979 catalog page, the rail is curved like yours is. I don't have any info in between. Here is the 1967 and 1979 pages I have.

 

[KMScott]

Here's a Record vise that I saw listed for sale. Aside from the pics, the only other info I have is what the seller had listed. That being that it is all steel forged and welded, no cast iron or cast steel.

I have to say I have never seen another Record like it.

FMC - this is a Record brand called Leader vises. Welded steel. Did come with Quick Release as an option. I have three catalog pages for them. It was not listed in the 1960 catalog but is shown in the 1963 and 1967 Catalogs. Originally the slide rail was square. In the 1979 catalog page, the rail is curved like yours is. I don't have any info in between. Here is the 1967 and 1979 pages I have.

I am assuming that this vise you posted FMC is a model 12P since it does look like a 4-1/2" jaw width. Thanks Dave for the catalog pages.

 

[FMC1959]

Your guess is as good as mine, or probably better than mine...but yes, it looks more like a 4 1/2. Definitely not 8" or 6". (If it was an 8", I would have driven wherever needed to get it!)

 

[Fierljeppen]

Here is a #3 mystery vise. Possibly a Electric Vise. I'll wait to add it to the spreadsheet in case someone might have seen one before.
3" jaws that opens to under 4" and weights 22-1/2 lbs.

Very interesting and rare vise!



The manufacturer could be the Capital Machine Tool Co., originally from Weedsport, NY in (1893), and later from Auburn, NY (1893-1896). A company named, "Weedsport Drill Co." also mfg. the "electric vise", but not until (1897), as seen in this posting from "Dlavallee22".



While these -2- vises share the same model no.3 and vise specs., Dlavallee22's vise is a rapid transit and the #3 mystery is not. The "electric vise" was a patented rapid transit vise, which makes me believe it's from the same manufacturer, but not an "electric vise". The Capital Machine Tool Co. made other vise models as well and I believe the vise in question is their standard machinist version.

The following illustrations shows, both the swivel and stationary "electric vise" versions, with the model nos.





The "Lightning vise" and "Electric vise" are synonymous, with regard to this "patent no. 488,600" vise. Joe.striper has one of the most beautiful vises ever made, in my opinion, which is a swivel base "Lightning vise".



I'm not sure what would be the best way to label the vise for the spreadsheet, so you'll just have to make an executive decision. That's why "FMC1959" pays you the big bucks to host the "Vise Info Thread".

Vise on!

 

[CRSINMICH]

1893 - A little more information on Capitol Machine Tool Electric Vises.

 

[KMScott]

Athol 114X. 4" jaws that opens to 6-1/2" and weights 30 lbs.

 

[Dave600]

Athol 114X. 4" jaws that opens to 6-1/2" and weights 30 lbs.

Here is a 1939 catalog page for the "Garage and Farm" vise like this. In 1960 the 113X and 113.5X were gone and the line was being discontinued.

 

[KMScott]

Samson 5206. 4" jaws that opens to 6"

 

[Outlawmws]

That's a long slide!

 

[KMScott]

Record 46. 6" jaws that opens to 10" and weights 125lbs.

 

[Dave600]

Record 46. 6" jaws that opens to 10" and weights 125lbs.

I didn't see a brochure for this guy. Here it is from 1935 for this family. Monsters !

 

[twagler]

Jewellers/watchmakers vise made by Offen, no model number given so this might have been this company's only offering, jaw width = 1.625", jaws open to approx. 1.125", weight of vise by itself is 1.41 lbs, total weight including base and swivelling arm = 4.29 lbs. Smooth-face replaceable jaws. Made in Britain, Patent Date 1941. Front jaw stationary, dynamic jaw to rear. Dovetail ways, but no adjustable gib. To give a sense of scale, the pictures include the obligatory jar of Marmite (for the Brits) and an AA battery (for the Yanks).




I posted some pictures of this vise before a bit of cleaning and polishing over on the mega-vise thread at https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/the-vises-of-garage-journal.44782/page-2204#post-9880765

This vise has the British-patented equivalent of a Wilton Junior Pow-R-Arm, except in typical Brit fashion it is accomplished in a somewhat less than straightforward fashion (see picture below) which shows a adjusting screw pressing on a wedge-tipped horizontal rod, which pushes a wedge-tipped vertical rod upward, which presses on a brass pad, which pushes the swivelling ball tightly against the hemispherical socket, locking it into place. In the same suspicious manner that the Wilton bullet vises look astonishingly identical to the preceding bullet vises built and patented by York, the Wilton Pow-R-Arm design (patent applied for in 1942) looks like they had a close gander at the Offen design (granted 1941).


One thing to note for anyone else disassembling one of these Brit Pow-R-Arms in the future is that it IS NOT built according to the patent drawings. They show a threaded split collar which would retain the rotating cap, but instead the design was changed to a split ring in a matching groove with each segment pulled outward into position by a tiny screw after the rotating cap is first dropped into place. As you can imagine, I spent a few futile minutes trying to unthread something that didn't exist and only accidentally succeeded to get it apart!

 

[master Zoda]

Morgan vise company NO 20


Jaws are 10 inches wide and 4 inches deep
Opens 10.5 inches
Weight about 30lbs

The bronze nut is just captued in a pocket on the bottom.

I would love to hear how old this one is.

 

[master Zoda]

Genuine Volcan NO 3 J.H.Williams & CO.

Jaws are 4.5 inches wide
The chain is 31 inches long including the screw
Base is 10 inches long 8 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Weight is 21lbs
6 inch pipe capacity

 

[Outlawmws]

Very cool display on the Morgan 20!

 

[master Zoda]

Very cool display on the Morgan 20!

Thanks. The credit belongs to my father he put it together as Christmas gift.

 

[Outlawmws]

He did a first class job! I've saved the pic for future reference

 

[RTM]

Very cool display on the Morgan 20!

Yeah, a taller version would be cool, especially for repairing those with quick releases, since many don’t work inverted.

The vise itself could be hard to date, those rarely changed.

1930 shows a 20a vise, as does the 1950 & 76. But the 50 & 76 has a 20

Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Texts, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine

archive.org

 

[master Zoda]

Yeah, a taller version would be cool, especially for repairing those with quick releases, since many don’t work inverted.

The vise itself could be hard to date, those rarely changed.

1930 shows a 20a vise, as does the 1950 & 76. But the 50 & 76 has a 20

Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Texts, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine

archive.org

I don't know if it is helpful to know but this one is not a quick release. The nut is a full square nut.

 

[RTM]

I don't know if it is helpful to know but this one is not a quick release. The nut is a full square nut.

Yes, I looked for only the continue screw #20

 

[SkyPuncher]

Recently picked up a vise that is not on the spreadsheet. Its in darn good shape with crisp jaws and some original green paint remaining. It will just get a degreasing and a coat of oil. I will keep as much of the paint I can.

Dunlap 5170
Jaws: 3.5 inches
Weight: 24.1 lbs.

 

[skmbabon]

Here's my recent acquisition:

Henry / Craftools "Bulldog" #2 Bench Vise, jaw width of 3-1/2", opens to 3-3/4", weight 20.1 lbs.
...

So, I'm just curious if anyone has any catalog cuts of Henry vises (I've looked but found zero on-line) or if they have ever actually seen a Henry vise with a working quick-release mechanism.

Nice vise twagler!
Yes there are Henry quick release (QR) vises, but possibly only the model 5. I've seen pics of some with the complete mechanism in place, and some that, like your Bulldog, have the casting set up for a quick release mechanism but lack the additional bits to make it so. Not sure if they were sold that way or if the parts were removed by users.
Visual identification of the QR models is easy, even if you can't see the release lever. The base is thicker than other Henrys, and there is a rectangular hole at the back of the base for the bar that is attached to the release lever (see pics).
There's very very little printed material on the Henry vises. The only item I've found is the Willys Machine Tool catalog, p. 7, which shows unbranded "Made in Canada" vises that Dave600 and I both think are Henrys. And I only found that because I was looking for info on a Vendall lathe, which Willys made.

 

[KMScott]

Littlestown 112. 3-1/2" jaws that weights 12lbs.

 

[KMScott]

Yost 202-1/2. 2-1/2" jaws that opens to 3-1/2" and weights 20 lbs.

 

[KMScott]

Snediker Yost Post vise model 55?. 4-1/2" jaws Joe thinks.

Just a note on Post vises, most don't have model numbers and honestly I have not spent much time searching for ones to add to the spreadsheet. Comments welcomed. Kevin

 

[akasrick]

Snediker Yost Post vise model 55?. 4-1/2" jaws Joe thinks.

Just a note on Post vises, most don't have model numbers and honestly I have not spent much time searching for ones to add to the spreadsheet. Comments welcomed. Kevin

A Trenton adv. A #55 from this Co. has 4 1/2" jaws.
scratch that 4 3/4" jaws. cant read my own posts.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachments/trentoncomparison-jpg.1098810/

akasrick

 

[CRSINMICH]

A little more information about Snediker post vises.

 

[KMScott]

Thanks CRS, it looks like the side bar/support on Joes Snediker post vise was put back on upside down.