What is this vise for?

[Just_George]

Never saw one like this - looks kinda cool, but wondering what its intended use was....any ideas?

http://annarbor.craigslist.org/tls/3477561510.html

 

[str8axle55]

I don`t know but I`d buy. Looks like it opens up a ton.

 

[87Pomona]

Sheet metal vise

It's a Yost. I would offer $50 for it.

 

[davesnothere]

Id pay the asking price, immediately. That's a good deal in my eyes.

 

[oneandgone]

If it were on my local CL I'd be on it immediately.

 

[Man of Many Vices]

Id pay the asking price, immediately. That's a good deal in my eyes.

Absolutely! What's wrong with you guys? Grab it!

 

[RCStocker]

If it is not broken it is one hell of a buy. I am cheap and never pay that much for a vice but that one I would. It is very rare used.
Restored you might get $250 or more.

 

[ZRX61]

I'd be all over that

 

[Just_George]

I intend to go pick it up this afternoon! Seems odd to me that a sheet metal vise would open up 10"....but who am I to argue!

 

[Provincial]

It is likely a coachmaker's or patternmaker's vise. They were used to hold wood while it was carved into intricate shapes. Coachmakers built wooden frames over which sheet metal was nailed to make bodies for coaches and early automobiles. Patternmakers made the forms around which sand was packed to make molds for castings.

The wide jaws are to keep from crushing the wood. Because of the wide jaw opening, it likely isn't a sheet metal workers vise, which wouldn't need the larger opening.

Be careful with it, as it was not designed to take the kind of abuse a metalworking vise would encounter!

 

[bczygan]

I'd grab it in a second, but I've got enough vises. You're even closer than me, so grab it quick as you can.

They still make them:
http://www.yostvises.com/specialty-vises/sheet-metal-workers-vise.html

For $698.00

 

[lbgradwell]

This thread is a good example of why a photo of the item in question should be posted to the thread itself. If you click on the link now, the ad has been removed and this thread is now useless...

 

[alex71]

I sold one of those for $250 last year. Probably could have got another hundred if i held out longer

 

[Just_George]

This thread is a good example of why a photo of the item in question should be posted to the thread itself. If you click on the link now, the ad has been removed and this thread is now useless...

Sorry, never thought about that! But, now that it's in my possesion, I'll try to take a photo and post it. Looks like those pictured above, albeit a lot older and dirtier, and no swivel base.

Seller was very cool - said he had about 10 others wanting to buy it, but since I was first to respond he'd wait until I could get there to pick it up. Most guys, it's "first one to show up with the cash", so nice of him to wait on me.

 

[Catalyze]

George - grats on a nice vise......that I can't see!! LOL
A funny thing about the sheet metal type of vise jaws....look at how long the slide is compared to a normal machinist's vise. The sheet metal vises usually have really long slides and open much farther.
Craig

 

[balane]

I had the listing still in my browser cache so here's the content for those interested. And, FWIW, nice vise! I like it.

heavy duty vice - $65 (belleville)

Date: 2012-12-14, 7:37AM EST
Reply to this post [email protected]

heavy duty vice open up to 10 inches made in usa by yost this thing is heavy. 65.00 obo just replay by email i will get back with you if its still posted i still have it thanks for looking.

.

 

[Just_George]

Balane, thanks for the save on the pics! Craig, can you shed any more light on WHY the slide is longer on a sheet metal vise? Seems counter-intuitive to me, don't know why you'd need a long slide when clamping thin sheet metals...

Discovered something interesting on the vise while taking it apart for clean & paint. The seller had told me that there was a tag on the side, but he couldn't get it clean enough to read. A little acetone revealed the following:

Property of
Defense Plant Corporation
An instrument of the
United States Government
DPC 3388 cc-808

 

[Just_George]

Balane, thanks for the save on the pics! Craig, can you shed any more light on WHY the slide is longer on a sheet metal vise? Seems counter-intuitive to me, don't know why you'd need a long slide when clamping thin sheet metals...

Discovered something interesting on the vise while taking it apart for clean & paint. The seller had told me that there was a tag on the side, but he couldn't get it clean enough to read. A little acetone revealed the following:

Property of
Defense Plant Corporation
An instrument of the
United States Government
DPC 3388 CC-808

I'm betting this vise has seen some interesting service in its history! More pics to come after paint...

 

[Provincial]

During WWII the government bought much of the tooling used in defense plants and leased the whole plant and equipment to the contractor that made the items. You still come across tools and equipment with tags like the one on your vise. The government either wrote them off or sold them as surplus after the war.

 

[bigcaddy]

I just picked up a Rock Island on friday that has a US Navy stamp on the back of the stationary jaw and have had a few others with ID tags with some reference to the military.

Cool vise you got there. I can't tell if the jaws are solid cast or removable inserts but they look like the lines are still very sharp. Its gonna look good cleaned up.

 

[Outlawmws]

Balane, thanks for the save on the pics! Craig, can you shed any more light on WHY the slide is longer on a sheet metal vise? Seems counter-intuitive to me, don't know why you'd need a long slide when clamping thin sheet metals...

Discovered something interesting on the vise while taking it apart for clean & paint. The seller had told me that there was a tag on the side, but he couldn't get it clean enough to read. A little acetone revealed the following:

Property of
Defense Plant Corporation
An instrument of the
United States Government
DPC 3388 CC-808

I'm betting this vise has seen some interesting service in its history! More pics to come after paint...

These were often sold as "sheet metal vises", but I have spent a lot of time in and out different sheet metal shops, and have NEVER seen one in a sheet metal shop...

I've also seen those labeled as a pattern makers vise, and there you are working with wood generally, and that has a much better explanation for the extra long slide. I think it was one of those "it's good for both" decisions, and the "sheet metal" tag just stuck...

 

[kc-steve]

Sorry, never thought about that! But, now that it's in my possesion, I'll try to take a photo and post it. Looks like those pictured above, albeit a lot older and dirtier, and no swivel base.

Seller was very cool - said he had about 10 others wanting to buy it, but since I was first to respond he'd wait until I could get there to pick it up. Most guys, it's "first one to show up with the cash", so nice of him to wait on me.

Grats! I've always said, ya can't find any good deals on Craigslist . . . .
because they get snatched up before ya ever see them. If it is still posted days later, then pass on it.

Steve

 

[C.BRAXMAIER]

Sorry, never thought about that! But, now that it's in my possesion, I'll try to take a photo and post it. Looks like those pictured above, albeit a lot older and dirtier, and no swivel base.

Seller was very cool - said he had about 10 others wanting to buy it, but since I was first to respond he'd wait until I could get there to pick it up. Most guys, it's "first one to show up with the cash", so nice of him to wait on me.

One of them people was me he said he would give you to 11:00 then it would be mine never heard back its a nice one congrats....