Recent content by FARMAN33

@e9999 Is right. Wilton handle ends are nothing more than a donut. Slide down to shoulder and peen the ends.

@e9999 Speaking of weighty posts I might have mentioned this somewhere long ago but…. BEHOLD my backs best friend, the Big Joe! Electro hydraulic lift. Works off a car battery set up on a trickle charger. Lifts 1200 pounds 5’. Best part is it takes up almost no room at all. Back it into a...

@Mr Wonderful Where do you find all those combination vises WITH the pipe jaws? Those are ALWAYS missing or mismatched. My faves are the Columbian and the Rock Island. I'm almost "over" the swivel base thing. Give me a solid lump of iron and I will put it to WORK! No swivel, no problems.

I keep telling myself I need to document the process better BUT I get excited and start as soon as I can and usually only think about it after I’m done. I will try to do better!

Been a while and thought I’d post some new ones. I found a really nice Reed 4C and I think that will replace the Columbian 205 I had on the corner previously. I’d forgot how MASSIVE these are. This one is from 82 and has the replaceable jaws! Go pound a quirky oddball about a month ago...

You never know what's underneath all that paint. In doing a few hundred vise restorations, I’ve found the needle scaler comes in “clutch” a couple dozen times. Took a nice “big logo” Reed down to bare metal and found a high school shop stencil. Ground it down and the took the scaler to it...

Kind of (not really). The spindle is 1.5" and the openings for bearings were 1.5" I took a grinder and took a little off the unthreaded portion of the spindle. Brightened it up with a wire wheel and lubed it up. Slipped on perfectly after that.

Placed a couple of thrust bearings in my 8” Ridgid vise today. McMaster Car was the only source for 1-1/2” ID bearings and washers. Also placed a spring between the spindle retainer and rear bearing (always in compression). Result is a SUPER smooth action for a HUGE vise. One finger all the...

Oh, I hear ya brother! If I’m buying a 6” + these days, it’s mostly done. Give me this little guy any day!!! Tom Deverna custom casting!

My last Reedsman.

@Mr Wonderful That's a "parts vise" and that's a great thing for you! The center nut for the base on a 6" goes for about $50 anywhere I've seen one. Those lock downs look great and are another $50 for the pair. The main spindle nut is $25 all day. All of these can be marketed nationwide and...

Looking to get a big vise to McKinney from Houston area.

Did a great job Nick! That little guy has TONS of character. LOVE the pointy meatball and lock downs. Giving off old Craftsman vibes.

@Guyute Did you have that split nut machined? I have never seen one that pristine. Looks fantastic!!!

Any paste wax is ideal. I usually just put a light film of bearing grease (red). It attracts more dust than I like but its lubricating and anti-corrosion capabilities more than make up for that.