Any Vise Collectors Here? (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter FARMAN33
- Start date
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RUSH55
SILVER Star
I haven’t been able to stop playing with it since I got it!
Been thinking of starting another (build) thread for this little project, but not sure if it would be interesting enough. Not sure if I should keep muddying up this thread with my sophomoric excitement.
Been thinking of starting another (build) thread for this little project, but not sure if it would be interesting enough. Not sure if I should keep muddying up this thread with my sophomoric excitement.
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- Thread starter
- #243
Looks like you're on your way! I love taking them apart (especially a manufacturer I have not owned yet) They are simple tools really but each maker did something different.
Settling my mom's estate and I just became a vice collector
Technically these are vises. So I thought I'd share. I just bought four of these 6" Jergens triple double vise columns. They are hydraulic with accumulators built in. They can run as singles, doubles or even hold fixtures. They are for machining in a 4 axis Horizontal Machining Center. These came out of Parker Hannifin and are going to run parts in one of our machines now. They might even end up making Land Cruiser parts.
I'm leaving the 200 pound anvil, partly because it's too big, but mostly because the working face is damaged all along one edge.
RUSH55
SILVER Star
A little information for those that didn’t know going forward…
The lesser seen 714/715 model Athol’s were ratchet handle vises.
The lesser seen 714/715 model Athol’s were ratchet handle vises.
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- Thread starter
- #250
@RUSH55 Wow! Missed that. So these are not “ratcheting” vises as
Much as they are “quick indexing” You pull out the meatball and can place the dynamic anywhere you need it the release the meatball and have a conventional vise. There is a screw and a spring but looks like the PO welded that making it only work conventionally. I have not seen many 7 series Athols so can’t say that it was a common failure point but looks like you still have a great vise there (and a cool story).
Much as they are “quick indexing” You pull out the meatball and can place the dynamic anywhere you need it the release the meatball and have a conventional vise. There is a screw and a spring but looks like the PO welded that making it only work conventionally. I have not seen many 7 series Athols so can’t say that it was a common failure point but looks like you still have a great vise there (and a cool story).
RUSH55
SILVER Star
“Quick Indexing” sounds more accurate.
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RUSH55
SILVER Star
…
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260 lbs bare. They're pretty light. The base is 20" square and they're 27" tall for perspective.
I've always been fascinated by the rear dynamic jaw and adjustable gibs on some German and Polish vises. This FPU popped up for sale near me but with an asking price of $450 it seems the seller is engaging in a little wishful thinking!
- Thread starter
- #256
@AirheadNut if that is a 6” FPU with a swivel base it is high but only a little. Most are fixed bases and 4-5 inch.
I had a monster 8” FPU milling vise. Looked like a Star Wars vehicle.
I had a monster 8” FPU milling vise. Looked like a Star Wars vehicle.
I have a small vise I bought off Craigslist for $30. It's a vintage Japan made one that's been restored. Bought it for gun stuff.
RUSH55
SILVER Star
This repair video is similar to what I’ve been thinking to do.
Like the guy doing the repair, I’m not really sure what the screw is made of. Cast steel?
Would be good to do like he did and use a dis-similar metal welding rod if making a weld repair. Probably going to make a new meatball out of a chunk of 2-1/2” round-stock. Not sure if I want to bore a hole and tap it or tap threads on the outside of the shaft and give the meatball the female end.(?) Might be stronger.
Like the guy doing the repair, I’m not really sure what the screw is made of. Cast steel?
Would be good to do like he did and use a dis-similar metal welding rod if making a weld repair. Probably going to make a new meatball out of a chunk of 2-1/2” round-stock. Not sure if I want to bore a hole and tap it or tap threads on the outside of the shaft and give the meatball the female end.(?) Might be stronger.
Hard to say what the screw is made from. If the builders were top end it would probably be 4340 around RC40. I'd bet it's something more like a leaded medium carbon steel like 10L45 so they could machine it as fast as possible and it had enough strength to last a decade or two of daily use. If it's a leaded steel it will not weld. If it's a higher carbon alloy that is not leaded it will weld fine using a preheat and any low hydrogen process (any 70 series MIG wire is low hydrogen BTW).
Keep in mind all these bench vises were mass produced commodity goods. They were often built beefy with the cheapest available materials. We like to think of these old things as fantastic and overbuilt, but they weren't. They were built to sell just like everything else.
RUSH55
SILVER Star
I think you’re right about “leaded” carbon steel. It seems soft, yet flexible. Hard to say how well it would hold conventional threads.
I moved this conversation to another thread
Athol 715 Vise Rebuild
Up until this point I’d been dirtying the Any Vise Collectors thread with my zealous vise lust. I want to thank @FARMAN33 for his excellent thread, insight, and patience. My first “big boy” vise has turned into a real project. Before I get into that, maybe I’ll expand on my perspective a bit...
forum.ih8mud.com
so we can get back to pics of peoples working vises