Any Vise Collectors Here?

[Mr Wonderful]

@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 shipped cheaply. Less so is the spindle but there are buyers out there for the $75 range. The dynamic doesn't look awful but guys are not really buying main bodies as it is hard to get your half and their half to match up age and use wise. That said... If you can get that swivel moving (off) there are a LOT of broken ones out there with guys trying to force theirs and need it replaced. I'd start listing on EBay for the smaller parts. Hope that helps!

Good luck on the Reedsman! GREAT Vise and worthy of the hunt!

Ya I knew I could part it out but it seemed like a shame since it’s so close to complete. I had to unfreeze the swivel jaw on my Hollands 46 and it was tough. I just don’t have the drive for anything over 5” for right now.

 

[FARMAN33]

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!

 

[TomH]

Finally got the Columbian 503 cleaned up.

 

[FARMAN33]

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 way and 3-4 rotations per “spin”!

Had to get a little creative with compressing the spring so that the collar would go into the new shaft indent.

All in about $40 for this set-up. 2 bearings -4 washers and spring.

 

[Mr Wonderful]

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 way and 3-4 rotations per “spin”!

Had to get a little creative with compressing the spring so that the collar would go into the new shaft indent.

All in about $40 for this set-up. 2 bearings -4 washers and spring.

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So you didn’t have to do any machining???

 

[FARMAN33]

So you didn’t have to do any machining???

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.

 

[FARMAN33]

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. Looks great!