Show us your bench vice(s)

[dannysheff]

and thirdly my latest hurried acquisition which at first glance and from memory, I thought was going to be somewhat like tp's and not QR, turned out to be bigger, heavier and, unlike the cast vices above, made by weld fab (of high quality)

all these vices seem to have strange shaped rear (fixed, static) jaws, but in this case it's really big and if you remove the rotating part, gives a fair sized anvil

it has the remains of a label saying Wilson and Colt


anyone else have any other versions of these to 'show us your vice'?

wild guess --- there's at least one in cwazywabbit's shed

 

[Arc Tourist]

looked over at the US garage vises website -- some of the prices! - a Prentiss vice catalogue just sold for $600 - some some of the 'baby' (2in jaws) Wiltons (like a Czech York vice) go for 4 figures as do many of the big fellas

!!

Yeah, ridiculous prices for sure. I've had one of the 2" Wilton's on their power arm mount for about as long as I can remember. Back in the mid 1970's it cost me about the price of a dinner for two on a night out.
Edit: Holy smokes ! I just had a look on the bay of evil ( item # 184663669010 ), and that one without the ball mount is on there for over a thousand dollars; Insane.

 

[dannysheff]

nice (your vises, arc, not the US prices)

and is the (even better?) one at the front by one of the two German Swiss makers (forgotten the name, but same family) - is it a good ball joint on that? (so many ball joints, but only a few tighten up both smoothly and firmly (same goes for camera mounts))

 

[Arc Tourist]

Not sure, as there are no markings on it, but it is beautifully machined and smooth operating.
Regarding ball mounts, when searching, be on the lookout for a "Spenklin Miniclamp" (base). It is an almost identical copy of the Wilton power arm. Here's a photo.

 

[dannysheff]

Not sure, as there are no markings on it, but it is beautifully machined and smooth operating.
Regarding ball mounts, when searching, be on the lookout for a "Spenklin Miniclamp" (base). It is an almost identical copy of the Wilton power arm; here's a photo.

View attachment 283319

yes - apparently in the past spencer f made many of the ball joints for Wilson USA, and they still sell a range of such today -- including this one -- not cheap, but high quality (however you'll have to make your own judgement on today's bright orange colour) - sought after by sculptors, usually with a face plate, not a vice attached

 

[Arc Tourist]

Just noticed in the fine print on the label ( glad I have microscopes ) that states. . . . .

Spencer Franklin Ltd.
24 Railway Approach London Bridge
London S.E. 1

And "Foreign Patents Pending".

 

[Smouser]

My Record 84

 

[FR518]

Had this a few months now and forgot to post

 

[Arc Tourist]

Nice ! I haven't seen one of those before, what make is it ?

 

[dannysheff]

Had this a few months now and forgot to post

View attachment 284334

I do like the real rarities , FR, -- and that is certainly one for the UK? vice history book that someone should be writing - is it a very early variant of the Entwistle and Kenyon? or from Massey who got their licence in USA or ? Certainly looks well pre1900 to me, and in fine shape. I believe someone had a patent drawing on a forum in the last couple of years with something like this - sorry, can't remember where, may come to me?

Nice one

(ps - that's a clean restoration, smouser)

 

[FR518]

Nice ! I haven't seen one of those before, what make is it ?

Stephens lever vice

 

[FR518]

I do like the real rarities , FR, -- and that is certainly one for the UK? vice history book that someone should be writing - is it a very early variant of the Entwistle and Kenyon? or from Massey who got their licence in USA or ? Certainly looks well pre1900 to me, and in fine shape. I believe someone had a patent drawing on a forum in the last couple of years with something like this - sorry, can't remember where, may come to me?

Nice one

(ps - that's a clean restoration, smouser)

Yeah am in Scotland. Think it’s 18?? Stephens patent lever vice

 

[SteveB58]

Being recently retired and avoiding decorating the master bedroom I googled this rather interesting vice. Lots of pictures and the spelling is Steven's.

 

[dannysheff]

ee op
Being recently retired and avoiding decorating the master bedroom I googled this rather interesting vice. Lots of pictures and the spelling is Steven's.

well found -- lots in this picture - I could guess that you just pulled the jaw out and that the lever must cam fix the position while tightening it a bit, but didn't know it would be spring loaded (item 5248) also interesting replaceable anvil (5254) and jaws (5257 -weld on?) I guess 5251 is the cam bearing pin and 52 and 56 are tools for working on this vice, but what is 5250 and where does it fit? (and 5253,55 - parts of the camming action?)

I also like that the photo/engravings show the paint job -- looks black or at least dark and leaves the knob, the anvil the contact areas of the slide and cam and the pin head plus the areas of the jaw that might get hit by a file all bright - much like I painted my much later (1950s) Record 74 for example or smouser painted his bright blue Record above.

where did that eeop come from? - you're in essex lad, not yorks

 

[CwazyWabbit]

This seems to be the patent, I've attached it as a PDF as well

US42236A - Improvement in vises - Google Patents

 

[jonclancy]

A quick question:

I now have beeswax granules, turps, linseed oil, tung oil etc. What would you recommend for a machine wax please? I’ve decided my Record 84 will be naked, unlike the wonderful example above...

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

A quick question:

I now have beeswax granules, turps, linseed oil, tung oil etc. What would you recommend for a machine wax please? I’ve decided my Record 84 will be naked, unlike the wonderful example above...

Melt bee's wax over a low heat and blend in the Linseed oil.
Best applied when the metal is worm.
Apply. buff well and repeat.


For wood great the wax and mix whit white spirits until a smooth mix.

What I use.

 

[jonclancy]

Thank you, Sir.

 

[Dieselman 63]

An Entwistle and Kenyon bench vice. Lever operated - these must be rare as by now.

 

[Dieselman 63]

A Fortis No11 I’ve done for a customer - the customer will make their own Tommy bar, and I was to supply the rest of the vice in restored condition. Such a nice shape, really cool.