Show us your bench vice(s)

[ranger08]

Pulled the instantaneous grip vice apart today and removed over 100 years of hardened grease, very few parts actually quiet a simple concept. Have included photos of the internals for some that might of seen inside one.
apart from some random numbers there appears to be only a poorly stamped marking on the nut.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

That's pretty much the same as my bench vice version.

Show us your bench vice(s)

Once it's all cleaned up I'll reassemble it and see if it needs it, if it does I'll make a steel one.

www.mig-welding.co.uk

Show us your bench vice(s)

Best price too. :D Not heard of that brand before. What's the drying time like with that one? its touch dry after about 60mins and ready to rock after 12hrs. they made the paint for the forth rail bridge so cant be all bad...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[Arc Tourist]

Pulled the instantaneous grip vice apart today and removed over 100 years of hardened grease, very few parts actually quiet a simple concept. Have included photos of the internals for some that might of seen inside one.
apart from some random numbers there appears to be only a poorly stamped marking on the nut.
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I have one similar to this, also of heavy cast iron. I remember my Dad coming home from work one day with a smile on his face and this Vise in the back of the truck. It was old then, and caked up with sawdust, glue and paint residue. I had the task of cleaning it up, but afterward it was stored away in the garage never to be used again; that was over fifty years ago. The bolt to hold the spring loaded Dog down was missing so a socket head replacement was shortened to fit, but it would be nice to find a period square headed bolt eventually. The letters cast in the handle identify it as a " Sheldon " vise, and the Patent date is August 28, 1800 .

 

[SteveB58]

Always wondered whether that step was a plus (keeps the file from the softer body of the vice) or a minus

My only really big vice is a Parkinson's no 9 with 7 1/2in wide jaws (about 1890) see p 345 this thread, but a cheat really, the 9 should have smaller and they were replaced by jaws from the biggest of their QRs, the 9A (or was it sold like that from the works, can't tell?) - this one has a big step side and top, but I'm not going to grind it off.

Aside from that, I have enough medium bigs (4 - 5 in) and am looking for smalls (2 1/2in down) with a difference (mostly UK, all euro), so's I can fit 'em in.

Having spent 9 months of my first apprenticeship year with a file in my hand being taught how to file to tolerances I would never again need to achieve I found the 'step' useful. When filing your datum edge using the harder edge of the jaw as a guide helped as the material you were filing was softer so you'd file down to the jaw, to get your rough datum, then using file and square. true up. We found this much quicker than repeatedly filing and checking.

Steve

 

[dannysheff]

I have one similar to this, also of heavy cast iron. I remember my Dad coming home from work one day with a smile on his face and this Vise in the back of the truck. It was old then, and caked up with sawdust, glue and paint residue. I had the task of cleaning it up, but afterward it was stored away in the garage never to be used again; that was over fifty years ago. The bolt to hold the spring loaded Dog down was missing so a socket head replacement was shortened to fit, but it would be nice to find a period square headed bolt eventually. The letters cast in the handle identify it as a " Sheldon " vise, and the Patent date is August 28, 1800 .View attachment 354950View attachment 354951View attachment 354952View attachment 354953View attachment 354955

Looks like 1800, but I think it must be 1900.

Very fine example of this historic and useful vise from the USA.

 

[ranger08]

That's pretty much the same as my bench vice version.

Show us your bench vice(s)

Once it's all cleaned up I'll reassemble it and see if it needs it, if it does I'll make a steel one.

www.mig-welding.co.uk

Show us your bench vice(s)

Best price too. :D Not heard of that brand before. What's the drying time like with that one? its touch dry after about 60mins and ready to rock after 12hrs. they made the paint for the forth rail bridge so cant be all bad...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

Similar rotating cam style, however there is a difference in the shape of the cam, i didnt know there may of been several different makers of this style.
The nut on mine floats on top the cam so has a front and rear ridge in the cam so retain it however this has to be assembled correctly or it can dislodge, to my shock and horror!
Surprisingly not very heavy and has a space for a dog which is missing

 

[Arc Tourist]

Looks like 1800, but I think it must be 1900.
......................

I'll scrape a bit of the paint off tomorrow and check.

 

[StevieO]

I have one similar to this, also of heavy cast iron. I remember my Dad coming home from work one day with a smile on his face and this Vise in the back of the truck. It was old then, and caked up with sawdust, glue and paint residue. I had the task of cleaning it up, but afterward it was stored away in the garage never to be used again; that was over fifty years ago. The bolt to hold the spring loaded Dog down was missing so a socket head replacement was shortened to fit, but it would be nice to find a period square headed bolt eventually. The letters cast in the handle identify it as a " Sheldon " vise, and the Patent date is August 28, 1800 .View attachment 354950View attachment 354951View attachment 354952View attachment 354953View attachment 354955

That’s just a stunning vice for the great age.
Lovely restoration

 

[dannysheff]

I'll scrape a bit of the paint off tomorrow and check.

No need - there was an itch in my memory so I went to the Lost Art Press blog and searched Sheldon vise - yes he has one and gives a little history in a linked earlier Chris Schwartz blog with the patent and pix - C S's vise is like yours, the patent shows a different lever, (maybe more than one patent?) started manufacture in Chicago 1898, Muskegon later, sold to schools as bench with vice/vise. He praises it in everyday use.

 

[ranger08]

That's pretty much the same as my bench vice version.

Show us your bench vice(s)

Once it's all cleaned up I'll reassemble it and see if it needs it, if it does I'll make a steel one.

www.mig-welding.co.uk

Show us your bench vice(s)

Best price too. :D Not heard of that brand before. What's the drying time like with that one? its touch dry after about 60mins and ready to rock after 12hrs. they made the paint for the forth rail bridge so cant be all bad...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

The scroll cam was patent 1877, both of ours appear to entwisle and kenyon ltd
was available with a cast iron rack or a tempered steel rack, the later more expensive model having the words cast in, was also available with a bench hook, bench stop which mine has lost over the years

 

[dannysheff]

to round off the makers of these rack "instantaneous/lightening/quickaction" vices -- here's my 9in, 51lbs Syers (patented in 1877, just before the E&K and made, I think, by Wilson Riley) with a bench cousin (loose cam, E&K - note the unbroken but beaten up handle - wrought iron, not cast) above.

I don't use the bench top vice, but the nearly century-and-a-half Syers is in constant use, (when the bench is clear of old vices/tools) - the end vice on this bench is a big Parky woodworking 1st gen. (I made the bench from a slab of beech felled 30+ yrs ago and the base from oak that had been a door frame for 150+ years (do I like old stuff -yes)

Not very obvious on this one but it has the up-pointing arrow shape above the boss, cast in to the front, which quite a few of the earlier (I believe) Bradford made (I believe) non-QR and very heavy, very fine woodworking vices had - makes me think they were in the vice business earlier, maybe back to the 1860's when in the USA there were also some fine "piano-makers" vices (nearly all unmarked re maker) of fairly similar construction, see book on W. O. Studley tool cupboard and bench.

QR is clever and interesting, but which do you prefer as a user - QR or not? - after equipping 3 benches (cellar, as here, greenhouse in garden and allotment shed) with interesting QR vice set-ups, I'm wondering whether I don't prefer the plain Acme thread. In any case, all my favourites are pretty ancient.

 

[MattF]

QR is clever and interesting, but which do you prefer as a user - QR or not?

QR is a winner hands down, in my book. Quicker to adjust, less wear on the thread over time, stronger thread form etc.

 

[Gragson]

I would say QR also, moved on an old record 6 recently because it didn't have it, I use QR even for a few mm

 

[dannysheff]

I see your picture/avatar Gragson.

You aren't the Roll-Royce Derby welder, who when a load of Navy top brass were touring their works to see progress on repair of a key valve, without which certain subs would be out of action, and during a sweltering summer week like this (mid 90s), was introduced through the weld curtain as the key to the whole operation, pulled back the curtain and was found to wearing only his weld apron, gauntlets and boots? They were not impressed - we had a competing route to make the part, and won the order (small but key).

At least he wore an apron, and it was boiling hot.

 

[timgunn1962]

If you've not used a QR vice, a non-QR will be absolutely fine. If you have used QR, not having it will be a constant source of disappointment/irritation/expletives.

There is a record 8 on the bench at work, previously occupied by my 114 (it went home when I got a shed). It's been well over ten years and my colleague and myself still really miss the quick action.

 

[ranger08]

In my opinion you can not crank a qr like you can a plane screw, it’s all bout threads per inch really and what you want it for

 

[SteveB58]

I see your picture/avatar Gragson.

You aren't the Roll-Royce Derby welder, who when a load of Navy top brass were touring their works to see progress on repair of a key valve, without which certain subs would be out of action, and during a sweltering summer week like this (mid 90s), was introduced through the weld curtain as the key to the whole operation, pulled back the curtain and was found to wearing only his weld apron, gauntlets and boots? They were not impressed - we had a competing route to make the part, and won the order (small but key).

At least he wore an apron, and it was boiling hot.

Can't imagine RN brass being upset at the sight of a naked man, they may have given him their phone numbers though.

As for QR or not QR, only ever found it useful if I have to move the jaw a long way. One my bench only the wood vice has QR, seldom used though it is.

Steve

 

[MattF]

In my opinion you can not crank a qr like you can a plane screw

If you can't, your vice has a problem.

 

[DennisCA]

Picked this one up last saturday, it's being taken apart currently. The base is homemade, welded onto the factory feet, seems to be nickel I think since it has no oxidation or rust like the rest odf the thing. It's the rear jaw that moves.

 

[dannysheff]

Picked this one up last saturday, it's being taken apart currently. The base is homemade, welded onto the factory feet, seems to be nickel I think since it has no oxidation or rust like the rest odf the thing. It's the rear jaw that moves.

Interesting - dynamic rear jaw as in many German etc vices, but front then sticks wa-ay out over the edge of bench if bolted as usual, - so I can see why someone welded on the base like that, Never seen one of those - well found, Dennis.