Swindens vice

[TAITSIE]

First thought at seeing that one was that it's possibly an American vice. Seems to have their type of styling.

I did post it on an American vice site but no replies

 

[MattF]

If I can find owt out I'll give you a shout.

 

[TAITSIE]

Cheers, just curious about the maker
It is huge and very very heavy

I cant lift it cos of my new hip or I would have put a mug beside it for the standard comparison test

 

[MattF]

I cant lift it cos of my new hip or I would have put a mug beside it for the standard comparison test

Whatever it is, that's a nice looking bit of kit.

 

[TAITSIE]

Paid £30 for it about 16 months ago

 

[MattF]

You got a bally good bargain there.

 

[MattF]

Taitsie, are there any manufacturer markings whatsoever, anywhere on the vice?

 

[TAITSIE]

Hi Matt
I had a good look when I got it but could not find any name or logo , will get my son to get it out at the weekend and have another look.
Thanks
Andrew

 

[MattF]

Cheers. Parker, Pittsburgh and Sargent are current possible suggestions. Just been having a quick look at some Parker's, and there is a distinct resemblance.

If you have a few days or so spare, it might be worth flicking through this thread on Garagejournal too. Six hundred odd pages just on about members vices.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44782

There might be something in that thread similar.

 

[TAITSIE]

Thanks, have looked at the first 30 pages but nothing looks similar , will look later

 

[MattF]

Only another six hundred pages or so to go then. There is a black Yankee vice on page 103, about a third of the way down the page:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44782&page=103

which has the similar type styling. Seems that one is likely based on the Parker, judging from the content of the post.

 

[Pete.]

You would have thought that bolt-on fixed jaw housing would make it instantly recognisable.

 

[MattF]

Aye, it's rare you tend to see that on any vice, so should be a bit of a giveaway. The only time I've personally seen that type of design was on a Parkinson vice, and I still remember it because it was so unusual.

On about quirky designs, makes you wonder why the Americans seemed to make the jaw necks so slender on so many of their older vices. The English vices usually seemed to have double the metal, especially on the rear jaw.

 

[TAITSIE]

Not had a chance to look at anymore pages on the site you suggested, as I said will get my son to pull the vice out at the weekend and will look for name or marking again
Will also weigh it!! and take more pics of it from various angles

 

[MattF]

and take more pics of it from various angles

Sweet. Vice porn!

 

[Big Pete]

I've got one of the 6" Swindens, also painted red when I refurbed it. They are still a going concern, and you want to be sitting down when you look at the price list. A new 6" doesn't give much change from £1500. Fantastic vice though, mine came out of an industrial scrappers heap 20 years ago, and will likely outlast me by a good while.

 

[normspanners]

I did post it on an American vice site but no replies

American vice site Hum, what a site that might be named Miami Vice or some thing similar , no wonder you didnt get a reply, unless they are used for squeezing nuts !!!

 

[TAITSIE]

Not been feeling well this weekend and my son was away so no chance to get the vice from the shed and check for name etc

 

[MattF]

No worries. Just pop any info and photo's up when you get them.

Finally made some headway with this thing. Not exactly done it as subtly as I'd have liked, but this devil had issues, so simply went for an option which worked. Ended up filing the last three turns of the screw off at the handle end. At that point on the screw, the width of the groove suddenly jumped up by about 1/64". Not sure if the leadscrew has physically stretched, but that's what I'm surmising. I'm sure if that's how it had been machined originally, somebody would have done something about it. Plus, had to cut a gnat's off the end of the nut. Once I got the screw going in a bit further, the first turn of the nut and the last turn of the thread decided to have a disagreement with each other. Mangled thread on both pieces, hence why the nut is now a tad shorter in length. At least I can get the jaws closed now though. Just managed to get enough extra movement between the screw and nut to accomplish it.

The screw and nut still aren't perfect, but now that I have enough movement there for it to close fully, I'm leaving it as is instead of phaffing with it any further and risking making it worse.

I've got one of the 6" Swindens, also painted red when I refurbed it. They are still a going concern, and you want to be sitting down when you look at the price list. A new 6" doesn't give much change from £1500. Fantastic vice though, mine came out of an industrial scrappers heap 20 years ago, and will likely outlast me by a good while.

Any photo's of it? Can never have too many photo's. I bet that must weigh a fair bit.

 

[MattF]

Test reassembly and fit. Need to source all new screws, nuts and bolts as yet, (none of the originals are in very good shape), and the screw ball end and handle are awaiting derusting, but the jaws are now closing, and no notable binding between the screw and nut now.