oleman Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 On 3/31/2019 at 7:41 AM, 12_Guy said: Exactly, like most tools, you don't know what you're missing until you get a good one. Not trying to start a vice brand war here, but it's like anything, when you buy quality versus worn out/ new Asian junk the high quality is always nicer/ safer to use. Quality in 2019, too cheap to have the makers name cast into it, Wonder how the double-sided taped on label will be in 2069? If they couldn't afford a real label wonder what other cuts they made in real materials. Guess it is better than my Red Chinese vice where the casting flaws were were filled with body filler! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowrosefarm Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Here is one I forgot I had. I found it cleaning out one of the sheds the other day. The front jaw is adjustable outward by pulling the pin/bolt under the fixed jaw. I bought it at an auction many moons ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY1468 Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 2 hours ago, yellowrosefarm said: Here is one I forgot I had. I found it cleaning out one of the sheds the other day. The front jaw is adjustable outward by pulling the pin/bolt under the fixed jaw. I bought it at an auction many moons ago. I have the exact same one. Someone gave me mine after they told me they were going to throw it away. I said throw it my away! Mine doesn’t have a pin or bolt in it, was wondering how hard a bolt it would take. I’ll post a picture of mine soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowrosefarm Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Mine didn't either. I put a grade 8 bolt in it drilled for a hairpin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finney Posted June 15, 2019 Author Share Posted June 15, 2019 15 hours ago, yellowrosefarm said: Here is one I forgot I had. I found it cleaning out one of the sheds the other day. The front jaw is adjustable outward by pulling the pin/bolt under the fixed jaw. I bought it at an auction many moons ago. That is neat, like to find one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY1468 Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Here’s pictures of my vises... Pretty much everyone of them I have rescued or was given. The first one a guy was throwing away and I took it out of the trash. Second one was laying on the floor of a barn where I was working on a tractor for someone and said that looks like a nice little vise. He said take it, it was here when I got the place. I didn’t wait to be tod a second time. The third one is brand new. Was working for a freind and commented on how fancy it looked, he is a great guy and friend. When I got home it was in the back of my truck with a note to enjoy it. Fourth one is a China special that I’ve abused a bunch and has held up great except for the bonds coming off. The last one I got with a bench when I was doing auto body in Michigan and has followed me around for 25 years or so. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 Here are a couple more I’ve procured lately. First 3 pics are a post vise a buddy picked up for me a while back. Cleaned up it had markings on the front making it an Indian Chief. I made a new spring for it, straightened the handle and cleaned the entire thing. Next pics are from a sale two weeks ago. I think I did well. The brass soft jaws are Wilton branded also. The vise is dated 2-87. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 Scored a big Reed brand vise today at a sale. Got it mostly apart for cleaning. Jaws are 5.5” wide which the old catalog I have says weighs 105lbs. Lots of grime coming off this one but internally and externally it is in great shape for probably being 100+ years old. It’s not like I needed it but they are fun to mess with and clean up. This original catalog is dated 1920 from a Chicago hardware company. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomorejohndeere Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 What's the preferred method of securing a post vise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomorejohndeere Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 I went and looked on Utube so now I'm becoming an expert........ I've got three or so of these down at the farm and always wondered how or to what people attach them to I'll look closer next time I'm down and see if any of them have the mounting strap on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawleigh99 Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 I love my Reed Prentiss. @120 lbs. If you don't already know it, there is a grub screw on the right side that holds the split nut adjuster in the front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 5 hours ago, nomorejohndeere said: I went and looked on Utube so now I'm becoming an expert........ I've got three or so of these down at the farm and always wondered how or to what people attach them to I'll look closer next time I'm down and see if any of them have the mounting strap on them. Also important to have the bottom of the vise leg supported. I have mine on a custom base drilled into the concrete and another on my semi-mobile striking anvil that I built. Traditionally a hole was dug 3-4’ in a dirt floor. Post inserted into hole. Vise mounted on top of “post”. Smaller post for the leg of the vise to rest on. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 5 hours ago, Rawleigh99 said: I love my Reed Prentiss. @120 lbs. If you don't already know it, there is a grub screw on the left side that holds the split nut adjuster in the front. Interesting.....I haven’t seen anything like that on this one yet. I wonder if that was only on the Prentiss? This one has a lock collar inside the jaw with a set/grub screw to hold the acme threaded piece in but that is all I’ve come across. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomorejohndeere Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 Ever since I was a kid I thought they were mounted buried in the ground to give them support. Which would put the vice at ground level. So a blacksmith could wail on it with a sledge. That's why I never have put them to use. I wondered why they called them post vices, stupid is what stupid does looks like I have some mounting to do........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 7 minutes ago, nomorejohndeere said: Ever since I was a kid I thought they were mounted buried in the ground to give them support. Which would put the vice at ground level. So a blacksmith could wail on it with a sledge. That's why I never have put them to use. I wondered why they called them post vices, stupid is what stupid does looks like I have some mounting to do........... They are far more stout than any bench vise for hammer work but they were designed to hold hot metal for bending and shaping more than beating on. The spring loaded opening is so it can be opened one handed while you have tongs and hot steel in the other. The shock is transmitted to the ground through the leg of the vise from any bending or hammering. Both bench and post vises have their place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardtail Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 Alcohol and fast women were mine, sorry no pics to incriminate me self 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oleman Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 I realize this is going to be offensive to some of us BUT what is the fatal attraction to old vices? My made in China, 5" , bought prior to Harbor Freight being a Company, has served me well and it's only 60# of cast iron cost $50. in 83. I vice I would really like to see would be a "MADE IN ENGLAND" vice from the early 1800's. Prior to the heavy industries moving to the USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 46 minutes ago, oleman said: I realize this is going to be offensive to some of us BUT what is the fatal attraction to old vices? My made in China, 5" , bought prior to Harbor Freight being a Company, has served me well and it's only 60# of cast iron cost $50. in 83. I vice I would really like to see would be a "MADE IN ENGLAND" vice from the early 1800's. Prior to the heavy industries moving to the USA. No offense taken here at all. Personally, I feel the older ones are built with better material than newer ones. I don’t know that there are many newly manufactured post vises. A good quality brand new vise could be several hundred dollars. Many times these older ones can be had much cheaper. I enjoy cleaning them up and making them ready for use. It is fun to me. Doesn’t mean the 1983 China vise is bad, just not what I gravitate towards. Everyone has their own way of seeing it I suppose. Some people would buy a brand new motor home and others would turn a transit bus into a motor home. Personal preference. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowrosefarm Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 Using the old tools for the work they were intended for makes me feel more part of the line of tradition. Anvils and vices are 2 things that last long enough to give multiple owners a lifetime of use. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 19 minutes ago, yellowrosefarm said: Using the old tools for the work they were intended for makes me feel more part of the line of tradition. Anvils and vices are 2 things that last long enough to give multiple owners a lifetime of use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowrosefarm Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 Here are the rest of mine. First is my Dad's that he had when I was a child. Next is a "Luther" 3 inch. It's small but still weighs about 25 lbs. Then my "modern" use everyday, don't care if I grind on it accidentally, then the smaller C parker that is mounted to a receiver tube, then the mack daddy parker which has a split thread block so is non functional for the time being. Not sure how much it weighs but it's almost too heavy for me to pick up. Then the post vise my Sister gave me, and finally a Wilton I bought at a yard sale 40 years ago. It was frozen up and I pulled a big post out of the ground with it and my old Bronco. Took some heat to eventually free it up. It doesn't swivel so I'm currently not using it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 @yellowrosefarm Good selection ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 Everything done but the handle which was bent and twisted. It is 7/8” round stock which I have a piece of and some ball bearings for ends. Just need to get them welded up in the next few days. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Fan Posted April 26, 2021 Share Posted April 26, 2021 Here is one I've been going to post a pic of for quite a while. Laying outside at a local repair shop, think he welded it back together. Makes one wonder how someone could break something like this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted April 26, 2021 Share Posted April 26, 2021 8 minutes ago, DT Fan said: Here is one I've been going to post a pic of for quite a while. Laying outside at a local repair shop, think he welded it back together. Makes one wonder how someone could break something like this. Some people can break almost anything. I have a very large Athol (became Starret) vise that I purchased broken. It looks like it had been on the bottom of a lake.... I soak it down with oil every so often for good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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