utaholdiron

sanddraggin, I bought a 5 inch post vise last week that, condition-wise, looks alot like yours in your first posted picture. Using a drill-mounted, circular wire brush, I spent several hours getting the surface rust off. Then I applied "stove black" to every surface I could reach and after letting it dry for a time, wiped it with a soft cloth. It's amazing how much better it looked when I finished.

http://armyordnance.tpub.com/Od1645/Od16450132.htm

Now can someone tell me in layman's language what they are talking about?

"I will sell the worn-out blower unit to the local blacksmith supply shop who deals in new/used components/anvils/forges etc."

I'm in need of a bronze gear and the ball bearing assemblies that go with the crank gear if you would consider selling them to me? Alan

SReynolds, I appeciate the update.

Thanks, SReynolds, I'd be curious to learn what you find out.

I could be wrong, and I often am, but I'm pretty certain the Champion 400 has four ball bearings. Both ends of the "crank gear" and both ends of the "spiral gear" have ball bearing assemblies. The intermediate "bronze gear" that meshes with the spiral gear uses friction bearings. The Champion 400 is a beautiful machine. I recently worked on one with the standard three-legged stand, that had been setting outside in the dirt for many years. The bottoms of the pipe legs had rusted away but the blower itself was still in remarkably good condition. I also devised a way to refurbish the bottoms of the badly rusted pipe legs using pre-bend conduit and 3/4 inch self-tapping screws.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-187-lb-OLD-ENGLISH-COACHMAKERS-BLACKSMITH-ANVIL-Forge-NO-RESERVE-/110822800179?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19cd8dbb33

Did it have a horn at one time?

If it's a Champion 400 blower, the "fan" is attached to the spiral gear. I would suggest putting a socket wrench on the other end of that same gear to prevent it from turning as you undo the blade assembly.

Once again I am seeking the advice of the experts. I have a chance to buy this swage block, but know little about them. It's 18 inches square and 4 1/2 inches deep. Appears to be in good shape. Weighs around 300 pounds. Are they sold by the pound, much like an anvil, and what would be a fair price to pay for it? Any information is appreciated.

Thanks to all of you for your responses. I did end up buying the mandrel.

Anyone ever seen a mandrel like this one? I'm thinking of buying it ($350), but I'm a little concerned about the small end not coming to a point. Any information would be appreciated. The large end is 12 inches in diameter, it's around 4 feet tall and weighs around 110 pounds.

Rob Gorrell, any chance you could post a better picture of the "wedge key holding the bottom pin in the leg pivot" spoken of by MLMartin? I'm a novice where post vises are concerned and any useful information is greatly appreciated. Thanks, utaholdiron.

That's a beautiful vise, Sask Mark. To my untrained eye it looks, at the very least, to be quite old and of English origin. I hope Misters Turley or Powers will give it their appraisal. Thanks for the picture and your input. Alan

@ Sask Mark, you should post pictures of your 7.5" vise and possibly Misters Turley or Powers could identify it for you.

@ John McPherson, thanks for the input.

@ Sask Mark, Thanks, that's a nice one and almost completely all there. What is the coat of arms looking mark in the middle?

@ Frank Turley, thanks for the additional photos and your imparting of wisdom, you've answered alot of my questions and I appreciate it. Alan

@ Thomas Powers, That's more or less what I was thinking. You are exactly right, the condition of the vise is more important than whatever markings (or lack of them ) are on the vise. Thanks for your input.

@ Frank Turley, thanks for taking a look and giving me some pointers. I appreciate and value your input. I really enjoyed having a look at your PW vise. A friend of mine deals in antique farm equipment and every so often lands a post vise, anvil or forge blower. I would like to know what the Peter Wright markings on their vises looked like, and where on the screw box it was located? The only picture I've seen had a coat of arms stamp with it and the markings were visible when the screw box was assembled. Thanks again for you time and input.

Here's both pictures of the partial marking in reduced size.

Sorry about picture 5 being so large, I forgot to reduce it in size.

I'm indebted to Mr. Frank Turley for a detailed article about post vises that I ran across on the internet. In it, he talks about deeply chamfered legs, detailed lathe work, etc., on the older, English vises. Quoting the article, "It is more difficult to find out about old leg vises than anvils, because there were fewer markings. When Peter Wright did mark their vises, they did so on top of the screw box body with P.WRIGHT PATENT SOLID BOX. These were in three lines, stamped in small, serifed letters and were often obliterated by wear and rust."

I had recently purchased a vise that had no visible markings, but did possess all the things talked about in the above mentioned article. After taking the screw box body out of the vise and cleaning it with a wire brush I did find what appears to be the remnants of some markings. What is there is faint and incomplete and appears to be "HT". Could this be the last two letters of the name Wright? Does anyone have a picture of the three lines of markings on the screw box of a Peter Wright post vise?

@Phil Krankowski...........I like the way you think. My problem is when I see a neat old piece of equipment I'm drawn to the inherent art and beauty in it as much as its utility. I also suspect younger people might be more interested in this particular item if it comes across as a little out of the ordinary. The blower that goes with the forge is fully functional and I'm hoping to dress it up as well. Thanks for your input.

Bob S............The Shadow do!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@ SReynolds...........Anyone who can dismantle a Champion blower has my respect! The blades and blade housing no problem, but the gearing tear down is a bit of a challenge for me. I helped do one this summer and they are tricky, to say the least.