scotto

Nice big ol' vise! At $4k that would be the most expensive I've seen.

Full of envy here. I've been looking for a large vice and have only found one 8" Columbian but $1500.00 is more than I'm willing to spend. There are so many more tools, at this point, that would be more useful to me. Congrats, beautiful vise. Scott

Thanks for the replies. I wanted to make sure they were useful for something and not just worthy of the junk yard.

At work our large centrifugal pumps uses a set thrust bearings on the outboard end. The outer race OD is 7.25. The inner race ID is 6.35 and the bearings are 1.25 OD. What steel would these be made from and what would the uses be? Thanks, Scott

Nice deal on the anvil! I like the old post and beam timbers too. Is that floor joist notches of were the beams repurposed for a different build? it looks as though your shop use to have a suspended floor. Scott

With all of todays modern alloys and bonding materials would it be possible to use some sort of brazing rod, get everything super hot and set on a new top plate? I would think some brazing materials would be equally as durable as the wrought iron body. If this is a stupid question, just call it! Scott

If I ever decide to buy 400+#er it will probably be a Gladiator. 3K should be enough! Scott

I've read some pretty good reviews on them from satisfied customers. Retail runs around $700.00 plus shipping. It wouldnt bother me to pay that price if all observation and anvil inspection checks out. Scott

People have different circumstances around home especially when it comes to free time. Me, family of six, some with special needs. It's non stop around here from the time I get in from work till the time we make it to bed. If there is 30 minutes a day of peace and quiet here it's a rare day. There will always be people who don't like a lazy question. What may be a lazy question for one person may not be for another. Some will voice there opinon and others will simply not comment at all. Some don't mind repeating things. When you're digging through junk you keep what is usefull and discard or shelve the rest. Same here. Anyhow, finding an anivl: I asked every person I knew and many I didn't about anivls for at least four months. People got tired of hearing me ask. All I found were dry wells. What I did find were heirlooms. My dad located one yesterday I was able to get for a good price. A week ago I saw and old acquaintance from my youth, who now owns a junk yard, he has six anvils ratholed at his house. I went by and looked at them when he was away and found two of them in useable condition. We haven't gotten together for the deal but it wont be long. If things seem dry today and you're persistent then rain will surely fall. Scott

Around my area (Southern MS) it seems that Wilkinson/Queens Dudley anvils are common. Other than these it will be a mix of Fisher, Vulcan, a Trenton or two or something with no distinguishable name. Why would finding an imported anvil be more common than an American made anvil? I would think from the mid 1800s forward that American made anvils would be more predominant. Would this have something todo by living in a state with costal ports? Scott

Thanks for sharing. Cool stuff! Scott

You can buy a brand new 165# Rigid Peddinghaus for $1188.00 with free shipping. If you wait till a holliday you may get 10-20% ordering from Zorro. Scott

Do you have a picture of your Iron City 8 incher? I've found an 8 inch for sale but no markings I can see. Scott

Thanks for the information. Scott

Thank you sir!

Looks good. Thanks for sharing. With me being new I agree with the stock deminsions, measurements etc being brought out. I would also try to throw in some terminoligy that one would have picked up by reading how-to material; full face hammer, what angle to the bick to prevent cork screwing, the horn helps drawing because... Looking forward to seeing more. Scott

looks great, congrats!

As the opening as it appears in the photo the deminsions are 2 5/16 x 1 5/16.

Picked this up off ebay for a song. Figured why not... What size vice would this have fit? the under side has the number two on it.

I was hunting and fishing on my own by the time i was 9. As far back as I can remeber I was in the shop with my dad making repairs for people. Gloves way too big, hood wouldn't adjust small enough and my dad helping me hold the stinger, balancing the hood and keep gloves on my hand while running 6011's. Heck, half the time I couldn't even see the puddle. I guess the angle grinders were the tools he had the most reservations about till i was strong enough to handle them... maybe 15 or so. I could run the o/a rig but wasn't allowed to adjuste the regulators. Life is different now with my kids because those type activities are not daily activities and they are not normal daily life like they were for me. I do encourage them to hang out when piddled with those things and the auto darkening shields make it pretty cool for the kids. If I used these things for my day job and odd and end weekend money like my dad did I would have my kids working on that stuff with me as much as I could. Scott

For the last few months I'v attended the local monthly meetings of my areas blacksmith group. They are looking to have a hammer class sometime and the deal is you pay a certain fee and you are the striker for your hammer. Not being very experiance, my son and I are stumbling through it together, exactly what would be a good way to practice up to be a striker for your hammer? technique... what size hammer practice with... etc.. I don't forsee the class being much sooner than the end of the first quarter so there should be some time to develope a little stremgtj, stamina and accuracy. Anyhow, tips and suggestions are welcomed. Scott

Sounds good. Thanks for the responses. I know around here you see many more anvils than post vises so you cannot really gain the learning you get by actually seeing, holding touching... Of the mere eight or so I've seen I would not consider any of them to be poor quality. I know some have much nicer style in design. Some just look more art inspired while others just look like a tool. Scott

Does the weight have anything to do with the quality of the vice. I believe I read somewhere about some imports beeing light for the jaw width and these were cheaper. I see significant changes in weight amongst vises with the same width jaws. My 5.5 inch weights 67 pounds but have seen 5.5 inch vises advertised up to 90 pounds or so. I've located an 8 Inch vice but it weighs in around 190 pounds and a 7" vise that weighs 175 pounds. This seemed light to me. Anyhow, the hunt for tools is part of the fun. Scott

I get to wear mine about three months at a time. Atleast quarterly I have to work in the refinery whose policy is clean shaven or a tight mustach. I would attempt a zz top beard if time allowed, maybe after I retire. Scott

Those are quite impressive John. I particularly like the second one. Awful cool. Wonder how big the anvil would need to be to balance those monster vises out!? Scott