23 hours ago, Steven NY said:

 I cleaned it....

Hi Stephen,

Any tips on what you used to clean and coat this vice? Looks great and I'd be tempted to try and copy the method.

I used a parts washer filled with mineral spirits to remove the gunk, grease, and loose paint . I soaked the screw box overnight  and worked with a toothbrush to get the inside clean.  Once the vise was degreased and dry I used my big wire wheel for most of it. I also used a cup wheel on a 4.5" angle grinder to remove the overburden of paint and rust. I used a light touch to only remove the paint and rust leaving the century old patina.

The finish is nothing more than 3 in 1 oil cut with WD-40 somewhere around 50/50 mix. I empty my old spray cans of WD-40 that will not spray anymore by punching a hole and pouring what is left in them into a squeeze bottle then add 3 in 1 oil. Most of my tools get wiped down with this from time to time.  I Wiped it on all surfaces before assemble. I lubed the screw box and all moving parts with Never Seize.

The clean up took a full weekend. 

To keep the vise dark like this one only remove the loose rust, you do not want to take it all the way down to shine silver, It is the same technique used on the body of anvils. To much wire wheeling re-exposes the metal. 

Hope this helps,

W

Bril thanks! Love the dark look.

Picked this up the other day. 5 inch jaws, 62lbs. Got it cleaned up and put back together today. Caint wait to put it to work. 

Just looks like it should be in 1920's/30's industrial black and white photos in that last shot...

All scrapyard finds. All need (needed) something but were had for $70 total. 

Unknown 4” post vise.

Wilton 1460

Rock Island 574

Wilton 1750

Oooooh! I hope you bought a lottery ticket! The Wiltons are expensive vises, even used, I don't recognize the maker of the drill vise but unless there's hidden damage it's worth more than $70. The leg vise looks complete but can't see the screw, it's PROBABLY worth your $70 easy. 

The gods of the scrap yard were sure smiling on you.

Frosty The Lucky.

The dill vise is a Wilton 1460. It was $5 with a bent screw. Easy fix on the press. Works great and has the quick release mechanism. I have shown the post vise before. It needed a washer and the rear Jaw/leg is bent. One day I’ll heat it up and get it back into shape on the press. The other 3 need some work to the jaw area. I don’t mind doing it for some quality vintage vises. 

Ah HAH, I THOUGHT the leg vise looked familiar!  

You want to straighten the heel jaw or the leg? I wouldn't bother with the leg it's not bend enough to effect anything. I'd use it for a while before deciding if the heel jaw needs work. Usually they meet on top first rather than the bottom so it's a candidate, I'd check that very thing.

Frosty The Lucky.

There is about 3/8” difference in jaw height when fully closed. There was another post about misaligned jaws and that vise was heated and straightened to correct the problem. That’s when I noticed mine was slightly off. You’re right about the leg. I was just going to straighten it while I was correcting the other problem. 

Scored a couple more Wilton vises today at the scrapyard. Wilton C2 and a 1740 tradesman. They need some work.  

 

Not sure on what brand just yet, perhaps itll say on the side when its delivered.

Got it for £20 locally.  Was this a good price?

Not sure what the brand says, I think it says "Trade Perfect Mary" or "trade Perfect Navy"? its 30kg+ so 66.1lbs. Would love to know more about it. It opens and closes no trouble. 

Wrought iron Peter wright I thinks. 4 inch jaws, 40 inches tall 44.5 lbs

If you look close between the patina it used to be painted dark red. I believe its missing the decorative ball on the screwbox. 

Screw in brand new sort of condition. No wear at all, each burr is sharp, not one single part of the burs dull or rounded. No signs of any repair ever having been done to this vise.

Cant see light through the jaws either, Holds paper just fine without slipping at all.

 

Got it for £39 locally   I bought it thinkin i'd have a fun project to repair but theres nothing at all to do with it, so i'm kinda bored now.  I'll restore the parkinsons above instead haha.

I'm taking a two hour round trip drive tomorrow to pick up my 4" post vise.  Purchased off Craislist.  I hate doing that, but I did get 4 really good pictures and everything looks to be in good condition.  Of course, I won't know until I pick it up and get it cleaned up in the electrolysis tank.  Looks as if it has been kept in a barn, so it's not deeply rusted from being out in the rain like so many I've seen offered.............only surface rust, which tickles me.  It might not even need the electrolysis soak.  Even has a straight crank arm..........which I seldom see around here............so no straightening to do.  We'll just have to wait and see what I bought.  Keepin' my fingers crossed for sure.  I'll post "Before" pics when I get it home.

Awesome Chris. That is an invaluable piece of equipment to have in my book. 

Thanks, CGL.  It looks as if I made a pretty good deal.  Won't crow like a rooster until I see it and get to take it apart.

CTC looking forwards to the pics..  I consider anything under 10hrs one way close..   I've done out to Pittsburg PA and back in 1 day to pick up and anvil.   I put on about 100miles a day give or take. 

 

Hmmmmmm..............................I might do that, but it would have to be an awfully good anvil at an awfully good price.  Right now I'm pinching pennies to come up with enough in my pocket that when the right one at the right price comes along I'll have the funds.  I really didn't want to buy the vise first because I've been saving for the anvil.................but I'll need both eventually.

Chris

Just make sure the screw & screw box are in good shape. Several I have looked at the screw box was stripped out and had to pass on them because the seller was firm on the price.

Yup, I'm aware of that.   He sent a picture with the jaws open as wide as they'd go and I'd swear it looked as if the screw was brand new from the factory.  Of course, it wasn't all the way out and I didn't get a look at the screw box.  He said he'd just inherited it and knew nothing about it.................except.......... "it's mighty stout" and "it locks up good and tight". I've already told him it's "sold", so I'd hate to go back on my word............but I will be looking it over before handing over the $$$.  If it's trashed, I'll break my word...........much as I'd hate to do that.

I'll have my fingers crossed for you. One of the questions you need to ask, "does it turn smooth?" 

Awfully hard to hold a man to his word when he tells you up front he doesn't know anything about what he's selling. It it's rough do some bargaining, Acme thread screws, box and pin, aren't very hard to find.

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks, Frosty.  I'm new to all of this, so didn't really know what questions to ask.  I've already talked him down 20% from what he was asking..................but if it's rough, I'll dicker on that some.  Thanks for the "crossed fingers".  I might really need them.

When I say "rough" I mean catches and grabs either direction, I have a 5" Indian Chief that closes like butter but can be a bear to open. The screw is rough on that side of the pitch. I haven't pulled it apart to see what's up, I have a 4" that does for my purposes so I dither.

These things aren't perfect but there are things you need. It really needs to open and close reasonably easily, if the jaws don't match up they're pretty easy to adjust. If the screw catches and grabs on the other hand . . . . it can make it a hassle to use if you need a helper to close the vise while you hold the work in position. 

It's ALWAYS handy to have someone there to close and open the vise for you but you don't want it to be mandatory. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty, I found that the sticking was sometimes a burr or unsmooth face. I also found that a high-pressure moly or graphite grease makes it a lot better..