Shop Teacher Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I'm building our middle school's blacksmithing program at Leslie Middle School in Salem Oregon. We are starting from scratch and have our anvil (200 lbs 1910 Trenton) and we are currently about 80% into the gas forge build. Kids are freak'n out on this. I need to get our post or leg vise and have a Craigslist post up in our area asking for a vise at reasonable price or donation. I was directed to a local scrap yard with some but they want 180.00 to 200.00 for them in marginal shape. They may come down some, but I need to get better schooled in prices. I understand what to look out for in wear and tear etc.. I just don't want to be rude or taken. I want a at least three for sure so more than one student can have a work station. Any help on this is greatly appreciated. Bryan Bridges in Salem with the kids in Leslie shop. While I was writing this a guy contacted me and I have a 4 1/2" vise but it has no mounting bracket or spring for $10,00. Still looking for a 6-7" and a good 4" too. Attached a photo of forge in process Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Bryan Morgan Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 There is a huge variance in the price of post vices. I've seen people sell 4" for over $100. I happened to get mine for $40. An in good shape 6-7" vice can run up to over $350. It just depends on where you are in the country. Here in Alaska I recently saw a post vice on Craigslist, the guy wanted $600 for it. And it was in poor condition. From what I understand it never sold. As far as not having a spring or mount. Well, ya'll are blacksmiths. Make em. A car leaf spring makes a very good spring for a post vice. And a piece of cheap mild flat bar can be bent and twisted will make a good mount. I think its a great idea to get the kids interested in something like blacksmithing. Being able to make things with your hands is a great way to learn. I wish you the best of luck with your class. Showing the kids this site would help to. Lots of people have learned everything they know from IFI. I am among them and glad to be so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Most 4" vices should serve for your purposes, the larger vices are really only needed for very large work... which is not usually undertaken at the student level. The springs and mounting brackets are the easy parts. Wedges and keys likewise. The hard part to repair is the screw box and the screw itself... try to avoid vices that need this kind of work (unless the price is right and you want to use it for a learning project). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 At this writing, I often tell my people in the contiguous 48 that complete leg vises should be available for $1.00 per pound, plus or minus. Use it as a guideline. I know we think of anvils in terms of weight, but why not vises? If the vise is less that $1.00/pound, you probably got a pretty good deal. It is fairly difficult to find leg vises that measure 6½" to 8", but don't give up. I suggest getting sale bills from your nearby farm auctioneers. The bills list what is to be auctioned and nowadays, they are mailed USPS and/or they are online. http://www.turleyforge.com Granddaddy of Blacksmith Schools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Shop Teacher, wish you were closer to ILLINOIS. A friend of mine passed away, awhile back, and his estate sale is coming up. Here's the handbill for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I generally check out the prices on vises at Quad State the last day. A couple of years ago I found over a dozen usable 4"ers for around US$40 on the last day. Last year it seemed like the bottom tier price was now $75. However deals were still around. (I bought 2 vises last Q-S: 6" for $50 and a 3" for $20; yes I had to build mounting plates but the screws/screw-boxes were OK) Here in NM prices seem to be around double the Q-S prices; however I have picked up a couple at decent prices of of craigslist over the years locally. I will weigh in that *EVERY* shop needs at least *1* big vise to keep the little ones from being abused! Students, sigh. A good starter project for the kids would be to make vise spacers for each one and colour code the vise and set of spacers---if they have to make them they *may* actually use them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Shop Teacher, wish you were closer to ILLINOIS. A friend of mine passed away, awhile back, and his estate sale is coming up. Here's the handbill for it. Geez, I wish I was closer as well. My wife's name is Juanita, so I would be all over that 'Juaniata' anvil for her (even though she doesn't blacksmith...it would be justification for me to buy another anvil). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I searched ebay and found a seller who listed pickup only but was willing to ship when emailed. Ended up $10 + $40 shipping for a 60# vise. I was the only bidder. If the seller is willing to ship and has a price listed for shipping the auction goes a little crazy. A brand sparkly new post vise is in the $700 range. http://www.oldworldanvils.com/postvises/index.html The Eastern US is well saturated with this old equipment, but not so much the West. There is still plenty around without paying close to new prices. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tagkver Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I just saw 2 4in ones in Gurley Alabama for a hundred each which I think is high Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yves Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Paid 350$ for six inch Cleveland in perfect condition. Rare stuff around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 4" vises from auto swap meets $5-$20, Craigslist a couple of years ago yielded a nice Colombian complete, and cleaned for $50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 West coast prices are quite a bit higher than most of whats been quoted... $150-$250 for a nice vise is reasonable here.. There are always exceptions and deals to be had... Ive sold at least 40 vises in the last 5 years ranging from $60-$1200.. Dont worry that your getting taken if you spend $200 on a nice clean 6" vise.. If its real nice its a bargain at $200.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob S Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 West coast prices are quite a bit higher than most of whats been quoted... $150-$250 for a nice vise is reasonable here.. There are always exceptions and deals to be had... Ive sold at least 40 vises in the last 5 years ranging from $60-$1200.. Dont worry that your getting taken if you spend $200 on a nice clean 6" vise.. If its real nice its a bargain at $200.. $2 per pound for a good condition, bench ready vise is a steal. It will last as long as you do and then your chilrens and then their chilrens can use it. Have you guys noticed things like the price of gasoline? A six pack and a pizza will set you back near $100. Try this. Put a hundred dollars in your pocket. Go to town. Do things. Go home. Now count your money. See what I mean? An item that has real value.... like a tool. Is cheap at $2 per pound. Cheap. Not Kidding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Dang Bob s! either you got some really fancy beer, or pizzas are a lot more expensive in Mini-soda. Are they delivered by dog sleds? I agree though that good tools should last a lifetime, or lifetimes. All of my vises except the latest one came from upper CA-between Sac, and SF. Deals are still out there if you are patient. I didn't need the extra ones, but when I found them inexpensively, or I was given them I didn't turn them down. Now if it is needed for a business, or school, you may not have the luxury of waiting. In that case you need to evaluate how much it is worth to your operation. Can you get by with a substitute in the mean time, or is it needed to do the work now? If you have to pay the higher price, you need to figure out how long it will take to pay for itself. I look at some items in that way IE; how many hours will I have to work to pay for that toy, tool, whatever. In the end though it comes down to what you as an individual can comfortably afford to pay. This amount will vary between people, and is not a set amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shop Teacher Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 I'm building our middle school's blacksmithing program at Leslie Middle School in Salem Oregon. We are starting from scratch and have our anvil (200 lbs 1910 Trenton) and we are currently about 80% into the gas forge build. Kids are freak'n out on this. I need to get our post or leg vise and have a Craigslist post up in our area asking for a vise at reasonable price or donation. I was directed to a local scrap yard with some but they want 180.00 to 200.00 for them in marginal shape. They may come down some, but I need to get better schooled in prices. I understand what to look out for in wear and tear etc.. I just don't want to be rude or taken. I want a at least three for sure so more than one student can have a work station. Any help on this is greatly appreciated. Bryan Bridges in Salem with the kids in Leslie shop. While I was writing this a guy contacted me and I have a 4 1/2" vise but it has no mounting bracket or spring for $10,00. Still looking for a 6-7" and a good 4" too. Attached a photo of forge in process I got the 4.5" vise. Great shape box and gears. Jaws almost perfect alignment. Cleaned up and straightened the leg and handle cold on anvil with student assistance. Now to make the spring and mount. Our forge isn't up and running yet, so may have to wait for that to do some custom work on the mount. Attached some photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 In the short term get a u-bolt and fasten it to a post. You can worry about the spring and a better mount later. The spring can be captured by the u-bolt as an temporary, or permanent mount. The vise will work fine without a spring, even though it will not open nicely on its own. You can also cold-form a spring from mild steel and get to work. Nice looking vise. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Yes a piece of mild steel strap stock curved cold will work just fine as a spring. Good looking screw on it---now grease that puppy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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