Alicia Holmes Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Once we can get it fixed all up, i will update this thread with new pictures! So stoked! Im looking at everybody elses threads too, id love to get an idea of what make it is and maybe how old it might be. Seems in pretty nice overall condition besides the broken mounting plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 It is probably pre 1900 due to the design with wedges instead of bolts. Unless it is marked, it is almost impossible to tell who made it. These were made by many factories in that era. The fix for the mounting plate is easy. Either weld on a suitable plate to the stub, or just create a new one using what you have let as a partial pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Way pre 1900 (or was that a typo for 1800?); check inside the screwbox for evidence of brazing the screw in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 The shape of the vise box and the tennon mount bench plate are notations of a English vise from the colonial time period. Its a fine looking vise. If you search for "colonial vise" you should find some photos of complete vices. The tennons are weaker than the full wrap around vise mounts. I have seen these vices retrofitted with the more modern mounts if the vise was used for heavy work. If you go with the time period correct tennon mount it can be made stronger by cutting a slot into the wooden bench and inserting the back leg into a tight fitted slot in the bench top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia Holmes Posted December 26, 2012 Author Share Posted December 26, 2012 You are all wonderful for the replies, pardon my light response, i am doing a lot of reading and looking at pictures of everybody elses! :) Thanks for the suggestions too on how to go about repairs that it needs. I really love this forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 O also if you search for "restoring a colonial vise" there was a good paper by Peter Ross, the master of the smith shop in Colonial Williamsburg for a number of years. He shows nice photos of the steps to remake most of the parts of a vise. I have a fare interest in vises. I will also be making a mount for a colonial tennon mount vise soon, also re brazing in the female threads in the box as the previous owner striped them out. I will be sure to post photos when I repair my vise, it may be another month until I have time for mine though. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia Holmes Posted December 26, 2012 Author Share Posted December 26, 2012 O also if you search for "restoring a colonial vise" there was a good paper by Peter Ross, the master of the smith shop in Colonial Williamsburg for a number of years. He shows nice photos of the steps to remake most of the parts of a vise. I have a fare interest in vises. I will also be making a mount for a colonial tennon mount vise soon, also re brazing in the female threads in the box as the previous owner striped them out. I will be sure to post photos when I repair my vise, it may be another month until I have time for mine though. Good luck Thank you so much!!! You are great. I cannot wait to see your photos of your repairs. Ill go check out Peters paper now! Sounds absolutely useful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Alicia, How wide are the jaws on your vise? It definitely looks pre 1800 with the screw box of that shape and the tenon mount. It is interesting that there is no champhering on the legs above the hinge point. It also appears to be in very good condition for its age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Alicia, How wide are the jaws on your vise? It definitely looks pre 1800 with the screw box of that shape and the tenon mount. It is interesting that there is no champhering on the legs above the hinge point. It also appears to be in very good condition for its age. I have a very similar vise with the tennon mount and no champhering. Its missing all of the other original parts. It is much more worn and corroded than that vise. Even broken your vise is a very nice example of an 18th tool. Take good care of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia Holmes Posted December 27, 2012 Author Share Posted December 27, 2012 I have a very similar vise with the tennon mount and no champhering. Its missing all of the other original parts. It is much more worn and corroded than that vise. Even broken your vise is a very nice example of an 18th tool. Take good care of it. Thank you, we will absolutely. I have a big heart for these old tools, we will give them new life, but respect them for what they are, too. Little parts of history! ;) Alicia, How wide are the jaws on your vise? It definitely looks pre 1800 with the screw box of that shape and the tenon mount. It is interesting that there is no champhering on the legs above the hinge point. It also appears to be in very good condition for its age. I will measure them asap, or have Jeff do that. Its now at the workshop, so tomorrow ill get back at you with the numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Is the pivot bolt threaded or held in with a key? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia Holmes Posted December 27, 2012 Author Share Posted December 27, 2012 Is the pivot bolt threaded or held in with a key? There you go :) This part, you mean, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Thanks mine is almost exactly the same. If I ever fix it I now know what the fittings should look like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Thanks mine is almost exactly the same. If I ever fix it I now know what the fittings should look like. Remember Tim, you can always come back out to NJ and look and study the 8 early post vises in my museum. Or anyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neg Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 That's a really pretty vise... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 I picked up a 3" vise at Quad-State one year: tenoned, key'd pivot, screwbox was forge brazed from a number of pieces, female screw was brazed in place. A small cute *old* vise. Frank Turley looked it over and said he thought it was definitely pre 1800. I use it sometimes with my traveling kit but make sure that a visiting gorilla doesn't try to rip it apart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia Holmes Posted December 28, 2012 Author Share Posted December 28, 2012 Alicia, How wide are the jaws on your vise? It definitely looks pre 1800 with the screw box of that shape and the tenon mount. It is interesting that there is no champhering on the legs above the hinge point. It also appears to be in very good condition for its age. Measured! It opens to a max of 4" max, Jeff says, that it opens. its not huge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Alicia, I've attached some photos of what is probably a transitional Peter Wright vise. It has the earmarks of later PW's, especially the 'solid box,' but it has the old fashioned, tenoned attachment. I forged the "split and splayed" mount, the spring, and wedges. That style mount forged of wrought iron is traditional for your English, early period vise. I have had several such tenoned vises go through my hands. James Melchor and Peter Ross wrote a four part series, "Restoration of Leg Vises" printed in "Anvil" magazine in 2001. They talk about four historical periods of leg vises based upon appearance and style. However, nobody I know of assigns dates to these periods except me, and I'm guessing. The four periods are: Early Period; Early Transitional Period; Middle Period; and Later Period. Your vise would fall under the Early Period category, I would guess about 1800 + -. I think that most of the vises of this time were shop made by a team of men who had the techniques down pat. Few of these early vises had jaw widths exceeding 4 1/2 inches, many being closer to 4 inches. I enjoyed reading in British smithery literature the technique "split and splayed." Splayed (splay footed) is a term oft applied to a defect in front leg horse conformation, meaning toe-wide, the opposite of pigeon toed. Depending on who you talk to, your vise may fall into the "antique" category. Some collectors and smiths would not use a vise that old. They would save and conserve it or offer it to an appropriate museum. You have a beautiful vise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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