4dead Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I am going to go look at a vice next week owned by a friend of a friend. Haven't saw it but this is what he said about it. Says Columbian Vice Co. Cleveland OH> USA up next to the jaw. Says it has 6 or 8" inch jaws (he;s not sure) Good screw and spring and some sort of pipe jaws inside under the big jaws.I have never saw one like that, but I don't know how rare that is if at all. Any info. or a possible worth would be appreciated. I live in N.C. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 There's a BIG difference between a 6'' and an 8''. A nice 6'' might go as high as 3-400 around here, the 8 incher's get crazy............ :wacko: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 It is probably a machinist's vise. Many machinist's vises have pipe jaws. All blacksmiths should have a machinist's vice as well as a post vice. It is cast iron, it can break. It is not meant to be hammered on very much, unless it is huge (100 plus pounds) or semi-steel, cast steel or ductile iron (never seen a Columbian machinist vise that isn't cast iron. Machinist's vises resist twisting forces (torque) much better than post vises but post vices are better for hammering. As to price, it depends on what it really is. If it is a 6" post vise in good shape it is worth a lot of money. $400-500 or more would not be unreasonable. (of course less would be better). An 8" post vise could be worth upwards of a thousand. An extremely large machinist's vise is also worth a lot of money, but much better deals can be had than on large post vises. (I sold an 8" Columbian machinist vice for $500. It was huge and had served me for many decades. The person I sold it to broke it in less than a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4dead Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 I am guessing it is 6". I really don't think it would be an 8". Good to know it is probably cast. I hope the price will be better also. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 My last big vise purchase was a 6.5" Columbian leg vise at Quad State a couple of years ago. I paid $50 and then tried to turn myself into Rich Waugh; but he said I was out of his jurisdiction $300 was a better "low end price" for that vise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 it can be a columbian post vise the three i have all have a bolt and socket under the main jaw for the pipe jaw insert. bought all mine for under $40. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4dead Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 Matto it is a post vise but I am not familiar with the pipe vise inside. Just an added bonus I guess. I wish I could get it for $40.00 but I am thinking around $200 or a little higher. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 If the screw/screwbox is in decent shape US$200 would not be a price to be ashamed of either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4dead Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 Thanks Thomas I will look it over good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4dead Posted June 15, 2014 Author Share Posted June 15, 2014 Well I bought the vise. It wasn't as big as he thought it was. Turned out it has 4 1/2" jaws and weighs 50lbs even. Screwbox and entire vise in excellent shape. Hadn't been used but very little. Still had the original square head bolts where it mounts to a post or table or whatever. I could not be happier with it even though I have enough vises. Now for the price------$40.00. Good deal, huh. Thanks Randy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Great job, have fun withit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 $40 is a good buy. You can always set up some extras as portable vises. I use a round steel plate cutoff from the local steel fabricator. Drill a hole in the exact center for the vise leg, then fabricate a tubing mount and plate based on the vise. Putting the vise in the center allows you to tip the vise and roll it to where it is needed. I will get a photo up here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b*ironmaiden Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Any Idea value of this columbian Vise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 The value is usually determined by the length of the jaws and the condition. Looks to be a Columbian, (legs not faceted and the screwbox is short and open from what I can see). Condition looks pretty good but we can't see the screw which is all important in judging the condition. The leg looks to have been broken/cut and repaired at some time. So somewhere between 40 and 400 dollars depending on information you haven't provided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russc Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 I have a an old post vice says Cleveland vice co. Also C on it. Measuring the jaw at about 7.5 inches the screw comes out of the threads. Would this be a 6” or did they make a 7”? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Vises are measured by the WIDTH of the jaw not the Throw. Also not knowing which of the 150 odd countries that participate here on the World Wide Web makes it hard to provide a possible value for it; as does lack of condition, completeness, etc. A picture would help. (Vices can go for nearly double where I live now compared to where I used to live and BOTH places were in the USA!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 Welcome to IFI I suggest reading this. READ THIS FIRST Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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