A local farmer by some familly is selling a post vise pretty cheap and has a pic for it, I was wondering if any of you folks have seen this type before.
I'm mostly curious as to what that pulley is for in the middle, I'd have expected there to be a metal spring.
It looks kinda neat and he's asking so little that I'm pretty willing to take it off his hands and figure it out later, but it has gotten me pretty curious.

Kind of hard to tell from the picture, but if I had to guess I'd say that the pulley has nothing to do with the vise operation (perhaps put there by mistake by someone storing the vise, or just used the post vise location as a transfer location for an idler pulley that changes the direction of a v-belt assembly).  Of course I could be totally off base and would love to be educated if so.

Can you post better pics? Especially around the pulley area. Looks interesting

I wager that instead of a pulley, it is a short segment of coil spring.

At this resolution though, it's a Rohrscach test.

Buy the thing and end the misery of the mystery.

Robert Taylor

I just had my post devoured by the board gremlin.  Basically, I claimed no specific knowledge but I saw something similar on Njanvilman's recent post about the loot he grabbed at Quad State.  He picked up a Fisher post vise that had a secondary lower screw attached to the handle mechanism by a chain and pulley.  It is on page 9 of this thread...in case the link brings you to the start of the thread.

http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/37409-fisher/?page=9#comment-504061

 

Lou

Since the mount bracket is home made I'm going to guess that the pulley is just being used for taking up space on a u bolt that is holding the bracket on or for some other purpose but they are not original to that vise. 

If it's a good price and the screw and screw box are good then all the other parts can be fairly easily fixed or remade. 

I second the vote on coil spring. I've seen a few "repaired" that way before, and this one has homemade Frankenstein written all over it. That said, might still be a decent vise with a little repair and removal of the weird bits.

I'm with coil spring as well. Stubby back end of the box and square legs makes me think of Columbian vises... If it's cheap get it and forge a new spring (easy project).

Coil spring certainly makes a lot more sense.  Only thought it was a pulley from the OP.

Upon further investigation of the picture I'd have to agree.  I can't see any sign of a pulley attached to the handle mechanism and the shadow on the questionable part appears to have three distinct coils separated by shadows.

I stand by my assessment from what I see in the photo.

My family member's going to take a look at it in person in a couple days and bring it into town if the important bits are in working order, although it is cheap enough that I'm tempted to get it even if the screw is wonky just so I can satisfy my curiosity.

If it's cheap enough go for it . I also agree it's got the shape of a Columbian vise.

by the looks of the open box, I'd venture to guess it's an Arthur O'Leary. (just like mine) and it's gotta be a coil spring.

Ultimately I got it for free.

Here's additional pictures, turns out that it is certainly a coil spring and not a pulley.

 

So looking over it, it's an open box. the mounting bit and the spring aren't original to it but everything else seems in order.
Figure that's a relatively simple thing for a know nothing, talent-less newbie like me to attempt?

I didn't see any markings but I haven't attempted to clean up much of the surface yet. I think it was spray painted red at one point
I figure I can make this thing pretty again, although as it stands it looks completely usable and utterly sturdy, albeit a little scuffed on the jaw surface.
Whatever farmer or farrier that was using this certainly didn't have it as a decoration.

Those jaw faces, and especially the screw, are VERY clean.

I am not familiar with the mount.

And who would squabble over the price? Good score.

Robert Taylor

Ah.. I was wrong. 

If its usable as is then put it to service. 

Congrats on a great score. 

IIRC Rich took his postvise and ground it clean and smooth and heat coloured the shafts (NOT THE screw/screwbox!!!) and then coated it to preserve the colours.