BartW Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 Hello Guys; Found at an industrial dumping ground (and this was effectivly thrown away as scrap) from the Belgian train companies; a two leg vise. I have never seen one like this, it's cast steel, and both legs are marked 70KG; so I assume it's 70 kilos or 140 pounds. Jaw size is 16 cm or about 6 inch. It's got almost no scars , and looks very good. Taking it apart,the spindle was greased up well and shows no wear at all. The "key" in the back to prevent the box from rotating was missing tough; I made a new one easily. But that aside ; has anyone ever seen one of these two-leg vises ? any info on them ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 Bart, I have never seen one like it, from the mount of the spring and looks of the spring it appears to be a French made vise. the other thing that I have never seen is that the pivot has a limit built in. Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 I've never seen one like it, but it's an awesome find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 I, as well, have never seen one like that and am extremely jealous that you have found it! (and not me) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 Now that's a vise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartW Posted December 12, 2018 Author Share Posted December 12, 2018 After a couple hours with a steel brush on an angle grinder; and half an hour sandblasting; then applying the two part epoxy paint for diving bottles; than I assembled it again with a lot of lithium grease. She looks better now. I'm pondering cutting the legs off; and making it a free-standing vise ... welded to a round heavy plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timgunn1962 Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 I'd weld an upright to the heavy plate and bolt it to the upright with both legs resting on the heavy plate. You'll get similar functionality without butchering a nice vice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevomiller Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 I’ve seen German and French vises made like that, used for very heavy use. You have a beautiful tool there, it should last generations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 Heavy plate with two pipe uprights welded to it that the legs drop down in, a couple of "set screws" to hold it against vertical forces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 It would be a shame to cut the legs on that old work horse. Like Thomas said a couple of pipes welded to a stout plate would work very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 You have a unique vise there, don't destroy it's uniqueness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicon Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 Seems the original colour was yellow. At least in Germany all tools used on railroad tracks are painted yellow. So no tool can be forgotten on the track. May be it was used when building or repairing railroad tracks. 6 hours ago, WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith said: You have a unique vise there, don't destroy it's uniqueness. Please!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 13 hours ago, BartW said: I'm pondering cutting the legs off; and making it a free-standing vise ... welded to a round heavy plate. To bad we are so far apart.......I would trade you a good 6" post vice and a chunk of cash for that vice. Maybe someone near would do the same. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caotropheus Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 I do not intend to hijack the thread, this is other type of two legged vise I saw on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwGlBH7YJPg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartW Posted December 23, 2018 Author Share Posted December 23, 2018 Well; You guys were right. couple of hours welding 'n cutting; and I've made myself a extremely stable stand. For those wodering; the disks of Iron (these are soft plain iron; not cast iron. They are not brittle at all) are about 50 pounds each; so the "counterweight" makes it virtually impossible to make the vise fall over in any direction. Now I got to paint it to cover up my welding ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Nice job there, Bart. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Good looking stand, that vise will serve you well no doubt about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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