New Old Vise!!

[bottjernat1 2,190]

Well a good friend of mine who works at the same scrap yard that my late dad did. Brought me over a bigger vise! My friend ryan is a great guy him and his brother helped me clean off my dads property of equipment after dad died. Anyways I have been asking on my facebook to trade someone and money for a bigger vise. i am using an antique old little one but for what i do all the time i needed a bigger one. So Ryan dropped off this old gal to my house in the roll off truck while i was at work. I am super thankful. My question is can anyone date this thing? It is super cool i almost dont want to use it. LOL Also any ideas on what to use to make the other handle it needs?

[rjg854 11,501]

 A drift pin should do the job, or maybe a appropriate size Philips screw driver.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,104]

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=A2KLfSOKdmdekf8Axy5XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=columbian+vise&fr=mcafee

 

Garry

[Achto 27,824]

Nice vise !! Appropriate size round stock with an acorn nut threaded on each end would make a good handle. 

[ebinmaine 68,504]

Niiiice

[JoeM 7,874]

Colombian......those are sweet!

Good old american made steel!

[CCW 1,300]

Clean it.  Use it.  Too good to be an anchor.

[bottjernat1 2,190]

I am going to actually be careful and wire brush it. and paint it. I have heard alot of them are red. I think i will go with international red (how fitting LOL) and have the wife paint the letters black. I will take a photo when i get it done. 

[formariz 11,988]

@bottjernat1 Your vise is a 600 Series Malleable Iron Machinists Vise. It is from around 1940. There should be an actual model # in the raised Rectangular  section after No. If not from the size of jaws (width) you can tell you what the model No. is. The entire vise with the exception of the handle and screw is entirely made out of malleable iron and it was considered to be "practically Indestructible". The missing handle was similar to the main handle but much smaller of course. You can just make one out of a steel rod and if you want to be accurate you can weld a proper size ball bearing on each end. As for color although many of the Colombian Vises were a Burgundy color, most machinists vises were a dark Gray.

 

Edited March 10, 2020 by formariz

[squonk 41,460]

Good thing it came on a roll off truck! Dude is heavy! 

 

I sold a 10" Columbia vise to a college about 20 yrs. ago. It was made in China. Thing was heavy though as I had to wheel it onto the dock with a cart. They brought it back the next day in 2 pieces. Yup they split it in half!  

[RandyLittrell 3,885]

Nice! I have a Columbia that looks a lot like that myself. Its a good ol' vise!

 

 

 

 

Randy

[Razorback 1,035]

Now THAT’S a vise!! Nice!!!!

[cleat 6,400]

We had a few of those at work

 

I rebuilt one so parts are still available

 

I replaced the jaw inserts and the main thread screws

 

Worked like new after that.

 

[midpack 904]

I have a similar Columbian vise. it's a nice general duty vise. I ended up "stretching" the threaded shaft that operates the jaw   :(   good thing I work in a machine shop. I was able to re-machine the thread so it works again.

 

Broke a big ol' honking ATHOL vise too. was a little too aggressive with a BFH!  that one bothered me because it was my Dads' vise

 

the vise that's mounted on my bench currently is a very old Craftsman from when they were top of the line. serious mass of metal in that one

 

[bottjernat1 2,190]

18 hours ago, formariz said:

@bottjernat1 Your vise is a 600 Series Malleable Iron Machinists Vise. It is from around 1940. There should be an actual model # in the raised Rectangular  section after No. If not from the size of jaws (width) you can tell you what the model No. is. The entire vise with the exception of the handle and screw is entirely made out of malleable iron and it was considered to be "practically Indestructible". The missing handle was similar to the main handle but much smaller of course. You can just make one out of a steel rod and if you want to be accurate you can weld a proper size ball bearing on each end. As for color although many of the Colombian Vises were a Burgundy color, most machinists vises were a dark Gray.

 

Well i like to stay original so i may do the burgundy or grey! but i may still paint the letters black. i like the handle idea my welding skills are still a working progress so i may take it to my trusted local shop they do a great job and there cheap. Id like to fix it up but i will be using it that is for sure. Thanks for all the history i love it!!

[bottjernat1 2,190]

2 hours ago, cleat said:

We had a few of those at work

 

I rebuilt one so parts are still available

 

I replaced the jaw inserts and the main thread screws

 

Worked like new after that.

 

this is good to know do you know a good site to get parts for it?

[formariz 11,988]

Are the jaws on your vise replaceable? What width are they? If you can make out the model # is there a letter before the number?

Edited March 11, 2020 by formariz

[cleat 6,400]

2 hours ago, bottjernat1 said:

this is good to know do you know a good site to get parts for it?

That was my last job at DuPont and a procurement guy got them so I don't know where they came from.

 

[bottjernat1 2,190]

2 hours ago, formariz said:

Are the jaws on your vise replaceable? What width are they? If you can make out the model # is there a letter before the number?

i will take a closer look when i get home today

[bottjernat1 2,190]

Ok so here is a few more photos of the vise I took last night! She is a 604 model.  The jaws dont look like they have any screws or whatnot holding the clamping surfaces on each side? are these just a pound into place pieces? like a factory 10/22 ruger site?

[cleat 6,400]

Clean up the top of the vise and you might find the attaching hardware there.

 

I believe the jaws are T shaped and fit into slots in the vise body then are pinned into place

 

It was a few years ago when I rebuilt one so my memory is a little hazy at this point.

[bottjernat1 2,190]

43 minutes ago, cleat said:

Clean up the top of the vise and you might find the attaching hardware there.

 

I believe the jaws are T shaped and fit into slots in the vise body then are pinned into place

 

It was a few years ago when I rebuilt one so my memory is a little hazy at this point.

If i cant find any pins i may just break out my demel tool and cut slots rom what is still on it. LOL it will take forever but oh well. LOL

[formariz 11,988]

1 hour ago, bottjernat1 said:

If i cant find any pins i may just break out my demel tool and cut slots rom what is still on it. LOL it will take forever but oh well. LOL

Although removable I don't believe the 604 had " replaceable" jaws For that it would have been model C604. Those had two crews on the jaw's face.

[953 nut 55,904]

I've been using this one for years. A neighbor bought it at a yard sale for $ 5.00 at a yard sale and gave it to me as a thank you for favors I had done for him, probably 1980 or so. Jaws are six inches wide and will open to about tan inches.

[formariz 11,988]

4 hours ago, 953 nut said:

I've been using this one for years. A neighbor bought it at a yard sale for $ 5.00 at a yard sale and gave it to me as a thank you for favors I had done for him, probably 1980 or so. Jaws are six inches wide and will open to about tan inches.

 

WOW. There is one not seen everyday. That thing weighs about 130Lbs. Those were made from about 1930 to 1957. I have seen some go for a substantial amount, much more than $5.00.

Is there anything engraved in the brass plate on the side?

Edited March 13, 2020 by formariz