Craftsman Professional vise or?

WOW after seeing this post I am even more greatfull that my Grandfather gave me his 5" Prentiss vise. It was made before WWII and my Grandfather bought it used after the war. Some of the values of antique vises blow my mind!
 
In Southern California...

the Alpine Village Swap meet in Torrance has lots of tool dealers, some selling new made-in-China, but also some selling what they've cleaned out of garages. There's lots of customers looking for good user tools, so there's rarely huge bargains to be had. But if you know what you are looking at and what it's worth, you can get good deals, it's only $1 to get in, and I've seen vises for sale there.

The local Tool Collector's club is PAST, they have a website and besides the PAST meetings, there are links to a schedule of about 8 or so tool swaps a year around Southern California (Culver City, Irvine, Pasadena...). The vendors are mostly tool collectors, so again huge bargains are rare, but there are always lots of good quality older tools available. And big iron sometimes does get less expensive right before it has to be lifted back into the truck to go home...
 
This photo is a good example of a point I'd like to make

viseII004.jpg



Notice that it IS bolted to the table


Also notice that the back stationary jaw is set back on the table too far


When you mount a vise to the table, you should mount it so that if you put a long piece vertically in the vise, it should be able to clear the table.

It should be mounted so that the back jaw is just a touch forward of the table edge


Like this

IMG_2018.jpg





That thread is 768 pages of vises, wow
 
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Buy some old iron! Search your local Craigslist. Anything old and made in the U.S. -- Rock Island, Reed, Prentiss, Columbian, Wilton, Athol, etc. Can't go wrong.

12345678910 said:
This photo is a good example of a point I'd like to make

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v391/tuned20v/viseII004.jpg


Notice that it IS bolted to the table


Also notice that the back stationary jaw is set back on the table too far


When you mount a vise to the table, you should mount it so that if you put a long piece vertically in the vise, it should be able to clear the table.

It should be mounted so that the back jaw is just a touch forward of the table edge


Like this

[IMG]http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt138/banditbigdog/IMG_2018.jpg?t=1254794793




[B]That thread is 768 pages of vises, wow[/B][/QUOTE]I've drooled on every page :D
Click to expand...
 
12345678910 said:
This photo is a good example of a point I'd like to make

viseII004.jpg



Notice that it IS bolted to the table


Also notice that the back stationary jaw is set back on the table too far


When you mount a vise to the table, you should mount it so that if you put a long piece vertically in the vise, it should be able to clear the table.

It should be mounted so that the back jaw is just a touch forward of the table edge


Like this

IMG_2018.jpg





That thread is 768 pages of vises, wow
Click to expand...

The first vice in this post has a swivelling rear jaw which allows it to clamp tapered work. The tapered pin, that locks the jaw into the parallel position, appears to be missing. If the jaw is not moving, it is probably rusty inside.
 
Mahoney said:
In Southern California...

the Alpine Village Swap meet in Torrance has lots of tool dealers, some selling new made-in-China, but also some selling what they've cleaned out of garages. There's lots of customers looking for good user tools, so there's rarely huge bargains to be had. But if you know what you are looking at and what it's worth, you can get good deals, it's only $1 to get in, and I've seen vises for sale there.

The local Tool Collector's club is PAST, they have a website and besides the PAST meetings, there are links to a schedule of about 8 or so tool swaps a year around Southern California (Culver City, Irvine, Pasadena...). The vendors are mostly tool collectors, so again huge bargains are rare, but there are always lots of good quality older tools available. And big iron sometimes does get less expensive right before it has to be lifted back into the truck to go home...
Click to expand...

Thanks man!! Lots of great info. I'll definitely be hitting that swap meet or a club if I can't find anything. :)
 
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