Large mystery milling vise identification help

evesdropper · Feb 11, 2017

I was looking for a milling vise and stumbled across this one. I cannot find any markings on it anywhere. Any ideas?

Vise handle was not included but is the square drive is the same size as an old bridgeport milling vise handle.
approximately 12" jaw width
Weight is about 140#? Its a monster.
Nut on the back of the vise appears to have been welded in place. that doesn't bode well for a complete disassembly.

keithmech · Feb 11, 2017

lookis like an old shaper vise

rj1939 · Feb 11, 2017

A search of fleabay turned up several very similar vises..............all being sold as shaper vise

johnoder · Feb 11, 2017

My shaper vises - up to 18" - have no bolts on rotary. The four bolts that tie it to table ALSO clamp the rotary

Saves room

See Watkins' planer thread - good photos of a shaper vise apart

evesdropper · Feb 11, 2017

johnoder said:
My shaper vises - up to 18" - have no bolts on rotary. The four bolts that tie it to table ALSO clamp the rotary

Saves room

See Watkins' planer thread - good photos of a shaper vise apart

I will look up that thread. Any reason I couldn't use it as a milling vise? Other than it is enormous?

evesdropper · Feb 11, 2017

Thanks everyone. Now that I know it is a shaper vise, I found some examples that are very similar. It looks just about identical to the vise on this Gould and Eberhardt Shaper

James H Clark · Feb 11, 2017

My money is on it being an imported shaper vise. American foundries don't usually turn out rough looking castings.

JH

Mike C. · Feb 12, 2017

Definitely shaper vise. Four bolts on the base. Looks like it has been wrecked at some point, too. Front bolt slots ripped out in the first pic.

evesdropper · Feb 12, 2017

Mike C. said:
Definitely shaper vise. Four bolts on the base. Looks like it has been wrecked at some point, too. Front bolt slots ripped out in the first pic.

Yes. Right front slot is busted. The the other slots are all fine.

Is this is going to be any good as a milling vise on a bridgeport or clone or is it just too massive?

Danny VanVoorn · Feb 12, 2017

Try it and see how it works out, you may like it but my guess is you'll find it doesn't work too well for that. It's real heavy, real tall and depending on the mileage it may not be very square to the table.
Dan

rj1939 · Feb 12, 2017

If it is all you have, it will work. Otherwise, there are better choices, that can be had for a reasonable price.
It needs to be reunited with a shaper, far too many are missing a vise.

swatkins · Feb 12, 2017

evesdropper said:
Yes. Right front slot is busted. The the other slots are all fine.

Is this is going to be any good as a milling vise on a bridgeport or clone or is it just too massive?

IF you have to use it keep it centered in the X axis and try not to move it past the saddle if possible. That much weight hanging out on the end will make the table sag...

4GSR · Feb 12, 2017

James H Clark said:
My money is on it being an imported shaper vise. American foundries don't usually turn out rough looking castings.

JH

That's generally indication of steel castings. You want your BIG vise made of steel castings not cast iron. Now the base, it's probably cast iron. I had one of these vises we used on a No. 5 mill for holding parts to machine.

Ken

Mike C. · Feb 12, 2017

"Is this is going to be any good as a milling vise on a bridgeport or clone or is it just too massive? "

Massive is never a bad thing, I think tall is going to be your enemy here.

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