Here is some German input
The Heuer Front from Brockhaus Heuer
All drop forged steel, unbreakable Available in 100-120-140-160-180mm I have 2 in use 100 mm and 140mm I think The guide is very narrow,so you have a bigger clamping depth

My dad gave me a vise today. I had been looking for a decent vice and mentioned that to him and he pulled this one out: An old columbian. Thats a standard 12" rule in front. Think I am going to take it to work and bead blast it and get it all perty again...

John in MA's vise is what is known as a "Steamfitter's vise". No, it is not a pipe vise, but a particulary heavy pattern of metalworking vise for use by steamfitters proably for holding pipe fittings and bending up steel for pipe hangers. The name "Grinell" on the vise is another giveaway. Up until recently, Grinell was the one of the largest manufacturer of pipe fittings, pipe hangers, and piping fabricators in the US.

Thermo1

Well Andy me and my dad have a Emmert vise; the older style turtleback vise; no picture, my camera's toast we also have a collection of anything pulled from the dump or from auctions not excedding the $50.00 limit

Macona,
Now that's a proper vise. Columbian is my favorite and I am partial to them....especially seeing that they are an Ohio product. That big box slide allows mounting work very plumb by simply pushing it up against it and it clears the jaws in all mountings. You won't need a swivel base, our shop has six of these and none with swivel bases. Take care of it and some day you get to hand it down. Nice item.

Source of Brockhaus Heuer vises in the USA, complete with prices. The adjustable riser stands are interesting also.

I probably have about twenty more vises than I need, and still can't let a good deal go by.
This one is my fav. It was1942, I was 5 and spent most of a day filing the head off a nail, firmly clamped in this vise

anybody heard of this one? bought at a estate sale for ten dollars.

i found this receipt on the web. dated 1903

I've had this old girl for a long time; I saved it from a junkheap. It's a bit crude; more appropriate to a farm shed or a blacksmith's shop than a machinist's shop.

Might clean it up and use it one day when I get a larger workshop.

It opens to about 10".



The "nut" is separate from the moving jaw; it sits in a recess.

Here are two pictures of my favorite vises. http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14.../atholvise.jpg The first is my Athol sheet metal workers vise. It is neat because it has a quick release so you can slide the jaw in and out quickly. The second is my big blacksmith's post vise. It weighs about 130 lbs, the jaws are 6.5" wide and the handle is 22" long. You can clamp things very tightly in this vise.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...a/postvise.jpg
I have several other machinist and blacksmith vises.
Vises sure are addicting. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Dan

D.Raviazza - I spot a robins' head vise in the background of your first photo. Do you use that for metalwork, and how do you like it?

Here is an import 5" bench vise that is reported to be a copy of a US made Oswego vise. Not a bad vise for the price of ~$40. [IMG]
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1.../benchvise.gif
[/IMG]

Mudflap:
I have an original versa-vise mounted on a grinder pedistal. It is very versital for holding oddball stuff for drilling, filing and such. The large smooth jaws make it handy for some wood work.

When they first came out they were highly promoted for gunsmithing. A google for versa-vise, or parrot vise will tell more than you want to know.

Bob

The vise in the background is a Gyro-Vise made by Columbian. It was the predecessor to the Versa-Vise and parrot vises. I find that vise very handy for smaller work. I like the fact that it swivels and then locks when you clamp something in it. So you can position something exactly where you want it. I usually like big heavy duty vises but it is surprising how much use that Gyro-Vise gets.

Dan

This is my vise. A Starrett 424-1/2. It was a freebie so that helps.

I did mount it incorrectly though. I shoulda hung the fixed jaw over the edge of the table as others have pointed out. What I may do is rotate the base around so the radiused section is at the edge of the table. Then radius the table to match the base. That would give me clearance for large vertical stock. JRouche



It will hold a Starrett 12" scale nicely.

OK you guys got me hooked. I walked around this morning and took a few photos.

Here's a Reed on my welding bench. I purposely mounted it way back on the bench so a piece clamped in the jaws will also rest on the benchtop. In this case it's perfect, and it keeps the vise from sticking out in your way when you don't need it.


Here's a similar Reed with a swivel base. That workbench top is a 4'X8' plate of 3/4" thick. The vise doesn't move.


A nice Wilton on a moveable bench.



Here's a vise like Winfield posted, mounted on a portable grinding station. I originally did this to use for tubing notching, it's the handiest vise in the shop. I just shove a hand truck under the brake drum base and move it where it's needed.


A Littlestown vise. Pretty much crap, but it's right where I need it on a rolling motorcycle fab bench and it saves steps.


A nice 6" Reed I picked up. Note the 4 bolt base. I haven't built a proper mount for it yet, I'll get to it when I'm ready to learn 'smithing.



And here's the vise I learned on. It's a Charles Parker my father picked up on a Hallowell workbench he bought from a Cadillac garage in the late '40s. It's currently awating reassignment.



(Please no cracks about the condition of the shop. We've been busy... )

Mudflap,

if you weren't using them all we'd calling you a collector...

Collector? Well I guess, in the same sense as when a dog collects fleas.

I remembered this vise, and dug up a photo -


It's at Indian Larry's in Brooklyn. It's not the most beautiful vise I ever saw, but I was impressed with how stable and tight it was, and how well the swivel base locked down. It's had a hard life there, and when I used it I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked for a 'new' vise, me being used to old fashioned iron.

So I just did a little searching and found the manufacturer - here's a link -
http://www.milwmal.com/v_mach.htm

The site says everything is made in Milwaukee. They even have Blacksmith's steel leg vises in 2 sizes. And Anvils! - http://www.milwmal.com/black.htm#slv

Has anyone here owned one of these?