Warbird Information Exchange

I love the design of those jaw protectors!!! Mine are usualy just two bits of bent ally that I have to hold in position. My next set will follow your design.(I will, of course claim ALL the credit !!!)

Rgds Cking

Those 2 red Athols & the HUGE Reed are my neighbors. All for sale.. so if you must have a vise from Lockheed Skunkworks, those 2 Athols fit the bill


I came home with these 2 today from a flea market...





A short while later:



Haven't finished the Columbian yet..

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Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Columbian done:



Now working on the Morgan...

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Another Athol showed up today:



Has a rather odd feature... It's been aluminum sprayed like radial engine cylinders.... Which would seem highly unlikely except for one thing:

The guy I bought it from lived not too far from the former Aircraft Cylinder & Turbine in Sun Valley.... Hmmmm... I wonder...

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

What is the value of these vises and are any for sale?

The two Ferrari red Athols (from Lockheed) & the HUGE Reed on the first page are for sale by my neighbor. I almost had one to turn around today but it was sold before I got to it (same as the green Athol).
I think my neighbor was asking about $200 each for the red ones but don't quote me on that. That huge Reed is over $500 as it.... & it might be quite a way over $500, I forget what he was aksing for it.
Maybe time for a road trip to the High Desert?

Value depends on who's selling & how clued up they are. The really big ones will easily fetch $2/lb or more.. unless you find one at a salvage yard when they go for closer to 50c/lb.
Value also depends on brand, some Wilton bullet styles go for $350 or more on Ebay. The one I have was $50.. it sells new for over $600, I've turned down $250 for it.. that one isn't for sale because it's not every day you find a $600+ vise for $50:)

Best bargains are large old Ridgids, they used better steel than Wilton, but don't have the following that Wilton does for some reason...

You could drop by your local recycler yards & ask if they have any.. or if they'l put any they get to one side for you. Chiwanese ones are worthless & made from cheese

US brands to look for are:
Wilton
Ridgid
Hollands
Reed
Prentiss
Athol (jaws aren't replacable tho, they're cast in place)
L S Starett (bought out Athol, so same company basically)
Columbian (US Made, not the current import crap)
Morgan
Chas Parker
Yost

UK:
Record
Paramo

Australia:
Dawn

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Thanks for the tips! If I can find a good used one for the same price as a Harbor Freight special, why not?

Yard/estate sales is another source.

I subscribed with Estatesales.net & every week I get a list of sales (usually about 10 all over LA county). Most are too far away or don't have any pics of what they have.. & they tend to ignore what's in the garage.


Be careful tho.. next thing ya know you'l have a dozen vices in the shop. I was welding up a Kaw Z1R gastank in my garage today when a friend dropped by & after he'd been here a few minutes he realised there were vises all over the garage......... & then promptly offered to bring me (for free) "2 or 3 large old US made vises that are cluttering up the barn". No idea what he has, but from the description one of them sounds like a blacksmith vise.. & I don't have one of those yet


What the heck, it's a cheap hobby & it ain't like anyone is going to steal something weighing 80lb & run off down the street with it...

Have a look on Craigslist also. I spotted this yesterday:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/tl ... 07504.html
Yeah, thats the silver one I have now, missed the blue one..

Anything with 6in or bigger jaws fetches BIG $$$

Some people are just delusional:
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/1959663673.html

I have 2 of those, the green one cost me $50, the other is the one that showed up today for $65.... NOT $900 LOL!

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Yeah, I saw the two in Pacoima on Craigslist. A little too far to drive though. Glad you got one of them!

If you see any show up in Long Beach or north OC you aren't willing to travel for, let me know!

The Pacoima one:

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Here's a small one in Laguna:
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/1997038687.html

Medium in Cypress:
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/1956046751.html


This is nice, but the work has already been done...I paid $50 for mine, they list at $600+ new.
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/1998706348.html

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Who made the Cypress one? Can you tell?

Not sure, it might be a taskmaster.

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Got the Cypress one- just 3 minutes from home! I'll need to look carefully to see if I can find a manufacturers name. It does say "Made in USA" on it though. I'm not sure if I should restore it as you have yours or just conserve it with it's original patina. I mean I wouldn't want to negatively impact it's value!

In any case, I got a great 6" vise for $50.