Coming to grips with my vises...

[WillAdams]

Please note that the book _Nothing Like it in the World_ by Stephen Ambrose is unfortunately, rather controversial, because for some reason, while reviewed by one person, none of the suggestions/corrections were incorporated into the published text.

By way of contrast, _The Last Spike_ by Pierre Berton covering the Canadian Pacific Railway (subject of a song by Gordon Lightfoot) seems to be universally well-regarded.

 

[rmwarren]

There an old Will Burt on eBay now:

[attachimg=1]

Needs some TLC but it's worth the effort. This is a very early one, looks a little older than mine.

RMW

 

[Cheese]

There an old Will Burt on eBay now:

[attachimg=1]

Needs some TLC but it's worth the effort. This is a very early one, looks a little older than mine.

RMW

That's an interesting one Richard...I've never seen the manufacturer cast into the body of the vise. The manufacturer is always just a small metal plate riveted to the body.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Orrville Ohio...vises on one side of town and strawberry jam on the other. (home of Smuckers for those not in the know).

 

[rmwarren]

There an old Will Burt on eBay now:

[attachimg=1]

Needs some TLC but it's worth the effort. This is a very early one, looks a little older than mine.

RMW

That's an interesting one Richard...I've never seen the manufacturer cast into the body of the vise. The manufacturer is always just a small metal plate riveted to the body.

Agreed. Mine has the plate, and it's older than most.

[attachimg=1]

That patent date is 1901?

RMW

 

[Cheese]

Needs some TLC but it's worth the effort. This is a very early one, looks a little older than mine.

Ya, if I needed another project  [eek]  , this would certainly be a worthwhile one. These Will-Burts are so flexible in their usage that I'm still noodling about this particular model.

I have my fair share of the large 60,000 psi vises that I can beat to death with a sledge hammer, but the Will-Burts are just more practical for most users. It'll never replace a Wilton bullet vise but then again, most folks don't need that capability. So small...and so practical, here's mine mounted on a SYS-MFT, I think this model is circa 1930's-1950's.

[attachimg=1]

 

[rmwarren]

Will-Burts are just more practical for most users. It'll never replace a Wilton bullet vise but then again, most folks don't need that capability. So small...and so practical...

I think this model is circa 1930's-1950's.

Totally agree. I use it for a lot of filing, steel and AL. The "duckbill" jaws provide a lot of grip for the size of the vise and being able to rotate it sideways and lock down the jaws and rotation is perfect. One of the best engineered tools I own.

[attachimg=1]

Ours appear to be from the same era, and perhaps even a slightly less beefy casting. Hard to tell from the eBay photo.

RMW

 

[jeffinsgf]

I've been watching you guys brag about Versa-Vises for years. Every time I convince myself that it's okay to spend $200 on a used vise (when I already have 7 or 8), all I can find are the short jawed versions. I want one of the duckbill ones. Someday when my resistance is weak one will pop up. You would think that within 40 miles of where they were made, it wouldn't be that hard to come up with one.

 

[rmwarren]

I've been watching you guys brag about Versa-Vises for years. Every time I convince myself that it's okay to spend $200 on a used vise (when I already have 7 or 8), all I can find are the short jawed versions. I want one of the duckbill ones. Someday when my resistance is weak one will pop up. You would think that within 40 miles of where they were made, it wouldn't be that hard to come up with one.

Jeff, I feel your pain. Continually haunting eBay's vintage vises listings for years I don't think I've seen more than 2 or 3 specimens worth taking the plunge on.

It is, however, worth the effort.

RMW

 

[Cheese]

I've been watching you guys brag about Versa-Vises for years. Every time I convince myself that it's okay to spend $200 on a used vise (when I already have 7 or 8), all I can find are the short jawed versions. I want one of the duckbill ones. Someday when my resistance is weak one will pop up. You would think that within 40 miles of where they were made, it wouldn't be that hard to come up with one.

Hey Richard...is Jeff referring to us?  Braggarts...really?

Ya, guilty as charged Jeff. And I know we made a difference because you're now scouring eBay endlessly for a Will-Burt vise.  [poke]

FWIW...the 1901 model has the manufacturer as Will Burt while later versions use Will-Burt, a small difference but it could be important in determining the manufacturing date.

Jeff, I'd have thought you'd have your pick of Will-Burts considering you're firmly within the manufacturing zone.

Another interesting note to confirm that the Will-Burt collectors on the FOG are not the only kooks in the world, I ran across someone producing vinyl manufacturing labels for the Will-Burt vises on eBay and they'd already sold almost 90 of the items. That's a lot of vinyl labels sold considering every Will-Burt already comes with a metal manufacturing label riveted to the body.

This could become a movement.  [eek]

 

[rmwarren]

I've been watching you guys brag about Versa-Vises for years. Every time I convince myself that it's okay to spend $200 on a used vise (when I already have 7 or 8), all I can find are the short jawed versions. I want one of the duckbill ones. Someday when my resistance is weak one will pop up. You would think that within 40 miles of where they were made, it wouldn't be that hard to come up with one.

Hey Richard...is Jeff referring to us?  Braggarts...really?

Ya, guilty as charged Jeff. And I know we made a difference because you're now scouring eBay endlessly for a Will-Burt vise.  [poke]

FWIW...the 1901 model has the manufacturer as Will Burt while later versions use Will-Burt, a small difference but it could be important in determining the manufacturing date.

Jeff, I'd have thought you'd have your pick of Will-Burts considering you're firmly within the manufacturing zone.

Another interesting note to confirm that the Will-Burt collectors on the FOG are not the only kooks in the world, I ran across someone producing vinyl manufacturing labels for the Will-Burt vises on eBay and they'd already sold almost 90 of the items. That's a lot of vinyl labels sold considering every Will-Burt already comes with a metal manufacturing label riveted to the body.

This could become a movement.  [eek]

Perhaps he's waiting for my wife's future estate-sale-of-a-tool-collector....  [big grin]

RMW

 

[Cheese]

Just ran across this new vise from Fein, while not inexpensive it could be incredibly handy in a multitude of situations. Fein claims a 1750 lbf capability.
https://toolstoday.com/fein-90701004020-versamag-vise-set.html
=1

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=3]

 

[rst]

Toolnut has it on preorder, same price.

 

[gunnyr]

There an old Will Burt on eBay now:

[attachimg=1]

Needs some TLC but it's worth the effort. This is a very early one, looks a little older than mine.

RMW

I really needed to see this..... [cool] [embarassed]  I didn't know I needed one until a few minutes ago......

 

[rmwarren]

[member=7266]jeffinsgf[/member] here's your chance...  [poke]

[attachimg=1]
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1159176518...LON-PEHQ8S&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

RMW

 

[jeffinsgf]

I'm too slow. It sold about 2 minutes after you posted...which was an hour before I saw your post.

 

[Cheese]

I'm too slow. It sold about 2 minutes after you posted...which was an hour before I saw your post.

dndndndndndn...Admit it Jeff, you're slowly but surely becoming one of us...dndndndndndndndndndndndn

Here are a couple of photos to help complete the transformation...dndndndndndndndndn

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=3]

 

[luvmytoolz]

There's another one up:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/256223028678

 

[jeffinsgf]

I'm too slow. It sold about 2 minutes after you posted...which was an hour before I saw your post.

dndndndndndn...Admit it Jeff, you're slowly but surely becoming one of us...dndndndndndndndndndndndn

Oh, I was headed to eBay to drink the Kool-Aid. Just too late. I'm not sure about the one luvmytoolz linked. Don't think I'm looking for that much of a project...particularly at that price. Too bad. It's in my backyard.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I'm too slow. It sold about 2 minutes after you posted...which was an hour before I saw your post.

dndndndndndn...Admit it Jeff, you're slowly but surely becoming one of us...dndndndndndndndndndndndn

Oh, I was headed to eBay to drink the Kool-Aid. Just too late. I'm not sure about the one luvmytoolz linked. Don't think I'm looking for that much of a project...particularly at that price. Too bad. It's in my backyard.

It had make an offer?