Coming to grips with my vises...

[Svar]

Well... I have fallen...
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This thing is surprisingly sturdy and larger than expected. Will be super handy to hold stock for a quick cut or shaping and sits at convenient height.
The question is should I get two?

Svaaarrrrrrr.....  [big grin]

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https://www.ebay.com/itm/1865738792...LON-PEHQ8S&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY [member=15585]Svar[/member]

RMW

That's beautiful.
But I already got the second one for cheap without a base. A spare base for parrot/versa vise can be gotten from Grizzly for a whooping $11.
I have my front bench vises also in pair. They slide laterally along t-track extrusion and I can space them to hold any width, length, or uneven thickness piece. No need for that twin screw vise. Can place them on different sides around the bench perimeter.

 

[rmwarren]

I have my front bench vises also in pair. They slide laterally along t-track extrusion and I can space them to hold any width, length, or uneven thickness piece. No need for that twin screw vise. Can place them on different sides around the bench perimeter.

That definitely requires photos...

RMW

 

[Svar]

That definitely requires photos...
RMW

Here you go [member=8712]Richard/RMW[/member]. Note how the backing board/spacer is keyed into t-slot with a wooden spline (close up pic). This way there is positive registration every time you reposition or slide the vise. The backing board is secured to the extrusions with 4 bolts and t-nuts. I plan to replace them with T-bolts and thumb nuts. Extrusions are Bosch-Rexroth 45 series.

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[six-point socket II]

Wabeco 80 - “Simalit 70 - ahead of time” the latter referring to the aluminum cast body. Material developed by Wabeco and smelters back in the day.

Had my hands on it today while doing some stuff in the workshop and suddenly thought of this thread. My Dad bought this new back in the day, I’ve known this vise for all my life. Needs a bit of “love”.

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Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Cheese]

Wabeco 80 - “Simalit 70 - ahead of time” the latter referring to the aluminum cast body. Material developed by Wabeco and smelters back in the day.

Had my hands on it today while doing some stuff in the workshop and suddenly thought of this thread. My Dad bought this new back in the day, I’ve known this vise for all my life. Needs a bit of “love”.

Oliver, in the old days, tradition had it that you needed to use a heavy work bench with a heavy vise...that was just proper and the way to get things done.

In the last 20 years, I've seen a shift and I have shifted myself to a "let's match the tool to the job" mindset. This has been fostered in no uncertain terms by the Festool mantra of bringing the tool to the work surface.

I think this aluminum vise embodies that vision and deserves another life...keep us abridged.  [big grin]

Will it become the German version of the Will-Burt or more likely the German version of the Zyliss.

 

[six-point socket II]

Ever since I re-surfaced the workbench in my basement workshop, the whole top has become too thick for the vise to be clamped on. And I do have the Rali Press on it. (https://rali-shop.com/rali-press-evo-730-mm.html ) And that does 99% of what I mostly need in that workshop. For the remaining 1% I clamp that Wabeco to a board, and then clamp that assembly to my workbench with the Rali Press.

I also do have the original, tabletop, Black & Decker “Jobber” - that I can also fix to the workbench utilizing the Rali Press.

So yeah, the Wabeco will see some much needed cleaning and maintenance, so it is ready to use again next time I need it.

Currently I’m ready to profile some boards and make new handrails for the big shed’s patio. Not today obviously, it’s Sunday, but I did all the quiet stuff: measuring, layout, set up the cover/ tent for shade, week is gonna be hot. Come tomorrow morning I start cutting, profiling and building.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[rmwarren]

That definitely requires photos...
RMW

Here you go [member=8712]Richard/RMW[/member]. Note how the backing board/spacer is keyed into t-slot with a wooden spline (close up pic). This way there is positive registration every time you reposition or slide the vise. The backing board is secured to the extrusions with 4 bolts and t-nuts. I plan to replace them with T-bolts and thumb nuts. Extrusions are Bosch-Rexroth 45 series.

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[member=15585]Svar[/member] thanks, great setup with tons of flexibility and being easy to install/remove clinches it.

That's a beefy MFT. I've toyed with the idea of making a foldable version with 1530 (1-1/2" by 3") extrusions that mates up with the modular stuff I have, but I really don't have a place to store it in the shop. With that heft and the leg braces it overcomes the wobble most portable MFTs experience for planing.

RMW

 

[rmwarren]

If I were still adding to the fleet, I'd be tempted just due to sheer uniqueness...

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eBay

RMW

 

[jeffinsgf]

Curse you Richard! Now I have to add "Pinch Bug" to my ebay and FBM searches.

 

[rmwarren]

I'm rooting for you Jeff. This is the first one I've ever seen.

Patent date 1921... gives me the Buy it Now twitches.

RMW

 

[Cheese]

John R Long designed that vise…wait for it…he also designed the Will-Burt vise.  [poke]

So this little detail is what brought it home for me.

Photo of Akron Wrench & Vise Co Pinch Bug Vise patented in 1921.

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Photo of Will-Burt Vise patented in 1901.

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[Cheese]

This Will-Burt/Versa Vise thing is more interesting every time I dig further into it.  [big grin]

The patent was issued in 1901 to John R Long and he assigned those patent rights to both Will-Burt for their Versa Vise and to Columbian for their Gyro Vise.

In our daily woodworking/metalworking endeavors, we are using vises that were patented 123 years ago. That's pretty  [cool]

Will-Burt and Columbian manufactured both duck-bill models and traditional short jaw models.

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Here's the patent from 1901.

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Also interesting to note, is that Jon-Mar which purchased the manufacturing rights, still offers a short jaw model vise for sale along with some other interesting options.
https://www.willburtversavise.com

This swivel base adapter is interesting.

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And then there's always the Pinch Bug phase which started in 1921.  [big grin] 

 

[rmwarren]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] always fun exploring a rabbit hole brimming with squirrels bearing shiney objects.

Interesting that the Versa design preceeded the Pinch. Perhaps the earlier patent needed to burn off before Long could pursue the new design?

It always appeared to me that the duckbill was the earliest iteration, solely due to the change in the meatball. The rounded one would have more hand work involved?

The patent drawing has elements that look more similar to the Pinch design, the shape og the meatball and jaws. The early Versa had more curves including the lines of the jaws. Maybe that was just Long's ascetic. 

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I've only seen the rounded style on duckbills.

RMW

 

[jeffinsgf]

A few more Pinch Bug pics from my other web hang-out.
http://www.vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=40647

 

[rmwarren]

A few more Pinch Bug pics from my other web hang-out.
http://www.vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=40647

See what Cheese started?

Wrapping my mind around this, I guess the poster you linked to hit the nail on the head: "The 1921 patent I found is for the vises ability to rotate freely, until you put clamping pressure on the jaws, which then locks the vise in position.". This is lacking on the Vera's, but then the Pinch needs an intermediate post to rotate on the other axis. Basically what the adapter Cheese posted does for the Versa.

RMW

 

[jeffinsgf]

... the vises ability to rotate freely, until you put clamping pressure on the jaws, which then locks the vise in position.". This is lacking on the Vera's,...
RMW

Isn't that what the little lever under the jaw does? At least it does on mine. As soon as the vise starts applying pressure the lever engages the column and locks everything up.

 

[Cheese]

It always appeared to me that the duckbill was the earliest iteration, solely due to the change in the meatball. The rounded one would have more hand work involved?

I've only seen the rounded style on duckbills.

RMW

I've also assumed that the duck bill was the earliest iteration because of the extra machining steps involved with the "meatball" spindle handle.

Here's a photo of a Will-Burt No. 1 with the patent date cast into the body. Note the spindle handle and the jaws.

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[Cheese]

Isn't that what the little lever under the jaw does? At least it does on mine. As soon as the vise starts applying pressure the lever engages the column and locks everything up.

Yes it does. That's the reason I was initially skeptical about using aluminum round as a mount/pivot, but after 4 years of use, there are no issues or even marks on the aluminum pieces.

 

[jeffinsgf]

What's fueling the fire on all this for me is that all the development and manufacturing happened within 40 miles of my house.

 

[rmwarren]

Isn't that what the little lever under the jaw does? At least it does on mine. As soon as the vise starts applying pressure the lever engages the column and locks everything up.

Yes it does. That's the reason I was initially skeptical about using aluminum round as a mount/pivot, but after 4 years of use, there are no issues or even marks on the aluminum pieces.

The self-locking feature works remarkably well.

Jeff the patent language I quoted was from the 1929 Pinch. I think the rotation it refers to is the "tilt" ability. The Versa spins in a circle but the jaw opening is always on top, unless you lay it on its side. The Pinch spins in a circle due to the intermediate post, but the locking action in the vise itself locks it from tilting. It's also achieved differently than how the Versa locks which I assume is important in patenting an innovation.