Coming to grips with my vises...

[jeffinsgf]

I see it now. The PB's primary axis is perpendicular to the VV's.

 

[rmwarren]

I see it now. The PB's primary axis is perpendicular to the VV's.

Bingo. Someday I'll learn how to condense 3 sentences into 8 words. You should get into the communications & marketing field...

RMW

 

[jeffinsgf]

I haven't shown any pictures of my VV yet, but I'll get around to a "before" in a few days. I really wanted a duck bill with the meatball screw, so I sat on my hands until I found one. When I did...at a price I was willing to pay...it was (is) a basket case. There's so much rust I can't tell for sure what the original color was. It didn't come with a post, either, but the price was right (if I say it enough, I'll convince myself).

I bought a base listed as "N.O.S" off eBay for $35. That was 3 days before I found the page Cheese listed above for the company that bought the rights, where you can buy them for $25. The guy on eBay is probably buying them online and flipping them on eBay.

Anyway, a little time with a wheel and a can of spray paint, and I'll have a Versa-Vise.

 

[Cheese]

You should get into the communications & marketing field...

Now that’s funny.  [big grin] [big grin] [big grin]

 

[Cheese]

I agree 100% ...the duck bill version is a lot more versatile vise for most projects, but they're more difficult to find. If you just need a simple vise then the short jaw version is fine.

Jeff, I do have a suggestion though, if you're just "cleaning" it up a bit, look at the condition of the plating on the spindle handle and if all of the plating seems to be good but just discolored/or dark, you can take a fine wire wheel to the surface and it will improve the looks dramatically, without damaging the surface. Here are a couple of before & afters.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

 

[Svar]

I bought a base listed as "N.O.S" off eBay for $35. That was 3 days before I found the page Cheese listed above for the company that bought the rights, where you can buy them for $25. The guy on eBay is probably buying them online and flipping them on eBay.

Grizzly sells that same base for $11 plus shipping. Item PXD3125001

 

[jeffinsgf]

Jeff, I do have a suggestion though, if you're just "cleaning" it up a bit, look at the condition of the plating on the spindle handle and if all of the plating seems to be good but just discolored/or dark, you can take a fine wire wheel to the surface and it will improve the looks dramatically, without damaging the surface. Here are a couple of before & afters.

Yeah, I have the handle and the screw in pretty good shape. But, I'm surprised an abrasives aficiando like you is still using a wire wheel. Have you tried the 3M Scotch-Brite Radial Brushes? I have a couple grits. They're somehow more effective and gentler at the same time. If they're not getting it done, I have a stack of Scotch-Brite non-woven abrasive discs that will descale just about anything in a flash. That's where I'll start on the body and jaw.

 

[Cheese]

Yeah, I have the handle and the screw in pretty good shape. But, I'm surprised an abrasives aficiando like you is still using a wire wheel. Have you tried the 3M Scotch-Brite Radial Brushes? I have a couple grits. They're somehow more effective and gentler at the same time. If they're not getting it done, I have a stack of Scotch-Brite non-woven abrasive discs that will descale just about anything in a flash. That's where I'll start on the body and jaw.

Ya I didn't want to abrade the surface at all seeing as the plating was probably at least 70 years old, so I figured a wire wheel used very lightly would likely only burnish the surface...I lucked out.  [smile]

I have/had the yellow Scotch-Brite brush, it worked well but it certainly didn't last long. It was used up within 5 minutes.

I'll be patiently waiting for the unveiling.  [big grin]

 

[rmwarren]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] I'm thinkin' this may be the oldest Will-Burt I've run across.

[attachimg=1]

Cast markings, patent date, shape of the meatball and a solid base.

RMW

 

[Cheese]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] I'm thinkin' this may be the oldest Will-Burt I've run across.

[attachimg=1]

Cast markings, patent date, shape of the meatball and a solid base.

RMW

Thanks for that Richard......there's just something very interesting with these Will-Burt vises. The design of the long jaws is so very different than what we've been exposed to for vises in general, maybe that's the attraction?

I also came across a "patent number" Will-Burt a few years ago. What's interesting here is to look at the shape of the "meatball" on both of the patent vises. One is round while the other is elliptical. Here are photos of 2 patent number vises and my vise. Are these changes because Will-Burt changed manufacturing suppliers or because they changed machined dimensions/profiles as this "meatball" would be machined and not cast.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=3]

 

[rmwarren]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] the duckbill is definitely my most used vise, mostly for metalwork, often filing. The wide narrow jaws lend themselves to securely holding flat bar and plate for edge filing, particularly when flipped on its side.

I made a couple straight edges ~30"-48" long (this) with the jaws holding one end and the stock resting on the work surface fully supported. Patient draw filing and a long sanding float got me to within a couple thou over the length when checked with a WP 2" rule. I could have rigged up some other means of clamping for this work but it wouldn't have been a bench vise. It's a trick most bench vises can't learn.

Yesterday there were 2 or 3 duckbills in unrestored/usable condition on eBay, buy-it-now in the $150-$200 range. Fair value IMO.

RMW

 

[rmwarren]

I also came across a "patent number" Will-Burt a few years ago. What's interesting here is to look at the shape of the "meatball" on both of the patent vises. One is round while the other is elliptical. Here are photos of 2 patent number vises and my vise. Are these changes because Will-Burt changed manufacturing suppliers or because they changed machined dimensions/profiles as this "meatball" would be machined and not cast.

I'm wondering if shaping the meatball was a manual operation, perhaps varying between machinists?

RMW

 

[rmwarren]

Just invested a cup of coffee delaying my morning chores studying the images, definitely not cast from the same patterns.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=3]

[attachimg=4]

[attachimg=5]

[attachimg=6]

Now to clean the kitchen...

RMW

 

[Ron B]

Here is a link telling the history and showing some of the options for the Versa Vise (or Vice for Australia).  History is interesting, you can catch the optional stands in first few minutes without watching the whole thing.  If link does not work, (or you don't trust clicking on a random link) google Chester Spier posting titled "Versa Vise or Vice Versa". 

History is particularly good-states this vise was not manufactured till 1918 from a 1901 patent. 

 

[Ron B]

I misquoted.  First manufactured in 1916, not 1918.  On the clip I have in above post you can see the optional bases, including the clamp-down one that he has the vise mounted on.  I did not know that one existed. 

 

[Cheese]

I was surfing eBay a couple of days ago and ran across this Will-Burt, it's probably in better shape than 90% of the other Will-Burts out there.
Other than a small bend to the vise handle (which could be straightened out), it checks all the boxes. Pay particular attention to the 3 areas highlighted by the arrows. For some reason, people felt the need to put saw cuts into the edge of the jaws and also they'd beat on the anvil, the top of the screw carriage and the jaws until the jaws chunked/broke.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1163038403...MI0_jMlJCiiAMVRjQIBR2Q8wSGEAQYByABEgIwL_D_BwE

[attachimg=1]

 

[Michael Kellough]

Before being made by Will-Burt, Long’s design was produced by Boller.
And there is one available on eBay.

Nice photos of another example are here.

 

[Cheese]

Before being made by Will-Burt, Long’s design was produced by Boller.
And there is one available on eBay.

Nice photos of another example are here.

Hey Michael, there's something weird going on here. The first website you posted is offering that vise for $225 but here's another website that appears to offer the same vise for $125.  [huh]
https://gogosales.ru/product/266955260793

 

[rmwarren]

Consider me a little skeptical...

[attachimg=1]

RMW

 

[Michael Kellough]

I wouldn’t recommend anyone try to buy anything from a Russian website and since identical photos are used on the eBay listing I’d be very hesitant in that case too.