lost a friend today

[Niel Hoback]

I have had this since 1966. Today I was being unusually stupid and this is what it cost me. I cannot replace it.

My stupidity amazes me.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Trust me..that is not the first one I have seen in this condition..sorry for your loss...just don't drop it on your foot in the burial process...

[Normspeed]

At least it spent its last moments doing what it does best.

[Young Ed]

Niel sorry for your loss. Would you or Tim enlighten me and any others who may not know how to prevent such a loss?

[Niel Hoback]

One way to avoid this damage: Do not put a 5' long piece of 2" pipe on the handle and tighten until you hear a big bang.

Yes, I know. I asked for it. I still can't believe I did that. Whadda dope.

[Don Coatney]

Ouch! That hurts. I have a couple of family vises and a couple of family vices. Pictured are my family vises. The black one belonged to my Grandfather Benjamin Harrison Coatney and I believe he bought it in the 1800's. The grey one was a gift to me from my father and my first wife. They bought it for me in the early 1970's. Sorry but I do not have any pictures of my family vices that I feel comfortable posting here. Sorry Niel for the loss of your old friend.

[1948Skip]

Niel,

The vise is probably cast steel. A good welder can weld it back to gether and you will get some medium duty use from it.

Skip

[Plymouthy Adams]

best method to protect this tool from damage is to leave it in the box you bought it in...but am sure in his case as was in mine..a bit of over torque on our part was the main cause for failure...I think I was bending some very heavy plate steel at the time...just used too big an equalizer bar...

[Niel Hoback]

The vise was a sort of a family vise, since my Dad got it from the metallurgy lab at US Steel. No, it didn't come in a box. He gave it to me because he couldn't get it out of the spare tire well of his 60 Olds wagon. Charles Parker brand, Meridian Conn.

I musta pushed a hundred u-joints with it.

Best vise I ever saw.

Really gonna miss it.

[Andydodge]

Neil, I have a 6" cast iron vice that had a similar problem 30 yrs ago, took it to a local engineering shop and they brazed it up, its lasted 30yrs at least now, I wouldn't bury your friend just yet.......now sure about straight welding but brazing definately does work......andyd

[Fireball]

My deepest consolidates for your loss, he is in hands of Mopar God now.

You know that guy, he tests you a lot but never abandons

[Niel Hoback]

I just don't think I could trust a repaired vise because I probably didn't learn anything from this little disaster.

I really do appreciate all your comments, you are all very kind and helpful.

I'm gonna take off now, before I feel a virtual group hug, and I'm just not into that.

Hmmmm, gotta go look at new tools,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[JIPJOBXX]

Well its not a total loss you could always bronze it and put it in your house on the mantel if you have one. I have done the same thing myself at work but I was not attached to it and so I just said a few word and moved on. Sorry for your loss our creator works in mysterious ways and I'm sure in time your grief will disappear. Jon:(

(May your vice rest in peace or is that peaces?)

[David Maxwell]

It's a high priced piece of garden art now. Just go down to your local art store in the nearest "dot com" community. You could probably put a couple hundred dollar tag on it and get yourself a real nice replacement. Or you could throw it in your own garden, invite your friends over for wine and cheese and brag about your new art piece!

[Andydodge]

Neil, i'd still get it repaired.......would probably be cheaper and better than a new one.......or I'll have it........2nd thoughts, postage to Oz might be a little steep......lol...........andyd

[Jerry Roberts]

I saw a pair of large american made vises at the flea market today . Any flea markets in your area ?

[Niel Hoback]

Today I went out to remove the remains. Got to looking and thinking. You're right, I shouldn't give up without trying. I will look into getting it worked on, and yes, there are major flea markets around to keep me busy in the mean time.

Any vise I use hase to have tose magic words on it; Made in USA.

According to the googler thing here, it seems Charles Parker went out of business in 1957. Now I gotta save it.

[Plymouthy Adams]

It's a high priced piece of garden art now. Just go down to your local art store in the nearest "dot com" community. You could probably put a couple hundred dollar tag on it and get yourself a real nice replacement. Or you could throw it in your own garden, invite your friends over for wine and cheese and brag about your new art piece!

I think we need a Georgraphy lesson here....lol

[50PlymouthSled]

Try an Oxyacitlne welder. :] That would work nicely. Sorry for the misspelling. :[

[PatS....]

Today I went out to remove the remains. Got to looking and thinking. You're right, I shouldn't give up without trying. I will look into getting it worked on, and yes, there are major flea markets around to keep me busy in the mean time.

Any vise I use hase to have tose magic words on it; Made in USA.

According to the googler thing here, it seems Charles Parker went out of business in 1957. Now I gotta save it.

this might fit the bill. some history to it and not that far away and made in the US of A

http://cgi.ebay.com/HUGE-REED-ANTIQUE-SHOP-VISE-FROM-BLACKSMITH-SHOP-NR_W0QQitemZ370045373683QQihZ024QQcategoryZ13869QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Don Coatney]

this might fit the bill. some history to it and not that far away and made in the US of A

http://cgi.ebay.com/HUGE-REED-ANTIQUE-SHOP-VISE-FROM-BLACKSMITH-SHOP-NR_W0QQitemZ370045373683QQihZ024QQcategoryZ13869QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Neil;

You should jump on this one that Pat found. It is right in your back yard and where else can you find such built in character as hack saw cuts already in place.

[Niel Hoback]

Pat and Don, thanks for thinking of me and wanting to help.

I spent a day or sofeeling sorry for myself and then got over it. After studying the parts, it seems the long bar is not involved in the clamping force, but mostly to keep the jaw from rotating. So, you can see where this is going. I have cross-drilled the end of the bar and the jaw where they meet. I am cutting and drilling quarter inch plates to bolt to each side.

I know it will never be as strong as it was, but at least I will get some use out of it. Some day I will learn to go easy on stuff.

The bench looks naked without it.

Thanks again

[JIPJOBXX]

Becarefull with that repair as it might just bit you and you'll be the one that's broken. Long live the vise and of course all vises (Like drinking, fast cars and loose women)

[Andydodge]

Niel.......I would really try to get it brazed or welded rather than try and repair it myself, I mentioned that I have one that I had repaired by brazing 30yrs or more ago and it broke in the same spot, and it got a workout this weekend............see if you can get it brazed first before drilling holes for bolts..........andyd

[Don Coatney]

Becarefull with that repair as it might just bit you and you'll be the one that's broken. Long live the vise and of course all vises (Like drinking, fast cars and loose women)

Are you talking about vises or vices? There is a difference.