I just recently got my first post vice a couple days ago. 4¹/² in. I got a great deal on it. Its missing the spring and wedge(which I can easily make both new,) and got it for 80 bucks! And its in great shape. Only some surface rust. The center screw is still shiny and greased up. The arm only had a slight bend. Super happy on the find. Here in the ohio area we have whats called the 127 garage sales. Its a super sale that goes along st rt 127. From Michigan all the way to Tennessee, and probably further. The guy who had it, his grandpa was a farrier and had alot of stuff. The anvils were already sold, and some of he top tools, but I found the vice hidden in a corner almost covered by a tool rack. Also got an old 48 oz ball peen. 3 bucks and had a decent face on it still. His grandpa definitely took care of the tools he once had. Rip to him!
Thanks, I just picked up a 4'' post vise at a small auction sale for $5. I also picked up a 40oz Plumb blacksmith hammer and a bunch of chisels and punches (Enders ans Dasco) for another $5. Some assorted files, prybars, clamps and such for a total of $20. After finding a single burner forge that someone was giving away last week I'm begining to think that Maybe God wants me to try out Blacksmithing.
I have been using a striking anvil as my anvil and now I'm waiting for delivery today of my first real anvil. A post vise will be something down the road. but people like you, Alec Steel and Neels Van Den Berg have made me want to forge at my golden age of 66
Loved the vice puns at the beginning and end of the video. Good information as usual, but those puns make it more entertaining without distracting from the subject too much.
Thanks John. I’m only 65 so really appreciate your bed-time stories. Something to think about as I go to sleep and then ‘make something’ the next day. My main vice is an old 6” engineers vice and so well worn that the handle which is heavy drops quite quickly when you let it go. I found this out today when pinky finger was in the way. No serious injury but sensitive for the rest of the day. I have now put rubber O-rings about 1/4“ behind the balls to stop it travelling all the way and if pinky gets in the way again it is a metal / rubber pinch rather than the metal / metal. I guess even rubber bands would do. I just thought I would pass this on for anyone else with seriously vicious vices. Regarding buying vices. I find that the ones with a release trigger that disengages the screw are good where you want to get things into the vice fast and don’t want the metal to cool too much e.g. when twisting Although of course the sensible people set the vice for ½ a turn off tight before they start heating the metal. My vice was given to me; most ‘normal people’ don’t want a vice that large and are happy to get rid of them I moved my vice to the corner of the bench as suggested and it is so much better. Not just for access but every time I clamped or unclamped something in the past there was always a file handle, piece of metal or similar overhanging the bench and in the way of the handle swing. It was much easier to move the vice than it was to train myself not to put things down where they would be in the way. I think that is one of the fundamental laws of the universe. Wherever you put something down from job A it will be in the way (or lost) for job B.
Great video, John! I recently purchased my first Leg/Post Vise. I got it at a Trashing Show Swap meet for $80.00, and except for some surface rust, it's like brand new. I'm thinking about cleaning it up to look new, but I also love the patina, so maybe I'll just brush it off and run with it as is! Thanks for sharing your knowledge, and educating the rest of us! 😎👍🏻🔨🔥🗡️
80 must be a magic number. I just got my first 2 days ago for 80. Same thing, just some surface rust. But missing the spring and wedge(which I can easily forge up) Got mine at the 127 garage sales. Big event all along st rt 127. 🍻
Nice video I really like the corner mounting idea ,my friend built a shop . He put square stock like receiver hitches in the floor at different places and built stands for vices,grinders,rollers , etc . He could move things as needed .
I restore/refurbish and work on quality vises. The 'tall' vise you have is usually called a sheet metal vise. Looks like a Prentiss. Your Reed - another killer vise - is an early version of a 104R. Totally agree; a post vise is the thing for a blacksmith shop. Enjoyed the video very much.
I had a bright idea last week, gee that drill press vice looks just the ticket to punch that hammer eye on, holds it nicely, well supported, hole right through in the middle, 2 hits later and I was holding two bits of broken cast iron and looking for a new drill press vice...... wont do that again!
I had the same problem regarding falling tools. My vise is mounted on the end of a heavy i-beam stuck 4 feet in the ground. The end has a plate welded to it that is about 8×11 inches. I took a piece of 3/4 inch plywood (about the thickness of the mounting bracket) and cutout the outline of the bracket. It bolts onto the end of the i-beam and lays flush with the bracket creating a neat table. I made mine about 2 feet square for a convienent table.
Wow John, I didn't know you so many vices! LOL It nice to know that there are an assortment of vices available. I like the older style of vices. I find them stronger that the ones you get today. Great video. Take care my friend.
I love my leg vice!! it looks like the same one that's on the corner of your workbench. I have mine on the corner of mine but I couldn't do the 45 because I have some lockers right there that house all my Steel. I seen it but now that you pointed out that's a good idea I might have to do some rearranging. 👍 🔨On!!
Dang. I figured the only advantage to post vises was that you could walk all the way around them. I wanted to be cheap and just get a little vise. At least you saved me from ruining a cheap little vise and having to buy a post vise anyway.
Hi John, I think I mentioned it before, but there is a 4 legged post vice made by Ponderosa forge. With 4 legs it needs no stand but it should be bolted to the floor. It may not be as beefy as some of the behemoth leg vices, but it takes a beating. It does not use the plane of a screw but has a plane to wedge the work. You need to see it in use to understand how it works. Obviously even if it was still in production (but it is not) it would not be a vice for everyone. A video on RU-vid shows its being used to help make pigtails.
Blackbear: "This is still a little bit cramped because I have a small shop. It would be nice if there were 5ft around it." Me: *available shop area roughly is a 5ft square.*
Happy that I picked up 3 post vices from the local scrap yard for £60 the three. Went back two days later and there was another available - I figure 3 was too many but 4 would be a crime ! Well worth checking that the screw & nut are not too far worn out as they are not easy to replace / fix unless you have access to screw cutting lathe. Thankfully my three are in pretty good condition for the age. Thanks for uploading. All the best Mat
Just found a post vise mounted it up with hardware from blacksmith bolt looks great works like new. Had to make a new spring made it from a piece of5160 very stiff not even hardened yet but thinking about it. Thx again John another good one .... Paul
You don't need to heat treat a post vise spring! Just about anything will work as-is. Lots of smiths just use a length of mild steel. I have a piece of mild steel in my vise now and it works perfectly.
great video, being in europe my 5inch leg vice is different having a round bench support area which i guess is there to allow pivoting of the vice 180+ ° , i have been puzzling how to fix it, so you have made my mind up! i also have 4 and 5 inch engineers vices just one of my addictions , old vices!
Other than that paint, your post vise (first one on the video) looks exactly like mine, couldn't find a name. My stepdad gave it to me when I started getting interested in learning to be a blacksmith. (It was rusted shut, but when I cleaned it up and got it moving again, the threads looked brand new and the hatch pattern on the jaws looked pristine 👍
Important thing to look for when buying a post vise: check to be sure the screw threads are square. If they are worn down and triangular that vise is toast.
@@DavoShed or buy acme thread and an acme nut from mcmaster. Could also get a tap and die if you really wanted to do it yourself and didnt have access to a lathe.
@NerdByDesign Not sure I have ever seen an acme tap or die, or could manage using one that big. I made a 6” vice as an apprentice that had a square thread and that worked fine, lasted for years until my brother in-law nicked it 😭
@@DavoShed they definantly make them. Not exactly cheap but they do. Can also find buttress thread tap and dies. Square thread is not as popular as acme and have less holding power but have lower friction. Acme thread can also be compensated for wear if you use a split nut. Just tighten the nut and the slop is gone due to the thread form. This also assumes you are stateside. I believe Europe uses a slightly different pressure angle of trapezoidal thread but dont quote me on that.
@NerdByDesign I agree :) I’m in Australia by the way. We can get almost anything here. If we can’t we can ship it in. I live out in the country so makes it a bit more challenging.
My michinest vice I am going to move a few more inches from bench and add portable (on -off 3th. leg ) and lower it for twist work and hot fileing jobs.
I don't have a post vise or the money to buy a decent one so I'm working with a few small 4 inch machinists vises. I'm keeping an eye out for a larger vise I can weld a hardy post to the bottom of it and use it as a hardy tool for twisting and other hot work. I think that'll make an adequate substitute to hold me until I get a good post vise.
@@douganderson7002 I have a really nice flux core welder that gets surprisingly deep penetration on the beads. That being said, the time and energy going into trying to learn how to fabricate one, the lost material from trying to fab one and the time invested isn't really worth saving $40 or $50 to me. I already have too much going on at it is with school, kids, work in the shop and the other odds and ends of my current daily life.
Good information as usual. I bought a small post vise about a year ago. It's just shy of 4 inches and it works for anything I've done so far. But I am looking for a 5-6 inch vise and they are expensive here in Fl. They are like anvils the prices are going up.
6 лет назад
Railroad anvils they sell for 50 dollars, why? A bit of scrap iron with no shape and they charge that much. You would have thought with all the miles of railroad being replaced each year to chop it up into short lengths and sold as anvils would be much cheaper as they would get more than the scrap value. But, no, they over charge.
I was hoping this would start out with a bottle of whisky or something and then go oh you probably want to know about the other other kind of vices lmao, good intro either way lol.
your knowledge is worth a life time of work on fire and iron, greetings to you , i would like to ask which steel is used to make a cold chisel , how much carbon content , can we make a chisel and then case harden it . thank you
Liked the clip good tips for me! I have a machine vise I would like to show you and get you opinion on it as I'm trying to start my forge with what I have and what I can scrounge!
Would it be possible to talk about thread repair on post vices please? ie. is it possible to weld/build up the thread on the external screw, and is there any way of repairing/restoring the internal thread?
Just saw a large post vise (6 inch?) in a junk shop here on Rte 1 in Stonington, Connecticut. Kinda rusty but might be worth a road trip if someone really wants it. I've got two so I don't need it.
Great video. I have an old leg vise and will be taking it off the work bench and putting it on a log end for the garage. Curious how you secure the bottom end to the stump.
Any brand marking on the second vise shown? 0:19 - 2:25? Just picked up a 5.5" vise who's screw box, spring, and mounting plate look identical to that. Not finding any markings on it.
Hi thanks for another great tool of the day. Your measuring square is a cut down square . i am having problems i cannot find one to cut dawn in the UK do you know if your supplier would ship to the UK . thanks Paul
Did you make your U Bolt for your blacksmith vice. I have one like yours that you have bolted to the steel plate, It's unable to draw tight, the other is like the one you have U bolted to your steel bench. That I was thinking hmmm how do I fasten this too what. You showed me how and where.... Going to have you figure something else to make it work for me. Have any suggestions on why the other won't screw tight or so it will screw together. It draws in like 2" then it gives free.
Hi there I own a vice just like the first one it has the same identical mounting plate and and design would you know what brand it is I could not find any information on my vice it only said inch-and-a-half inside of the screw housing
I've recently mounted the largest of my post vices at a 45 degree angle off a corner of a wall-mounted work bench: 5 -1/4". I can get at it from 3 directions as well as pass a long piece of steel to the outside through a door. Planned it that way. One question, I haven't fastened it to the floor...as I see some legs more vertical while others tilt in toward the post. More vertical seems to keep the screw/plane of the vice more horizontal. What is recommended?
I think wood probably absorbs sound better. Brick on the other hand is more fire resistant. I have wood walls and make sure there isn't anything to close to the wall that might start a fire.
Hey John! I noticed that the ball on your corner mounted vice is missing. Is that a critical part or not. There is a 5 inch post vice for sale in my area for $60. It is missing the ball just like yours and the spring and mounting bracket. I know I can make the bracket and spring. Do you think I will have any problems with it?
@@BlackBearForge John, is it ok to buy a post vise that has the box missing? There is a 6" vise being sold near me that has a square nut in place of the box screw going for about $275 CAD
I bought a tiny little post vise in a box of junk at an auction but have never quite figured out how to mount it. It has jaws about three inches wide and is only eight inches or so tall. Seems like a waste to set a post just for it.
Maybe on a small portable bench, but not a hardy hole; it looks just like a regular post vise, just smaller. I have used it as a hand vise, but it is awkward for that.
Hard to come by here in Western Australia. Doug, I'm not talking about an 8 inch one, heck I've got one of those and moving that is almost life threatening.
I've often thought it *should* be possible to make one. The parts are fairly well defined. The only sticking points are: The Screw and screw box. Might be difficult without a lathe. And the shear amount of metal you'd have to forge. I'm thinking this might definitely be something best suited to power hammers.
Dave, my understanding is that the jaws are forge welded on, I'm also assuming that the post leg can be forge welded on as well. So the vice can be broken down to roughly four sections 1. the jaws, 2. the movable and fixed arms, 3. the two cheeks of the pivot bracket and 4, the post leg section - this would physically make it easier to handle. I would have thought a good engineer would be able to reproduce the solid screw box and threaded shank if either, drawings, or an example was made available to them. I'm not saying its easy but surely worth contemplating.
Too ambitious for me to make a full size vise. However Tom Latane was forged a few smaller bench mounted vises. Something smaller might someday make it into th plan.
If I were to attempt to build a post vise, I would buy a large lead screw with a large lead (the distance it moves in one revolution). You want a screw that will close up on your hot metal without having to crank and crank on the handle. A multi-start screw might be a good idea.
