Replies

1. 
   RW | Dec 03, 2002 02:46am | #1

   I have an opinion but it's not an educated one. Emmerts are expensive as heck. Wish I had one. Never heard of bronze, but don't think I'd care much as long as the price was reasonable. If it works, more power to ya. Did I say I wish I had one?

1. 
   silver77 | Dec 08, 2002 01:04am | #10

   I've got an Emmert vise for sale...interested?

   silver

2. 
   rslatm | Dec 03, 2002 02:51am | #2

   I've owned 5 of these (2 turtle backs and 3 new style) and am down to 3 new style. Solid bronze? Did you put a magnet to it? Plated? Never heard of one in bronze. There's a site that might be helpful...

   http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/1824/emmert.htm

   I've seen many advertised over the years and on ebay but never bronze. Might be a copy or who knows what. Very interesting! How about posting a pic? I have the address somewhere of a guy who bought old the old patterns and was planning on bringing it back to life but last I heard he got ill and it sort of faded away. Pretty neat find I'd say!

   Rick

1. 
   Hempstalk | Dec 03, 2002 11:32am | #5

      Here's a few shots of the new (old) vice.  Everything is intact and in good working order.  The treads look like new.  There is a little bit of a rough around the edges look to the casting in places.  You can also clearly make out file marks and such which is what make me think someone has made a copy of an original.  It is solid bronze.  I took a file to each piece to confirm.  It weighs in at just under 70 pounds.

   
1. 
   rslatm | Dec 03, 2002 03:29pm | #6

   I think Larry is right. On my newer Emmerts the jaws measure 18 1/8" x 7" even though the specs are supposed to be 18" x 7".  Are your jaws much smaller? Go easy on clamping stuff with the softer bronze. I've seen a few cast iron ones where the jaws are bowed from careless woodworkers.  From what i've seen the Yost and Yates had stiffer jaws but are a lot scarcer to find. Your vice looks a bit on the smaller size. Perhaps a #2?  The #1 weighs in at around 80 lb cast iron.  Almost forgot about a turtleback kicking around the shop. Jaws measure in at 18 1/2" x 6 7/8"!

   Rick

   Edited 12/3/2002 7:31:18 AM ET by rsl

   Edited 12/3/2002 8:09:50 AM ET by rsl

2. 
   r_ignacki | Dec 08, 2002 03:49am | #11

   that looks like something our truck driver gave me a couple of years ago, he said he was cleaning out someones shed and they were throwing it away. It's not bronze, though. Turn the knob on the left and it skews the front, so you could clamp tapered things, right? Say's april 11  06 on it.

1. 
   Hempstalk | Dec 08, 2002 05:15am | #12

   That's the one.  Can't beat that price.  Hard to think someone would just throw one of these away.

3. 
   lwilliams | Dec 03, 2002 03:34am | #3

   One thing about pattern makers is they often copy tools they like. They're already closely connected to a foundry and have the skills to make the pattern and likely the mold for castings. I'd be willing to bet some  pattern maker wanted an Emmert and the cheapest way to get one was to make his own. If he didn't mind his copy being a little smaller than the original, he didn't even have to make patterns but could cast off original parts. I think this is likely and you can verify it by measuring yours and an original. If yours is a little less than 10% smaller, it's a pretty safe bet that's exactly where your vise came from. Bronze is one of the easiest and least expensive metals to cast and there are a lot of old and slightly undersized tools out there that are made of bronze as a result.

1. 
   lwilliams | Dec 03, 2002 09:02pm | #7

   I sure screwed up my post about bronze shrink rates. Bronze shrinks from pour to cool at a rate of 7/32" per foot. That's about 2% rather than the 10% I wrote. Sorry for the stupid mistake.

1. 
   trialnut | Dec 04, 2002 04:19pm | #9

   Larry

   Easy mistake, you were likely thinking of 1/10 per foot shrink. Most of the foundries we deal with want 1/10 shrink on thier patterns for iron, some use 1/8. Depends on thier pouring temp and alloy. We usually use 3/16 shrink for bronze, again, it depends on the alloy. This system is used when dealing in feet and inches, when using metric the shrink is calculated as a %.

   Work safe

   Rich The Professional Termite

4. 
   AlanTurner | Dec 03, 2002 03:41am | #4

   I am among the many here are extremely jealous.  Nice find, original or copy.  Some of the L-N's are cast bronze, and they have a great feel.

5. 
   hitai | Dec 04, 2002 10:26am | #8

   Just a thought but living in a marine environment, i"ve seen a number of things made in bronze for naval application.  Your vise could have been a  part of a run made for the USN.  Minesweepers were completely equipped with bronze tools ( non sparking)