Major vise ……………

dukeone | Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on January 22, 2005 05:46am

Hello: In various books and FWW articles I have seen some very serious looking woodworking vises, nothing like what I’ve been able to find in the catalogs or web pages of Rockler et.al. Some were obviously old and others looked new. Does anyone know what companies make or sell these things?
KDM

Replies

joinerswork | Jan 22, 2005 05:59pm | #1
duke,

You are probably seeing Emmert vises. Highland hardware has something similar offered in their catalog, if I'm not mistaken.

Regards,

Ray
lwj2 | Jan 23, 2005 12:52am | #2
Lee Valley (Veritas) offers their Tucker vise.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=31143&cat=1,41659

FWIW, mine are old ones I bought at auction -- a couple of Columbians and Wiltons -- and an old Craftsman machinist's vise I bought from Sears years ago. You might look at auctions held by local governments -- unfortunately, school systems are closing down the school woodworking shops at a horrendous rate.

E-bay has the odd Emmert on occasion. If they're anything but anchor material they don't go cheaply.

Leon Jester

dukeone | Jan 23, 2005 01:51am | #3
Is it so then that there is no modern version of the Emmert? I've searched the term "patternmakers vise" with out much luck. The one that Veritas has looks nice but not really up to the same level as the one I was thinking of. Probably couldn't afford it anyway.
KDM

RickL | Jan 23, 2005 02:36am | #4
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=3516
http://www.workbenchdesign.net/rvises.html
Woodcraft and Highland Hardware sell the Emmert #2 clone for around $219. Do a search for Emmert vise in google and you will turn up a lot. Searches work best when you try different terms. Oliver and Yost also made such vises but pretty scarce. An original Emmert #1 can easily run $800 or more for one in good shape. The turtleback Emmert is the older version and often the main vise can have a crack that's hidden until the cover is removed. Emmerts are often found on ebay...a few there now. There's a dealer in PA who sells parts and the occasional Emmert but like I said... up to $800. I've got a few of the #1's and they are worth every penny but I've never paid more than $250. You just have to find someone who doesn't surf the net to get the deals. The clones are a good deal for the money.
lwj2 | Jan 23, 2005 03:50am | #5
IIRC from a discussion or article some years ago, the person who purchased the inventory and manufacturing rights to the Emmert was (at the time) having financial difficulties.No idea where it stands now.Leon Jester

AlanTurner | Jan 23, 2005 12:44pm | #6
Email me if you end up with an Emmert and need parts. Oft times the hinge is broken, and the fellow in Pa has new castings of the NO. 1 hinge, and other parts as well, such as the bar and keeper mechanism. Note that you will need a heavy bench to handle the No. 1 Emmert. Jaws are 18 x 7, and the weight is about #100. As Rick said, on the Turtlebacks, there is a weak casting under the turtleback cover, sometimes broken. It is the positive lock mechanism for the tapering function. But, even if broken, the vise is still quite workable.

The Yosts oft have broken front jaws. I have two of these old beaters right now, and both have this problem. Can't find a replacement since this is the part that always breaks, I have heard. Someone suggested that I go with something like a 3/8" thick steel plate for the front, and I might just do that as the cost of these vises is quite substantial.

BTW, I was talking to the Pa fellow, and he has two Yosts, in good shape, for $450. He says, and I bet he knows, that Yost was for 20 years the factory foreman at Emmert before he struck out on his own. The Yost looks like a fine vise, with essentially the same features as the Emmert. Jaws are 16 x 8; weight similar to the Emmert. I once saw an Oliver, and think the weight might be 2-300#, possibly more. Huge!

I have the NO. 2 Emmert on my main bench, and like is as it is smaller than the No. 1; 14 x 4 jaws. The feature that I like best is the fact that you can spin it 90 degrees, which puts the jaws above the bench. Great for holding a cabriole leg for shaping. It is generally a good carving vise as you can orient the work many diff. ways, which for carving is quite handy.

Alan

http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com

dukeone | Jan 23, 2005 07:25pm | #7
Thanks, all; Once again ask any question here and the folks will educate you. It seems like my current bench won't even take one of these vises, but I will keep it in mind for future expansion. Does Oliver still make vises? I wonder if there is enough market for this type of item out there so that someone could pick up where Emmert left off or am I mistaken in thinking that the Tucker is not quite in the same class as the big dogs?
KDM

forestgirl | Jan 23, 2005 09:09pm | #8
Since you're going to wait awhile anyway, you'll have time to watch for estate auctions (do you live near a largish city?). I've picked up two good-sized vises in the basements of old woodworkers. Sunday paper would have an auction section, watch for tools being listed as a major component. Call the auctioneer for specifics.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)

dukeone | Jan 24, 2005 01:31am | #9
Thanks, FG;(OK to call you FG?) it will be a good lesson for me to actually wait for something!
KDM

forestgirl | Jan 24, 2005 10:42am | #10
Yep, "FG" is fine! Is the auction thing a possibility in your area? I'm on an island 9 miles off Seattle, and it's a big enough city to get some good estate auctions and sales. But I hate estate sales (fighting the crowds at 7am) so I opt for the auction route.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
dukeone | Jan 24, 2005 12:23pm | #11
FG: I'm in Berkeley Ca, there are lots of "garage sales" but these are mostly for stuff that should go to the dump. I guess Estate sales are around somewhere, I'll have to look into it. Dream vise; go to machine shop with pictures of Emmert and have one made!! Must win lotto first. LOL, KDM
forestgirl | Jan 24, 2005 07:56pm | #13
Berkely?! Wow, grab the Sunday paper and find the Auctions section in the classifieds. Read it every Sunday and there should be an auctioneer who does semi-regular estate auctions. If you get real lucky, someone will be dealing with a great wooworker's estate. In the past two years, I've encountered 2 really good auctions which have provided me with:

6x12" combination belt/disc sander

JDS air filter, new in box ($85 instead of $250++)

2 like-new routers

Jointech router fence, new in box

Dovetail jig (cheap)

Spindle sander (cheap but works well)

Dubby sliding miter fixture, new in box

Extra base for my PC router

Assorted quality clamps

A plethora of other miscellaneous stuff and things I can't remember right now.

The last estate was so big, they ran 2 auctions simultaneously at the house, and I skipped the one that was focused on the gentleman's turning tools and lathes, of which he had 3 or 4! I sold some lots on eBay to pay for the lots I was keeping.

The problem with estate sales in my experience is that stuff tends to be priced really high, you have to get there 2 hours before the sale opens, and the dealers who haunt them are obnoxious (I used to be a dealer, but never went to estate or garage sales, couldn't handle it.) If you're an early bird person, they might work for you. At auctions, everyone gets a chance at everything.

Have fun! Hope you find what you're looking for.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)