Made alum. vise jaws... and now I see how wildly off my vise is...

[talvare]

Interesting. I was curious about that third jaw. Don't think I've ever seen a vise with that design.

Ted

 

[GeneT45]

My 6" Columbian #506 - 6" jaw and 10" "honest" opening. For sale, if you're in the area...

 

[G-ManBart]

Interesting. I was curious about that third jaw. Don't think I've ever seen a vise with that design.

Ted

They've been offered by a couple of companies. Yost still sells one with that design. I have a Yost 8" of that style, but made in the U.S....now it's made in China. I thought it would be handy to be able to reverse it, but after quite a few years I have done that exactly zero times...lol.

880-D2, 8

Constructed in Heavy Duty 65,000 P.S.I. Ductile Iron Machined "T" Bar for Precision Fit Expandable Versatile Vise by Reversing Front Jaw, Two (2) Options Large Dual Anvils, (1) Upper 4.1" X 4", (1) Lower: 8" x 3.25" Lower Anvil Converts to Product Support Shelf when Reversing Front Jaw...

yostvises.com

 

[bulgie]

Since the conversation has kind of veered toward the various model lines made by these vise companies, I got curious about mine. I stated earlier that my old Columbian vise is a 5". I was mistaken, it's actually only a 4 1/2". Couple of photos attached to compare to the OP's.
Ted
View attachment 477050View attachment 477051

Your Columbian is far superior to the OP's. Well before Columbian got bought out. Yours (same as mine tho mine is branded as "Ridgid") is reputed to be one of the best ever, though I'm no expert. Apologies to the OP, but your vise was never high-end, it was made to a budget-friendly price point. Note the rounded top edges of the ram compared to the sharp edges on the one @talvare shows, a much more precise slop-free fit.

Here's an ad for them, from the '60s I think:



The T-shaped jaws are a PITA to replace, despite the ad saying they're "easily replaceable". Plus there are no spares available, so you'd have to make your own. The original jaws are very tough though. Here's a blog on making replacement jaws if you want to try:
https://wiltonviseparts.wordpress.com/2021/12/23/columbian-tee-style-jaws-how-i-make-them/

I have scans of a '65 and a '80 catalog and a parts list if anyone wants 'em.

Mark in Seattle

 

[G-ManBart]

The T-shaped jaws are a PITA to replace, despite the ad saying they're "easily replaceable". Plus there are no spares available, so you'd have to make your own. The original jaws are very tough though. Here's a blog on making replacement jaws if you want to try:
https://wiltonviseparts.wordpress.com/2021/12/23/columbian-tee-style-jaws-how-i-make-them/

The original T-shaped jaws do show up from time to time. I've sold several NOS pairs on eBay over the past few years.

 

[mmcmdl]

Guaranteed unbreakable ? They must not know the clowns I worked with .

 

[RJSakowski]

Guaranteed unbreakable ? They must not know the clowns I worked with .
View attachment 477086

Most likely like the Craftsman lifetime guarantee. Even if you use the screwdriver as a stone mason's chisel, they would replace it. When I first started out, I bought a lot of Craftsman tools. One that I bought a few of was the 4" aluminum C clamps. I would break one and take it in for a replacement. I had done this several times when the lady clerk told me if I kept doing this, they wouldn't make any profit. I said they should make bette5r clamps then. I told her that I would take one of the cheaper cast iron clamps instead though. I still have that clamp.

Unfortunately, Sears never said for whose lifetime it was guaranteed.

I bought my first socket set in the 1960's. It was an SK Wayne 3/8" and 1/2" drive set. I wore out the 3/8" ratchet some twenty years later and when I went to get a replacement, I found that there was now a lifetime guarantee on their wrenches. There wasn't anything like that when I bought it. They replaced the ratchet free of charge.

 

[bulgie]

Guaranteed unbreakable ? They must not know the clowns I worked with .

Well it had a lifetime guarantee, good for the life of the... company.

 

[matthewsx]

Well it had a lifetime guarantee, good for the life of the... company.

I’ve been told it’s for the life of the product before.

John

 

[ericc]

I would try to straighten it up in a press, but not all the way. Just a little bit, and shim the rest. The shim can be epoxied in or brazed or welded or something like that. Be prepared for it to not work out, since this vise is already just about dead.