My scrap yard find (Warning! Tool gloat)

[McRuff]

Nice find, my guess is that Kurt is at least 25 years old. Mainly due to the ears where it is bolted down. the early models had holes, the later models had slots.

I don't know why anyone would be surprised at what ends up in the scrap yard, it happens every day and has for as long as time. In industry space is precious and if they asked around and nobody wanted it or to buy it, it sit for awhile and then headed to the scrap yard. We do the same thing at work all the time. I have bought a lot of stuff for a $5 bill that would have ended up in the scrap yard if I hadn't bought it. I bought about $2000 worth of linear rails 2 years ago for $10, sold most of it and used what I wanted, made nearly $150 off of what I sold and still sold it cheap, kept 8 trucks and let the rest go. Have done the same with stepper and servo motors.

 

[Charley Davidson]

Nice find, my guess is that Kurt is at least 25 years old. Mainly due to the ears where it is bolted down. the early models had holes, the later models had slots.

I figured it was an older model, was telling the owner of the company I'm laid off from about it today and he said either a Kurt works or it doesn't there are usually no bad ones. Would I be screwing up by milling the holes into slots?

I don't know why anyone would be surprised at what ends up in the scrap yard, it happens every day and has for as long as time. In industry space is precious and if they asked around and nobody wanted it or to buy it, it sit for awhile and then headed to the scrap yard. We do the same thing at work all the time. I have bought a lot of stuff for a $5 bill that would have ended up in the scrap yard if I hadn't bought it. I bought about $2000 worth of linear rails 2 years ago for $10, sold most of it and used what I wanted, made nearly $150 off of what I sold and still sold it cheap, kept 8 trucks and let the rest go. Have done the same with stepper and servo motors.

Do you have an 8' or longer section of this type of linear track? (see below) I have 2 but one is tweaked all to hell, need it for my CNC plasma table build.

 

[Charley Davidson]

As far as being surprised at what I find not really but I am amazed at what I find & the timing.

I swear I had just wished a few days before this I would find a Kurt vice there, more as a in passing wish but it happened.

Another time I wanted a leg lamp to go with my Red Ryder BB gun for a Christmas display, the next day I was helping a guy unload his truck at the scrap yard and low and behold there was a leg lamp (miniature one) just like the one in "Christmas Story" There have been numerous things like that that have happened.

Once Oldcat Bob was loading a shaper he bought there and said "now all I need is a vice for it" I replied "There's your vice on that truck" a guy was bringing in a nice Hindy

 

[McRuff]

No it would not hurt the vise to mill them out, we used to do it to brand new ones after we made sure they worked just for the ease of mounting them.

I have some linear rail left over but not longer than 6' and the rail is slightly different than that.

 

[Charley Davidson]

You wanna sell 2 lengths of it with 2 trucks? I'll be in Alabama tomorrow

 

[OlCatBob]

Way to go Charley! Good Karma indeed! Jocelyn and I just got back from a few days in the Dominican Republic, so I'm having junkyard withdrawal... we went with her sister and BIL. Had a relaxing time though, but I am a little toasted (literally).
How are the replaceable jaws on your vice er vise? I have a fresh set you could use to measure if needed.
Bob

 

[jumps4]

what a great find
like wheelchair bob my area of florida they wont let us into the scrap yards
and with the price of scrap up I can just imagine what is getting turned in.
steve

 

[Old Iron]

Vise looks good Charley, I've been cleaning up the taper attachment on the LaBlond and it cleaning up great.

I enjoyed you guys visit the other day, Glad we could take time to chat.

Paul

 

[Charley Davidson]

Bob, the jaws are in great shape, they were on upside down which left a little gap at the bottom for crap to be able to get in there, I turned them right side up and they have a couple machining marks in them but no big deal. Making jaws was my thing at work so I'm sure I'll make a few sets soon.

Paul, Thanks it did turn out nice, Wish I had traveled by myself I would have spent more time visiting, I'm sure we'll meet again as I'm keeping an eagle eye out for a 12" vise for your Hindy shaper. Ask Old Cat Bob, I can find them vises.

Benny called me from Texas to gloat about all the little tooling deals he picked up but his gloating quickly turned to depression once I told him of all my finds & adventures:biggrin::lmao:

 

[OlCatBob]

Hey Charley, that vise looks identical to mine, except the serial number plate on mine is on the opposite side. Next time you are in your shop, how about writing down the serial number, and I'll see what mine is too. Mine also has the closed mounting holes.
When is Benny supposed to be getting back from Texas?
take care,
Bob