Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Hand Tools). This thread is read-only.
Look what I found today basically free! With 8″ jaws, 12″ opening, 15″ tall an absurd 36″ footprint from tip to tail when fully opened up, and weighing right around 200 lbs., it’s almost impractically big.
It came out of the New York Central Railroad Car Shop at the end of town. Conrail shut it down after they went private in the late 80’s and it sat in the back of the local car club garage until my buddy bought it last year.
The pics really don’t do it any justice.
Dammit that looks awesome!! I kinda like the aged look, but with a good wire brushing and a rattle can of paint it could look good too. Where are you going to mount it It’s nice though I can’t image what it would cost to replace a vise would be now.
That thing is fricken sweet
Jimbo
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Columbian doesn’t make one this big anymore. Something like this would run in the $2,000 range.
I haven’t figured out where it going yet. A vise of this stature definitely needs room to breathe
Sweet…..looks like it weighs a few pounds 🙂
Wow Conductor, that is pretty frikkin sweet! 200 lbs?????? Man oh man gonna need a solid table for the beast!
I traded a 5″ HF vise for it
The lead screw on the thing is 1-7/16 in diameter!
Now that is a vice.
That thing is a vice and a half Conductor! I bet that it will last your lifetime and probably conductor Jr. too.
Cool, but pretty impractical for anything I could ever use it for. You going to clean it up and give it a fresh look or anything?
Love old railroad gear!
Conductor562 wrote:
I traded a 5″ HF vise for it
I need to find the people you trade tools with 🙂 That is crazy to trade a HF vise for that big monster 🙂
Wow CMan!! That vice is freakin awesome!!
It looks perfect for applying some pressure to the head to make someone more amenable to cooperation. I know some people who might be interested… 😛
JerryNY wrote:
It looks perfect for applying some pressure to the head to make someone more amenable to cooperation. I know some people who might be interested… 😛
I looks like its a rough way to go! Casino is a great movie though
Jasonc wrote:
I just loaned my buddy that movie over the weekend, he’s never seen it… Great flick!
Jimbo
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now ya got to find an overhead crane to put stuff in it…..
Conductor562 wrote:
I traded a 5″ HF vise for it
I am seriously speechless. Damn!!!
Sick score man!
What a beast…. Great score
found this one needs a little cleaning but is very heavy duty for its size $40
Nice score, That thing is a beast.
Here’s it’s little brother sitting on my workbench.
99_XC600 wrote:
Nice score, That thing is a beast.
Here’s it’s little brother sitting on my workbench.
Thats a real beaut sitting right there my friend.
Everyone who has walked through my shop has been like “DAMN!”
It’s gonna get a complete refurb. It’s in pieces as we speak. I’m actually used this vise as justification for ordering the powder coating set up I’ve been waiting.
Dan wants me to document my process, so we’ll see a full story on it for sure.
I certainly didn’t need a vise this large, but I sure as hell wanted it, lol.
A big vise is handy to have around if you have the space.
That’s a beautiful hunk of iron for sure. I’m conflicted on what color to do. It appears it was grey originally. I’m leaning toward black as I have a Wilton I’m working on that will be red, but I’m also considering navy blue with white letters.99_XC600 wrote:
Nice score, That thing is a beast.
Here’s it’s little brother sitting on my workbench.
I’m going to polish the jaws, handle, and slide, but the color is still up in the air. That’s one of the great things about redoing vises, they’re almost like a blank canvas.
Conductor562 wrote:
Everyone who has walked through my shop has been like “DAMN!”
It’s gonna get a complete refurb. It’s in pieces as we speak. I’m actually used this vise as justification for ordering the powder coating set up I’ve been waiting.
Dan wants me to document my process, so we’ll see a full story on it for sure.
I certainly didn’t need a vise this large, but I sure as hell wanted it, lol.
A big vise is handy to have around if you have the space.
Can’t wait to see the article!! Might need to buy a new home to house that beast though!!