Pattern Makers Vise

[Jason Dean]

Gentlemen,

I have an opportunity to buy a pattern makers vise locally. As far as I can tell from the pictures, the tilt adjustment apparatus is broken/missing.

421629

I think its missing this assembly (looks to be broken at the 90 degree bend on the "L":

421630

Are these parts available or more like hen's teeth?

If the asking price is around $100, should I snap it up?

What other common failure points shall I inspect?

Your Help is Most Appreciated!

[Jim Koepke]

My desire for a pattern maker's vise brought me to purchase a modern copy.

If your internet searches didn't find a few sources, start here > http://www.mprime.com/Emmert/forsale.htm <

Good hunting,

jtk

[Jason Dean]

Jim,

I spoke to Bill over at CS machinery who is still making parts for these. Even his very reasonable parts prices push this thing past the price point of the what Highland woodworking has to offer.

Thanks for pulling me back from the edge.

JD

[Tom M King]

I had looked at that one too.....still looking for another one.

[Mike Cornwall]

My friend gave me one that’s also missing the tilt. It sits on the floor. Too cool to move it out of the way to where I’ll never get around to it, but I have found that handscrews do a great job of holding irregular work, and I wonder if the Emmert would be any less fiddling. The gadget impulse is strong but I wonder how much anyone needs that irresistible piece of gear.

[Jim Matthews]

Mine was a complete, secondhand purchase.

It takes the faff out of basic and odd shaped workholding.
It's the rotation feature that works for me.

[James Luna]

I just got an Oliver #1, but the darn thing won’t rotate without a lot of strain and grunting by me. I have taken it apart and cleaned the mating round surfaces and used white lithium grease but still very tight. Any suggestions? The tightening lever is in good working order but I could not get it all the way apart. Not sure I need to.

[Jim Koepke]

Howdy James and welcome to the Creek.

This may be better if you started a new post.

If you want to post images (they always help) you will need to become a contributor. To me it is the best $6 spent every year.

If you can get this apart, there are a few things that may help.

My guess is the mating parts of the rotating parts have swollen a bit with rust.

jtk

[James Luna]

Just learning the ropes. could not figure out how to start a new threat so I tagged along.

I have cleaned and polished both surfaces with 800 grit wet sandpaper and used some white lithium grease and now it is much better. I am having to replace the mounting bracket as mine got broke in transit (very poor packing by seller).
Pretty neat tool for sure.

[Jim Koepke]

Just learning the ropes. could not figure out how to start a new threat so I tagged along.

I have cleaned and polished both surfaces with 800 grit wet sandpaper and used some white lithium grease and now it is much better. I am having to replace the mounting bracket as mine got broke in transit (very poor packing by seller).
Pretty neat tool for sure.

If my memory is working it may be necessary to become a contributor before you can post or see images. A site like this may start out from the kindness in one person's heart. Over time it becomes an expensive, time consuming endeavor. Six bucks a year is a small price to pay to have such a resource.

Is the mounting bracket an easy part to find or fabricate?

For starting a new thread, this should be on the screen of the first page of any of the various forum subjects:

424701

It is in the upper left area of the window.

Opps, just remembered you likely can not see the image. Well, it is there for others who read this thread in the future.

jtk

[Mike Manning]

If my memory is working it may be necessary to become a contributor before you can post or see images. A site like this may start out from the kindness in one person's heart. Over time it becomes an expensive, time consuming endeavor. Six bucks a year is a small price to pay to have such a resource.

Is the mounting bracket an easy part to find or fabricate?

For starting a new thread, this should be on the screen of the first page of any of the various forum subjects:

424701

It is in the upper left area of the window.

Opps, just remembered you likely can not see the image. Well, it is there for others who read this thread in the future.

jtk


Jim,
IIRC, I know you can't post/comment in the Classified Ads without being a contributor but I think you can post a thread and see pics. I could be wrong which is nothing new.

Mike

[Jim Koepke]

Jim,
IIRC, I know you can't post/comment in the Classified Ads without being a contributor but I think you can post a thread and see pics. I could be wrong which is nothing new.

Mike

This is some what of an unknown to me also. To the best of my recollection there was a recent change in what non-contributors can or can not do/see.

jtk

[Mike Manning]

This is some what of an unknown to me also. To the best of my recollection there was a recent change in what non-contributors can or can not do/see.

jtk

Ok. I did not know there was a recent change. Not a good one. IMO. Thanks Jim.

[Jim Koepke]

Ok. I did not know there was a recent change. Not a good one. IMO. Thanks Jim.

Many people didn't like it. Others realize there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

Here is a post from the Tech Support section > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?278081

jtk

[Mike Manning]

Thanks Jim. I can see both sides of the coin. I'd like to believe that most people who come to SMC for very long get hooked on the site. I guess that doesn't necessarily mean they become contributors.

Mike

[ken hatch]

Yep, in economics they are known as "free riders". They are always a problem and usually are offended if asked to pay their fair share. I will not go into how I feel about them.

ken

[Jim Matthews]

It might also be the platform used.

On the mobile version of the site (optimized for Android) the "DONATE" button does not appear.

$6 to keep the lights on works out to next to nothing per view. Servers alone cost real money.

[Chris Fournier]

I bought one of these twenty years ago and it is a good vise.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-pattern-makers-vise?via=573621f669702d06760016d6%2C576455f669702d 2f2f0013a4%2C5764580569702d2f2f001456 (https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-pattern-makers-vise?via=573621f669702d06760016d6%2C576455f669702d 2f2f0013a4%2C5764580569702d2f2f001456)

Restoration of the real deal vintage iron is cool but is almost always way more money and can require some specialised skills like cast iron repair. The above will get you going ASAP.

A humble Member,

Chris Fournier

[Tom M King]

How does the range of motion of the Woodriver vise compare to the Emmert? The price is certainly attractive.

edited to add: found this from Highland:
https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/patternmakerswoodworkingvise.aspx

[Jim Koepke]

My guess is the Woodcraft and the Highland Woodworking vise are the same vise.

Is there a way to verify or disprove this?

jtk

[Tom M King]

I was thinking probably the same too, but the colors look different. I like the looks of the Highland one better. The Woodcraft one looks an odd bluish color, but that might just be the way it's presented on my computer.

[Chris Fournier]

How does the range of motion of the Woodriver vise compare to the Emmert? The price is certainly attractive.

edited to add: found this from Highland:
https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/patternmakerswoodworkingvise.aspx

I can't answer this question for you Tom as I have not had an Emmert to compare with. The vise that I have recommended is the one that I have from the vendor that I purchased from ages ago. I would suspect that the other copies mentioned are likely the same as suggested. In the long run I have to say that a pattern makers vise is likely most useful if you're a pattern maker. Duh right? My trusty ol' Record 52 1/2 gets the job done with a dedicated piece of scrap to hold odd shapes. I have no really used the pattern makers vise to it's fullest extent. It has been handy for odd projects though!

Thankfully I backed away from buying a Kindt Collins way back when!

[Jim Koepke]

In the long run I have to say that a pattern makers vise is likely most useful if you're a pattern maker. Duh right? My trusty ol' Record 52 1/2 gets the job done with a dedicated piece of scrap to hold odd shapes.

My simple vises have been used to hold a few odd shaped items. At times doing this has required holding an object in hand screw clamps that are then held by the vises.

Being able to fully rotate the pattern makers vise's jaws 360º opens quite a few options. Being able to tilt the work up 90º, don't forget the rotating, can also add to one's options.

The lower part of the jaws might be where this really comes into play. They are designed especially for holding work being carved.

jtk