Wilcox Vise questions???

[Scott Dorrer]

I picked up this vise a couple years ago and just getting around to cleaning it up and getting ready to mount it. The front is marked "230" and "No 2". I've done some net searching and haven't come up with anything. It has a quick action mechanism that I think is missing some parts. The threaded dogs once had a spring of some sort and I'm thinking probably a flat spring steel type. It also looks like there was some thing else,,,, maybe a lubricator. Anyone have one of these vices that can tell me?

Any help is appreciated.

[mark kosse]

Apparently it has bad habits...

[Scott Dorrer]

Apparently it has bad habits...

I guess I don't understand what that comment has to do with my inquiry?

[Mike Gresham]

Vice vs vise.

[Scott Dorrer]

Okay ,,, big deal a typo. Do you have any information about the VISE?

[Lee Schierer]

My Reed Mfg vise doesn't use any springs to release the fast adjust feature. Perhaps the previous owner wanted positive open/close instead of the quick release feature. Maybe carefully remove the wire and see if the vise works. The empty socket might be for a handle that would be under the vise to release it.

[Scott Dorrer]

Thanks for the reply Lee.

I spent some time with it last night and removed the wire. I thing you are correct in that there is no spring around the half nuts. When the socket part is rotated it opens and closes the half nuts, a missing handle is most likely also. When I got the vise the socket opening was facing up and it doesn't make sense because there would be not enough room for a handle. So I turned it downward and there is an issue there also. With the socket in the closed position the handle would be at an angle and tend to want to open the nut. It would need some sort of spring to hold it in the closed position. There is a "pin" opposite the socket and I have a feeling there may have been a spring there to hold the nut closed. But I don't see where it would attach on the other end.

I'd like to get the mechanism working but noticed that the half nut threads are severely worn. This may be the reason they were wired shut. I can repair them or make new ones but it may be simpler just to make a solid nut to replace the mechanism.

Here is a couple more pics.....

Closed position, socket angled...



Open position, socket facing straight down...



"pin" that may have had a spring...