Off Topic The Hand Tool thread

[Miller '72]

Man that turned out good. What a beautiful vise! That set screw is unique with the flat lever. Is it threaded to tighten down or does it drop into a hole for different positions? Have not seen that style before. Great job bringing it back to life! Turned out amazing! Love that dark blue!

Thank you sir

The tensioner with the flat lever, screws in to tighten the swivel.
Just need to clear the bench and decide where to put it now

 

[the-accumulator]

FORGED GARDEN RAKE:





I acquired it sans handle. It shows very little if any signs of use. I'm convinced it's blacksmith-made, but it may be made from factory-made square stock. Anybody ever made or seen one made like it? Thanks, T-A

 

[Miller '72]

We all have one or both, vise/anvil, in some variation or another

The No 40 is the larger of the three produced

Cheny Anvil and Vise
No 40
Pat Date Nov 18, 1879
Fulton Iron & Engine Works
Detroit Michigan

 

[Yankee Josh]

We all have one or both, vise/anvil, in some variation or another

The No 40 is the larger of the three produced

Cheny Anvil and Vise
No 40
Pat Date Nov 18, 1879
Fulton Iron & Engine Works
Detroit Michigan

Man I really like that one! You cleaned it up so nice too! I mean there's vices with anvils. And then there's yours! Holy bejesus that thing is huge! Does it have rebound? It's awesome Miller! Love it!

 

[Miller '72]

Man I really like that one! You cleaned it up so nice too! I mean there's vices with anvils. And then there's yours! Holy bejesus that thing is huge! Does it have rebound? It's awesome Miller! Love it!

Thanks man!
Its a cool and useful piece for my needs and then some.

I have thought about rebound testing but all i have are golf balls bouncy super balls and some glass marbles

Would be nice to know if it has any

 

[Meek1]

We all have one or both, vise/anvil, in some variation or another

The No 40 is the larger of the three produced

Cheny Anvil and Vise
No 40
Pat Date Nov 18, 1879
Fulton Iron & Engine Works
Detroit Michigan

Hot damn! Talk about a turn around. I can't believe that is the same vise? That is gorgeous! Fantastic job man! What an awesome piece that found you!

 

[Hairy Clipper]

We all have one or both, vise/anvil, in some variation or another

The No 40 is the larger of the three produced

Cheny Anvil and Vise
No 40
Pat Date Nov 18, 1879
Fulton Iron & Engine Works
Detroit Michigan

I bet that vise did not come with a warning to not hammer on the anvil portion like so many of them do that are made today. Wonderful find!

 

[Square_peg]

We all have one or both, vise/anvil, in some variation or another

The No 40 is the larger of the three produced

Cheny Anvil and Vise
No 40
Pat Date Nov 18, 1879
Fulton Iron & Engine Works
Detroit Michigan

In general anvil/vises are no substitute for a real anvil but damn, that's as nice as I've seen. It really looks to have some mass to it. Looks super handy!
What does the base weigh by itself? Or what does the whole thing weigh?

 

[Miller '72]

In general anvil/vises are no substitute for a real anvil but damn, that's as nice as I've seen. It really looks to have some mass to it. Looks super handy!
What does the base weigh by itself? Or what does the whole thing weigh?

Thank you, i am really quite surprised and happy with it.
It might not hold up to the needs of a blacksmith for very long but should hold up for any abuse i can throw it. Holds beer well and hammers and i have beaten some handles clear of axe and hammer heads using the vise and the solid 4½" jaws. The rear jaw swivels and or is removable. Its awesome.
This is the larger of the 3 models produced...i lucked out on this score!

Its awesome for the bench!

Total it weighs 50lbs
The anvil with rear jaw only (minus the screw, spring, slide and handle) weighs in at 35lbs.

The surface plate is a solid 1⅛" X 4" X 5½" (with the rear jaw in place)
Removing the rear jaw allows for a total of 8¼" surface but with an 1½" hole at the end.
The horn is solid, total length is 3¾" where the horn itself is 2½"
Square hardy hole I.D. roughly ⅝" runs straight thru.

 

[daizee]

Hey All! I hopped back in here (it's been awhile) to get some ideas about tool-to-handle attachments.

Did this last week and am curious about other non-knife projects. Unfortunately my forge-hole is only 3" wide, so a bit limited currently:

We dug some rotting landscaping timbers out of my GF's yard some weeks ago. Turns out they were actual recycled railroad ties with some hardware left in 'em. Vintage. Then she broke her garden trowel, so...

 

[the-accumulator]

That's beautiful! If I had a girlfriend, I'd likely be inspired to make her something that nice and that useful, but my wife would probably get mad! Oh, well... Nice work. I'm sure your GF will treasure it. T-A

 

[daizee]

That's beautiful! If I had a girlfriend, I'd likely be inspired to make her something that nice and that useful, but my wife would probably get mad! Oh, well... Nice work. I'm sure your GF will treasure it. T-A

*lol* thanks
I'm expecting a report on it shortly. First time making a tool like THIS, so anything could happen!

 

[Yankee Josh]

Hey All! I hopped back in here (it's been awhile) to get some ideas about tool-to-handle attachments.

Did this last week and am curious about other non-knife projects. Unfortunately my forge-hole is only 3" wide, so a bit limited currently:

We dug some rotting landscaping timbers out of my GF's yard some weeks ago. Turns out they were actual recycled railroad ties with some hardware left in 'em. Vintage. Then she broke her garden trowel, so...

Fantastic! Really very well done mate! That looks excellent and I'm sure she'll cherish it. A+!!!!

 

[jake pogg]

Miller,beautiful job on those Uber cool vices!What impresses the daylights out of me that you actually deal with all your acquisitions-that's an almost unimaginable amount/degree of labor and stickwithitness!!!
(i'll will to you all my tools,except for my Chas.Parker vice...i think i want to be buried with it...but if i perish in some less orderly manner you can have that too).

Daizee,right on-that's one lovely trowel!You're skilled,And smart-nothing like a trowel as a way to any woman's heart!

T.-A.,that's great rake,i love that kind,forged and heavy(i actually think that "heavy" is the class or type of that tool,for dethatching).

It was forged using machines,presses and power-hammers(i think when things were done solely by hand rakes were made of wood,too much work forging them out by hand alone).
But,manipulating of a forging under all these machinery was done by hand,a highly skilled labor it was too.
I tried finding something to illustrate the process,and only found a bit about the pitchforks,but it'd be a similar deal,forging by stages,bending other teeth out of the way,something like this:

 

[daizee]

Did somebody say "vises"...?

My late partner had a vise vice, collected and restored them. The in-the-brown unpainted one is my everyday vise in my workshop. Big Red was hers, still on duty in the basement.

And this isn't a hand tool, but... completely stripped, painted, refurbished, rebearing'd, rewound, and VFD'd (and the wheels are gold ):

 

[Miller '72]

Did somebody say "vises"...?

My late partner had a vise vice, collected and restored them. The in-the-brown unpainted one is my everyday vise in my workshop. Big Red was hers, still on duty in the basement.

And this isn't a hand tool, but... completely stripped, painted, refurbished, rebearing'd, rewound, and VFD'd (and the wheels are gold ):

Thanks for sharing those...man they are all very nice! I am especially drawn to the Wards Big Blue!
What a great vise!

 

[the-accumulator]

T.-A.,that's great rake,i love that kind,forged and heavy(i actually think that "heavy" is the class or type of that tool,for dethatching).

That's an interesting video showing how potato forks are made. I'd love to watch the making of a rake like mine. Similar techniques but with many more complications I'm sure. Thanks for sharing. T-A

 

[Conrad smith]

Hey All! I hopped back in here (it's been awhile) to get some ideas about tool-to-handle attachments.

Did this last week and am curious about other non-knife projects. Unfortunately my forge-hole is only 3" wide, so a bit limited currently:

We dug some rotting landscaping timbers out of my GF's yard some weeks ago. Turns out they were actual recycled railroad ties with some hardware left in 'em. Vintage. Then she broke her garden trowel, so...

nice work! i just found this thread today. ill be posting some pics of my small ish collection of hand planes and various other woodworking tools as soon as i figure out how to post a damn photo lol.

 

[Conrad smith]

Did somebody say "vises"...?

My late partner had a vise vice, collected and restored them. The in-the-brown unpainted one is my everyday vise in my workshop. Big Red was hers, still on duty in the basement.

And this isn't a hand tool, but... completely stripped, painted, refurbished, rebearing'd, rewound, and VFD'd (and the wheels are gold ):

nice job! they look brand new.

 

[the-accumulator]

Did somebody say "vises"...?

Mine aren't nearly as pretty as yours, but I had fun with the photos:



I don't collect vises, I just accumulate them. With the next couple of photos, I will show you that truly size does matter, and, contrary to popular belief, one size does not fit all:


And pictures can be deceiving! Anybody know what you call the biggest one? It's like a blacksmith"s leg vise without the leg. Thanks for watching. T-A