GOT ME A COLOMBIAN NO. 603 1/2 VISE

[Ken W.]

I picked this Colombian No. 603 1/2 vise today at an estate sale today. I started to clean it up and I think I'm going to repaint it. Is this paint color considered " machinery grey " ? Or is there another color that would match better ? I noticed that the vise jaws are pressed in , not screw on. I can't say I ever saw this jaw type before. This looks like a very well made vise.

[Uncle Buck]

Those jaws are pinned in there. Also, the jaws are no longer made if you had hopes of replacing them. The last supplier for those jaws was the Harry J Epstein company in Kansas City Missouri and to my knowledge they sold out of the last of the remaining jaws some years ago.

I know that because I have a Columbian vise with the same kind of jaws bolted to my shop bench.

[Ken W.]

I stripped this vise the other day and put three coats of grey primer on it. I'll have it painted tomorrow or Friday.

[Uncle Buck]

Since I posted here last I have found a resource for replacement jaws for the old Columbian vises like this. Mine has 4 &1/2" jaws and a replacement set is going to cost me $100.

[Yadda]

Ken,

Did you get this finished?

[Ken W.]

I finished painting it then I got 6' of snow. I just need to reassemble it and do some touch up.

[Chillylulu]

I finished painting it then I got 6' of snow. I just need to reassemble it and do some touch up.

That seems like a real good reason to be careful when you paint, Ken.

Chilly