Monday, May 18, 2020

Starrett, small portable vise No 86

Another little gem I picked up.  I had a small surprise when I first look it up, did not quite knew what I picked up, but it look like it could be very handy on my hobby bench, so I picked it up.

First surprise, it is a Starrett No 86, second surprise, it usually comes with a wood handle to be used as a hand vise.  Given its diminutive size, that make sense, but mine did not came with a handle.  I bet you it is still out there in the Estate shop, long separated, but somewhere in there :-)


How normally sold as No 86. Cast vise clamp was optional

The complete set
These two pics from Ebay

Instead mine has only a small cast bench bracket to mount on the front or side of your bench overhang
As found, lots of surface rust, nothing too serious, adjustment is a bit rough, but probably due to the rust.  Soaking in Evaporust as I type this.


Hum, mine has a much smaller screw and uses a hex key.
No doubt a more modern replacement

Surprise, its a Starrett.
Having no Pat No, it is a more recent one guessing 60s ??

Jaw close tight and have a small notch to hold small rod sizes.
It is pitched as a small hand vise, jeweler vise.

Maximum thickness it would accept is about 2-3/8 inches

And with that screw, min thickness is about 1-3/4 inches.
I can foresee a longer screw in its life...

Took it apart, gave it a soak in Evaporust followed by a quick pass under the wire wheel
Lubricated with WD-40 and reassembled.  Works like a charm, I can now spin the handle with one finger, effortlessly, as it should, it is a Starrett.



Lightly deburred the shaft and cylinder in casting.
Just making sure they were no burrs, do not want to change diameter


The Japanning is in good shape.
From that pic I see I need more work inside the jaws, 
little bit of rust bloom picked up by flash

As mentioned earlier I will install a longer screw to fasten the bracket to the bench top.



That would be a welcome addition to the Hobby room, along with my Panavise


My good old Panavise with the accessory PCB holder.
Used that a lot back in my day fixing TV, VCRs

Bob, who just finished his tool marathon.


6 comments:

  1. I don't have a benchtop thin enough for that vise to fit on. I would have to make an auxiliary holder of some kind. I can see where that would be handy to have. Like holding rods to make threaded studs for my totes and knobs.

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  2. How thick is your bench?
    That thing will accommodate up to 2-3/8 in thick.

    My called hobby bench is simply a solid door on a pair of metal folding bracket. Does the job

    Bob

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  3. So if I'm seeing this right, the handle screws off and the post that the handle screwed on to screws into the hole in the bench bracket. Is that right? Interesting tool.

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  4. Correct Matt
    Yes it really transform the tool. Quite handy actually :-)

    Bob

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  5. Well I should had said, it fit thru the hole on the cast bracket but does not screw in, that is why the wing nut at the bottom to secured it and allowed rotation of the vise head.

    Bob

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