25 years after rescuing it from my in-laws basement, I finally got around to mounting an old Charles Parker (Meriden, CT!) machinists vise with 4" jaws on a bench.



I'd like to be able to use it to hold a rifle barrel for either installing an AR-15 barrel or just working on a bolt-action rifle.

Anyone have recommendations for vise jaws that would be satisfactory? I'm looking at the "Magnetic channeled soft jaws" sold by Brownell's but thought I might see if anyone else had advice.

Thanks!
Jeff

p.s. And, of course, feel free to comment on the vise's "patina"! What can I say - it sat in a basement for years before I got it; my best guess is that it belonged to my wife's grandfather, born around 1890.

I used these. As well as assorted pieces of leather, cork, etc

http://www.amazon.com/Bessey-B...ywords=vise+jaw+pads

If it is to be dedicated to holding barrels, could you remove the metal jaw inserts completely and replace them with some pieces of hardwood? You could have a channel drilled across the faces about 2/3rds the way down and then still have a bit of flat wood area for clamping flat pieces.

P.S. Nice looking vise!

Mark and Austin Hunter,
Thanks for the quick replies! I will look at the Bessey vise jaws. I might be able to remove the metal jaw inserts - I haven't tried yet, but given the rust on the rest of the vise, I have been a little leery of trying to take it apart further.
Jeff
p.s. It is a nice looking vise - and quite likely it will be as close as I get to "owning a Parker"

We had 3 old vises rescued from the scrap pile because they were worn out. Since they were the same make and model we stripped them and laid out all the parts on the welding bench. Best parts went in one, next best parts in #2 and basically the worst parts went in #3. That was over twenty years ago. Far as I know they are still in use. I have an old bench vise that was given to me. Don't know the make or model. Stripped it down cleaned off the years of junk,grit and grime relubricated it and gave it a fresh coat of paint. That was even longer ago. A good vise today is worth its weight in gold (well almost) and brobably better made than a lot of the ones available today. Frank

You might want to check out these: http://www.amazon.com/Soft-Vis...N9TTA/ref=pd_cp_hi_2

I made mine, they are some hardwood that I had laying around (Part of an old kitchen drawer) that I cut to size then put some leather on the face. They work really well and do not mar wood or metal.

I've got several sets of wood inserts like the ones Brad Hinn pictured. Easy to make out of a scrap 1x4. I've used leather but I picked up a couple of sheets of 1/4" cork at an estate sale that works even better. Hobby stores carry cork sheets.

Felt works well too. An old cowboy hat is a good source of thick felt.

I use blocks made from plywood for most holding. For barrels I use lead blocks. When holding stocks I put a heavy towel in the wood blocks.

All,
Thanks for the ideas and photos. I obtained a set of the Bessey pads at Lowe's the other night. I will also make some pads like Brad showed. And then I will start experimenting.
Thanks again!
Jeff

I use soft lead..You can buy it to fit from a plumbing supply house as a rule..I prefer it to wood or leather, same in my barrel vise..although I have leather faced hardwood also, but leather and wood in time will gather up grit etc that can damage metal or wood or so I'm told.

Ray,
About the soft lead - does it come in "sheet" form, and, if so, do you just use it as is, like a pad between the vise jaws and barrel? Or do you do any additional forming of the lead first?
Thanks,
Jeff

Dennis Potter had us made the cork-faced plywood inserts for his double guns class at Trinidad. Very useful.

We also took sheet copper and bent/hammered it back over the jaw to hang inside as a softer insert.

After seeing one at Trindad, I made a mold for casting lead vise jaws. Two pieces of angle iron, weld in some square stock as spacers. I think my spacers were made out of 1/4" key stock. You can make them as thick or thin as you want. Mine are adjustable for width. Weld the spacers on one piece of angle leaving an end open, then weld that end on the other piece to close it up. It helps to heat them with a propane torch before use.

You end up with a piece of lead angle. Put a pair in the vise, then beat the top down against the top of the vice. Custom fit. When they get too beat up to use anymore, throw them in the lead scrap bucket until the next casting session.

I'd post some photos, but I'm not very good at that. It's not hard to figure out if you lay it out and look at it.

I use these for many different things -- even though they are labled as "1911 Jaws". http://www.brownells.com/gunsm...se-jaws-prod921.aspx

Also use these for general purpose work:
http://www.brownells.com/gunsm...se-jaws-prod923.aspx

Bill Jacobs