air operated vise

[FCJimmy]

Does anyone know the story behind this little gadget? a friend gave it to me and said an old Navy guy gave it to him years ago. I'm guessing it may have been used in manufacturing something that had to be in and out of the vise quickly, but I don't know what or when, or if that's even what it was used for. It has no manufacturer's name or model number anywhere on it, just a couple of casting numbers on the bottom.

 

[Barnbikes]

try this company. It looks very close to what you have.

http://www.heinrichco.com/savise.htm

 

[DJP]

I'm not sure that I would use this vise in my shop. Typically I mount the work piece lightly in the vise and usually on parallels, then I tap the piece down for a good seat before tightening the vise hard.

An air operated vise may not have this fine control and with a foot valve it looks like a finger cruncher to me.

I agree that for production work where the vise is part of a jig it is probably very useful.

Nice find and certainly a good conversation piece.

Just my thoughts on an air operated vise.

 

[kf2qd]

Great for repeated drill press work.

Like any tool, they do require a bit of intelligence on the part of the operator. I have seen blood blisters raised when using a simple manual vise...

 

[FCJimmy]

Thanks once again to all the great people on this forum willing to help an old beginner. barnbikes, you were right on with that link...what I thought were just casting numbers on the bottom was the model number, 33-A
If I do set it up to use in my shop, I will definitely watch the fingers. I've managed to keep them all for 67 years so far, and don't plan on messing them up any time soon