Thought I'd show some detail on my newly-installed patternmaker's vise.   First some background:
 

A patternmaker makes wooden patterns (duh) that are used in casting other objects, typically metal.  There were several manufacturers here in Cincinnati that did castings, primarily for machine tools.  I know several, including one of my good friends of 40 years.   Some of the characteristics of patterns:

• nothing is square because they have to be withdrawn from the sand cast without disturbing it
• There are no sharp edges or joints.   The convex joints are filled with fillets (FILL-its)
• Each pattern has to be adjusted for the metal that is being cast as they all shrink at different rates when cool, so they use "shrink rules" specific to each metal.   For example, if you are going to have cast iron and need a 3" final measurement, the cast might be 3.178"    Some surfaces will be milled/ground to a flat surface where they might join another piece (think parts of an auto engine)   The pattern will usually have a few coats of paint that need to be allowed for.   And they generally work in 1/64" (that are on the drawings as decimal fractions, so they've memorized fractional and decimal equivalents in 64ths)
• They are often of complex shapes such as spirals, parts of spheres, ellipses, etc.
• The patternmaker has to allow for two parts of a casting to come together for the final pour, yet allow for each part of the pattern to be withdrawn from the sand.

 

As such, the patternmaker's vise needs to be very adaptive to position, tapers, and holding odd shapes.   

 

The classic brand is the Emmert.  Mine is patented on Aug 11, '91.   That would be 1891 and it appears mine was made around WWI.  It is steel and cast iron and weighs about 85 lb.   Don't drop it on your toes.  I knew what these were 20 or so years ago when I bought mine for $125.   Now they go for $800-1200.

 

View in "resting position"  The little knob on the side allows the outer jaw to move to hold a tapered piece.  There are 4 integral "bench" dogs that lift up if you need them.

 

The vise will swivel around 360 degrees

 

The underside has some jaws for holding metal (the machinist's side)

 

It also pivots out 90 degrees with about 5 stops along the way.  You can pivot or rotate together.

 

 

The jaws open about 14".    If the knob on the front is not enough, the groove down one side holds a metal plate that will swivel about 30 degrees in either direction.

 

Nice Vise Keith! 

That is a very sweet vise.  It is quite an item to own.  Danl

Sweet!  Is it also a quick acting vise or do you have to crank it in and out?

Not "quick acting"   Guess they didn't think of that in 1891

Thanks for today's lesson.  I had no idea the how and why of such vises, some good info.  Now about this $800-1200 cost thing. I haven't won the lottery yet, think I can promise my 3rd born or something???

Those are so cool, glad you got yours set up to go! I may have missed this elsewhere...is that your new bench and the Sam's Club drawers?

Edited November 9, 20196 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

Appreciate the whole narrative Keith.  This would be one case where a picture isn't worth a thousand words (at least to me).  Without your intro the pictures would not have been much.

A very cool and useful piece of history to have hanging on your bench.

13 hours ago, kmealy said:

Not "quick acting"   Guess they didn't think of that in 1891

 

That is probably the only improvement that was thought up years later for that workhorse.  It sure has it all.

12 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Those are so cool, glad you got yours set up to go! I may have missed this elsewhere...is that your new bench and the Sam's Club drawers?

yes

 Seen this at our local whatnot shop today. The areas painted black are meant to be drilled or machined after casting.