Thread: Possible to restore a Parkinson's wood vice.....?

i guess it depends on its perceived value, you could adapt or make parts for it I am sure. I would! I don't know if you could buy spare parts and imagine it wouldn't be worth it. You have to factor your time in and what you value that at also.

It looks in good nick and I enjoy restoring stuff so if it was me I would take a crack, so if your anything like me get stuck into it. By the way that doesn't look like the quick release type threads I have seen.

Parkinson was a vice maker until the late 1930s (I've been told) and they are supposed to have invented the quick acting release mechanism found on modern Records and Paramos. I have three, all rebuilt but not repainted (yet). The only thing that ever goes on these vices is the coiled spring on the quick release which can break or lose its temper, but they can be replaced by a springmaker (we're lucky, we've got two within a mile). Other that that they suffer from the same things that anything old gets - rust and general wear and tear (I'm speaking from personal experience here) - but I presume you checked that it wasn't too sloppy before you bought it.

As to the demise of Parkinson there is a comment in Scott Landis's Workbench Book that in 1942 the Ministry of Supply instructed C & J Hampton (Recod Tools) to assist F. Paramore and Sons, a Rotherham cast-iron grate maker and founders, in setting up a vice making production facility in order that there would be more than one source of mechanic's and woodworlker's vices which were deemed essential to the war effort. I have found a couple of references to this elsewhere so it is certainly safe to say that if you have a Parkinson vice it is at least 60 years old.

Yes, it's British, and it's probably pre-WWII. Parkinson's were one of the "big names" in cast metal vices between the wars (others being Woden, Rededa, Marples and Record). During WWII they all appeasr to have stopped making vices to concentrate on war production. Because of the continuing need the MoS (Ministry of Supply) awarded the contract for a sole vice maker to a firm of cast-iron grate makers called Fred Parry in Rotherham (later called Paramore) - but using Record's casting patterns! I know that Record (C & J Hampton), Woden and Marples started up again after the war (both Woden and Marples were later to be taken over by Record), whilst Paramore continued making near copies of the Record products, but my understanding is that Rededa and Parkinson didn't recommence. Parkinson's were one of the first firms in the UK to produce a quick release vice (from what I've seen before WWI) and to date I've only seen two styles of vice, earlier and later models. I've stripped and refurbed both in the past. Any chance of a photo so I can identify yours? Main things to watch for are cracks in the jaws (bad news), soft spring (the use a flat coiled spring a bit like those in a clock) and missing/damaged split nut

What ever you do with it don't bin it!

Thanks Dsel.

Yes would really like to get it working and like restoring stuff. The only reason i thought it was 'quick release' was the hole in the vice face that looks like some kind of lever would go in there.

I'm having trouble seeing what parts are exactly missing, I know I need some kind of collet for the thread to provide the motion for the jaws. At the moment the threaded bar just slides in and out.

Anyhow, anyone have any pics of this model vice or can point me in the right direction, that'll be great!

Originally Posted by mookschank

Thanks Dsel.

Yes would really like to get it working and like restoring stuff. The only reason i thought it was 'quick release' was the hole in the vice face that looks like some kind of lever would go in there.

I'm having trouble seeing what parts are exactly missing, I know I need some kind of collet for the thread to provide the motion for the jaws. At the moment the threaded bar just slides in and out.

Anyhow, anyone have any pics of this model vice or can point me in the right direction, that'll be great!

This is the quick release version as used by RMIT back in the day. Which is not the same as yours but maybe give you some clues.

Nice vice mookschank , the parts can be made to get it going but your going to have to take up blacksmithing as a hobby possibly, or else fork out some dosh I would think. The spring and the lever handle are for the smithing I suppose and most of the other parts are straight cutting and fitting, the bit that grips the thread ( the half nut ? ) may be tricky . It's a cast part but maybe it can be made from mild steel ? quite a few hours work by the look of it, probably eight plus the tools to do it . I just noticed your thread is a square thread and not the type like on Dsel's one , that could make things easier if you can find a nut so you can make the half nut . good luck.


I have the same vice as Dsel's , and got mine from RMIT ,its installed on my home bench . I was at RMIT building 4 when they replaced them with new ones . We had the opportunity of picking one each, out of a heap for $10 or $15 or was it free ?? My Dad did his apprenticeship on those same Parkinsons' as well , is that the wrong place for the apostrophe on the vice? did the pattern maker get it wrong ?

I don't think it was a good move by the school because whatever the new ones were they started giving them trouble not long after.

Rob

Originally Posted by auscab

Nice vice mookschank , the parts can be made to get it going but your going to have to take up blacksmithing as a hobby possibly, or else fork out some dosh I would think. The spring and the lever handle are for the smithing I suppose and most of the other parts are straight cutting and fitting, the bit that grips the thread ( the half nut ? ) may be tricky . It's a cast part but maybe it can be made from mild steel ? quite a few hours work by the look of it, probably eight plus the tools to do it . I just noticed your thread is a square thread and not the type like on Dsel's one , that could make things easier if you can find a nut so you can make the half nut . good luck.


I have the same vice as Dsel's , and got mine from RMIT ,its installed on my home bench . I was at RMIT building 4 when they replaced them with new ones . We had the opportunity of picking one each, out of a heap for $10 or $15 or was it free ?? My Dad did his apprenticeship on those same Parkinsons' as well , is that the wrong place for the apostrophe on the vice? did the pattern maker get it wrong ?

I don't think it was a good move by the school because whatever the new ones were they started giving them trouble not long after.

Rob

Correct placement of the apostrophe. I'm no good at grammar but I do know there are times when it is after the end of the word such as in when the ownership is a group not a singular person or some thing of the like.

That vice I posted came from the workshop same time as yours but it isn't mine sorry just some of my collection of old tool images.

I took a second look at the OP images, I thought they were an acme thread but now I am wondering if it just looks that way from the angle of the photo. Can you confirm the thread mookschank. I believe the Record vice components may fit, but then your probably buying a vice to build a vice.

Thanks for the information guys. Yes it looks like an ACME thread, see pic. Will do some research and see how common they are to find.

I'm not looking to bring the vice back to its 'quick release' glory as I don't use it every day, so am looking to adapt a female thread lug onto it somehow to make it a regular manual vice.

And damn, I used to work at a metal turning shop years ago, could have whipped up a threaded lug on the CNC lathe in no time...!

Nice picture mookschank . I don't want to sound like Mr Fussy and I'm no expert on metal work . but I think it's a square thread isn't it ? I used to call them all ACME not so long ago, the ones on clamps and the like.

Rob

Yes it looks like square, if my eyes aren't deceiving me ;-)

Moonshank can you work a large non CNC lathe?? I have no idea on screw cutting never tried doing it but if you have the experience I amy be able to help.

Thanks for the offer Dsel. Been a good 15 years since I've been in a metal shop and I was never on the tools. I can sort of work a lathe, though I think for a female screw thread, a specific cutting tool would be required (I couldn't make one) and a constant feed on the lathe.

Currently thinking about a cheap Chinese G clamp as a donor

Looked at this yesterday and have been thinking about it.

Certainly the vise is in good nick. At first i thought, because of the Acme
thread that it was not a quick release vise. However, a second look shows
that it is. In some respects you are lucky, the quick release Parkinson shown
has has the type of thread that tends to rack -DAMHIK!!

Unless you really want to restore to original condition, or you particularly
want a quick release vise, it should be easy enough to set up as a SAV.