Photo Index - Emmert Manufacturing Co. - No. 4A Universal Machinist Vise

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Emmert Manufacturing Co.
Waynesboro, PA

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery & Metal Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Other
Machine Size:	4"
Submitted By:	Thomas Wassack

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	No. 4A Universal Machinist Vise
Date of Manufacturer:	1920's
Serial Number:
Last Updated	8/1/2025 8:21:18 PM

Comments:

This vise was acquired in January 2025 from a FB Marketplace ad and entailed a 6 hour round trip for pickup. The vise seemed complete and the only apparent damage was a broken foot on the base. The vise also had been heavily used (and probably abused) during its 100+ year life. There were numerous gouges in the jaw areas from an angle grinder cutoff wheel, plus evidence of strikes from a hammer. There was some 'slop' in the acme screw, but it still clamps with great force.

The broken foot was repaired by my 83 year old neighbor who is/was a master machinist and welder. Another neighbor, who runs an active 6 man machine shop, machined the jaw faces parallel and trued the pin jaws to a nominal 1 1/8" diameter. Brass soft jaws were added to the removable jaw section of the vise. The fixed jaws had their serrations re-machined. The vise body was stripped and repainted with Hammerite grey/gray paint. The screw dogbone and base rotation handle were painted with black epoxy paint. All re-usable hardware was cleaned with a wire wheel and sprayed with clear acrylic enamel paint.

A heavy base was fabricated by my elderly neighbor from an 8" I-beam and top and bottom plates of 1/2" steel. The base was powder coated and non-slip floor levelers, purchased from McMaster-Carr, were added.

After paint, all components were assembled and lubed.

Restored: 2025.

Photo 1:

Comments: Seller picture with broken foot shown.
Source: Seller

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Photo 2:

Comments: Broken foot repair.
Source: Myself

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Photo 3:

Comments: Restored.
Source: Myself

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Photo 4:

Comments: Restored.
Source: Myself

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Photo 5:

Comments: Restored.
Source: Myself

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Photo 6:

Comments: Restored serrations and brass soft jaws.
Source: Myself

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