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| Rock Island vises 1917 |
Rock Island Manufacturing Co., located in Rock Island, IL, was organized in 1906 by Frank G. Young, C.J. Larkin, and Carl E. Shields. Rock Island's products included vises for machine shop and foundry use, power grinders, grist grinders, stock waterers, and cement tools. Rock Island took over the vise business of Jacobson Machine Manufacturing Co., Warren, PA, giving them a start in the business. By 1913, their principals were Carl E. Shields, President, S.E. Hamilton, Superintendent, and Oscar J. Shields, Special Representative. Rock Island's 1914 cement tools catalog and catalog with vises and other tools are available on
Archive.org.
In 1918, Rock Island purchased the Arrowsmith Concrete Tool Co. of Arrowsmith, IL., and began making their walking jointer and edger in Rock Island. The swivel-jointed edger pictured below is a heavy, high quality tool. The wearing surfaces on the bottom and side are carefully ground and nickel plated. The large nut is brass, to prevent it from seizing up.
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| Rock Island Arrowsmith edger |
Rock Island's plant was at First St. and Fifteenth Ave., near the Mississippi River. A 1907 stock offering allowed them to build a machine shop 80x150 feet, foundry 70x120 feet, fireproof pattern storage building 30x40 feet, and other buildings. They built another building in 1917. Amazingly, the buildings are still standing, with the business name still visible in faded white paint. The foundry furnace is visible just past this building and behind it.
Birtman Electric Co. of Chicago acquired Rock Island Manufacturing Co. on January 12, 1930. Birtman Electric made vacuum cleaners, irons, toasters, and other household electric products until merging with Whirlpool-Seeger Corp. in 1957. The Rock Island plant continued to make vises and other tools until closing in 1959. The "Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record", Volumes 103-104, 1959 states, “Production Tool Supply Co., of Warren, Michigan, announces the purchase of the Rock Island Vise Co. The entire inventory of the Illinois firm will be moved to Warren, said D. D. Kahn, Production Tool president.”
I have recently aquired a Rock Island Mfg Co No 151 vise. I was hoping to send someone pictures to understand what this was made for. It has a very distinct jaw configuration on it and I have never seen anything like it. Please let me know if you are interested in looking at it. my email is terrypeer2@gmail.com
ReplyDeletei know exactly where that building is. i used to live in the Quad Cities in the eighties and we would go to Sunset Marina which is right by there.
ReplyDeleteI recently found a rock island vice labelled with 1917. I can't find that model so presume it was the year of manufacture ??
ReplyDeleteIt could be. Here is 1920 catalog and 1917 is not in it. https://archive.org/details/RockIslandManufacturingCo1920/page/n0/mode/2up
DeleteI live in Wales (UK) and have a Rock Island model 571. It belonged to my father (I'm now in my sixties) and I guess he probably bought it as army surplus after he second world war. It has been well used over the years but is still a good, useful working vice (or vise as you guys say!! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI have a 6" vice with rock island mfg co,no 144 on one side and rock island ill. On the other. It is also on a cart with wheels. Estimating that weighs about 300 lb I can't seem to find any information on this could you please help me out thank you
ReplyDeleteI have a rock island mfg co 6":vise 144a I can not find any info on this. Can someone please help me? Thankd
ReplyDeleteGo to Archive.org and search for Rock Island Manufacturing.
DeleteHello ,Thank you for your efforts to create and maintain this site ! I have a Rock Island 4 inch vise/anvil with pipe jaws showing numbers 232 on the fixed body and 241 on the movable jaw. The anvil looks to be longer than those I have seen while searching for like models. The flat of the anvil surface is 5 inches long while the pointed end is 4 1/8 long. The anvil width is 2 11/16. The lever bar is 10 inches. The patent date cast on the body is Aug 11-1914 . The Vise is in excellent working order and installed in my clock repair shop remaining in service. Any additional information you have ,especially related to the two cast numbers,would be greatly appreciate. The parts look to be all original and works like a Vise should! Many Thank David Warner,klockedout@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI have a Rock Island # 25 7 inch swivel jaw that weights 238 lbs. I acquired it from my father after he passed. I am looking to down size my garage.
ReplyDeleteI would be interested in your vise. Where are you located?
DeleteI have a Rock Island 541B vise. Does anyone have any information on this vise?
ReplyDeleteI have a carpenters workbench with a 1908 Rick Island MFG Co wrought iron vise. Any info on that?
ReplyDeletesdiggins@woodproinc.com fyi
DeleteI recently acquired a ventage heatlamp. It has a metal plate in front that says Rock Island Mfg Co. Rock Island Ill.U.S.A. It's No.81A. In the center of the lamp are the letters VTILITEE. I would appreciTe any information on this heat lamp. Thank you. Donna
ReplyDeleteHello, I have a Rock Island 503 vise 3 inch. Can anyone give me some history or a value for it? It has a green patina to it. Pretty cool vise and it works. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHello I recently was given a No 143 Rock Island i haven't found much history on it I would like to know what year it was made and can parts be found it works grate it is a lot of VISE thank you
ReplyDeleteI have a Rock Island #95 vise it's pretty rough I was thinking about restoring it. Can you tell me anything about it and it's value
ReplyDeleteThe best source of vise info is Garage Journal and it's free to join. Ask on one of the forums.
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