Oldest rotary vise?

[danbob]

What WAS the first rotary vise?

I recently saw a *really* cool old rotary vise at the local fly shop, pulled out of the closet for both use and nostalgia. Not nice in terms of weight, or looks, but it sure works. A Herter's from the 1950s. HUGE. I'll have pics to post of it tomorrow nite. Weird bobbin included, all the instructions (fun to read), swivel tray for 'stuff,' gigantic bobbin rest arm.

Anyways, got me wondering about the history of rotary vises.

DANBOB

[AlanB]

There is a rotary vice in the 1952 Veniards Catalogue. It was priced at 35\- (Shillings) which equates to ?1:75 today but in 1952 it was almost a weeks wages for my father. Strange a weeks wages today would buy a DynaKing Barracuda. Some things don't change.

Cheers
Alan.

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Not sure when it was introduced to the public on a commercial basis but first I ever saw was the Universal Rotary. I think it was made in Mass. That was in the 1950s at the annual NY Sportsmen's Show in New York City. I still have one.

Allan

[Al Beatty]

Hi DanBob,

I agree with some of the other posters that the Universal vise from the 50's was one of the first available to the public. We have a rotary vise Gretchen's father made in the 30's from a treadle sewing machine. Its design was based on those made as early as the 20's by the Glen L. Evans company in Caldwell, Idaho. Their commercial tying machines were constructed from treadle sewing machines. At one time that company was a major supplier of fishing flies in the US long before the "off shore" factory was even an idea. When Gretchen was six, she would sort hackle/materials while her father tied commercial orders. When we got married she had to learn how to tie on the type of vises we use today. We spent last year writing a book on rotary tying due out in a year or so. During that time I tried to learn how to tie using my feet to rotate the vise and my hands to control materials - I had an aweful time! The best I ever accomplishd was a very simple woolly worm and it took me the better part of the year to get that far down the line. Gretchen is one of the few people I know who can make the machine MIND. Take care & ...

Tight Lines - Al Beatty [url=http://www.btsflyfishing.com:253f9]www.btsflyfishing.com[/url:253f9]

[RonMT]

You know the first one I ever saw was in Pat Barns Shop. His wife Sig had a sewing machine made into a vise and she used her feet to turn it and tie with. I talked to Pat about it and he told me she had been tying that way for many many years. That was back in 69 or 70? It was neet to watch her go at it with that old machine. Worked to. Ron

[Al Beatty]

Hi RonMt,

Pat's machine and my father-in-law's original machine are both on display in the FFF Museum in Livingston (at least they were last summer when I was there). I'm with you. I spent many an hour watching Sig tie on that machine. She really worked magic on it!

Tight Lines - Al Beatty [url=http://www.btsflyfishing.com:247a5]www.btsflyfishing.com[/url:247a5]

PS. Thanks for the kind words Jim.

[Al Beatty]

Hi Jim,

Mine is a size 14 H&L Variant. Take care & ...

Tight Lines - Al Beatty [url=http://www.btsflyfishing.com:af8fb]www.btsflyfishing.com[/url:af8fb]

[William Fitzgerald]

Al and Tyeflies the "Universal Rotating FLy Tying Vise Co" was located in my home town of Holyoke Mass and is now known as the "Universal Fly Tying Co.in Westfield Mass. A group of fellows and my father were tired of tying with their fingers developed a cam vise shown in the 1936 "The Art of Fly Tying". Their pin vise didn't pan out. The rotary came later. What I think is a good copy of the rotary is now shown in the Winter issue of "Fly Fishing and Tying Journal" by A.R.E. Rotovise.

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Bill

[RonMT]

JC and Al I must have at least a dozen flies tied by both Sig and Pat. One winter I got a box in the mail and Pat sent me a bunch of fies they had tied and some real seal that someone had sent him. I pulled guide trips for him over the years. He was a top notch fellow and Sig was a real lady. Not many of them left like that pair for sure.


Got to thinking again and it hurts. Have to stop that one of these days

Anyway didn't Swisher and Richards have a vise out a long time ago. I remember having one and it was real long and pointed and rotated. I do remember that it would not hold a hook well because the jaws were to narrow and pointed. I believe I gave that vise to a fellow in Wisconsin? Real different looking thing? Ron

Ron

[This message has been edited by RonMT (edited 19 December 2005).]

[danbob]

Here's the pic, as promised. I love the revolving tool caddy and neat old bobbin design. Note the giant hackle pliers.... Next time I go down to the fly shop to put some more wraps on my new rod, I'm gonna borrow this vise and tie up a couple flies on it. DANBOB
[url=http://www.otherpower.com/images/herters_vise.jpg:3862d]http://www.otherpower.com/images/herters_vise.jpg[/url:3862d]

[This message has been edited by danbob (edited 21 December 2005).]

[This message has been edited by danbob (edited 21 December 2005).]

[This message has been edited by danbob (edited 21 December 2005).]