Post vise question

[Old Greenhorn]

I am not certain where to put this post, if it's in the wrong please please move it.
Now that I am making more headway on cleaning up my shop, I dug out a post vise (I have heard it also called a leg vise) that I have had so long I can't remember where I got it. (pretty sure it was a barn sale) I used to have two, but I gifted one to a gunsmith friend who likes to use older tools. Here's a basic photo:


 
(Yes, I know I have to straighten out that handle, it's a pain as is.)

Years ago these were common in barns and I think it was designed as a blacksmith's vise. There would be a square steel or iron plate screwed to the barn floor with a hole in it, for the foot to go and and provide something solid to bang against. Here is the foot end detail:



 

Obviously I don't have that plate but it is easy enough to make one, or I can just drill a hole in the floor slab and put a washer on it. My question is about the clamp at the top.



 

You see the ball in the left hand side of the photo, that was made to go into a clamp or yoke of some sort. I would think it would have to be a clamp to keep the vise from moving around. Does anybody here have knowledge of this or maybe even owns one and can show me a photo of what that "thing" I am missing looks like so I can make one. I am sure they are no longer available to buy, because most of these were left in barns when the vise was sold off in an auction.
I have several locations in my shop where I could put this vise on some substantial posts and would like to make a couple of 'homes' for it so I could move it around. One day I will fire up that nice Buffalo Forge that my Dad did a full restoration on, pull out that 100# anvil and have some fun. This is just another step. I know there are a bunch of blacksmithing folks here, but I cannot find anything on these vises. Any info, hints, suggestions, and especially stories and photos, would be of help.
Thanks,
Tom

[A-z farmer]

Old greenhorn 
We have two of those vises in one of our shops that my dad bought from a local blacksmith in the mid 40s.They are mounted on a bench which is two oak 7x14 and the vises are mounted on two of the legs .
I will look tomorrow to see what brackets he made to fasten them.All I know is they are great finger bitters with those handles and I have not used them in 40 years.

[Old Greenhorn]

Thanks a-z, any pictures would be a great help. I realize now that the mount has nothing to go with that ball end, it is around that square shank on the main leg.
 Geez, you sure aren't very far from me!

[Magicman]

Google Post Vice.  The pictures show the clamp that you do not have. Mine is attached to the bench as shown in the pictures.

Apparently you do not have the spring either. 

[petefrom bearswamp]

Great post 
I have no clue what these are.
Are portable so you could make a hole and use them almost anywhere?

[Old Greenhorn]

Thanks MM, I should have checked there first, don't know why I didn't. I see that these are really meant to either secure to the top of a buried post, or more commonly a bench. There are a lot of jury rigged portable setups folks make also. 
 Now that I see it, I have to re-think how I might use this. Obviously a shop column is not the way to go, it will stand too far away from the column and be in the way when not is use.
 As for the spring, I can make that when I get the forge going. I suppose I will need the forge to make the mounting bracket too, and straighten the handle. This vise is pretty well used and VERY loose ans sloppy. The screw is in great shape and still has grease on it. I can't find a name anywhere on it nor any makers marks. I wonder if anyone knows if these were painted when sold as new?
 Looks like I found another project. But really, getting that forge going has been in the back of my mind for 40 years.

[Old Greenhorn]

Great post
I have no clue what these are.
Are portable so you could make a hole and use them almost anywhere?

Pete, these are blacksmith vises, but were also predominant on many farms back in the day. Very loose and pretty fast to swing the handle shut. WIth that leg sitting on the floor, they are dang solid for banging on.

[Magicman]

A trailer leaf spring will take care of that and I doubt that you will have much trouble fabricating a clamp.  Looks like a rainy day project.  ;D

[luap]

I have one of those mounted on my welding bench. I never anchored the bottom. Mine was missing the handle. Cut a piece of round stock and welded balls from a large ball bearing on the ends of the round stock after it was inserted through the hole. Has worked well for years.

[Don P]

I'd like to see what you come up with, I've got Granddad's leaning against the wall down in the shop. He had a neat old post drill in the farm shop as well, I think it's in my cousin's shop, probably collecting dust too.

[Old Greenhorn]

I have a small post drill also! I should dig that out, just for giggles.

[A-z farmer]

 
Greenhorn here is 1 picture 
 

[A-z farmer]

 
Old greenhorn second picture of vise .wow I have actually put up a pic
 

[Ed]

As said, missing the mounting plate....

Used to have / use one, wouldn't go back. The jaws move in an arc, makes it hard to get a good bite when you really need it.

It got replaced with a Wilton "bullet" vise 35 years ago, buy once, cry once.

Ed

[Old Greenhorn]

@A-z farmer Thanks for those pics (and the effort it took to put them up). You gave me two great ideas there. The first one I can use in a modified format to do and offset attachment to a post, and the second will allow me ot put it at whatever height I would like. I had not thought of that! These are very helpful. I think this might be a summer project to get the forge going.
 @Ed , these are not bench vices. They are designed for blacksmith use for a quick grip on hot stock to bend and shape, then release and back in the fire. I have a vise on the bench, and a 2 Wilton bullets, one on another bench and one mounted on a stump round that I can drag around the shop or out in the yard. Every vise has a purpose and you can never have enough of them.