KYBOY Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Im curious.Say you have a post vise where the jaws dont line up just right..Has anyone tried heating a small section of the frame to bend/tweak the vise to make the jaws line up correctly? Does it sound visable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Im curious.Say you have a post vise where the jaws dont line up just right..Has anyone tried heating a small section of the frame to bend/tweak the vise to make the jaws line up correctly? Does it sound visable? I usually straighten them cold in a hydraulic press... Just give it a lil bump till she squares up, No reason why it could not be done with heat.. but might be trickier to nail just because it will move around slightly as it heats and cools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I tried doing that hot never did get it correct after it cooled ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 It' feasible I've done it a number of times.Just take your time and let it air cool that way there shouldn't be to much distortion from cooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I don't have a press. But I tweeked one cold on a 4" vice by laying it on the concrete floor and using a 4 pound sledge. Worked OK for me then. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I fixed up a vise with Peter Ross at penland in NC about 10 years ago. He said most of the time the problem is in the pivot the cheeks get bent. That's where you need to bend it not on the bar under the jaws. After I tried that the jaws lined up nice and stayed that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 southshoresmith, do you mean the pivot where the bolt goes thru and the jaw posts pivot?? Thanks I fixed up a vise with Peter Ross at penland in NC about 10 years ago. He said most of the time the problem is in the pivot the cheeks get bent. That's where you need to bend it not on the bar under the jaws. After I tried that the jaws lined up nice and stayed that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I've seen vices that were slightly bent in the hinge area, too. The 4" that I repaired had an obvious bend above the hinge area. Check both areas. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 that's where mine is sprung; the jaws are 1/4 inch out of mesh when closed... the problem as I see it is the back part of the pivot is thicker than the front. when you put it in the forge and get it hot everything lines up. then as it cools the front springs open wider. I think the whole bottom pivot area of the front jaw needs to be the same thickness at the joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Most of the ones I've had apart taper there. I'm. Not sure why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 southshoresmith, do you mean the pivot where the bolt goes thru and the jaw posts pivot?? Thanks yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 Thanks, thats kinda what I thought would be causing it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 By not line up, do you need side to side or verticaly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 Side to side.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Side to side.. Heat it up and tweak it back but make sure there is no play between the cheeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 Thanks, I just bought a 6" 80 pound vise and the jaws were about a 1/4" out of line. I have to make a spring and bracket but the screw and box are great. Got it for $80 so I aint gonna complain.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I had one where the jaws were quite out of line vertically and I hot riveted the original pivot hole in the moving jaw shut and re-drilled it and works fine now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I had one where the jaws were quite out of line vertically and I hot riveted the original pivot hole in the moving jaw shut and re-drilled it and works fine now! That's why I was asking. My six" had major movable jaw sag. I lined it up, imobilised it, re-bored the hole with an endmill (to prevent drill-bit drift) and made a new rivet. When using a post vise, try to do heavy striking over the stationary jaw if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Got the vise today. Its a nice vise. Screw and box are perfect. I took it apart built a BIG fire and heated the leg. Square it up with a flatter and it lined up side to side perfectly. Well it was out of line vertically a bit as well. So since I was in there I fixed that too. Now it lines up perfect. Forged a spring for it as well..I was gonna forge a traditional mounting bracket but I dont have the 1 1/2" square on hand so Im gonna make a temporary "U" bolt mount for now.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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