Texas Vise: The Screw Files

[Hayden H]

I've aquired a few vises lately. All but one of them had a good screw box in them, if I transplant a good screw box from a vice that was run-over with a dozer to the vice that aligns perfectly with a bad screw box, will it hurt the value of the tranplantee or the other vice? The one thats getting the screw box is an Indian Chief (still even Red if that was the original color). The vise that'll be the donor is pretty thrashed, but the screw box is in excellent shape, but is just a hair to small for the Indian Chief. It's going to be my main vice because the jaws line up perfectly if that means anything.

[HWooldridge]

Do the transplant and put it to work - better than having two that you can't use.

[Bigred1o1]

and if nothing ells hold onto the the old screw box for if you ever want to sell it as a complete unit

[Hayden H]

True... I think to date I've spent $16 on vises and have 5 vises. And next month plan to win a monstrosity at auction, along with buying out a collectors pallet o' vises. (Theirs 2 I want the others would be add-ons, 2 wagon tongue vises, and another nameless small vise.) I'm thinking of possible cutting the damaged part of the screw box off and making a press out of the other part. The threads are in terrific shape, but the box was either over torqued or who knows what but the end of the screw box in split 3/4 inch back

[John Odom]

A new screw and screw-box is easy to make. I get bent scaffolding leveling assemblies from a scaffolding rental place, and cut off a straight part of the screw. I make a screw-box from the nut and plumbing parts. They come out nice and usable and look good too. I wouldn't try to sell a repaired vise as an antique.

[Hayden H]

I'd sell the repaired ones to the local pumpers and farmers. Some tasks just can't be accomplished with a standard bench vise