Easy Leg Vise screw and box replacement

[Fatfudd]

I originally posted this thread about 6 years ago to try and help folks who were having trouble finding complete/workable leg vises. I have probably repaired at least 10 more vises for folks with "junk" vises due to ruined or lost screws and boxes on their vises. I have 2 in my shop i have just finished. Along with replacing the screws and boxes I have remade the springs and the attachment brackets. Here are pics of the 200lb leg vise I first posted. These are new pics I just shot. You'll notice several things if you look real close. First. the "box" is pulled out so you can see how I ground it to fit in the back hole on the vise. The house jack I cut up had a 2" screw. The pipe in the picture covering the screw is just a piece of 2 3/8 drill stem I cut to protect the threads, its actually floating and not attached. I don't worry about grit and grime getting into or on the threads i was trying to protect the thread from getting ruined by something getting pounded into them, I clean the threads when I remember, which isn't very often.   I can quite literally stand on the handle to tighten the vise and I don't worry a bit about it being over tightened because that original jack could support 20 +tons. Look closely at the way I cutoff the cast iron portion of the jack to make the "box". Honestly, the use of a house jack screw makes a much more formidable vise than the way they were originally constructed.  Any questions Holler!

[Gebriel]

Anyone can help me to find the original part of 10inch leg vise (as picture)? 

i will forge new one the rest

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome aboard Gabriel. I always recommend reading this to get the best out of the forum.  READ THIS FIRST   Knowing where in the world you are located will help with many answers, hence the suggestion to edit your profile to show your location.

I doubt seriously you will be able to find an original screw & screw box for that monster vise. Making one like in this thread is not that hard. What is wrong with the one that is in it?

[Chelonian]

As long as the threads are in working condition, it seems like you only need to make a handle bar to get the screw functioning again. Can you temporarily just use a bar for leverage to unscrew the lead screw to inspect it?

That is a really remarkable vise you have.

[Gebriel]

3 hours ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said:

Welcome aboard Gabriel. I always recommend reading this to get the best out of the forum.  READ THIS FIRST   Knowing where in the world you are located will help with many answers, hence the suggestion to edit your profile to show your location.

I doubt seriously you will be able to find an original screw & screw box for that monster vise. Making one like in this thread is not that hard. What is wrong with the one that is in it?

Thank you so much for your advice

I come from Indonesia. 
Based on the information I received here, vise with this size may only be 1 indexed, because as much as possible that I try to maintain its original form.

for now i still trying to find the genuine part. Will making one if not possible to get it.

[Gebriel]

1 hour ago, Chelonian said:

As long as the threads are in working condition, it seems like you only need to make a handle bar to get the screw functioning again. Can you temporarily just use a bar for leverage to unscrew the lead screw to inspect it?

That is a really remarkable vise you have.

I have some choice to repair it. 
but still trying to maintain its authenticity.  because here it's very difficult to get monster like this.

another vise completed repair

4 hours ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said:

Welcome aboard Gabriel. I always recommend reading this to get the best out of the forum.  READ THIS FIRST   Knowing where in the world you are located will help with many answers, hence the suggestion to edit your profile to show your location.

I doubt seriously you will be able to find an original screw & screw box for that monster vise. Making one like in this thread is not that hard. What is wrong with the one that is in it?

 

[ThomasPowers]

Indonesia?  Is that possibly a Dutch design? 

To get an original part you will basically have to buy another vise like that, hopefully in terrible shape but with the weakest, most delicate part in great shape and transfer it. As that is a very unusual design and size; that is unlikely to happen.  Making friends with a good technical school or machine shop owner and getting it repaired is probably the fastest and cheapest way. It's also quite likely what would have been done by the original owners back when.

I have a postvise with a cracked leg.  We stuck it in a forge and forge welded it back and then forged out a strip of real wrought iron and wrapped it and forge welded it around the area we worked on.  I have another vise I was thinking of keeping as who doesn't want another large postvise!  I finally decided to swap out a worn screw/screwbox with a similar sized vise and keep the pretty and nice one and sell the other at a discount. It will probably last another generation and work well as another person's 6" postvise.  As you can see I am a user of tools, not a collector!

[Latticino]

Looks like it just needs a custom pin made to keep the screwbox from rotating (red circles in your photos), and possibly a rear screwbox cover turned or spun.  That shouldn't be too hard, provided that the screw and screw box themselves are in good condition.  If frozen take great care in loosening to avoid cracking the screwbox.