Hello again all at IFI!

Check out what just came in the mail today!  :D  I'm pretty excited!

 

 

This is actually the first tool i purchased, but like 5th to actually make it home.

 

It seems to be in pretty good condition, but i'd like to clean it up a bit and make it pretty :P

 

Any ideas on how i should go about this? i know most have a bit of different techniques because they are all weathered differently.

 

so any tips or links to help me go about this would be SUPER appreciated.

 

     

Yes, everyone has their favorite method of cleaning. I like electrolysis. You can look that up on u-tube. Then maybe a coat of boiled linseed oil, then put her to work!

i scrape off dried grease with a putty knife and screwdriver then wire wheel things then blow them off with compressed air then a good dousing in mineral spirits that i then blow off with the compressed air then a thin coat of boiled linseed oil thinned with a bit of mineral spirits

after that they are good to go

i have used electrolysis for smaller stuff but for things like anvils and the like i am more looking to remove dried grease and rust i don't bother going down to bare metal just get every thing loose off and you end up with something that looks old but cared for

And too, it depends on how much rust is on the thread and thread box. I hand brushed a 4.5" vise and it was good, but I got a 4" that was rusted up a bunch. Disasembled it, Hand wire brushed it to get the big stuff off, electrolysis for a couple of days, abother once over with a brush, linaeed oiled, and greased the threads, worked like new.
Just depends on what shape it's in and what end results YOU want. You can do a mix of what Bigred and I said; or read through the forums and find a process that fits what you want, with the tools you have.
It's all a learning process, so just have fun with it.

mitch you have a good point about the threads i don't wire wheel those i tend to free up the grease or rust in them and hand brush them then add some oil and run them in and out until the move free clean out what ever loose junk is in the box and fill with fresh grease

which reminded me i totally spaced on getting a picture of the thread!

 

 

It seems to be in pretty decent condition, but i'll likely go over it with something to make it look less rusty and un-cared for.

 

I'll be looking into that Electrolysis, I've heard a thing or two about it, but never really looked into it. (that's changing) 

 

 

Thank you guys for giving this a read and giving some feed back!

I would go with what Bigred1of1 said.  That is my preferred method, although sometimes I use Gibbs oil as the final step.

A wire wheel on an angle grinder will have that thing clean in about 15 minutes.

I'm not a fan of electrolysis on pieces with multiple pieces, especially if they need to move against each other. Wire brush on the outside and a fresh coat of paint. Clean the threads with solvent, scraper or what ever's necessary but go easy on powered brushes. Lube and light grease, I like white lithium grease, it doesn't take much so crud doesn't stick as easily as axle grease.

 

Post vises seemed to come with a coat of paint, not always maybe but catalogs I've seen show them painted. My 4" Columbian was painted gray and it looks a dead ringer for yours. Does yours have a C in a diamond(I think) on the mounting plate? My 6" is an Indian Chief and was painted black.

 

My Columbian is now the right (My shop) colors, Hunter green and gold. Painting the other is another thing on my to do list,like sooooo much other stuff. <grin>

 

Frosty The Lucky.