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Gotta love flea markets


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Gotta love flea markets. A 50 lb post vice, 10 oz ball peen hammer, 12 oz flatter hammer, 2 lb cross peen hammer, 3 hoof nippers (to make into tongs), a 3.5" machinists vice and a twisting wrench for under $50! All stuff well used but LOTS of life left. Now all I need is a good anvil.
Here's some shots of the post vice.

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Thanks Vaughn. I am in the process of making a spring. It was also missing the bottom bolt which I replaced after taking this picture. Also. What would you do differently with the mounting bracket? Currently it holds the setup very securely. Just curious as to what else I need to do. Thanks a bunch!

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There is actually a leg vise specific mounting plate that is supposed to go with that vise and to which that strap attaches.  The strap as it stands now is not correct for  mounting the vise.  If you are not familiar with how the mounting system is supposed to work, I would be happy to take a picture of mine to show you.

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There is actually a leg vise specific mounting plate that is supposed to go with that vise and to which that strap attaches.  The strap as it stands now is not correct for  mounting the vise.  If you are not familiar with how the mounting system is supposed to work, I would be happy to take a picture of mine to show you.


If your willing to send me a picture that would be great. I would much appreciate it, thanks.
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They must do flea markets and yard sales differently in the North.  Down here it's EXTREMELY uncommon to find ANY kind of tools at these sales, unless it's someone selling "new" junk tools out of a truck.   Down here it's clothes and old furniture, only rarely do I stumble upon a tool.  Sigh....   can I come up north and visit ya'll one Saturday, just to hit some of these awesome flea markets?!!    :(

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Fleamarkets vary wildly even in a general location. I have a lot of local ones selling new plastic stuff, used clothes and chinese tool shaped objects. 30 miles up the road is one where I bought 2 revereware pots for under 5 bucks, a stack of cast iron pots for $5 apiece, a set of tongs for $4 and 5 wagon tyres at $8 apiece---over paid I know...At the same one there were also folks selling cast iron for *more* than buying it new, (not a griswold---just generic cast iron) tongs for $40, mill balls as cannon balls, etc. Finding the deals takes time and persistence and the willingness to walk away if the price isn't right; takes a while to teach some folks that when you say your top price is XYZ it's XYZ---some never learn.

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If your willing to send me a picture that would be great. I would much appreciate it, thanks.

Here is another, and in my experience more common, mounting plate for a leg vise.  It may not be immediately apparent what is going on in these mounting plates so I will explain as well.

 

You can see in my image that there are four bolts holding the plate down.  This shape is common but if you end up having to fabricate your own you can simplify it however you want.  I'd use at least three bolts though.  You can see how the vise is mounted to the plate via a strap, which differs significantly from the one that came with your vise.  That strap traps the vise spring and wraps the leg with the two ends lying along side that thick square section.  What you cannot see is that that thick square section has a slot that runs all the way through it.  The strap has a matching slot.  Once  you mate the two up, you drive two tapered wedges through the slot, one from each side.  These wedges pull the strap tightly around the spring and leg.  You can make one of these mounting plates but you will need a welder to do it.

 

DanC has good eyes and I think he is right, it looks like you also need a thrust washer.

 

Here are some more pictures, first, another view of a different vise.  The second image shows what all the parts look like when disassembled. You can see in the parts view that one of the wedges is actually not even a wedge.  It is also notched so that when driving the tapered wedge in the first part will not be driven out.  You can also see what the correct shape for the spring is.  The flatter end with the two little ears on it goes down.  The ears sort of wrap the front jaw extension near the pivot point.  You can also see where the mounting plate was repaired at one time.

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