Culver Creek Hunt Club Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Just picked up my first post vise this last weekend and it is fully functional and complete. Jaws are square and appear to have about no wear or deformities. The threads appear about perfect. . The Jaws open to about 7". Cost me $100 Some one at one point had painted it that powder blue color. I plan on breaking the vise down and cleaning the paint off of it. I have the ability of 3 different cleaning options and was wondering which you guys would suggest. Wire brush, a paint stripper or sand blasting. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Sandblasting is the best by far but I wouldn't sandblast the screw box personally. Too hard to clean the sand from inside the threads and leaving it there will cause damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 The jaw width is generally the measure rather than how far they open though some folk go by weight.Nice looking vise. Do the jaws move smoothly?Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozenforge Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I would use paint stripper to try and preserve some of its aged look. If you dont like that look you can always sandblast it later. Once its sandblasted it will take years or decades to get the patina back. I overcleaned my first anvil and have regretted it since, feel like i gave it a botched facelift! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Culver Creek Hunt Club Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 The jaws move smooth but are just but harder to spin than I would like. Almost has the feeling of aged grease, if you know what I mean. I am fighting the tendency to go the fast route to get everything set up an usable. lol. I would like the aged look but just hate that blue paint. I think I will try the stripper first and see how that goes first. The face of the jaws barely look used so I am hoping it will clean up and operate well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThorsHammer82 Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 It's a beauty that's for sure. My question is where will it be located? I ask because I'm in the process of obtaining a post vise. At least for the first few years of its life with me it will spend it outside in the elements so I plan on doing a complete strip and repaint on everything but the jaws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 (and the screw hopefully) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Culver Creek Hunt Club Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 Currently I am confined to my garage. So the major components will be mobile to some extent. The forge I am building is on a mobile cart with wheels and the post vise will be post mounted that can be moved if required. I have an anvil base in mind that will allow for wheels to be place under it to move. I am in upstate NY so snow will be coming and the little Mrs will kill me if she can't park in there during a storm...lol Personally I like the more natural look of the bare metal so I won't be painting them except for the forge cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 (edited) Here is a very mobile base that does not use wheels. The stand alone is around 180# yet it is an easy tip, and roll to move on a hard surface. On my gravel it is more of a drag, and shuffle if I need to move it again. Edited July 1, 2015 by BIGGUNDOCTOR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 You vise looks similar to mine, it is an Iron City. The mark is small, and it is a six pointed star with Iron City in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Nothstine Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I would use a paint stripper. I have had good luck with Citristrip on other tools. You can fined it at most box hardware store. I don't thing you would have to take it apart to get most the paint off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThorsHammer82 Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 (and the screw hopefully)It'll be painted, but only in grease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 A medium density wire cup wheel on a 4.5" angle grinder, and a dust mask will make short work of the paint. No chemical disposal to deal with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Culver Creek Hunt Club Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 You vise looks similar to mine, it is an Iron City. The mark is small, and it is a six pointed star with Iron City in it.I like that mount. Your vise looks identical to me. Where did you find the mark? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Possibly high lead paint dust is a chemical disposal issue. The old stuff was often lead paint especially for the primers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Too true Thomas. A non-soluble tarp and liquid stripper would contain the haz-mats and make disposal easier. . . Still. It might be worth taking it to a paint shop to be stripped, and or painted if you wish. Paint shops are equipped to handle the haz-mats.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 If I remember right it is on the front leg under the jaw.The little bit of paint that is on that vise wouldn't worry me too much, especially with a dust mask. I live in an area with arsenic in the soil.....I probably get more lead exposure at work handling the leaded alloys we use. Do it outside, so you don't have to sweep up afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Just a question now, has anyone tried Corn Cob for blasting agent? It is less aggressive on the material it is used on and Bio Degradable.We used it on our log cabin a few years ago and it was great on the logs compared to the usual blasting material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Shops also use nut shells, and baking soda-- depending on what they want to remove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Culver Creek Hunt Club Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 I had a 3M lead paint home test kit that was laying around. It came up clean. great point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Use a cup wheel and grinder then one coat of satin poly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Culver Creek, if the vise is a bit difficult to turn/spin, I would also disassemble the screw portion, degrease, "de-dirt", then when cleaned up regrease with light grease and it will be much smoother. That's all I did to a post vise I bought and it made a world of difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Also smooth and grease the cheeks of the pivot area and the pivot itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThorsHammer82 Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) ^ that's where I found the most resistance in the post vise I picked up last week. I sanded down both sides and the pivot and used WD40 to help loosen it up for the initial assembly Will be using grease when I reassemble after paint. Edited July 13, 2015 by ThorsHammer82 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Culver Creek Hunt Club Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 Working on the forge this week so the vise will bobbly be a next week project. I rechecked it after Frosty's clarification to me. and it is 5" jaws. It spins but there is some resistance. Should be an easy clean up and lubrication. I have had good success with the WD spray Lithium product. Think it would work here? I like it because it stays put but not gummy like grease so it doesn't hold particles as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.jpg.05d0a17abe476f096b19a30b42da8a47.thumb.jpg.eadde9489b9f142c242c3dcab7221b8f.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.