February 22, 201610 yr This is a vise that I just picked up. I got the vise for $10, so it was a great deal for a fixer upper. A worn screw is the only thing that will drive me from a vise repair. The screw on this vise was still in good shape. The spring was missing. And they had used a very long cheater pipe on the handle and bent the dynamic jaw severely. The leg on the dynamic jaw was bent so bad that the jaws when closed, were offsett 5/8" vertically. It took three heats, and a sledge hammer. But it straightened nicely. Then just a couple more heats to fine tune the jaws from side to side.
February 22, 201610 yr Author Process started with cleaning up the bent leg, and getting the forge ready. The first heat, and my weapon of choice. Second heat. Slow going, but making progress. Final heat, and some fine tuning. First test fit is pretty good. Still needs a little side to side adjustment. After one more heat and a little more tweaking. Good enough for me. After fine tuning the fit of the jaws. I had to make the spring.
February 22, 201610 yr Author This entire process took just under 3 hours. With a little work. Most of these old vises still have alot of serviceable working life in them.
February 22, 201610 yr My weapon of choice for straightening/flattening is my large screwpress: quiet and controllable. May I make a suggestion: flip the U bolt around so the ends are pointing under the mounting bracket---less things to interfere with the workpiece(s) when it's sticking down through the vise jaws. You generally offset a vise from the table/stand/etc and even if you want to snug it up, the U bolt could be slid down quite a bit on the shaft and still work the same.
February 23, 201610 yr Author I wish I had a press. No such luck 18 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: My weapon of choice for straightening/flattening is my large screwpress: quiet and controllable. May I make a suggestion: flip the U bolt around so the ends are pointing under the mounting bracket---less things to interfere with the workpiece(s) when it's sticking down through the vise jaws. You generally offset a vise from the table/stand/etc and even if you want to snug it up, the U bolt could be slid down quite a bit on the shaft and still work the same. The U bolt will get turned around when I mount the vise. I just put it on quickly to test spring pressure.
February 23, 201610 yr Keep your eyes open mine ended up running me about US$100 at a factory auction---arbor presses and hydraulic presses were running *high*; nobody even bid on the screw press except for me. Met a guy who had been working in the factory in the 1950's when they bought the press and he was telling me they didn't use it much back then---everyone wanted to use the hydraulic press they bought soon after. I have several times had good luck buying old tech at "high tech" auctions; another item I once picked up was a heavy duty break 5'? would handle 1/4" got it for $15 IIRC when the large powered one went for over $10K. Wish I still had it, it's time to build another coal forge...
February 26, 201610 yr Very well done sir. I'm glad to see you put the time in to fix it. All the best Andy
February 28, 201610 yr On 2/22/2016 at 11:22 AM, Reversepolarity said: did you just coat it in oil as a finish? looks really nice! Littleblacksmith
February 28, 201610 yr Author 8 hours ago, littleblacksmith said: did you just coat it in oil as a finish? looks really nice! Littleblacksmith I coat them with boiled linseed oil
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