Vincent Heid Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 I found this leg or post vice for sale in my area and it's in my price range the only issue is it's missing the spring and spring/vice mount. The sping itself isnt an issue being they seem pretty easy to make. But as for the mount how should I go about it? To be honest I've never even seen one in person that is until tomorrow when I pick it up. Any help on making a new mount would be greatly appreciated and any personal experience for making the spring would be helpful as well since I've never made one either. I've searched on here and can't find much on making a mount bracket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 If you google post vise images you can see a variety of mounting options. Many are a 3 sided hold for the vise post and a plate to bolt the 3 sided hold to the table or stand. Just make it stronger than any torque you plan to apply to the vise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Heid Posted September 24, 2017 Author Share Posted September 24, 2017 If you google post vise images you can see a variety of mounting options. Many are a 3 sided hold for the vise post and a plate to bolt the 3 sided hold to the table or stand. Just make it stronger than any torque you plan to apply to the vise. Yea I've seen how they attach and mount I think deep down I was hoping someone knew a place that made original "like" replacements. But I have done tons of searching on Google and have yet to find newly made replacements. I found a company out of Montana that makes ones for the vices made by a company named Columbia but they are bolt on style and not the wedge style. And I've also found a post on here about making one that when i searched though IFI I couldn't find but it came up on google. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 The search engine leaves a lot to be desired. For the best results use "iforgeiron" and your search term like this. https://www.google.com/search?q="iforgeiron"+post+vise+mount&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 If you want new replacement parts they're probably available, leg vises are still being made. I doubt the same company that made yours is still making leg vises if it's still in business, maybe but . . . Anyway, if you can find a replacement plate, shackle, wedge, (slip?) and spring they're going to cost a bunch. The bench plate, etc. has to be the most lost part of any blacksmith's kit. Just because you got a vise with the thing doesn't mean it would work in your shop. Say you needed to clamp it to a post directly or mount it to a wagon tongue, make a portable or. Once you had your vise mounted why keep a piece of cast iron that's only really good for one thing the first time you have to pack and move all that HEAVY iron? The link IDF&C posted has plenty of pics and a couple parts break downs and exploded drawings. The spring is easy, it doesn't need to actually be a spring at all, mild steel works just fine all it does is push the hook jaw back out again and it's just floating there. No need to heat treat at all, just bend and grind it to fit it'll work fine. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Do you have a drill press and the ability to drill 1/2" holes in 1/2" plate or bar? You could fab up a mount pretty quickly with some holes in angle iron and some bolts. Or, if you are a blacksmith, you could hot punch the holes and skip the drill press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Heid Posted September 25, 2017 Author Share Posted September 25, 2017 I do not have a drill press it's one of the machines I need to get in the near future. I did start making a new bracket today from some 3/8" plate i had laying around and some u bolts for now till either it deems itself not thick enough or whatever other issue rears it's ugly head. But i really dont see needing any thicker plate than that. I dont as of now do alot of big stock and don't plan on hammering on the vice alot. I have gotten pretty decent at punching holes but have never punched anything bigger than maybe 1/4". I'm also in the process of building a coal forge too. My propane isn't good enough for me and really wanted to try my hand at coal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 3/8" is ok, if no drill press try punching the holes hot. Lots of instruction here on IFI about hot punching, search and read. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Heid Posted September 25, 2017 Author Share Posted September 25, 2017 Yea I've hot punched a few holes I will probably just drill the holes with a normal hand drill. Do you happen to know much about these vices? I didn't find any makers marks but read someplace that the Peter Wright post vises had the bell-shaped box nut/threaded receiver. Is that true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Basically almost any blacksmith should be able to make an oldstyle bracket and mounting piece for a postvise. It would of course be a custom job to match your vise and so you would be paying for the time involved---probably cost more than buying another vise and stealing the mount from it... And that segues into my second point. There is no guarantee that the screw and screwbox on a postvise is original to that vise or even made by the same manufacturer. I've seen a number of "mismatched" or "marriages" on postvises and I have even swapped a set myself from a trashed vise to a good vise lacking the screw and screwbox. When I buy a used pickup, I don't worry that the tires are not the original brand that came with the truck; I just worry that they are the correct size and have a lot of tread life left on them. If such things do make a difference to you; try to buy only complete and documented vises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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