texascherokee Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Well I picked up my first post vise today. I found it at an antique store in Comfort, TX. It’s a 4” Peter Wright post vise. I think for $160 I got a pretty sweet deal. It’s in amazing condition. Now just to browse for a decent way to mount this sucker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Not a bad price for a tool that should last beyond you eh? How's the screw and screw box? Personally I tend to be cheap on buying a vise but thinking about it that isn't a bad price for a good vise like that at all. enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texascherokee Posted January 14, 2018 Author Share Posted January 14, 2018 The whole vise is in quite amazing condition. The screw box and screw are in excellent condition. The only problem it has in the spring doesn’t really push the vise open but I have a leaf spring to replace it with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Is the nut on the pivot bolt on too tight? Have the cheeks of the pivot been smoothed and oiled? Do you just need to re-arc the spring? As vises are rare out here I tend to pick up one or two cheap when I go to Quad-State to outfit promising students when I get back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texascherokee Posted January 14, 2018 Author Share Posted January 14, 2018 The bolt isn’t too tight as that was the first thing I checked. I might just re-arc the spring and it would be easier than cutting out a new one. I did oil the cheeks but I didn’t take it apart. If I pull the jaws apart they separate pretty easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Oil gets "chewier" in cold weather too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMike Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Looks finer than frog hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lionel h Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Good looking vise ,add some arch in the spring get it mounted and go to work. Congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seagiant Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Hi, You can mount it on a Post or a Table... Just remember to put something under the leg!!! I see people mount these Leg Vises and not support the leg??? Which defeats the whole purpose of the vise! Oh yea....You stole it!!! Now you need a small 3" for smaller stuff! It never ends! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 Some with experience arching springs and have done this before should discuss how to heat it and quench it if needed. It might help Tex and I also have a Columbian I just bought that could use the same treatment to the spring so I'd love to hear the process. I just figured I'd heat the spring up to a good yellow, bend it, and quench it in vegetable oil then remount. Is that the correct process? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotshoein4 (Mark) Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 1 hour ago, MC Hammer said: Some with experience arching springs and have done this before should discuss how to heat it and quench it if needed. It might help Tex and I also have a Columbian I just bought that could use the same treatment to the spring so I'd love to hear the process. I just figured I'd heat the spring up to a good yellow, bend it, and quench it in vegetable oil then remount. Is that the correct process? You'd have to temper it too or it would be brittle and break. Quite honestly, I wouldn't bother heat treating. I made one from mild steel and it even works fine. Forge and let air cool. It'll work just fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 I only normalize my vise springs made from automotive spring steel. And I've made quite a few of mild as above... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 Should be able to re-arch it cold. Shouldn't take much bending to get the movement needed. Car and truck springs will bend before breaking. I have seen some bent 90 degrees in the wrecking yards on crash vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 It also depends if it's wrought iron or steel. The spring I made from wrought iron at yellow heat, was air cooled after shaping and works without losing tension. I figured I could always reheat, harden & temper if needed but so far I'm happy with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 Unless the wrought iron is very low in carbon and then it won't quench harden... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Great advice on the just normalizing the spring. I think I'll try heating mine up and putting the bend back in it and let it normalize then try it to see how it performs. With all that experience out there I'll side with it for sure knowing you all have done it and it works. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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