Jealdi Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 So I picked this up the other night and plan to try to clean it up and fix it up to make it workable. The screw is pretty buggered up right now. The nut or whatever is on the end is pretty solidly stuck right now. I did start some work on taking it apart last night. I was able to get the mounting plate and spring off. but no luck yet getting the screw out. But that got me to thinking. How interchangeable are these parts? I found another one on marketplace that has a broken post and looks like it might have a crack in the eye on one of the jaws. But if I could use the screw, then I'd have a nice working vise for less than $100. Any thoughts on how interchangeable things are? Would this be doable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 You can try soaking the stuck screw in a fifty fifty mixture of acetone and automatic transmission fluid. I'd be concerned about that crack though. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jealdi Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 The crack is on the one I want to steal the screw from Thought that screw looked pretty nice compared to the one on the other. First two photos are the one in my garage, second two are the one I'm looking at maybe snagging this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 If the pieces cross fit; they are good to swap. If they differ slightly you can often work them to fit. Generally pieces from the same size vise will swap with little effort. Going up or down in size can have issues---like the keel on the screwbox not engaging (too small) or being too large to fit (too large.) I've had to rasp off a casting defect to get my latest marriage to work. The crack on the Yoke can be welded back---if you know what you are doing. It will be real wrought iron or mild steel most likely. So pre/post heat for welding high C not an issue. Don't forget to wire brush the rest of the screw to clean metal so when you get the nut loose it can come all the way off. (Also if you have access to a torch, heating a rusted nut till almost glowing and removing it while hot will generally work as it both dehydrates the rust and the heat expansion of the nut makes the hole larger than the heat expansion of the shaft will make that larger. Usually my *last* thing to try. Patience and Penetrating oil are my first things to try! I don't know if I would use the term "nice" for any vice using that screw; but usable will probably apply! If you were local I'd sell you a vise body missing the screw/screwbox and mounting bracket cheap; but I won't ship it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jealdi Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 I currently have a decent body... just need a good screw/screwbox. Hence why I'm looking at that screw/box in the second two photos. I've been giving the one I have a home a liberal spray of WD40 and letting it do some soaking. Going to spray it again tonight after work and hopefully get some progress in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 WD-40 is not nearly the penetrating oil that Kroil, PB-Blaster or the aforementioned acetone and atf. BTAIM, I use a lot of WD-40; especially as my wife bought me a gallon can of it for Father's day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jealdi Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 Yeah. I had a can of WD40 at home. Since I'm just getting started on all of this, I do not have much by way of stuff yet. Might have to see if I can find something else at Menards or Lowes in the morning if I can't get it going with WD40. Though heating it up might just be an option too if I think I can make that other screw/box fit without too much trouble. Need to do some measuring and such first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Yes the shelf of "dangerous" chemicals is a common thing in any shop that restores old machinery. Though some things like the old Brake Cleaners are no longer available due to toxicity...(probably a good thing.) I will say that WD-40 for 2 months will probably work better than kroil overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jealdi Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 Only thing I can find on a quick internet search locally appears to be Liquid Wrench penetrating oil and something labeled as B'Laster, which I think is PB-Blaster of some form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Why the heck would you want to do an internet search on it? Go to your local auto parts store and ask what they have for rusty bolts; they will probably have a shelf of various ones---choose what you like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jealdi Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 Because currently I'm sitting at my desk at work for 6 more hours. There is an auto zone on the way home though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 So read up on the various test sites comparing them and ignore the "ad" sites. A lot of the sites dedicated to restoring rusty old equipment have a comparison of penetrating oils on them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Auto Zone should have acetone and Dexron automatic transmission fluid, in quart cans, so does Walmart. A 50/50 mix of that will out preform any commercial mix penetrating oil on the market. I put the mixture in a small spray bottle and label it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 21 hours ago, Jealdi said: The crack is on the one I want to steal the screw from Don't know how I missed that. I usually read things very carefully. Nothing bugs me more than a lazy reader. My apologies. The ATF acetone mix is probably the cheapest option and surprisingly is probably the most effective too. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jealdi Posted July 25, 2020 Author Share Posted July 25, 2020 No worries. I'm still waiting to hear back from the guy on the one with the screw I want to see if it is the same size as mine. I measured last night and my jaws are 4.5." Worst case scenario... I keep looking for a new screw/box while I keep working on getting this cleaned up. Planning to work on it some today as well as trying to figure out the best way to make a stand for my RR track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jealdi Posted July 25, 2020 Author Share Posted July 25, 2020 Got the vise apart today. I'll post photos once I figure out best way to get it cleaned up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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