Post Vise Mounting Bracket Build. Wedge style or U-Bolt?

[Greebe]

I have two vises, one is a 4" and the other is a 5.5". I have just been using the 4" the past few years because it was complete. However my 5.5" is missing the mounting bracket and leaf spring. My plan is to build both parts, but what would be more appropriate for the vise? My 4" has the wedge style bracket. Would the wedged style bracket or the U bolt style be better for the 5.5" vise?

Also as far as the spring goes I have seen people use leaf springs, but the only leaf springs I have on hand are from a 2 ton truck and they are a good 1/2" thick which seems like it would be to heavy. Are there any other recommendations of material to use?

Here is the vise in question. Mechanically it is in quite good condition. The jaws are parallel and aligned perfectly and there is no play side to side in the moving jaw.

Not sure as to the maker because there are no markings that I can see. Maybe once I clean it up I will find something though.

 

[ThomasPowers]

I  have vises from 4" to 6.5"  with both styles; so which is appropriate? Yes.  Columbians with un faceted legs tended to use U bolts, of course that one might be an Indian Chief with that screwbox.

As to the spring; it can be made from mild steel; or forged down from a auto coil spring. Find a local mechanic shop and you should be able to source used coil springs or lighter leaf springs .

Just size the fittings to the vise; a heavy vise needs heavy fittings.

[Greebe]

Thanks. I will see what I can find for a spring to use. Before I moved and built my new house and shop I had a ton of scrap I could have used, but took three truckloads of scrap to the scrap yard. I need to hit up some overhead door shops as well. I had a bunch of different sized coils up to 5/8" that was nice to have for various projects.

Probably the easiest bracket to make would be a simple U bolt setup. Just take a piece of heavy angle and cut it to shape and bolt it up. I would like it to be as original looking as possible, but having it in working condition is probably more important right now.

[ThomasPowers]

It's nice to square off the U bolt. Easy in the forge if UNplated.  Also nice if you can find some un-even leg sized angle iron. Small leg for the U bolt, large leg for the mounting plate.  BTW make the mount first to see how long the spring needs to be.  (And don't forget to clean and oil the bearing bolt and cheeks to reduce the force needed to open and close the vise.)

[JHCC]

I've had vises mounted both ways, and it's worked both ways. My current vise has wedges; here's how the previous one was bolted to its stand:

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

I made a mount U bolt out of some scrap plate & short pieces of all thread welded on. Solid as a rock & easy to make.

[arkie]

My first post vise had the wedge mounting bracket.  Hated that thing.  It never stayed tight, loosening frequently.  At first, I was tempted to weld the wedges, but that would have devalued the vise.  Otherwise the vise was in good condition.  I sold that one and got a Columbian that had a U-bolt bracket.  Never has become loose.

 

[pnut]

I used a U bolt, a piece of flat stock that I drilled two holes in, a couple of nuts and a piece of angle iron to attach it all to the stump. If I get outside soon and remember I'll snap a picture. It's basically the same as what Arkie posted above just with a piece of angle iron instead of the tongue bracket that mounts it to the stand. 

Pnut

[caotropheus]

I vote for the U-bolt style bracket. I have two blacksmith vices in use and the German vice is bolted to the mounting plate and it is much more solid.

You can see here details of the mounting plate/vice securing bracket.

 

[Greebe]

Thanks for all the replies. I think the u-bolt is they way I will go. It will be easier to build, and probably more solid / stable in the long run. Unfortunately the steel supplier is 1.5 hours from me, so I will not be able to work on it for a week or two. Being way out in the country has its benefits especially these days, but this is one of the major drawbacks.

[arkie]

If you have some farmers around you, a friendly visit explaining what you are looking for might yield some steel parts to work with.  Those guys always have a big stash of scrap and good steel for farm repairs.  Often times they might be blacksmiths of sorts as well.  Take a bottle opener or some goodies for the wife in your back seat to show your appreciation even if you didn't find anything.

 

[ThomasPowers]

I've done these close to a dozen times and never had to use anything from a store.  Of course I pick up stuff that I can use at the scrap yard when I see it.

[Greebe]

Thanks guys. Unfortunate, I sold off all my scrap when we moved to this property and build the house and shop.  Now I have pretty much nothing on hand, except various barstock that I used to make products on my lathe.  From what I have found out here most of the old timers have sold off their scrap piles as well when steel prices were high a number of years ago. I can do some checking around, however it seems like everyone is afraid of being around people these days which makes it harder.

[ThomasPowers]

Yup it sure do.  It is possible to make it without a U bolt but using two bolts one for either side. I forged a step as well: --__-- to help hold it in place for the spring.  Getting everything aligned so their isn't any slop is the real trick.  I've got one made that way for my heavy work postvise.  It's fastened to a telephone pole that holds the roof truss up for the shop and is buried 5' deep and cemented in.

Stout; of course when you sledge on it the walls shake and let the neighbors know you are working even though there is just an empty field on that side.

One thing I always look for at the scrap yard is short pieces of angle iron as they always come in handy! I also buy good condition nuts and bolts. Every once in a while I luck out and someone tosses brand new bolts out cleaning a garage---or the time a business cleaned out their shop and tossed over 100 pounds of old wenches and sockets.

Ask around about a small local scrap business!

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said:

never had to use anything from a store.

Same here, if you scroll back up to my picture, the U part came off a 5 foot shop made T wrench for water meter turnoffs the city boys scrapped, the all thread came from a 5 gal bucket full of short pieces our electric coop line men gave me and the piece it's bolted to came from a push bar bracket off one of our wrecked police cars.

[Greebe]

Thanks guys. I will look around. If there wasn't two feet of snow on the ground I might have better luck scrounging. I will keep an eye out and start thinking of options that might work.

[ThomasPowers]

Self inflicted!  I was forging in a T shirt today as it got around 70 degF outside with blinding sun.

[Greebe]

I would love some 70 degree days. Few more months and we will be there.

[Frosty]

No heat in your house? 

Nice day here today, hit 27f, the sun even came out for a couple hours. Supposed to be back in the single digits starting tonight. No problem though, there's still 3 cord in the wood shed and the oil tank is full. It's a comfy 70 all the time here. 

Frosty The Lucky.