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I Forge Iron

Correcting convex vise faces


Donal Harris

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One thing to remember is that for Post Vises; the arm travels in an arc and the jaws won't be parallel when completely closed but will be parallel at some point as they open.   For unevenness on the jaw face. I would file to contact all over and then use your method to get an exact fit if that was needed.

Jaws also get twisted if they are abusively tightened with stock in only one side.  Having a set of spacers for the other side is a good idea. I use a set made from the common stock sizes I use, Slit down the axis with the tabs created bent out to a T and punched with the size for students who can't tell the difference between 5/8" and 1/2" by eye. Others use a stack of "shims" with a hole drilled in one corner for a ring so they can choose the size they need and flip the others out of the way.

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I may take a picture tomorrow. This is obviously an exaggeration of what my vise is like, but picture a vice with both faces made of a billiard ball. There is no contact along the faces. There is just a very small area in contact with your work piece. 

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Do you have a couple BIG C clamps? You could put a spacer in the center of the jaws, say 1/2" thick and put a clamp on the outside ends and put some hard squeezing on it, perhaps a few hammer blows while clamped will do it. Wrought is malleable and might correct without grinding. No guarantees though, of course. I'd hesitate to put heat on it while clamped but maybe.

Frosty The Lucky.

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Forging it is an excellent idea. However I would forge the high spot into the vice and use a light hammer. Start in the middle and work to the outsides. Looks like the other jaw has the same problem.

Lol, now you are prolly really confused as the which way to go.  

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The bright line is from someone welding the face back on at some point in the past. The faces on this one are steel. Vises often take a lot of abuse. My guess is someone missed and hit the jaw and popped the steel off. I am not sure how it was welded. The weld does not rust at all. 
 

I am going down to pick up an old homemade disc grinder from my Dad today. I think I will take the vise down and ask him to help me grind down the dome on each face. 

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We used a grinder. Tomorrow I will reassemble it to see how well we did. 
 

Probably wire cup it to remove the rust again, but this time protect it with BLO, followed by more BLO periodically. I should paint it, but just really prefer to see it and feel it and not the paint. 
 

Would a waxed canvas cover help?

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I am not sure I made it any better. I took a shade too much at the top and now instead of convex it is rippled. It was maddening. Take a little here and now it is low here. Fix that peak and it just moved somewhere else. If we ever get to begin having local meetings again, I may ask if anyone knows of a machinist who is also a blacksmith or at least knows about blacksmithing tools. 
 

Speaking of blacksmithing tools, more than one of mine has the initials of a prior owner punched into it.   My vise was owned by C.P.M.  I assume that is the initials of the blacksmith, farmer, or rancher who owned it. (Being a nerd CPM meant something entirely different than someone’s initials when I first saw them.)

736ED1AC-26F5-4FC4-B91C-F93DD89D7F3D.jpeg

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If you are not good with a file, levelling two separate faces can be a challenge. When the jaws are closed, scribe a line on each jaw parallel with each other for a guide will help.

Another way is to do a marriage cut with a hack saw. Tighten the jaws just snug. Then scribe a line as a guide for your hacksaw to follow on one side. When you have sawn in enough put a wedge in where you started your cut. Don't loosen the jaws! As you approach the other end, you will need another set of wedges to keep the jaws parallel, then finish your cut. When you are done, your jaws will tighten nice and both sides will match. As wide as the gap is in the middle, you might need to put two  blades in your hacksaw, or saw it twice. It's a little slow,. ;) But hey, it's precise.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It will file, but only barely.  And I am terribad at filing. What little steel I removed this morning made it worse. I think I will wait till we have meetings again and attend a SW Region meeting. It is often at our president’s shop. He is pretty skilled and may know a machinist who can mill the faces. Or text Byron Doner, one of our directors and former longtime President, and ask him who I might pay to mill them. He would know someone.

In the meantime I will just use it as is and maybe cut some covers from scrap copper pipe.  I will need them eventually sometime anyway.

As for taking a hacksaw to it, I am sure that would work, but jeez! :o :)

 

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Lol, pretty labor intense. However another solution is a set of jaw protectors. I think that's what they are called. I have some made from copper to protect my work from scratches and some made from mild steel. I've made them from 3/16" and 1/4". The mild steel ones will solve your problem. 

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