My first post vise

[OlavFairhair]

Hey guys. So far I've been using my smaller Peddinghaus Matador machine vise for all purpose use. With regards to blacksmithing it's mostly been used for twisting and adjusting. I haven't been hammering on it a whole lot because it's mounted to my wooden bench, so it makes everything rattle. That's why I've been looking for a post vise. It's not easy to find where I live, especially one that is close and not too much fixing necessary. I happened to find one where the seller was actually able to send it by mail. 

So I don't know the brand or anything, but the seller said it was around 25kg/55lbs. It's a 120mm/4.7 inch vise. After getting it, I was contemplating "maybe I should've gotten a larger one" but oh well, I'll make this one work for now and get some experience with it. 

In my opinion it's in good condition. The spring is fine, everything works. The screw looks fine. The only downside is that one of the jaws are SLIGHTLY lower than the other, and as you can see in the photos, both jaws have this cavity in the middle. In addition, from watching videos, it appears that most vises have this cover attached to the read part of the screwbox to cover the protruding screw in the back.

Regardless, I took it apart, wire brushed it, straightened the handle a bit and covered it in boiled linseed oil/terpentine mix of 50/50. Also cleaned the inside of the screwbox. I tried figuring out of the screw should be oiled or greased but everyone had different opinions, so I just greased it. Please let me know if you guys have any thoughts on greasing. I know it attracts debris though..

Now I'm working on the stand, and I'll update this thread with the progress. So if anyone of you even read this far, I'd like to hear what height you guys prefer for the jaws for all-purpose use. Currently its going to be around 37 inches (with a small extender that will rest on the knob on the leg), not sure if that's too low. I'm contemplating adding up to 1-4 inches.. 

I'll put in the before and after pics here.

[Frosty]

That's a beautiful old leg vise Olav, several generations of hard work left there. 

While you can do hand work, filing, sawing, etc. in a leg vise they really aren't intended for precision work like a bench vise. How important it is to YOU to have the jaws closely aligned? 

The gap in the center of the jaws if from one type of work done repeatedly, something the smith made all the time. It's just wear and shouldn't get in the way. 

The problem with grease on vise screws is how it traps dirt, grinding debris, etc. which grinds the threads when you use it and wears them out much  more quickly.

If you can find some old fire hose you can slip a section over the "greased" screw next time you have it apart. The hose will expand and contract as the jaws move and keep the crud off the threads.  If you're going to do HOT work where scale or sparks might light the firehose on fire wet it down first and it'll be okay. Firehose is designed to last through fiery HOT conditions. Yes?

Frosty The Lucky.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

I agree with Frosty, good job on cleaning it up. The grease is too thick and will get a lot of trash stick to the screw. I use gear oil or even better is chainsaw bar oil which is light and trash doesn't stick to it as much. No matter what you use the screw and screw box should be cleaned and re-lubed occasionally.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

[Goods]

As for me he exposed screw end, I would find that a fun project. I look for a heavy walled tube/pipe that is just large enough to fit over the end of the and forge a cover out of that. I can also see it in my head: neck the pipe down, cut it off, forge weld a collar one that end, forge the collar into a ball finial, then finally cut it off to length and braze it onto the nut. Of course, I tend to over do things… I can even see some details filed in… I’m come on it time at the anvil trying something new and developing more skills, that’s what it all about for most of us* right?

(*Us meaning hobbyists blacksmith, not those of you who are professionals that need to be aware of profit levels. Greatest respect for those that can make a living at the anvil!)
 

Keep it fun,

David

[George N. M.]

I agree that it is a lovely old vise and you have done a fine job of cleaning it up.  I also agree that you need some kind of cover or shroud to protect the exposed threads.  It can be very simple.  Here in the US we have a brand of potato chips called "Pringles" which come stacked in a tall, cylindrical container which is similar to the cans tennis balls come in.  Something like that could be a quick and dirty solution.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

I just took another look and there is enough of the screw box end showing I would look for a piece of pipe with an inside diameter that would slip over the screw box and put a cap over the end to seal it up. I have one that the screw box was broken off at the screw box flange. I scrounged up a pipe reducer and bushing with plug that the reducer fit over the screw box flange snug enough I had to tap it with a mallet to get it to stay on. Worked like a champ and even blended in. Been like that since 2017 a little blacksmith engineering.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

[Daswulf]

Lubed threads are better than unlubed threads. Anything is better than nothing. As others stated, an occasional removal and cleaning and relube help. 

Nice job on the cleanup. 

Make it work to the work you do. 

Make it a height that suits you and what you need it to do. There is no standard in varying uses. 

I have a post vise that the jaws weren't even in clamp down. After a bit of use and it actually bothering my work i filed them even. Might not be an issue for a different use. Again make it suit your needs. 

[OlavFairhair]

Thank you guys for all the replies!

As you said Daswulf, any lube is better than none at least, but as several of you mentioned it would need to be cleaned from time to time. So next time I'll make sure to get some chainsaw oil or something similar and try that instead as lubrication.

15 hours ago, Frosty said:

The gap in the center of the jaws if from one type of work done repeatedly, something the smith made all the time. It's just wear and shouldn't get in the way. 

That's interesting Frosty, and I agree, shouldn't matter much. Besides, I'll attempt to make some inserts for it and see how that works.

And as you guys say, I should probably figure out something to cover the screw. A lot of good suggestions here so I'll try to figure something out. 

As for the stand, I'm going for a portable type stand. I'm currently set up in my garage and it's not possible for me right now to have something set up permanently until I get around to building a shed for smithing. I have a 20x20 inch base plate which is around 5/8 inch thick. I'll attempt to weld a square steel tubing to this plate, and put a 5/8 inch plate on top which is slightly under 12x12 inches.

I also forgot mentioning that the vise lacked a thrust washer. I didn't even know that was a thing when I got it, but I noticed the vise jumped and made noises when opening after tightening. So I did some research and found out about the thrust washer. I took some piece of scrap metal I had, drifted it large enough and made it fit the shape around the hole of the vise and it worked perfectly to my surprise 

[Frosty]

I haven't needed to build a better portable stand for my leg vise but if I start doing demos again I'm building one with a round steel plate disk with a receiver tube welded in the center. The post for the vise will socket into the receiver tube and pin. When I want to move it I'll be able to tip it on edge and roll it on the base plate in the same way you move a drum of fuel oil, etc. To store the disk can lean, on edge, against a cabinet, wall, outside against a tree, where ever, the post and vise come apart easily and store in a corner, etc. It will be reasonably easy to load in a pickup truck or the back of our SUV. none of the individual pieces will be as heavy as the vise itself.

Hmmmm?

There are pictures and descriptions of thrust washers online and they aren't too difficult to make if you can't find one that fits your vise. And yes, it needs one to work properly.

Frosty The Lucky.

[OlavFairhair]

Frosty, I did make a thrust washer and it turned out very nice. It works like a charm now.

I also finally got around to finishing the stand for my vise today. Never had a post vise before nor have I made any similar stand so I didn't quite know what NOT to do. But I did my best. The wheels as you can see in the picture works like a CHARM. I can just roll it around.

The only downside is the base plate got crooked while welding it due to the heat perhaps? It might also be my floor, but either way it wobbles unless I use a wedge. I already kinda knew this however.. Everywhere I read about post vise stands, people said it won't be truly solid unless you either bolt it or dig it down.

I even tried to put some extra weight on it as you can see below, but it didn't help one bit.

Either way, I'm really happy how it turned out. 

Also learned I can't weld at all. I tried adjusting power and wire feed but it ended up as small "balls/bubbles" that won't stick, if that makes sense. This is with flux wire and reversed polarity so it should in theory work.. Maybe I either need argon mix with solid wire or more power. Or both. Or just proper technique.

Now my plans are to make a shroud/cover for the screw and create a tong rack around the table.

[George N. M.]

Here is a suggestion to keep the vise and stand from moving when in use.  Drill a couple of holes near the front corners of the base.  Drill a couple of holes the same distance apart with a star drill or a masonry bit in your concrete floor at the location you want the vise.  Line up the holes when placing the vise and then drop a couple of bolts through the base holes into the floor holes and the vise will be much more resistant to moving in use.  Probably, the longer the bolts and the deeper the holes in the concrete the better.  You can keep shorter bolts in the holes when not in use to keep dirt and gruck out.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Daswulf]

Looks nice. One option other than Georges is to torch heat the warped area and hammer it back straight/flat. Doesn't help alot if the concrete isn't level.

Another option is to get those felt stick on pads found at most hardware stores and add one to each bottom corner (or just to the offending corner. Sometimes with the weight they will absorb some of the unevenness.