Well, I finally got a post vise. It seems to be a 5" vise, that weighs maybe 40-50 lbs.






I made sure the screw was in excellent condition. It really is. I doubt it will need much work for a long time. all it needs right now is a bit of filing to remove a burr. It was $75, because the nut is missing and the screw is exposed at the end. I am going to make a cap for that.

Err, I mean, the nut isnt missing, but the protective end of it is. It works fine right now, but it needs a cap to protect the screw.

Looks to be in pretty good shape. Fixing it up is a good exercise, it gives you a sense of accomplishment and ownership. :D

I forgot to mention that the easiest way to secure the foot is with an L-shaped bracket. I mounted my vise on my work bench right over the 4x4 leg on the end. I made a bracket that extends out from the 4x4 under the leg. I drilled two holes in the upright part of the L and wood screwed it into the 4x4 leg, letting the bracket sit on the floor. I marked where the foot of the vise sat on the horizontal leg of the L. I then cut a 1/2" long piece of 1" pipe and welded it onto the horizontal leg of the L. The foot of the vise sits in the ring and cannot move around or damage my concrete floor.

Thats a good idea, QC. I had planned on drilling a large hole in a 4x4 steel plate, then resting the foot on that, but your idea is better.

i had a bracket just for mounting a post vise to the floor, i cut it into pieces when i mounted it onto something else so i can move it where i want it, outside in the warmer weather for one, i will see if i can get another one and post a picture of it, its kind of like a upside down U with feet that are bent out to bolt to the floor with a hole in the top where the vice leg sits inside, i mounted mine to a brake drum from a semi truck and a 4" pipe, i can fill the drum up with wheel weights or sand, easy to empty and move around where i need it

Ron

When you use that piece of angle iron, weld a short piece of pipe to the horzontal section to act as a socket for the foot of the vise.

Here ya go Nolano, This is whatca do with a post vise.



There's a big, thick plate for the bottom, that you can stand on. That way it wont move around when you use it. The post is set into a short piece of pipe thats welded to the plate. And a long piece of tubing is welded behind that.



Then a another plate is welded to the top of the tube for the vise to be bolted on to.



Hope that helps

-Andrei

Well, I am probably going to put it on a post set into the ground, as my smithy is outdoors, on kind of uneven ground.

Does anyone have any suggestions on finishing it, if I were to remove the rust somehow?

I would leave it, I like when my tools have that old partial paint finish...

But if I were you, I'd go over it with a coarse scotchbrite pad or wheel to take off the loose rust and the paint, and then let it brown (going over it again once in a while to smooth the browning). If you want to accelerate the process, take it outside and put a little bleach on it, and then scotchbrite again. Gives that nice smooth rust finish.

Well, what I came up with, is to wirewheel it and remove all the loose rust, put on a rust converter, then when thats done, put on an oil coat of some sort.