Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Post Vise Repair


larnotlars

Recommended Posts

I have an old Post Vise that a friend found for me in a foreclosure sale. It seemed to be sticking so I opened it wide and applied Marine Grease to lubricate it. A couple weeks later it started slipping when used on large pieces (a 2 1/2 inch jig for candle baskets). Eventually it began slipping on everything (aka striped). I have a couple questions for those whom might know.

1. Is the marine grease a coincidence or did it contribute to the demise of my post vise?

2. The male thread of the vice seems crisp still. Who would I contact to find the female sleeve to fix the vice? Could the female piece be fixed?

I'd love any ideas on salvaging it.

Thanks

Lar

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rest assured the grease did not harm it. You may want to pull the screw and box out of the vise to determine how much is really gone. Sometimes, they wear out and eventually fail - and occasionally someone cranks down on the handle with a cheater bar and breaks the box thread (many were cast iron).

I have also seen the wrong screw and box combination - like a 1" male thread inside a 1-1/8" female box - as if someone put the pieces together without measuring and expected it to work.

Something may become obvious if you take it apart and do a little cleaning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have taken it apart, but need to do more investigation. The thread inside the box is much lower profile than the thread of the male. I wonder if someone just mismatched them... the male looks crisp & new, and the female feels nearly smooth... An old toothbrush and some goop might prove me mistaken... I read in an old post (that I should have read before posting myself) that I could remake the box by wrapping square rod in the male thread and then braizing it in the box? (possibly in my gas forge?)

We'll learn more tomorrow!

Thanks again!

Lar

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...

Richardson in his 1880 blacksmiths book tells ways to fix the nut or screw - usually by wrapping a small spiral of rod around the screw and brazing it where-ever it was worn. Good luck with that. I'd just buy a new nut and screw (buttress) and replace it. ebay search or flea market for similar screws. The grease didn't hurt it, just worn. Sometimes a large washer or spacer in between the front of the twist handle and the vice sets the screw into a different place in the nut and it doesn't slip.
Good luck

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I have taken it apart, but need to do more investigation. The thread inside the box is much lower profile than the thread of the male. I wonder if someone just mismatched them... the male looks crisp & new, and the female feels nearly smooth... An old toothbrush and some goop might prove me mistaken... I read in an old post (that I should have read before posting myself) that I could remake the box by wrapping square rod in the male thread and then braizing it in the box? (possibly in my gas forge?)


We'll learn more tomorrow!


Thanks again!


Lar

Look at the female nut it has a knuckle on it that fits in a grove/slot in the rear leg of the vise; it keeps the nut from turning. if it is not in the proper slot it will do as you say
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...