Vises - "a leg to stand on"

GP3ysU4.jpg



Bob
 
rjdankert said:
GP3ysU4.jpg



Bob
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Built to last. They seem like they would maybe be a little labor-intensive to make.


PB Blaster is handy. I got it apart and spent the afternoon cleaning it up (no pictures yet). I think the previous owner had to set the plate mounting hardware higher on it than it was designed for, hence the shims since it narrows some right under the jaws. I assume it has to do with the post vise not having a post...

I'll get it reassembled tonight and see how it all works now that the parts should move more freely.
Might have a low-tech fix for the keeping the screwbox in place even with the broken washer.
 




Square_peg said:
Greek to me.


Are you going to replace the cracked screw box washer? If so, with what?
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I would like to replace it with an original but I am unsure of the prospects of finding one. We lost our power last night so I’ll mess with it more today. It actually works pretty smooth now that all the parts are freed up and there is steady pressure. I still need to tighten everything down.

rjdankert said:
It's either Mann or Mexico. Sorry, right now I can't remember which, but I think there is a thread somewhere on this forum that has the answer.
C:\Users\clint\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png



Vise is looking great!
C:\Users\clint\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.png





Bob
Click to expand...

Or maybe Colu|M|bia? ;)
 
You might be able to cut a screw box washer out of 1/2 mild steel plate. You could cut the outside diameter first with a well lubricated high speed steel hole saw. Get a good one like a Lennox or Milwaukee. The use the same center pilot hole to cut out the center to your inside diameter. Then perhaps you or a local smith could case harden the resulting washer.

A local fab shop would be able to straighten that stub of a leg and weld on a piece of solid 1" round bar to repair your leg. Then you'd be essentially as good as new. A lot of these old leg vises have repairs and function for many years thereafter.
 
"A local fab shop would be able to straighten that stub of a leg and weld on a piece of solid 1" round bar to repair your leg. Then you'd be essentially as good as new. A lot of these old leg vises have repairs and function for many years thereafter."

Totally.

The entire point of the leg-vice is that it's forged out of maleable structural steel and can therefore be struck(and struck hard,at times).
But some parts are often cast,as the box and it's related parts appear to be in this one.
Numbers on those are parts numbers for casting replacement OEM parts,they correspond to manufacturer's patterns.
 
Agent_H said:







I would like to replace it with an original but I am unsure of the prospects of finding one. We lost our power last night so I’ll mess with it more today. It actually works pretty smooth now that all the parts are freed up and there is steady pressure. I still need to tighten everything down.



Or maybe Colu|M|bia? ;)
Click to expand...
Great job on the restore! Nice looking vise!
 
I moved in May and my life has been in disarray ever since. Only this past weekend did I finally get a leg vise set up again. I figured I might as well upgrade from my 6" 85 pound vise to my 6-1/4" 145 pound vise. For most things it wont make a difference but I have some tooling in mind that will benefit from being held in the heavier vise. More on that later.

The old vise leg had poked through it's foot from years of use, protruding about 1/8".

145_1.jpg


I cut it off with a bandsaw and then ground it a little past flush.

145_2.jpg


Here it is mounted with my old 85 beside for comparison. I'm still missing a bolt in the foot. That will come soon. And I need to clean it up. But it works great. Sonofagun to drag around!

145_4.jpg
 
Hey guys,
My dad gave me this post vise a while back, but I never did anything with it. I believe it to be quite old.
it weighs 50lbs, and I can get the jaws to open a little over 5" before the screw separates, so I guess it would be considered a 5" vise. The total height is 42". I don't see any makers marks on it, but its pretty dirty and the old paint is flaking off, so it will obviously need to be cleaned up. Where should I even start looking for a makers mark? Or maybe someone can tell the manufacturer by its construction? Thanks!
 
Square_peg said:
You might be able to cut a screw box washer out of 1/2 mild steel plate. You could cut the outside diameter first with a well lubricated high speed steel hole saw. Get a good one like a Lennox or Milwaukee. The use the same center pilot hole to cut out the center to your inside diameter. Then perhaps you or a local smith could case harden the resulting washer.

A local fab shop would be able to straighten that stub of a leg and weld on a piece of solid 1" round bar to repair your leg. Then you'd be essentially as good as new. A lot of these old leg vises have repairs and function for many years thereafter.
Click to expand...

jake pogg said:
"A local fab shop would be able to straighten that stub of a leg and weld on a piece of solid 1" round bar to repair your leg. Then you'd be essentially as good as new. A lot of these old leg vises have repairs and function for many years thereafter."

Totally.

The entire point of the leg-vice is that it's forged out of maleable structural steel and can therefore be struck(and struck hard,at times).
But some parts are often cast,as the box and it's related parts appear to be in this one.
Numbers on those are parts numbers for casting replacement OEM parts,they correspond to manufacturer's patterns.
Click to expand...

My plan is to find a decent fab shop near me and have them set up a leg for it, straighten the handle a touch, potentially build up the box screw retention tab to help with fit, and maybe flatten the bench mounting bracket. I don't know the outcome of welding onto the cast screw box but I bet a professional might be able to when he gets a look at it.

mitch4ging said:
Great job on the restore! Nice looking vise!
Click to expand...

Thank you, I need a new wire cup brush for the angle grinder after that one.

Square_peg said:
I moved in May and my life has been in disarray ever since. Only this past weekend did I finally get a leg vise set up again. I figured I might as well upgrade from my 6" 85 pound vise to my 6-1/4" 145 pound vise. For most things it wont make a difference but I have some tooling in mind that will benefit from being held in the heavier vise. More on that later.

The old vise leg had poked through it's foot from years of use, protruding about 1/8".

145_1.jpg


I cut it off with a bandsaw and then ground it a little past flush.

145_2.jpg


Here it is mounted with my old 85 beside for comparison. I'm still missing a bolt in the foot. That will come soon. And I need to clean it up. But it works great. Sonofagun to drag around!

145_4.jpg
Click to expand...

Always awesome!

ithinkverydeeply said:
Sheesh! Now I want one. :cool:
Click to expand...

Of course you do!
(And a couple of incomplete ones for parts to house as well - they stack/store quite efficiently... ;) )
 
FLINT77 said:
Hey guys,
My dad gave me this post vise a while back, but I never did anything with it. I believe it to be quite old.
it weighs 50lbs, and I can get the jaws to open a little over 5" before the screw separates, so I guess it would be considered a 5" vise. The total height is 42". I don't see any makers marks on it, but its pretty dirty and the old paint is flaking off, so it will obviously need to be cleaned up. Where should I even start looking for a makers mark? Or maybe someone can tell the manufacturer by its construction? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Yours in the picture looks a lot like the Columbian I came home with:
1. Open-ended screw box
2. Bolt mounting holes under each jaw
3. Thinner-styled tension rod
4. No-frills trapezoid bench mounting bracket
5. No bevels on the fixed or moveable jaw shanks

I don't know them that well but they are all a little different.

When you get it apart, would you share if their are markings on the inside of the jaw shanks, washers, or screw box?

postvise.jpg


48137968711_6bca353935_h.jpg
 
Agent_H said:
Yours in the picture looks a lot like the Columbian I came home with:
1. Open-ended screw box
2. Bolt mounting holes under each jaw
3. Thinner-styled tension rod
4. No-frills trapezoid bench mounting bracket
5. No bevels on the fixed or moveable jaw shanks

I don't know them that well but they are all a little different.

When you get it apart, would you share if their are markings on the inside of the jaw shanks, washers, or screw box?

postvise.jpg


48137968711_6bca353935_h.jpg
Click to expand...
oh wow, yes, you are right. they do seem to be the same or at least very similar. Your's looks great. Gives me a goal to shoot for on this one.

on mine, the previous owner welded the bracket and u bolt directly to the body of the vise, and then wrapped a little wire around the spring to hold it in place. Should I grind off the welds and get a new u bolt and put the bracket back the way yours is?
 
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