Should I use this American Scale vise?

[shingo]

Looks like it's been repaired. I only plan to use it for light duty. Anyway to test the repairs strength?

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=190834&stc=1&d=1339431976

 

[Joe B.]

I don't think I would bother with that one even if it were free. It was light duty to begin with and who knows about the repair. It also does not look like the jaws line up anymore so it my grip in an odd way.

If it were mine, I would toss the welded part and give the rest of the parts away in the vise parts thread. Someone may need to base or the other good parts.

 

[Lightfoot]

If it works, why not use it till it breaks?
If it does break again, it's likely to be in the part that has been previously repaired, then part it out. I mean, i wouldn't buy it like that, but if you already have it, use it.

 

[gatewaysysop]

Use it until it breaks, thus justifying the purchase of another, larger, beefier vise at a later date. Clearly the only viable solution.

 

[Outlawmws]

Looks like it's been repaired. I only plan to use it for light duty. Anyway to test the repairs strength?

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=190834&stc=1&d=1339431976

Put something solid in it, tighten it as tight as you can manage with the handle alone. If it holds, its a good fix. If it doesn't, it would have broke at the worst possible time anyway...

 

[shingo]

Is my American Scale #600 considered light duty? It has 6" wide jaws. I just found out that I live around 600 feet from where the old Wilton Vise company was located. The building burnt down around 35 years ago.
Thanks for all you answers, I really like this forum.

 

[Outlawmws]

Is my American Scale #600 considered light duty? It has 6" wide jaws. I just found out that I live around 600 feet from where the old Wilton Vise company was located. The building burnt down around 35 years ago.
Thanks for all you answers, I really like this forum.

In this case, the width of the jaws is not an indicator of how heavy duty it is. The exposed screw, and the two part dynamic jaw makes it light duty. Where it was welded (Braized? Is it brass or steel filler?) was originally where the bar was pressed into a socket in the lower part of the jaw. Someone cranked on it or pounded on it and broke the socket out.

I have a similar design Colombian and it was broken and braised the same way. The dynamic jaw was not heated up properly getting a cold joint, and the braze ripped out. I'm probably going to redo it and doc it to show how to get it done so it has a prayer of holding up at all.

 

[blasto9000]

I have a similar design Colombian and it was broken and braised the same way.

...and I have a Birtman Electric vise that looks almost exactly the same, and it's broken in the same spot. Haven't bothered repairing it though.