My Dad Dropped This Off Today

[73AMC]

So my dad is newly retired and looks for things to keep him busy. While I was at work, he came by my work and snuck this in my truck bed. Thing is massive and heavy. I would say close to 100 pounds. Needs a good cleaning and a bead blast. The only thing I can really find wrong with it is that the jaw wont retract when you unscrew the rod. I can pull the rod back as I unscrew but there is nothing there to capture the jaw and pull it back.







I took the rod out to look for some signs of what use to be, and all I can find are some gouges in the rod where I can imagine the capture piece use to be.

Can you guys point me in the direction of getting this bad boy fully operational again?

Thanks,

Justin

 

[Username already in use]

Nice. I wish my dad would drop stuff like that off for me!
It looks like the slide has been shortened, or I guess it could have a longer screw?
-0lllll0-

 

[pendragon1998]

Your daddy likes you!

 

[fullthrottle24]

You just need a collar with set screw placed on inside of dynamic jaw

 

[73AMC]

Why do you say it was shortened out of curiosity? Anyone know anything about it? Where would be a good place to look for a collar?

 

[crguy]

The swiveling jaw is a nice touch.

 

[CNGsaves]

That's a hell-uv-a score for freebie from dad !! Yeah, YOU **** !!

It's got the swivel rear jaw so you'll want to take apart and restore fully.

See the Vise Repair 101 thread or others with that vise which have been restored. Well worth your effort to bring it back to pristine condition for a lifelong vise you could then pass on to your kids.

 

[73AMC]

The swiveling jaw is a nice touch.

I'm not following, sorry.

 

[ZRX61]

Why do you say it was shortened out of curiosity? Anyone know anything about it? Where would be a good place to look for a collar?

Just make one, find a piece of 1/4in wall pipe slightly larger than the size of the screw. Drill & tap a hole for set screw. Put a washer between it & the dynamic jaw. Sorted.

 

[fullthrottle24]

Ok, you are in for a wild ride down into vise 101. The swivel jaw is the static jaw, it has a tapered pin on top, that can be removed to allow it to "swivel" in an arc. This was to allow holding of irregular shaped objects. Now, see how "stuck" your pin is.

 

[bluebolt]

Nice! What's the jaw width?

If you bead blast it I recommend you don't use sand, glass beads only. Tape up any machined areas like the slide and the machined parts of that swivel jaw.

You can also use a an E-tank. I have yet to try this method myself.

 

[73AMC]

Ok, you are in for a wild ride down into vise 101. The swivel jaw is the static jaw, it has a tapered pin on top, that can be removed to allow it to "swivel" in an arc. This was to allow holding of irregular shaped objects. Now, see how "stuck" your pin is.

Ahh...thanks...I was wondering what it's significance was. I would really love to soak this thing in something and strip all the layers of paint off it. Someone mentioned it looked shortened. I didn't notice any butchering of it.

 

[73AMC]

Just make one, find a piece of 1/4in wall pipe slightly larger than the size of the screw. Drill & tap a hole for set screw. Put a washer between it & the dynamic jaw. Sorted.

Thanks bud! I may have something laying around the shop.

 

[73AMC]

Any guesses on age?

 

[PugetDude]

Here's a couple of links to shaft collars:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#shaft-collars/=1166abn

https://www.grainger.com/category/s...nd-adapters/power-transmission/ecatalog/N-clj

 

[Username already in use]

Someone mentioned it looked shortened. I didn't notice any butchering of it.

That was me. Apologies in advance if I'm wrong, I'm no expert. I don't think you should be able to see the screw sticking out of the back of the slide like that. That shaft collar could have gone missing if/when someone took it apart to shorten the slide?

Still a nice piece of iron and very useable once you replace that collar.
Definitely worth more than you paid for it!
-0lllll0-

 

[73AMC]

I was just curious. Wasn't taking it personal. Lol. I couldn't tell you either way. Everything looks as it should.

 

[bluebolt]

That was me. Apologies in advance if I'm wrong, I'm no expert. I don't think you should be able to see the screw sticking out of the back of the slide like that. That shaft collar could have gone missing if/when someone took it apart to shorten the slide?

Still a nice piece of iron and very useable once you replace that collar.
Definitely worth more than you paid for it!
-0lllll0-

That long screw sticking out is correct. The American Chain Co. vises apparently had a collar on the part that stuck out. This prevented the slide from going out to far past design limits.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3901851&postcount=15313

 

[73AMC]

Dang...probably a needle in a haystack tracking one down to make it complete.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Nice score 73AMC! The collar(s) shouldn't be a big problem.

For the front collar, the one that will move the dynamic jaw when loosening... the first question is:
Is there any sign of a machined recess, where a set screw may have engaged?

If so, a new collar will need to be drilled and tapped to that location, properly, for minimal/proper backlash.
If there is no machined recessed hole for the collar stop screw, then it was simply a set screw pressing into the shaft to hold it. Should be any easy fix to get that vise running again. A piece of DOM round tube, drilled and tapped, and you have yourself a new collar!

I wouldn't worry much over the rear screw stop collar, for now. Many vises will "come apart" if unscrewed all the way. Just don't unscrew all the way.
Check for another machined recess, back there at the last inch or so of the main screw and go from there.

 

[73AMC]

There is no machined areas on the rod. There are however marks on the shaft that look to me like they are from a set screw type collar that was once there.

 

[crguy]

Dang...probably a needle in a haystack tracking one down to make it complete.

Collars are standard hardware items. Pugetdude already gave you links to where to find them.
Any decent hardware store like Ace has collars.
Way easier to buy one than make one.

 

[larry_g]

So my dad is newly retired and looks for things to keep him busy. While I was at work, he came by my work and snuck this in my truck bed. Thing is massive and heavy. I would say close to 100 pounds. Needs a good cleaning and a bead blast. The only thing I can really find wrong with it is that the jaw wont retract when you unscrew the rod. I can pull the rod back as I unscrew but there is nothing there to capture the jaw and pull it back.







I took the rod out to look for some signs of what use to be, and all I can find are some gouges in the rod where I can imagine the capture piece use to be.

Can you guys point me in the direction of getting this bad boy fully operational again?

Thanks,

Justin

In the third picture, It looks to me like the diameter of the screw is way smaller than the hole in the moveable jaw. In the fifth picture there is a lot of galling/wear on the thrust surface. Was there ever a flanged bushing in this area to deal with this? Just thinking. For me if I could I would take a spot facing tool and remachine the thrust surface and come up with some kind of a thrust bearing to go in there.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[bluebolt]

Collars are standard hardware items. Pugetdude already gave you links to where to find them.
Any decent hardware store like Ace has collars.
Way easier to buy one than make one.

I believe he is talking about the special collar stop that goes on the back, it's not just a regular collar.

 

[73AMC]

So I measure the shaft. Looks like 1" depending where I put the calipers on. Got a collar at TSC. It drops on all the way down the threads and stops at the solid area. Going to try cleaning the shaft up with a cookie wheel and see if it'll slide on. Can always throw it in the ice box over night too lol.

 

[bluebolt]

If you have a small sanding drum or straight metal burr I would clean up the collar's inside a little before I mess with the vise shaft.

 

[73AMC]

Good call. Now I just need to figure out where the collar goes and how to get it there lol.

 

[77thor]

Win!

 

[bluebolt]

73AMC can you post some pictures of the bottom of the slide and the back of the slide where the screw comes through?

Also is that 6" wide jaws on that?

 

[73AMC]

 

[73AMC]

5" jaws btw. I wasn't able to pull the jaw out. Seems like something is keeping it captive.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Dang...probably a needle in a haystack tracking one down to make it complete.

Half of the fun is the hunt

 

[rharman]

Good call. Now I just need to figure out where the collar goes and how to get it there lol.

Freeze the shaft and heat the collar.

 

[73AMC]

Right. But it doesn't look like there is much room to access that area.

 

[bluebolt]

5" jaws btw. I wasn't able to pull the jaw out. Seems like something is keeping it captive.

Yes the design of that vise you will have to remove the vise nut to pull the jaw out! That's why I wanted to see the back of the vise slide. Push the dynamic jaw back closed and take a picture of the end of the slide where the screw sticks through. I bet the end of the slide is machined flat with a round hole and not the usual groove that let's it slide past the vise nut.

I believe the original rear collar actually held the main screw in the vise. You will have to replicate it somehow, there is probably no room on the bottom of the slide to put a collar up front in the normal place. Take a pic of the slide pulled out as far as you can upside down with the main screw in place.

I think you will have to fabricate a custom rear stop for that vise. Take a picture of the threads of the main screw with a tape measure next to it so we can help you figure out what threads it has.

 

[bluebolt]

Here is the back of the one other American Chain vise I linked to earlier. Notice there is no cutout on the bottom for the main nut to slide by.

A rear clamp could be fabricated by getting the appropriate rear nut after you determine what thread it is (Acme, Buttress, etc.) Weld a spacer or drilled block to it for the clamp bolt to go through and then cut the slot in between both of them.

 

[73AMC]

Yes, that's exactly how mine looks. No groove, the threads come out the back through a hole.

 

[bluebolt]

If that's Acme 1"-5 threads you don't even have to make a collar, just buy one. This is about $30 and may be available cheaper elsewhere. Stafford 10L100 1"-5 collar.

http://www.staffordmfg.com/StaffordSignatureCatalogPage16.pdf
https://www.motionindustries.com/productDetail.jsp?sku=03753042

 

[73AMC]

I'll grab a pic when I get home. Thanks for all the help guys...this will make the dynamic jaw work as it should, right?

 

[bluebolt]

I'll grab a pic when I get home. Thanks for all the help guys...this will make the dynamic jaw work as it should, right?

Yes it will and backlash should be easy to adjust.