Relatively easy for you isn't necessarily relatively easy for someone who has to ask the question.
I don't believe for a second that a brazed repair will be every bit as strong as the original casting, but if he wants a cool vise with a Frankenstein base, I guess that's one way to go.
Hello, Chris,
I thought I'd respond to the 'Frankenstein' image, for the folks here.....but, first.....
Yes, if one could simply find the part on ebay, or if a replacement part which would fit and work was available 'off the shelf' from the Wilton works, that would, ever so obviously, be the optimal repair.
The next level of 'optimal' would be to ask Kevin Scott to make a replacement base from steel plate, with his CNC mill. The photos he has posted on this forum of replacement swivel bases he made by CNC-milling were some truly excellent work.
And........yes, agreed, the person who put in the photo of the broken-footed base, and the query about mending it, may have no background in, and no interest whatever, in doing any metalworking repairs.
With reference to that specific vise, since it is an uncommon and desirable variant, I'd think he could readily trade it off for a more common type of vise, but one in excellent usable condition, ready to be put to work. As may be seen in the photo, that vise also needs the main screw hub sleeved to suit the handle, and a new handle made. Those are a simple, easy project for any reasonably capable metalworker who would find amusement and personal satisfaction in properly restoring that one.
It seems probable that you'd just never had the occasion to see castings which have been repaired as 'best practice' in welding or brazing work......and, true enough, there is a lot of bad work out in the field, done by people who didn't take the time to learn to do casting repair correctly.
That said, proper casting repair by brazing may be as much 'art' as science, but, if you'd care to, you could look up some of the internet fora for blacksmiths and metalworkers, for stories and photos of this class of work......whether art or science, lots of metalworkers routinely do best practice casting repair, including the building-up of castings which are missing bits and pieces, by brazing-in suitable shapes of steel.
There is, of course, a caveat......much of this class of casting restoration is often done for amusement, by various metalworkers, as it is, rather obviously, not commercially feasible to invest '$X' worth of professional working time in a casting which may be worth only '.5X$' when done.
That broken-footed vise base is an excellent candidate for a braze repair, and, as a simple, easy job of its class, would be a really good practice opportunity for a newbie metalworker, who has developed their basic brazing skills, and is willing to take the time to make a proper job of it.
As to the 'Frankenstein' image........yes, lots of really ugly weld/braze work has been done, and, sadly, doubtless will continue to be done. Likewise, all too many unsound welds/brazes will continue to be done, by the ignorant or careless folks among us.
'Best practice' casting repair is really easy to learn, for a high quality aesthetic finish. One may make several passes to build up an area by brazing, a bit oversize of the desired finish contour, then use a disc-sander, and a die-grinder to 'fair in' the flats and radii to match the original contour.
This may involve several diameters of carbide rotary files, and several diameters of sanding-drums and polishing-bobs for the die-grinder. Its quite easy, with a bit of practice, to 'sweep-in' the desired radii with a nearly correct diameter of polishing-bob.
With the fettling done correctly, it will be difficult to see the repair, once the part is nicely painted. I've found that the repaired area may be noticeable, to close inspection, by being smoother than the rest of the casting, so one may deal with that by polishing the casting a bit, to minimise contrast, or 'stippling' the repaired area.
All this said, I'm not suggesting that you get involved in learning casting repair on such as old vises......it does take some investment in time and motivation to learn the skills involved, and.....well....except for one's own amusement, it doesn't pay..... : )
cheers
Carla
Vise collection can be called a hobby in itself (like collecting baseball cards, coins, horseshoes, etc.). But in my wife's eyes, they are just useless pieces of junk that somehow cost a lot. I have to hide them from her
