VISE REPAIR 101 all vise repairs, lubricants, sources for parts and the tricks to fix

[AngryBeaver]

I recently bought a Reed 33, and it is in very good condition except that it is missing the pipe jaws (WHY do people remove these??) and the base plate for rotating the vise. So I’ll be busy making the missing parts shortly...

Do you happen to have a drawing for Reed 32 pipe jaws you'd be willing to share?

Yost sells replacement pipe jaws for around 100$ a set of three. their 31-34C is a direct copy of the old reed 31-34C's and the pipe jaws interchange. the sole difference being the Yost are held in with A pin instead of a set screw. they also sell the swivel bases... while not the same as the original syle, they will work. yosts tooth mechanism is a tad different. They just recently (in the last decade) changed designs to where the 31-34C combination (not the smaller tradesman series) now have an anvil instead of carrying the 100 year old reed look.

 

[gman007]

Mdkcal, Kevin's right.---If you have the vise in front of you, you can get the detentions right from the vise.---The length, the width, the depth are all right there.---All you have to know is what the original shape was and add the teeth.---I did these from scratch with a bandsaw and a file, but they are brass which I admit is a lot easier than filing on tool steel.---If you have and know how to use a lath, you save yourself a lot of hand work cutting the teeth.---But a combination vise needs those jaws IMO.---They just look naked setting there with slots for jaws, and no jaws.---If a person wants one without pipe jaws, get one without pipe jaws.---Again, JMO.

Va
You did a phenomenal job. I mean as impressive as it is for a skilled machinist with proper tools such as lath and milling machine to make such jaw inserts, it is equally if not more impressive to make them by hand just using a bandsaw and File. Very nicely done sir

 

[va.grouseman]

Thank you Gman.---But I was working with brass.---That's almost like cheating.

 

[mdkcal]

Yost sells replacement pipe jaws for around 100$ a set of three. their 31-34C is a direct copy of the old reed 31-34C's and the pipe jaws interchange. the sole difference being the Yost are held in with A pin instead of a set screw. they also sell the swivel bases... while not the same as the original syle, they will work. yosts tooth mechanism is a tad different. They just recently (in the last decade) changed designs to where the 31-34C combination (not the smaller tradesman series) now have an anvil instead of carrying the 100 year old reed look.

Thanks for that info. I've heard about the Yost pipe jaws before and almost bought them, but held off because I'm not sure how they would fit and they're different than the original. I do have a friend with a machine shop and want to eventually make some original style jaws.

The Yost jaws are a double V design:

 

[Ststephen7]

Hi Steve, I am not familiar with the 55 rod but it sounds like you have it figured out. I would not use that on the jaws but I am not a expert, I have been trying to figure out what material they used for years in the inserts they add to the cast process for the jaw material. My best guess is Oil or Water hard Tool Steel. Either is not a good steel to weld. I have not welded the jaw inserts but cut them out and replace them with A2 jaws that I fabricate. Even if yo weld them they would need to be machined to close right. I redid my 106 and added a few pic:s. As for the meatball, I believe it to is cast material, Reed casted the meatballs onto the spindle and it would be a mistake to weld, brazing in a sleeve is the best option. Look how much is worn, steel would not wear that much due to the sliding of the handle. I did not help you to much but thought I would give you my 2cents, Let us know which way you go and show your work since we all learn from each other. Kevin

Thank you for the reply and advice!

He really wanted it welded and not brazed, so that's what I did.

I did end up using a sleeve for the handle. Without a mill I used a Foredom took and a 1/4" carbide burr to embiggen the hole until I could fit a sleeve with the right ID for the handle. Then I used the 55% nickel rods to weld it in place. However... my TIG/arc welder is an old Miller econotig, and it's in my basement. I couldn't get it up the stairs myself, and didn't want to smoke up the house, so I removed the flux and TIG'd it. It came out pretty good. I did have a hard time with undercut at the end, and just accepted some to call it done.

I also filled in the gouges in the jaws, and then reworked the faces of the jaws with a dremel tool.

In the end he was happy with the result, so... that was my goal.

Thanks again!
Steve

 

[KMScott]

I gave you what I got. Best I can do. You can design your own, especially if you have the vise in front of you.

mdkcal, I am happy to send you geometry for the teeth profile as a Autocad .dxf. Send me a PM with your e-mail. Here is a few random pictures of how I make pipe jaws, having a cad system makes it much easier unless you are real good at trig and have the time to do all the calculations.

The X dimensions are taken from the pin centerline, one picture shows how I pick up the pin and how I hold the pin with a magnet.


va, you did a pretty good job on your pipe jaws, they are not easy to make.

 

[va.grouseman]

Thanks Kevin, but I screwed up when I got to the center of the V.---I used a cut out cardboard template for shape and teeth size, but it gets kinda tricky towards the center of the V, keeping everything symmetrical.---If you look close you can see the foul-up.---A lathe and a jig is the real way to go.---I've got another set of those brass jaws to make but just dreading it.---I've had the material for a year now.

 

[mdkcal]

mdkcal, I am happy to send you geometry for the teeth profile as a Autocad .dxf. Send me a PM with your e-mail. Here is a few random pictures of how I make pipe jaws, having a cad system makes it much easier unless you are real good at trig and have the time to do all the calculations.

The X dimensions are taken from the pin centerline, one picture shows how I pick up the pin and how I hold the pin with a magnet.

Wow. Thanks for the details. I have CATIA to model the parts. The info you provided is plenty for me to draw up the details. Of course after I finish other projects. I'll share what I come up with (may be a while though).

 

[mdkcal]

Double post

 

[BMR24]

Hey guys,
It's been a while since I've posted, a lot going on. I've got this prentiss 95 that is in pretty good shape except for the swivel base is long gone and someone brazed a chunk of 1/2" plate to the bottom. Anyone have any ideas on how to remove the plate without molesting the vise?

 

[ClappedOutBport]

You ought to be able to melt it off.

 

[Outlawmws]

I agree melt it off, but I'd start on the two outside bits and get as much as possible off, then let that cool and whack both with a cold chisel into the plate. THEN try to re-flow the center and see if that will let you whack the plate side ways, (breaking the remaining outer braise) and once it started rotating knock it upwards and of that center boss...

 

[Unruh]

I have a Reed 406 that I got a few days ago. I know it needs a lot of work.

I see it has a pin on the back. I ran a wire wheel around the seam and it looks like it isn't really rusted or welded anywhere. I should be able to pivot that.

How can I get this pin out? Does it have to come out to pivot?

 

[va.grouseman]

It knocks out from the bottom, and yes, the pin has to come out before the swivel jaw will pivot.---Take a punch and knock it out.

 

[Unruh]

It knocks out from the bottom, and yes, the pin has to come out before the swivel jaw will pivot.

Do I just hit it with a hammer or is there some secret?

 

[va.grouseman]

Sometimes it will just tap right on out, but sometimes they are really seized and you will have to soak it with some penetrating oil for a day or 2.---And if it is really stubborn you can heat the area of the swivel jaw around the pin with a torch and then tap on the pin some more.---Eventually it will give up the ghost and pop out.

 

[Shiftless]

It knocks out from the bottom, and yes, the pin has to come out before the swivel jaw will pivot.---Take a punch and knock it out.

va is right.
But be careful you don’t peen over the bottom of that pin. Many of us use a jack screw to push out those pins. A tough one of mine required threading a hole in the top of the pin and lifting it out with a puller.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Do I just hit it with a hammer or is there some secret?

I made a screw jack for mine that pushed it up from the bottom. You just need two bolts and a threaded coupler. You use two wrenches to turn them. Mine was really stuck and it came out with a bang at high speed so watch out!

 

[va.grouseman]

Unruh, when you get the pin out, the swivel jaw may be seized up too, so be very ginger with it as some fellows have busted their swivel jaw by banging on it too aggressive to try to get it to turn.---That's why you see some swivel jaws welded to the static body, because after the turret is busted, cracked, or sheared off, welding is the only way to get any further use out of the vise.---The swivel jaw is a useful innovation that will come in real handy on odd shaped objects, so don't hauss it.

 

[snapon12]

What is the best way to straighten up the handles that are bent?

 

[trijeff]

Arbor press

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[Ststephen7]

Depending on the bend I use another vise cold, or heat it red with the torch and then use the vise. This usually works very well for me.

I have also used v blocks and a large clamp...

 

[snapon12]

Those are both very good ideas.

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[DFB]

I also have had good results using a second vise to straighten handles

 

[snapon12]

I got most of it with the other vice I was working on. Is there a photo size limit on garage journal?

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[Unruh]

Unruh, when you get the pin out, the swivel jaw may be seized up too, so be very ginger with it as some fellows have busted their swivel jaw by banging on it too aggressive to try to get it to turn.---That's why you see some swivel jaws welded to the static body, because after the turret is busted, cracked, or sheared off, welding is the only way to get any further use out of the vise.---The swivel jaw is a useful innovation that will come in real handy on odd shaped objects, so don't hauss it.

Ugh, this pin is getting me. I removed the base and ran a pipe up through the bottom so I could hit it even harder, but I am not getting any movement. I may just have to paint it up with it like this. I’m not sure I’ll ever use the pivot anyway.

 

[454ragtop]

I straighten handles with a hammer on my anvil, quick and easy, just keep rolling it and hitting it. Any solid metal surface should work if you don't have an anvil.

 

[Shiftless]

I straighten handles with a hammer on my anvil, quick and easy, just keep rolling it and hitting it. Any solid metal surface should work if you don't have an anvil.

I think here is the appropriate place to remind people about using a chunk of railroad rail as a poor man’s anvil. Works for me!

Whatever you do, don’t hammer on the back of a bench vise !!!

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Ugh, this pin is getting me. I removed the base and ran a pipe up through the bottom so I could hit it even harder, but I am not getting any movement. I may just have to paint it up with it like this. I’m not sure I’ll ever use the pivot anyway.

Don't give up yet! Try the screw jack method. I turned mine a bit then hit the body with a torch and kept repeating until I got it. Unless it's one of the threaded kind that others have mentioned it WILL come out! It is a VERY useful feature once you have it available to you. You will probably need pretty big bolts. Tractor supply on Bucklin hill has what you need.

 

[Outlawmws]

It's a Reed so should not be threaded in...

 

[va.grouseman]

Unruh, I agree with Mr. W, You can get it out, you just have to be resolute.---Just say, ''this thing is not going to beat me''.-------One thing that works for me some times is to actually tighten the pin further.---It's like when I'm changing a tire there is always that one lug that just will not budge.---I use a impact wrench and once in a while even with it it will not budge , so I do the unthinkable, I tighten it further.---Then hit loosen and it backs right off.---I'm suggesting you try the same thing on your pin.---Vibration is one of the best lubricants available, and it's free.---Hit it on top with a brass hammer and from the bottom with the punch.---Alternate back and forth, but only after you have prepared the vise in advance.--Penetrating oil, then heat the area surrounding the pin, then commence the banging process.

 

[KMScott]

Unruh, I do not know if this helps but I did write a blog on it, and everyone that was stuck came out a different way.

https://wiltonviseparts.wordpress.c...aw-taper-pins-removal-sizing-and-fabrication/

Just have to figure out which method works with what equipment you have to work with. My best friend with anything that is stuck is heat, I would heat the casting all around the pin, let it cool, tap it with a piece of copper, re heat and keep trying to break the seal. Using any kind of fluid is a waste of time for me. added my 2 cents, Good luck.

 

[Unruh]

Okay everyone, thank you for the words of encouragement. KMScott, those pictures helped me get an idea of what I’m working with. I’ll go get a couple bolts and a sleeve this weekend. That and some heat, some pounding, 12 pack of beer, and some swearing should be just what it takes!

 

[va.grouseman]

Unruh, I think you're on to something.---Go light on the 12 pack or you won't know what you've been beating on till the next day.

 

[Unruh]

Unruh, I think you're on to something.---Go light on the 12 pack or you won't know what you've been beating on till the next day.

Gentlemen...

I bought two sets of bolts for this and they both just bend. I'm really giving it a lot of pressure. I actually left it under pressure now and heated it up around the pin and still nothing.

 

[va.grouseman]

As Winston Churchill and Henry Ford both said, "Never Give Up"

 

[AngryBeaver]

Gentlemen...

I bought two sets of bolts for this and they both just bend. I'm really giving it a lot of pressure. I actually left it under pressure now and heated it up around the pin and still nothing.

I would have used Grade 8 bolts, not grade 2 machine screws.....lol you need something big... 1/2" to 3/4"

 

[Unruh]

I would have used Grade 8 bolts, not grade 2 machine screws.....lol you need something big... 1/2" to 3/4"

I never expected that it would need that much force.

I went up a couple sizes.

Boys, Call 911 cause Drew just stole the show!!

 

[Unruh]

Now how do I get this girl to spin for me? Where is safe to hit it to try to loosen it up? I don't wanna break it.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Did it fire off like a bullet?