Drilling Wilton Vise: Fix jaw

[yeldogt]

New jaws arrived for the 3.5" wilton vise in the thread I posted a few weeks ago -- sure enough it looks like someone tried to make a new jaw and in doing so had the great idea to re-drilled the head ... wrong.

The new jaws line up with 3 of the screws -- it looks like the original hole was plugged -- somehow.

How do you fix something like that properly? Use a steel plug and re-drill? The second hole is offset -- so drilling in the original is not going to be a clean new hole.

Are they cast steel?

 

[yeldogt]

I'd locktite in a plug to get some metal in there to keep the bit form wandering, and then redrill oversize to clean up all the previous holes/plugs. Locktite in a plug, and then drill & retap to the correct size and location. Exactly how you execute all this depends on where/how the existing holes are located.

That may be above my pay grade.

The hole is offset enough that it will not work/ line up with the the new/ correct jaws. It's not far enough away that I can just re- drill the proper hole and leave the old one there.

There is a plug or something in the old hole -- it's not epoxy.

I wonder if they screwed a bolt in and cut it off ??

 

[gnpenning]

I wonder if they screwed in a bolt in and cut it off ??

Loctite first. I haven't seen the thread you mentioned, but you need a solid plug before redrilling and taping holes to match to fix what you described. This should be the easiest as long as you redrill the holes straight. Flat surface then center punch before drilling.

 

[David Jackson]

Maybe use red locktite?

 

[isb cornbinder]

Why are yo not making you own replacement jaws?

 

[yeldogt]

Why are yo not making you own replacement jaws?

I don't have much experience with metal work ... cutting the jaws ..etc.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Experience starts with the first attempt.

 

[RTM]

I would determine the makeup of the existing plug, and if it’s solid enough to support a jaw. Seems knowing that, and then upgrading if needed, should be the first step. I don’t know how high the strength needs to be, but lateral movement concerns me more than pull out strength.

 

[ssdave]

If you think this is above your pay grade, break it down into simple steps until it is within your capability.

Can you drill and tap a blind hole in a flat, solid piece of steel? If so, this is within your capability.

What you are trying to do is get back to a clean, undrilled, flat surface to drill and tap.

First, you need to screw something into the off center hole so you have a more or less solid piece to work with. That way, the bit won't wander off track into the old hole, and you will have metal to drill and tap. To do this, screw something appropriately threaded into the bad hole. Use locktite to hold it in so it doesn't move while you're drilling and/or tapping new holes. Grind or file this off flush with the surface.

Now, you have a clean, solid piece to work on. Mark your hole location from the new jaws with a transfer punch, or center punch. Look at it. Does there appear to be enough metal to allow you to drill and tap a new, correctly sized hole in that location? If so, just drill and tap it and you're done.

If the swiss cheese filled surface won't allow you to drill and tap the correct size, drill out a larger area, and locktite in a steel rod that size. Grind/file it off flush, and then mark, drill and tap the now newly refreshed surface/area for your mounting screw.

Not a real difficult operation to get where you're going. Just break it down into small, achievable tasks.

 

[yeldogt]

Have an old unopened tap set from sears -- could be 40 years old. I do have a drill press ....

It's the movable jaw ... So easier than the other part.