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

[Shiftless]

If you can’t get complete submersion, here is a trick.

Put the part into a heavy plastic bag like a zip lock, Seal completely, fill the bag with Evaporust, then immerse the bag in a bucket of water. Keep the opening above water level if possible. Warm water speeds the chemical reaction of Evaporust eating the rust.

 

[tjpavlov]

If you can’t get complete submersion, here is a trick.

Put the part into a heavy plastic bag like a zip lock, Seal completely, fill the bag with Evaporust, then immerse the bag in a bucket of water. Keep the opening above water level if possible. Warm water speeds the chemical reaction of Evaporust eating the rust.

That's a great idea. Can't believe I didn't think of using a ziplock. If things don't turn out great in the morning I will give that a try.

Thanks!

 

[larry4406]

If you can’t get complete submersion, here is a trick.

Put the part into a heavy plastic bag like a zip lock, Seal completely, fill the bag with Evaporust, then immerse the bag in a bucket of water. Keep the opening above water level if possible. Warm water speeds the chemical reaction of Evaporust eating the rust.

Very clever!

 

[Shiftless]

That's a great idea. Can't believe I didn't think of using a ziplock. If things don't turn out great in the morning I will give that a try.

Thanks!

Very clever!

Thanks guys, but it wasn’t me who first suggested that trick. If one of the other contributors to this thread can remember who first posted that idea, let’s give him credit here.

 

[Outlawmws]

But also, credit to Shift for keeping it alive!

My only caution is to take measures to ensure you don't poke a hole in the bag, - double bagging might be a good idea, or padding the part or water container so a sharp corner is less likely to punch a hole.

 

[Shiftless]

Thanks Outlaw...and that’s excellent advice to pad the parts that have sharp edges to lessen the risk of puncture.

 

[RG Rude]

Simple Green is good. but I've recently changed over to Grezoff. Amazing stuff - I'm now using it for car parts (where I had switched over to SG from Solvents)

Thanks for the Grezoff tip!

 

[Outlawmws]

Actually the full credit for Grezoff goes to Frank Lee and the Craftsman DP thread. I picked it up from him.

 

[tjpavlov]

Just to update all of you who have been helping and following along.

I got my vise all taken apart and cleaned up. I wound up soaking it in how soapy water for about a half hour to help loosen up the grime and the grease. I rinsed it with a hose and then used Grez-off to degrease it. From there it went into a soak in Evaporust for about a day. It was amazing to see how different the Evaporust looked at the end--basically from yellow to brown. I took it out, rinsed and wire wheeled it. Man, wire wheeling is very satisfying, particularly on the handle. I think a grinder restoration is going to by my next project.

I wound up priming and painting it on Saturday. Just waiting another day before I put it all back together. I'll post up some finished pictures when it's all done.

Thanks again to all who helped walk me through this process!

 

[Fretters]

double bagging might be a good idea

I bet a few have heard that before.

 

[Outlawmws]

Just be more selective Frett!

 

[AreBeeBee]

Hello all, I'm a new member with a question about finishing a vise as bare metal. The vise is a 5-inch Craftsman 506-51810, made by Columbian (in 1960? to 1975?). I got it at a Mid-West Tool Collectors meet a couple weekends ago.

The four images below show the vise as bought, its two sides cleaned of paint, and the state of the jaws.

Yep, hacksaw cuts on them plus a small, less than 1 mm, out-of-parallel error in seating the right side of the fixed jaw insert. (Clogged and damaged slots on the screws promise lots of fun loosening them.) So far neither the cut marks nor the insert misalignment are a problem for me in use.

I'll probably tackle loosening the inserts and seating them properly as the next project with this vise, but there's no hurry as it works well enough as is. The vise is not going to see action beyond basic home handyman projects.

However after I stripped off the gray paint then the Craftsman red below it, I got to liking the bare metal finish. My original plan was to strip it down then repaint in dark blue with the make, model number, and chevrons picked out in silver. I may still do that.

For now however I'm leaving it bare. But to protect it from rust, I've painted the casting parts with a coat of shellac (Zinnser's bulls-eye clear shellac).

So my question, after all this preamble, is why isn't shellac used more often in cases like this? It's easy to apply and dries fast. It can also be removed with denatured alcohol.

Numerous restorers in this thread and others at GJ have spoken of wiped-on BLO in one or more coats and waiting perhaps a day between coats for it to harden. With the shellac, one coat covers it and dries in about 30 minutes or less, depending on conditions. (It darkens the metal a little, but so does BLO it seems.)

Is there a reason NOT to use shellac as a bare metal finish? I'm hoping to hear from people who know a whole lot more than I about this —

 

[RTM]

as a woodworker, (and MWTCA member), I would think that shellac might tend to flake a bit more than BLO, which would just wear. Shellac has good adhesion properties, but I also think it’s bit more fragile overall.

¢¢

 

[AreBeeBee]

Thanks, RTM. I've used Zinnser's shellac on various tool handles, wood and metal, but don't have a long baseline of experience to see how well it holds up.

I guess the vise will be another item in the test!

Thanks again —

 

[Outlawmws]

I agree Shellac is more brittle than BLO. BLO is like "Natures Polyurethane" . Mind you I like Shellac on wood - I use it a lot, but some places I need Poly's durability...

For metal I'd go with BLO.

 

[RTM]

My usual choice for wooden tool handles is a 1/3 mix each of BLO, turpentine and beeswax. It will feel much better in the hand over time. Shellac is very versatile, a great sealer, intermediate coat, top coat, but tool handles would not be the top of the list.

 

[doubletroubledan]

Anybody use Shima ?
I tried it and will let everyone else that has , tell you if it works .

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WLD38SN/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Multi-Purpose Rust Remover, Uscharm Anti-Rust Lubricant Multipurpose Rust & Iron Stain Remover Rust Removal Iron Stain Removal Toilet Stain Remover
Brand: Uscharm_Household Cleaners


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REQUIRES NO SPECIAL EQUIPMENT – No need to wear gloves, or masks or any protective gears! It is absolutely safe to use around kids and pets!
EASY TO USE – Just spray and wipe! No elbow greasing of any kind involved!
SAFE – Friendly, non-corrosive, no fumes! It is safe to use on almost everything; safe on paints, any metal surfaces, plastics, and vinyl. It is also non-conductive and will not cause short circuits, so it’s safe to use even on electronics!

 

[htw]

WILTON UNIVERSAL TURRET VISE REPAIR INFO

Since the locking mechanism repair information for this vise is essential not available on the internet, I would like to put down as much information as possible to help others.

Background: I Picked up this vise a couple month ago, please see post here.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8607244&postcount=80274
It misses the original locking mechanism. I spent a lot of time searching the internet, as well as asking a few GJ members who may still own the same vise; however, could not find any pictures for the locking mechanism.

A couple weeks ago when browsing the forum I happened to see a 2019 post by Productbob that he also owned the same vise. I took a chance and sent him the message, and he was very helpful and replied immediately to confirm that he still owns the vise and later sent the detailed measurement of the internal mechanism. It was a simple cylinder with a chamfer. Please see the last picture for the dimension and the actual part. Highly appreciate Productbob’s help.

I already bought a 7/8” alumina rod, and finally got the time to make the part. It turned out not as easy as I thought it would be. Since I did not have a real drill press (only a small one to mount Dremel which could not drill a large hole), it was difficult to drill a perfectly vertical hole. I used the small Dremel drill press to drill a small hole and enlarged it step by step to 25/64” (3/8” is too tight for a 3/8” bolt). With some further filing and fitting I finally could get it to work, but from the picture you can see the hole is not centered and vertical.

I used a 6" long 3/8 (16 TPI) eye bolt from Home Depot, and used 2 nuts and washers to adjust the space. I also bought a 2-1/2" long 3/8 socket cap bolt trying to make it look more authentic but found it's not as convenient as the eye bolt. With eye bolt I can just use the hand to tighten and if needed use a screwdriver in the eye to tighten further.

I think because of the soft alumina even if I get the bolt really tight I can still rotate the jaw if I try hard. Not sure if the original steel part can get it locked down really tight. But I'm very happy overall, and may consider making a steel part in the future.

When I was at it I also bought ¼ (20 TPI) ½” socket cap screws to replace the original Philips screws for jaws, they looked better and easier to tighten.

 

[Fretters]

Just be more selective Frett!

Beggars can't be choosers.

 

[Fretters]

Shellac, I believe, is prone to flake? With the likes of linseed oil or wax/beeswax, the only maintenance they require is an occasional reapplication when they wear.

 

[AreBeeBee]

I've been using shellac (Zinsser's) for several years now for wood and metal tool handles and not seen any erosion or loss of the shellac. I'll keep an eye on the vise and see how well the shellac holds up. If it starts to flake or wear, I'll remove it and consider whether to use paint, as I had originally planned, or BLO.

In putting BLO on the eyes of hammers to keep them from drying out, I've noted that any BLO that gets on the metal head tends to remain pretty stubbornly. So that may be the eventual outcome.

 

[Fretters]

If using linseed oil, the beauty of it is that you can paint straight over it later on, if you decide to go with paint instead.

 

[AreBeeBee]

Painting over it also works with shellac, at least Zinsser's, according to the label which says it works as a sealer. Anyway, I'm probably months to a year away from deciding which course to take.

 

[RTM]

As long as its dewaxed shellac, certainly can paint over. Not sure about the other.

 

[jaycobie]

Does anyone know about a site that sells vise jaw screws with a 30-35° countersink?
I need 4x 1/4-20 screws, 3/8" long for an Oswego 23 bench vise.

I would rather I could just get ready-made screws than have to grind down larger headed screws to fit.

If no-one has them, I'm kinda surprised some enterprising guy or gal didn't custom-order some 5/16-18 and 1/4-20 screws with that taper head to sell, seeing as how lots of bench vises seem to have exactly that type of screw.

 

[RTM]

It is pretty fast to grind them down, chuck them up in a drill, run them against a grinder wheel. I used allen heads.

 

[Tinkerer2]

Does anyone know about a site that sells vise jaw screws with a 30-35° countersink?
I need 4x 1/4-20 screws, 3/8" long for an Oswego 23 bench vise.

I would rather I could just get ready-made screws than have to grind down larger headed screws to fit.

If no-one has them, I'm kinda surprised some enterprising guy or gal didn't custom-order some 5/16-18 and 1/4-20 screws with that taper head to sell, seeing as how lots of bench vises seem to have exactly that type of screw.

I put mine in a drill press and used a file. Didn't take long.

 

[KMScott]

Does anyone know about a site that sells vise jaw screws with a 30-35° countersink?
I need 4x 1/4-20 screws, 3/8" long for an Oswego 23 bench vise.

I would rather I could just get ready-made screws than have to grind down larger headed screws to fit.

If no-one has them, I'm kinda surprised some enterprising guy or gal didn't custom-order some 5/16-18 and 1/4-20 screws with that taper head to sell, seeing as how lots of bench vises seem to have exactly that type of screw.

Well no one makes them, if you have old vises then sometimes you have to make some vise parts your self. Not hard to do just have to do it. I cut a nut so it squeezes over the threads either in a drill chuck or lathe. I use my woodworking lathe.

 

[cheeky]

Finished
I used the collar stop on the screw. I put the smaller tapered side against the dynamic head and put just a drop of blue loctite on the set screw. That 1/16" or so space that I left when I marked the spot to create a divot for the set screw was perfect. Handle turns perfectly and there isn't any noticeable slop.

Great tip @Tinkerer2.

Any suggestions on getting the retaining ring/collar for the lead screw (near the handle -- see attached pic) off and back on other than just brute force and wrangling? I didn't see it on your group of photos so maybe it was already gone when you got it?

 

[Tinkerer2]

I spun it around and put the open part 180 degrees from the where you are looking. I then took a dremel and carefully removed part of the clip. Shaved it off. Making it thinner in that spot made it a lot easier to spread it apart. I knew I'd never be able to get it back on so destroying it was ok. BTW, the collar stop worked perfectly.

What vise is this on?

 

[AreBeeBee]

Cheeky —

I had a similar collar on the Craftsman 5-inch (#506-51810) that I needed to remove to get the lead screw out. I finally pried it apart enough with an old screwdriver and got the gap (like that shown in your photo) wide enough to let the screw slide out for cleaning.

For putting it back, I was planning on slipping the screw in and somehow forcing the collar back together enough to keep the screw and dynamic jaw moving together.

Then on a trip to Ace hardware — one of the canonical three trips necessary for any project — I found an 1/8" hairpin retainer, half-an-inch in diameter, like that shown below. I bought two of them because the collar's raceway(?) was 1/4" wide. I had to trim about 1/8" off the two legs of the hairpin to get it to fit into the U-channel. (Yours may or may not need this.) The two pins, well greased, now hold the screw and jaw together perfectly.

(I put the collar aside, just in case. But I'll probably toss it one of these days. I don't really trust a piece of metal that has been forced open and closed perhaps several times, as mine was.)

Besides being easier to install than the collar (to say the least), the hairpins can be easily removed (and re-inserted) with needlenose pliers, should you ever wish to remove the lead screw again.

 

[cheeky]

I spun it around and put the open part 180 degrees from the where you are looking. I then took a dremel and carefully removed part of the clip. Shaved it off. Making it thinner in that spot made it a lot easier to spread it apart. I knew I'd never be able to get it back on so destroying it was ok. BTW, the collar stop worked perfectly.

What vise is this on?

Thanks, it's a shame it can't be reused, but I guess there are more modern reusable retaining rings that are now available.

To your question, it's the same vise as yours - Columbian 804.

 

[cheeky]

Cheeky —

I had a similar collar on the Craftsman 5-inch (#506-51810) that I needed to remove to get the lead screw out. I finally pried it apart enough with an old screwdriver and got the gap (like that shown in your photo) wide enough to let the screw slide out for cleaning.

For putting it back, I was planning on slipping the screw in and somehow forcing the collar back together enough to keep the screw and dynamic jaw moving together.

Then on a trip to Ace hardware — one of the canonical three trips necessary for any project — I found an 1/8" hairpin retainer, half-an-inch in diameter, like that shown below. I bought two of them because the collar's raceway(?) was 1/4" wide. I had to trim about 1/8" off the two legs of the hairpin to get it to fit into the U-channel. (Yours may or may not need this.) The two pins, well greased, now hold the screw and jaw together perfectly.

(I put the collar aside, just in case. But I'll probably toss it one of these days. I don't really trust a piece of metal that has been forced open and closed perhaps several times, as mine was.)

Besides being easier to install than the collar (to say the least), the hairpins can be easily removed (and re-inserted) with needlenose pliers, should you ever wish to remove the lead screw again.

Ah, I was thinking typical external retaining ring or an e-clip, but your suggestion might be easier. There will be some friction/tension, but probably not enough to feel, right?

 

[AreBeeBee]

E-clips by design are pretty thin, and it looked in your image that the slot or raceway for the collar looked as wide as mine. Which doesn't surprise me, now that you mention your vise is a Columbian. Columbian made the Craftsman vises that have the 506-##### prefix....

As I said, grease 'em, and if one of both work loose, they are easily removeable with needlenose pliers.

Good luck!

 

[AreBeeBee]

Meant to add —

Yes, no friction that a single finger on the tommy-bar can't overcome. Nor have I seen any signs of them working loose.

Given the complcated planning I was doing to tighten up that collar — wedges, and skinny Vise-Grips or something, maybe a mallet? — the ease with which these pups snapped into place in the lead screw's raceway was almost laughable.

 

[Tinkerer2]

Here is a link to the collar I replaced it with:

3/4" SHAFT SOLID STEEL ZINC PLATED SET SCREW COLLAR STOP

 

[cheeky]

Cheeky —

Then on a trip to Ace hardware — one of the canonical three trips necessary for any project — I found an 1/8" hairpin retainer, half-an-inch in diameter, like that shown below. I bought two of them because the collar's raceway(?) was 1/4" wide. I had to trim about 1/8" off the two legs of the hairpin to get it to fit into the U-channel. (Yours may or may not need this.) The two pins, well greased, now hold the screw and jaw together perfectly.

I couldn't find it at my local Ace HW, but found it on the Home Depot site. Btw, they call it an external hitch pin. in case anyone else is searching.

 

[AreBeeBee]

Glad you found it. I use two of them because that neatly fills that channel where the collar went.

I expected the piece of hardware would be found under different names in different sources, which is why I posted a photo of what to look for.

Just keep in mind that if the cover channel for the lead screw is narrow, you may have to clip off a bit of the pins' legs so they can get onto the lead screw.

Edit: And in the McMaster-Carr catalogue: https://www.mcmaster.com/hairpins/hairpin-clips/

 

[Roberts210]

I found this Wilton 3" machinist's vise today at the local junkyard for $5. But dern it, it's missing the horse-shoe shaped piece on the front that screws to the front of the dynamic. I know somebody here knows where I can get one.

 

[Roberts210]

And which swivel base will fit this vise? Anyone know?