Old Vice How were the vice handles finished on the ends

[Foresttheblacksmith]

How were the ball ends of the old vices and Leg vices made and attached?

 

[four.cycle]

They were made by the Vise Genies.

 

[MovingAlong]

Hello, welcome, thanks for joining, please tell us more about yourself and your project.

Pictures of the handle in question would be helpful too.

 

[MushCreek]

I just made a new handle for my American Scale Red seal vise. The balls on the end appeared to be press fit. It may have been peened as well, but it was too beat up to tell. I bought pre-made balls from McMaster-Carr that were threaded. I threaded the new shaft and tightened them on with red Loctite.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Like Mushcreek, I buy pre made threaded balls from McMaster Carr. but I tap the handle ends and use a long set screw attach the ball to the handle. The setscrew is harder than the handle or ball and makes for a stronger joint. In reality, it is also easier than cutting a male thread on the handle. Just shape the end of the handle to minimize any gap between the handle and the ball when assembled.

 

[lilredex]

On my DIY woodworker's vise, I used a garage sale screw and added collars to the new handle. One was welded on, the other pinned, to make it removeable.

 

[jmarkwolf]

I have an old woodworkers vise similar to to lilredex's, on my dad's old wood working bench. The original handle was made from plumbing pipe and caps like lilredex's and I was always pinching my fingers under the caps when I was a kid. Apparently my dad was also because I noticed one day, decades ago, that he had changed out the the steel handle parts with wood and the problem was solved.

 

[john.k]

Dawn handles are forged into a ball both ends