Rock Island 577 restoration

06 DIESEL · Feb 18, 2013

Well, kinda a restoration. I bought this vise off of CL on Saturday. I decided to give it a paint job before figuring out what I am going to use it for. The jaws were very tight to move, a little KROIL and they moved easily. The base took some convincing to get to move but it finally started to move after soaking with KROIL for about an hour. The base has what appears to be a screw, but I could not for the life of me get it to thread out. I was fairly motivated on Saturday so it got completely painted but I wanted to wait for the paint to set up good before I put it back together. The tag was not readable, but still there so I just painted over it to try and save what was still there. I think it is going to go on a stand and be mobile, well as mobile as a 145# vise can be. Here are the pictures.

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/46982_4424542207936_909077901_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/602174_4424542287938_537768615_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/382364_4424542327939_1304183637_n.jpg

https://sphotos-b.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/66147_4424542607946_346901324_n.jpg

https://sphotos-b.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/45274_4424542727949_234559180_n.jpg

https://sphotos-b.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/188309_4424542807951_202153501_n.jpg

https://sphotos-b.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/60780_4424543007956_492198357_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/76040_4424543207961_339751396_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/551481_4424543367965_2126140786_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/563463_4424543487968_800400867_n.jpg

Adam McLaughlin · Feb 18, 2013

Bravo

Rickenbackerman · Feb 19, 2013

I was eyeballing that one on CL, what did you pay for it?

Trey T · Feb 19, 2013

good work, man.

mattmankow · Feb 19, 2013

Guy that he got it from told me he wanted $100, but seemed kinda weird.

87Pomona · Feb 19, 2013

Looks good, except for the painted handle :eyecrazy:

Packard V8 · Feb 19, 2013

What a transformation!

Is this our first Halloween vise?

jack vines

06 DIESEL · Feb 19, 2013

Rickenbackerman said:
I was eyeballing that one on CL, what did you pay for it?

mattmankow said:
Guy that he got it from told me he wanted $100, but seemed kinda weird.

I did pay $100 for it, and the guy was not weird in the slightest. As a matter of fact we BS'd for a good half hour over other things we happened to have in common.

87Pomona said:
Looks good, except for the painted handle

I figured I would see what it looked like with the handle painted a different color, it will only take a little time to switch it to black if I do not like it.

Packard V8 said:
What a transformation!

Is this our first Halloween vise?

jack vines

I have no idea what you mean as Halloween vise. It is painted black and candy apple red, not orange.

Thanks for the kind words, hopefully this weekend I will get a chance to get over to the garage again and get it assembled.

mattmankow · Feb 20, 2013

Keyword was seemed. His email to me said "its probably worth $125, I want $100". Just got a feeling...

Mercnuts · Feb 20, 2013

I restored a 574. I used that vise yesterday after years of using Chinese vises. I tightened down on the handle and it almost felt like it was hydraulic that thing was smooth, they don't make that in china what I learned

PT Doc · Feb 20, 2013

Looks good, I wouldn't paint the handle or the screw nor the slide.

Mercnuts · Feb 20, 2013

You can put that in your front yard in October to give the holloween spirit.

mattmankow · Feb 20, 2013

Only problem with putting it out for Halloween, in Middleriver they wouldn't bring it in until July 4th. :lol:

Catamount · Feb 20, 2013

Nice work! Although I think you'd like the look of a polished/waxed slide better as the paint on that slide will start to go away as you use it.

06 DIESEL said:
I figured I would see what it looked like with the handle painted a different color, it will only take a little time to switch it to black if I do not like it.

Same thing here; I think he meant you might like it better without a painted handle. Clean off the paint & wax it. There is a reason manufacturers don't paint the slide or handle.

ZRX61 · Feb 20, 2013

Have the jaws been welded on? Something doesn't quite look right

06 DIESEL · Feb 20, 2013

mattmankow said:
Only problem with putting it out for Halloween, in Middleriver they wouldn't bring it in until July 4th.

I wouldn't put it out anyway, where I live if you are close enough to see lawn decorations you better have been invited because you have already been trespassing for a 1/4 mile.

Catamount said:
Nice work! Although I think you'd like the look of a polished/waxed slide better as the paint on that slide will start to go away as you use it.

The steel under the paint is not good enough to wax it. If the paint does not hold up I will powder coat it.

ZRX61 said:
Have the jaws been welded on? Something doesn't quite look right

They have not, but they clearly have high use and abuse. I did not try to take them off since I do not have a new set. It does look like the vise was used without the wear jaws for a while though.

ZRX61 · Feb 20, 2013

06 DIESEL said:
They have not, but they clearly have high use and abuse. I did not try to take them off since I do not have a new set. It does look like the vise was used without the wear jaws for a while though.

It was this pic that had me thinking they were welded on:

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/602174_4424542287938_537768615_n.jpg

If that's not dirt etc & just general damage right behind the jaw, I'd fill it with some JB Weld

Catamount · Feb 20, 2013

06 DIESEL said:
The steel under the paint is not good enough to wax it. If the paint does not hold up I will powder coat it.

It's a vise. Hit it with a flap disk and toss some paste wax on there. Powdercoating the slide? That should do interesting things to the tolerance?

ZRX61 · Feb 21, 2013

Catamount said:
It's a vise. Hit it with a flap disk and toss some paste wax on there. Powdercoating the slide? That should do interesting things to the tolerance?

I hit the slides on mine with #220 discs on the DA.. sometimes also buzz them with a Roloc disc.

This is #220:
https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/383887_2692364601108_815952525_n.jpg

This is Roloc disc finish (after I hit it with #220 on the DA):
https://sphotos-b.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/225062_1881202842571_3892944_n.jpg

Mohawk Dave · Feb 21, 2013

ZRX61 said:
I hit the slides on mine with #220 discs on the DA.. sometimes also buzz them with a Roloc disc.

What Roloc do you use? Here's a link to Amazon, but IDK which one. I read the descriptions, but...http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...refix=roloc dis,aps,144&rh=i:aps,k:roloc disc

Thanks!

And to the OP, looks good! But like others said, I'd strip the screw for sure and then put some anti-sieze on it and the nut. The handle will scratch up, but it's yours. Does your Rock Island have play in the slide, like, say 1-2 mm? Mine do..but it doesn't affect the performance and they square up nice.

06 DIESEL · Feb 21, 2013

ZRX61 said:
If that's not dirt etc & just general damage right behind the jaw, I'd fill it with some JB Weld

I will have to look into it as far as the dirt behind the jaw, after looking at the picture it does look like there is some in there.

Catamount said:
It's a vise. Hit it with a flap disk and toss some paste wax on there.

ZRX61 said:
I hit the slides on mine with #220 discs on the DA.. sometimes also buzz them with a Roloc disc.

This is #220:
https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/383887_2692364601108_815952525_n.jpg

Dang that looks good after hitting them with the 220 grit. Might just have to do that before I put it together this weekend.

Mohawk Dave said:
Does your Rock Island have play in the slide, like, say 1-2 mm? Mine do..but it doesn't affect the performance and they square up nice.

Yes there was play in it before I took it apart. I am sure that if I assemble it the same way it came apart it will have play in it, which I will not mind as I am sure it will square up nicely.

ZRX61 · Feb 25, 2013

Mohawk Dave said:
What Roloc do you use?

These:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B91090/?tag=atomicindus08-20

or worn coarse (brown) ones.

I also buzz the ends of the jaws, altho in the pic of RockIsland I hadn't got around to it when I took the pic.The pic of the Record shows it.

06 DIESEL · Feb 26, 2013

Welp, as said earlier the tolerances were too tight for me to be able to assemble it with the slide painted. So here it is before I put any wax on it and I am not quite done cleaning up the slide and handle section, I was tired of using the grinder.

https://sphotos-b.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/733914_4460360103361_1885262486_n.jpg

https://sphotos-b.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/558085_4460360223364_1914371446_n.jpg

Mohawk Dave · Feb 26, 2013

ZRX61 said:
These:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B91090/?tag=atomicindus08-20

or worn course (brown) ones.

Thank you sir.

ZRX61 · Feb 26, 2013

One other thing I sometimes do is fill the dings in the slide with JBweld

06 DIESEL · Feb 27, 2013

This vise definitely has had a hard life. There are more dings in it from misuse and abuse than I care to fill in currently. It looks good enough for me to use it currently and if some day I happen to come across another one that I am going to use instead of this one then it will get the full restoration treatment. I already have more time in it than I planned.

Mohawk Dave · Feb 28, 2013

My Rock Island was used real hard as well. Lots of dings and dents and gouges. Therefore, I purposely shined it up and just clear coated it..kind of like showing off battle wounds. Which is cool because it still functions flawlessly and is square.

When/if I get a vise that is real clean and only a couple abuses, then I fill it and sand it down. YMMV of course. Looks good either way!

Catalyze · Feb 28, 2013

Congratulations on a great outcome and effort!!
My old Rock Island has more scars on its slide than a tomcat's ears. The only thing that wasn't done to it was launch the space shuttle off of it. I didn't care and just polished up all those battle wounds like medals. Rock Islands are great old survivors....and now you have one too!
Craig

Frank · Mar 23, 2013

I came across this old Rock Island 571 today I am thinking of restoring if I get it. It appears battleship gray was the original color on these?

street131 · Mar 23, 2013

wow, what a beautiful vise, nice find

Rock Island 577 restoration

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