Hello - I've been using this site for great info for years, but finally registered and this is my first post. Love this forum!
I came across an Athol 3-1/2" vise that his heavily used but closes nice and parallel. The only functional issue I see is the screw is bent, and seemingly it is bent after the handle, somewhere after it goes through the end of the moving jaw. Below you can see the nut needs to travel all the way side-to-side while using the vise. The handle has no noticeable runout. I'm planning to find a way to compress the spring and remove the cotter pin so I can attempt to bend the shaft back on my shop press.
Are these screws reasonably easy to straighten or are they hardened / brittle? Hoping I can get it at least closer than it is. I'm reading through Vise repair 101 and it answered a bunch of my questions, or at least to the point that I know enough to be dangerous.
The vise cleaned up nicely. It had some crappy silver paint on it that came off with degreaser and a stiff brush. I was left with a nice patina and some original-looking paint. Even though it has a bunch of battle scars I plan to leave it as is - I kinda like the look!
Thanks to any advise you might have for bending the screw, otherwise I plan to just get it positioned under my shop press and adjust it to at least get it closer.
Here you can see the nut moves from side-to-side while spinning the hanlde: Handle is parallel in the left picture and flipped 180 degrees in the second picture. There is no noticeable runout on the handle itself - it stays perpendicular to the front of the vise.
Now I just need to figure out how to compress the spring and get the cotter pin out. The vise repair thread has some great ideas I'll use:
Here is the beast in its rugged glory! Lots of heavy use / possible grinding around the jaw, but the jaws themselves are in great shape and close very parallel. The slide seems almost unworn. I thought about trying to smooth it out but I kinda like it as-is. Jaws do not appear to be removable but are very hard (I tried to file a small upset bit on the end and the file wouldn't touch it). Were these brazed on from the factory? I see no attachment point, they almost look just fixed in place.
I came across an Athol 3-1/2" vise that his heavily used but closes nice and parallel. The only functional issue I see is the screw is bent, and seemingly it is bent after the handle, somewhere after it goes through the end of the moving jaw. Below you can see the nut needs to travel all the way side-to-side while using the vise. The handle has no noticeable runout. I'm planning to find a way to compress the spring and remove the cotter pin so I can attempt to bend the shaft back on my shop press.
Are these screws reasonably easy to straighten or are they hardened / brittle? Hoping I can get it at least closer than it is. I'm reading through Vise repair 101 and it answered a bunch of my questions, or at least to the point that I know enough to be dangerous.
The vise cleaned up nicely. It had some crappy silver paint on it that came off with degreaser and a stiff brush. I was left with a nice patina and some original-looking paint. Even though it has a bunch of battle scars I plan to leave it as is - I kinda like the look!
Thanks to any advise you might have for bending the screw, otherwise I plan to just get it positioned under my shop press and adjust it to at least get it closer.
Here you can see the nut moves from side-to-side while spinning the hanlde: Handle is parallel in the left picture and flipped 180 degrees in the second picture. There is no noticeable runout on the handle itself - it stays perpendicular to the front of the vise.
Now I just need to figure out how to compress the spring and get the cotter pin out. The vise repair thread has some great ideas I'll use:
Here is the beast in its rugged glory! Lots of heavy use / possible grinding around the jaw, but the jaws themselves are in great shape and close very parallel. The slide seems almost unworn. I thought about trying to smooth it out but I kinda like it as-is. Jaws do not appear to be removable but are very hard (I tried to file a small upset bit on the end and the file wouldn't touch it). Were these brazed on from the factory? I see no attachment point, they almost look just fixed in place.
