Build me a tool

[964haus]

Well, maybe a better title is "tell me what it would cost to build this tool".

So I'm at the start of restoring a Wilton vise and the dynamic jaw is seized. Going through the process of trying things - I've soaked it, PB blastered it, wacked it with a dead blow mallet.My next hope is to use a tool like the one used in this video (before electrolysis):

(If you start at 1:07 through 2:00 mark, you’ll see what I’m after).


I sent the video to a metal shop close to me and they figure around $250. This seems really high to me, but I could be totally wrong - and I don't want to insult anyone. Happy to pay for people to use their mind and tools.

But, just wondered if people on here think that's reasonable? How hard would this be to do myself? I don't have any welding/metal fabrication capacity yet....

So, whaddyathink for the 2 main pieces + long bolts? Of course if anyone wanted to make me one, I'd be happy to pass it along to the next GJ member.

Thanks all,
M

 

[Dumber than lumber]

I would figure any self respecting machine shop would need at least that much for the job. And I am not trying to insult anyone, either.
Could you get the components from McMaster Carr and do it yourself? And how much would the components cost?
If it were me trying to do it on the cheap I would get some unistrut, and some threaded rod and nuts. The deal with the one in the the You Tube video is that he has a square thread (Acme?) rod. And that is going to be a lot stronger than normal threaded rod.

 

[Cruzan80]

Doesnt look to be that complicated. You could probably get away with two square pieces, and just tap one of them. So if you can drill in metal, and tap it, the rest looks easy enough. Either long bolts, or threaded rod with jam nuts.

Didnt look like the video had Acme rods, just looked like standard 60deg V to me.

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[Dumber than lumber]

Doesnt look to be that complicated. You could probably get away with two square pieces, and just tap one of them. So if you can drill in metal, and tap it, the rest looks easy enough. Either long bolts, or threaded rod with jam nuts.

Didnt look like the video had Acme rods, just looked like standard 60deg V to me.

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You seem to be correct. I got fixated on the thread for the vise itself.

 

[Corndoggeh]

I would consider getting -anything- made at a machine shop for less than $400 as a win. A lot of shops usually want a CAD model as well I've come to find out.

I'd probably make that from 2 pieces of flat bar and some threaded rod, though. 3/4" thick plate cut to size from a metal supplier and some 1" threaded rod and thats 50% of the part done. If you have a drill press and the 1" tap for the rod I would think you're good to go.

 

[Neighbor]

Ya, I'd say a couple hours plus material is very reasonable.

 

[The Cobbler]

an easier version might be to drill some bar stock so some 1/2" bolts slide thru, use nuts on the inboard side and tighten them with a wrench to push the vise apart

 

[metaleltr]

I would first try degreasing the vise and then soaking it in evaporust for an extended period of time. After a week or two it may remove enough rust that it will be easier to remove. You didn't mention which model you are restoring. If it is a bullet style vise it may be just as easy to set it up in a large press with a bearing splitter and press it apart.

 

[subroc]

What do you have for tools? Do you weld? Do you have a press? Do you have any bar stock at all on hand or are you going to have to buy virtually everything you need to make this tool?

 

[noid]

A strong air hammer with a brass tip (vim sells them) would probably get you where you want to go.

 

[bugnut]

Air hammer and lots of pb blaster type lube is a great idea. Or two wedge shape pieces with a c clamp to press them together would also apply pressure from the inside, shaped like this.

https://www.ironworkergear.com/products/ajax-tools-steel-wedges

 

[APEowner]

$250 is probably a minimum shop charge and seems quite reasonable to me. It's not that the part is hard to make it's that they can't be making difficult parts while they're puttering with your project.

How about this?

Tap the center hole of the part you're trying to remove.
Find a piece of tubing or a nut or a stack of washers with an ID that's larger than the part and drop it over it to form a spacer.
Thread a bolt into the hole and tighten it against the spacer to draw the part out.

 

[Gotcha640]

Agree on the make it your self. I think even ace hardware has short sections of 1/4 plate, and you'd probably at least know if it was going to happen with 1/2 or 5/8 bolts. The tap is probably the most expensive part of the whole deal.

You only need to push it an inch or so, then you might get more penetrant soaked in, and put plates/boards/random steel in as spacers. Bolts don't have to be a foot long.

If you're starting a vise restoration shop, it makes sense to build a nice one like that, but for a one time deal, I can't image more than about $30 in it.

 

[930dreamer]

Soak it in transmission fluid for a week before paying to construct a tool.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Would a porta-power expander from a 10ton unit fit your vise?

 

[Cruzan80]

Fixed it for you...

Would a porta-power expander from a 10ton unit BREAK your vise?

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[ChevyEFI]

Fixed it for you...

I assumed OP was smarter than to place it in between break prone jaws.

So would it fit lower, where pipe jaws tend to be placed?

 

[964haus]

Thanks for all the advice thus far - love this community.

I am slowly building up my garage/shop and have very little 'big' machinery. A drill press is next on my list of tools to complement my bench grinder/buffer. I don't have air so relying on old school efforts at the moment...

I think I'll start with the easy route and do a deep soak - I'll also pick up some 1/4 plate and some screws and see what I can MacGyver on the cheap. That's stage 1. Stage 2 will be to investigate something more "persuasive".

For ref, here's the animal in question:

 

[Cruzan80]

Sorry, forgot the smiley. Meant it to be humourous.

I assumed OP was smarter than to place it in between break prone jaws.

So would it fit lower, where pipe jaws tend to be placed?

Sent from my Phone 2 using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Michael_in_DE]

Thanks for all the advice thus far - love this community.

I am slowly building up my garage/shop and have very little 'big' machinery. A drill press is next on my list of tools to complement my bench grinder/buffer. I don't have air so relying on old school efforts at the moment...

I think I'll start with the easy route and do a deep soak - I'll also pick up some 1/4 plate and some screws and see what I can MacGyver on the cheap. That's stage 1. Stage 2 will be to investigate something more "persuasive".

For ref, here's the animal in question:

wow, thats in great shape.should come apart easily.

 

[toolchaser]

It only takes a small spot of rust to lock a Wilton bullet up solid. When I got mine it was sitting outdoors mounted on a table. I removed the end cap & housing, soaked for a couple days with Kroil, then big brass drift & big brass hammer. When it came loose, the rust spot was no bigger than a quarter Good luck

 

[mitusa]

Thanks for all the advice thus far - love this community.

I am slowly building up my garage/shop and have very little 'big' machinery. A drill press is next on my list of tools to complement my bench grinder/buffer. I don't have air so relying on old school efforts at the moment...

I think I'll start with the easy route and do a deep soak - I'll also pick up some 1/4 plate and some screws and see what I can MacGyver on the cheap. That's stage 1. Stage 2 will be to investigate something more "persuasive".

For ref, here's the animal in question:

That would be my route.....deep soak. Lots of people swear by Kroil penetrant. $250 seems way high.

If it was really stubborn, I would probably heat it up and let it cool a few times. I don't think that will hurt that vise. Maybe others will disagree

 

[gearhead1]

You could make that. You don’t even have to tap the metal bar, just drill a hole in the metal bar and use a nut/washer on the side of that metal bar toward the movable jaw. Use one wrench to hold the head to keep the bolt from spinning and the other wrench to tighten the nut.

Using threaded rod instead of long bolts? Then double nut the end of the end of the rod that would be the ‘head’ of the bolt.

That will do the same exact thing as the video but no tapping the holes for the threaded rod and no welding a nut on the end of the threaded rod.


Also, those metal bars could be flat on both sides, I don’t see the need for the angle. The text in the video said those metal bars were left over from a different project. The angle might get you thinking it has to be in there and a machine shop is required. I’d say put a small piece of wood between the metal bar and vice and let the wood get destroyed if you’re worried about the metal bar damaging the vice.

 

[964haus]

Thanks so much everyone.

Went to the store yesterday and picked up:
- some 6" threaded rod, washers, and nuts
- sketched out how I could build a simple contraption myself
- picked up a plastic tub and a couple gallons of Evapo-rust

This morning I set up the vise in its own bath. Will go check on it tomorrow morning and see if I need to persuade it a bit....

Stay tuned.
m.

 

[Dave455]

Having something made up in a machine shop would probably be overkill for what’s needed, but I can see why it would be that price.

Personally I’d have a go myself.

The secret is to buy or find materials as close as possible to the size you need. If you have to order something in the exact size, fine. I’d order some tool steel, cut and shape as required, and drill on a bench drill if you have one. Hand held drill if you don’t.

Use some threaded rod and a couple of nuts locked together as gearhead suggests, or some big bolts. If you have a tap, great, if not buying one, and all the materials, will be waaay less than the price quoted.

I could probably get most of what’s needed locally, but if not somewhere like MSC or Zoro should be able to provide!

 

[macgee]

It only takes a small spot of rust to lock a Wilton bullet up solid. When I got mine it was sitting outdoors mounted on a table. I removed the end cap & housing, soaked for a couple days with Kroil, then big brass drift & big brass hammer. When it came loose, the rust spot was no bigger than a quarter Good luck

+1 on this

Soaking is the key, the slide and cylinder have a close tolerance to each other (small gap), when rust develops is can totally bond the two together that has a lot of surface area to stick to each other and like what tool chaser said, it only took one small spot for his. Soaking it will soften up the bonding and make it much easier to loosen and not damage the slide while hammering it out. The key is get the penetrate to reach all the back to the problem spots.

Kroil is great stuff (legendary), I really like Seafoam Deep Creep, it can travel really far inside and its cheap; works amazing.

Others are also correct about machine shop cost, they have bills, insurance and employees to pay that effects every hour the shop is open and they'll continue to keep up the same quality commitment to you as their other bigger job and more expensive projects.

The good news, you could easily do it yourself inexpensively making a simpler version with (2) 6" raw aluminum bar stock, (2) all thread, 4 nuts, saw, a cordless drill and bit for size needed for tap and a tap to thread it. It'll be crude but can still be effective.

PS> Remove the back cap and if you can but admittedly it's harder without access to the inside to tap out but it can be done and replaceable if needed, You'll then be able to get access to the backside of the dynamic jaw slide from there and tap out after soaking it.