Cleaning up an old vice

[Sparkyjack]

I acquired this vice from my father in law about 20 years ago.

Kind of a bummer that the bottom part is cracked and gone.

Looking for guidance on how to clean it up,
Once it's more presentable I'll mount it on the set of drawers that it was on when I acquired it.

 

[oldldh]

In a word---

Electrolysis....

There are a bunch of threads on the subject...

 

[Davefr]

In a word---

Electrolysis....

There are a bunch of threads on the subject...

Isn't that overkill for his vise?? It doesn't look heavily rusted.

I see a die grinder w/steel brush + 30 minutes of labor.

 

[lilredex]

Get some clean and strip discs for your grinder to clean that up...


images upload

 

[G_P]

Media blasting would get that nice and clean.

 

[drivesitfar]

Sparky: your vise isn't too bad of shape that i can see and maybe even buying some simple green and spraying some on the vise, letting it soak for a few minutes, then wipe up with a rag and a little elbow grease. of course all the methods mentioned already will work too.

also you mention a crack and missing piece. can you take a few more pictures of the vise and some of the crack or missing piece? also is it a fairly small vise and can you give us the name of the vise along with the jaw width measurements and weight of your vise.

good luck

 

[toolmiser]

Where can I find the "clean and strip disks" for a grinder?

Thanks!

 

[csp]

Home Depot has them, believe it or not.

Lots of online suppliers: https://www.google.com/#q=clean+and+strip+disc

 

[zkling]

Fine wire wheel on a bench grinder. Be careful of some of those stripping disks. Some can be rather abrasive like a flap wheel, removing actual material. With a fine wire wheel it is really difficult to remove the underlying base material. I'm working on a little clamp on like that now and 10mins on the wire wheel was a drastic difference. You can get the nooks and crannies by hand with picks, wires and steel wool if you desire later. If you have a blaster that would be a good alternative, but with that size of vise a bench grinder wire wheel would be my 1st choice.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

What's the vise? I can't make it out.

???---??? ELECTRIC CO. CHICAGO....

 

[zkling]

What's the vise? I can't make it out.

???---??? ELECTRIC CO. CHICAGO....

Rotate the image 90° to the left. Karas Electric Company.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=8460

 

[lilredex]

For anyone in Canada....time to head over to CTC.

Hard to beat the price of $13 for eleven pieces. These are the ones (strip disc) I use. Do a good job of removing mill scale (From HRS) if you need to.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...polishing-disc-set-0547416p.html#.U3a7uI1OWM8

 

[SweetD]

I don't see what you mean by "the bottom part is cracked and gone" - it's a non-swivel vise...?

If it were me. I would soak it in Simple Green with hot water for an hour or two, scrub it with a ScotchBrite pad, rinse with hot water, dry with towel then air compressor, and coat with some light oil. The patina on that vise looks pretty good!

Of course you can also strip it down, prime and paint. Up to you!

Good luck -

Dave

 

[Outlawmws]

Pleas DON"T use those abrasive discs or a sand blaster. it ruins the natural surface of the vise.

As mentioned, E-Tank or a fine wire wheel on a grinder. Nothing more aggressive..

As others have mentioned; WHAT is missing? Looks complete in the pic...

 

[uart]

As others have mentioned; WHAT is missing? Looks complete in the pic...

As far as I can tell from the photo, it looks like there's a piece of the front section of that right angle mounting flange on the base that has broken away.

 

[zkling]

For anyone in Canada....time to head over to CTC.

Hard to beat the price of $13 for eleven pieces. These are the ones (strip disc) I use. Do a good job of removing mill scale (From HRS) if you need to.

Those are way too abrasive. If they will remove mill scale they will remove actual base material. Bad idea for something like this. To each their own though.

As far as I can tell from the photo, it looks like there's a piece of the front section of that right angle mounting flange on the base that has broken away.

The bottom piece that holds the screw clamp may be broken off, but the piece that you circled, the smooth curve is probably factory.

 

[Outlawmws]

As far as I can tell from the photo, it looks like there's a piece of the front section of that right angle mounting flange on the base that has broken away.

That does not look like a break to me, it looks like a smooth contour like the front rib...

 

[DenisG]

That does not look like a break to me, it looks like a smooth contour like the front rib...

There was one sold on eBay. It's supposed to look like this:

 

[uart]

That does not look like a break to me, it looks like a smooth contour like the front rib...

Ok I see what you mean. It just looked kind of rough there, like a piece had cracked out or something, but now I see it's just a "filleted" curve the way it's supposed to be.

 

[Sage55]

Where can I find the "clean and strip disks" for a grinder?

Thanks!

Here's a good price for 3M clean and strip disks.

 

[Sparkyjack]

Here's a better picture showing where the casting is broken

Electrolysis entered my mind, and I've used that process for stuff that I painted.
I've never used molasses but after reading about that process it seems you need the scrub the surface afterwards.

I appreciate that things are only original once and I value the patina that objects acquire over time, making things look like they where new just yesterday detracts from their value.

I sprayed it down with simple green and gave it a good brushing with a nylon brush and the rinsed it off and dried it. This has made some paint spatter evident. While the paint splatters add character I'd like to remove them but don't want to disrupt the overall appearance.

Thanks for the pointer to who made it, knowing that tidbit really adds to it.

Jack

 

[Outlawmws]

On the paint on the bare metal parts, use some SG soaked paper towel (you can cover it with saran wrap to keep it from drying out) and it will soften if not remove the paint.

I've used SG to restore dried up paint loaded brushes...

 

[Sparkyjack]

SG? I'm not failure with the term.
Here it is and other than dealing with the paint splatters it ready to be mounted up.

Here my next little project

I'll start with simple green and seem it takes me.

Jack

 

[Sparkyjack]

That sound here is me getting a clue SG == Simple Green

Jack

 

[Outlawmws]

That sound here is me getting a clue SG == Simple Green

Jack

 

[drivesitfar]

Sparky: yes SG=Simple Green and Outlaw knows how to make things shine so i'd give it a try and see if you can remove the paint splatter.

now that your clamp is broken off do you have a hole on both sides of the slide on the base so you can mount it to your bench?

the piece of RR tie is a good candidate for a wire wheel or what are your plans?

good luck

 

[Sparkyjack]

I'm not sure what is most appropriate for the rail, the top surface has several 1/16" deep cuts,
one end is smooth from manufacturing, the other end was cut with a torch and he sides are deeply pitted from corrosion.

I've seen pictures of very nice rail anvils here on GJ, the bright shiny top surface with painted sides would be my ultimate target.
Problem is I'm not sure I can reasonably expect to be able to do with this section of rail.

Anybody got any suggestions on to proceed?
Thanks,

Jack

 

[Outlawmws]

Now the rail you can get VERY aggressive with. The top maybe 4-1/2" flap disks and work it down to a smooth surface, and then finish with roloc disks.

That end is tough; got any access to a cutoff band saw?

Sides and bottom, wire wheel the heck out of it.

 

[jakemac]

I have short pieces of Rail like that. I just used a grinder to clean up the torched side and then on top to give me a smooth surface. I finish the top off with a sander to polish it. The rest is left in "as found" condition unless it was rusted up. Then I just use a fine wire wheel to remove the rust, but keep the patina. Once satisfied, I give it a good oiling and let it dry. After that, I just let it age with use.

I've used them as weights, tire chocks, anvils, and door stops and still have 10 or 12 in storage for later uses. Long pieces (4'-5') have been used as winter weight in the back of my truck and as andirons in an outdoor fireplace at camp.

I LOVE rr track !