Craftsman 5186 vise restore

[JeremyBurke]

A few weeks ago I picked up this little guy.



The Vise Restoration is complete now and the vise looks like this today. If you want to see the whole process read along we will get there.







Today I pulled it all apart and did an initial cleaning in preparation of putting it all in an electrolysis tank tomorrow.




I had heard these vises were made by Reed I think at least mine was.



I will post more pictures once I have it in the e-tank and de rusted.

Cheers.

 

[nine4gmc]

that's a great style vise, can't wait to see it dolled up!

 

[JeremyBurke]

that's a great style vise, can't wait to see it dolled up!

Thanks nine: hoping it won't take me too long. It is my first vise restore so any help you experts have to offer is greatly appreciated. Cheers.

 

[JeremyBurke]

I noticed while cleaning that the base had these symbols. Does that mean this would have worked for a reed 204R of the same vintage.



Thanks

 

[nine4gmc]

Quite possibly, the Craftsman Columbian versions are interchangeable.

 

[JeremyBurke]

The main nut for mine is definitely a Reed part.





That's why I thought maybe the Reed bases were the same.

 

[tedsters]

The main nut for mine is definitely a Reed part.

View attachment 349830
View attachment 349831
That's why I thought maybe the Reed bases were the same.

Interesting, can't wait to see the vise when finished.

 

[drivesitfar]

nice looking Reed vise made for Craftsman and glad to see you got it all apart without breaking anything.

i'm thinking the Long C emblem on your vise dates it somewhere in the 1930's and early 40's. if there isn't a date on the top of the back of the dynamic slide like there are on my 519x series Craftsmans then maybe a quick look at the Craftsman catalogs might give you a better idea.

good luck and can't wait to see pictures of it cooking in your Electrolysis tank. take pics of it just being removed and make sure to wear gloves or be very careful not to get the black gunk on your hands because i hear it isn't easy to remove. wire wheeling or pressure washing can remove it from the vise.

 

[JeremyBurke]

Interesting, can't wait to see the vise when finished.

nice looking Reed vise made for Craftsman and glad to see you got it all apart without breaking anything.



i'm thinking the Long C emblem on your vise dates it somewhere in the 1930's and early 40's. if there isn't a date on the top of the back of the dynamic slide like there are on my 519x series Craftsmans then maybe a quick look at the Craftsman catalogs might give you a better idea.



good luck and can't wait to see pictures of it cooking in your Electrolysis tank. take pics of it just being removed and make sure to wear gloves or be very careful not to get the black gunk on your hands because i hear it isn't easy to remove. wire wheeling or pressure washing can remove it from the vise.

Thanks guys I just hope I can do it half as nice as the experts here do their's. Soon I'm gonna have to decide on a color too.

 

[jakemac]

Valspar #85205 Classic Royal Blue (I found it at Lowes) is the closest rattle can that I've been able to find to match the old Cman blue. It's a little brighter than the original, but nothing I've found so far comes any closer. Valspar seems to give off more fumes than other brands, so if you use it make sure that the area is well ventilated. Even when drying.

Go with the blue, with white letters.

 

[JeremyBurke]

Jakemac thanks for the tip on the paint.



I got the tank ready to cool almost. Just need to wire wheel the rebar a little to make sure the connections are good.

 

[1982fxr]

what color?? I vote gloss red!

 

[JeremyBurke]

I haven't plugged it in yet but does this look ok. Before I ruin it or me I wanted to check.







Thanks guys.

 

[JeremyBurke]

Not sure you can see the bubbles in this picture but it is working.





Wow that's fast here is one with the rust already forming in the froth on top. It happened as I typed this.

 

[drivesitfar]

looks good from here except i'd maybe add a little more water if the end of you vise is sticking out of the water. totally submerged and you won't have to wire wheel the end or stick in the other way to complete the job.

awesome Jeremy.

I vote blue and you can pick any color you wish. i'd discount 82's vote for red a little because he is suffering from 110 degree (dry heat) and he painted his last vise PINK.

cheers and crossing fingers and toes for your success.

 

[JeremyBurke]

Still cooking.



I did top if off. I just didn't want it spilling over as I dunked stuff initially.

 

[JeremyBurke]

I had to take it out and get ready for date night. It might need more time later.











Thoughts and comments?

 

[drivesitfar]

keep cooking or wire wheel is my vote.

have fun on your 12th celebration with your bride tonight.

 

[nine4gmc]

My vote for Blue as well, let it cook for a day at least.

 

[oldldh]

Put it back in the soup, and leave it for three or four days...


It WILL be most unrusty when you take it out...

 

[JeremyBurke]

keep cooking or wire wheel is my vote.

have fun on your 12th celebration with your bride tonight.

My vote for Blue as well, let it cook for a day at least.

Put it back in the soup, and leave it for three or four days...


It WILL be most unrusty when you take it out...

Thanks everyone for following along and adding advise. My lovely wife and I had a great time last night. As for the vise. I am planning to put the dynamic back in the tank this afternoon when I get home from work. This time I'm gonna put it on the low setting for 24 hours. On another fun note I did a little playing and am trying to decide between these two options for color.





Thanks again for the help.

 

[jakemac]

The red looks nice, but everyone has a red vice. That survivor needs to wear it's original coat.
Go Blue.

 

[JeremyBurke]

The red looks nice, but everyone has a red vice. That survivor needs to wear it's original coat.
Go Blue.

Jake you and history nearly have me won over to the deep blue of the original Craftsman vise.

 

[JeremyBurke]

Guys I am going to run the E-Tank again this evening overnight. Can anyone give me some best options for Primer once the vise is out clean and dry? Since my time is so limited I have to do it as it comes out since I am worried it will rust again if I wait for all the pieces to be done. I plan to dry the vise with a torch let it cool and then prime it right way but what should I use. I have a cheap HF sprayer or I could just use a rattle can. Please advise.

 

[drivesitfar]

i'd use the $10 cans of Rustoleum (if you can find the blue you want) because they have the primer already in them. might take a couple cans, but maybe not if you don't do it outside in the wind.

i like the idea of you cleaning it up after the tank and then heating it up before painting. also if you hit the weather right set it out in the sun after you put a coat on because 60 to 80 degrees is optimum for spray paint to adhere. some guys have an oven in there shop and others get away with using their oven in the kitchen (not advisable and especially not with little guys in the house or a bride).

get to cooking and we'll wait anxiously for more pictures of that old Craftsman getting better looking by the day.

 

[1982fxr]

Rustoleum self-etching primer here...

 

[JeremyBurke]

]It's back in for a minimum of 24 hrs this time.



So I stopped by my local HD this morning on the way to work and Picked up the self etching primer and some deep blue protective enamel. In the end the history of the tool won me over.

I may have to do a Red vise again another time.

On the lettering do most people use model paints and a model brush for that?

 

[JeremyBurke]

Last night I took the Dynamic Jaw out of the E-Tank.



Here is what it looked like after a little bit of Cleaning





It does have a few gouges that I need to decide what to do with. Suggestions would be welcome. Is it safe to weld? I have access to a big MIG or a TIG Welder (either is mine but I can use them). Or is JB weld the best option?



This is what the anodes looked like.



I wire wheeled off the old rusty stuff and got them ready for the next part to go in the tank.

I then put the fixed jaw in the E-Tank.



This is what it looks like this morning.

 

[drivesitfar]

Jeremy: it's looking like your Craftsman is coming alive. for the gouges you might want to smooth up I hear welding with nickel might be the best fix if you are able and JB Weld steel isn't too bad either.

if you are going to use JB Weld it does shrink a bit so put a little extra on and sand or maybe wire wheel it smooth, but give it plenty of time to dry first.

good luck

 

[JeremyBurke]

I spent a little time on my lunch break shining up the Slide and around the jaws using a deburring wheel. Here are the shots of the vise including scars.









Credit goes to Redleader for his tip on the merits of deburring wheels as a time saver and metal shiner.

 

[drivesitfar]

Looks awesome and for the benefit of the thread can you post a picture or two of which deburring wheel you use. is it on a bench grinder or hand or maybe something industrial if at your work?

 

[JeremyBurke]

Looks awesome and for the benefit of the thread can you post a picture or two of which deburring wheel you use. is it on a bench grinder or hand or maybe something industrial if at your work?

Drives: I am using this wheel on a standard 8" bench grinder.

Redleader recommends this one

I haven't used a hand held one and wont until I have a vise mounted to hold the part I am working on. However after doing this little guy, I will be doing that for all future vise restoring as man handling even this little guy around to do the clean up was a pain.

 

[JeremyBurke]

I didn't have a ton of time to spend on my little vise this weekend but I got some work done.

I got the Dynamic Jaw taped up and primed.





I also got the Static Jaw out of the e-tank and cleaned up.







The hardest part was cleaning out the paint remnants in the lettering on the side. It took almost a whole hour just to do this part. But some of my grandpa's picks, punches and screwdrivers helped.



I also got the base into the e-tank


The little hand in the picture is that of my youngest son (3) who was very excited by the bubbles.

 

[drivesitfar]

very cool seeing the helper telling Dad where to put the stuff and how to make the bubbles.

you went a lot farther than most taking off the old paint around the letters, but i'm betting this might be a present for somebody.

Looks awesome so far and one tip i want to point out is the bottom of the dynamic doesn't usually get any paint on it and the area on the static where the dynamic jaw slides either. that way the primer and paint won't rub off and mix with your grease. you might be ok with it on there, but pretty easy to get the primer off now and especially before you put the paint on it.

have you bought the BLUE paint yet and please show the can for all of us that want to try and match the color of your finished vise.

 

[Trey T]

nice documentation. keep up the good work.

 

[JeremyBurke]

...

Looks awesome so far and one tip i want to point out is the bottom of the dynamic doesn't usually get any paint on it and the area on the static where the dynamic jaw slides either. that way the primer and paint won't rub off and mix with your grease. you might be ok with it on there, but pretty easy to get the primer off now and especially before you put the paint on it.....

Drives: Thanks for the tip and to clarify since my pictures didn't show it.



So none of the contact surfaces are painted or at least they won't be once the tape is off. Thanks for keeping an eye on me, I would hate to screw up this fine old vise.

 

[drivesitfar]

it probably would have been ok the other way since you are painting at the prime temperatures now, but yes that is what i was talking about leaving unpainted. that and the other part on the static will be greased so no paint or primer necessary.

nice job

 

[JeremyBurke]

Trey_T: Thanks for the kind words. I was worried I was over sharing and it might be getting boring. However, since this is my first try I figure the more I show the more likely someone is to notice when I am screwing something up. Like Drives nearly caught me on yesterday. Hopefully my excessive picture taking and chatting we save me a other newbie's some growing pains.

 

[nine4gmc]

We love pics here, you can not over share!

 

[JeremyBurke]

Well with nine4gmc cheering me on like that how can I not post the pictures of what i got done at lunch today.



Now that I have it shined up I think I may just wax the ball but I am open to suggestions.





The base needs a little more wire wheel time but is still looking much better.

If i may restate Deburring wheels are awesome. I am lucky work lets me use the tools at the office/shop.

Also if anyone would like to do a group buy with me I don't need 4 but I am a prime member and would happily drop them in a padded envelope to you. Just PM me and we can set it up. It is the best deal I have found by far.

Now the hole thing is baking in the sun. Its nearly 100 here in Oregon today.