Hello from Bow, WA

[zigzagfrog]

Its nic e to find a site populated by fellow tool junkies and wood butchers alike. I came across a Columbian 7RG woodwoekers vice that I cant quite figure out. I thionk the nut that engages the Acme screw is worn. Any advice (pun intended) out there?

 

[drivesitfar]

ZZ: welcome to the group. Vise ADVICE would be easier to give if you could post up a few pictures of your vise. I use the paperclip just above where we write our posts and you can attach one at a time and 7 per post sort of like an email if you have pictures in your laptop. if you are posting from a phone sometimes only one picture per post and make several posts to show us.

although wood vises are far from my specialty or favorites they are usually a simple working one. does yours maybe have a quick release type of nut that is in two parts so that you can open to the right size and then start tightening like a normal vise. I know Record (English) and some Wilton wood vises have that option and pretty sure several other makers do to.

of course I've never seen a wood vise over greases so it could just need some or maybe the wear from the previous owner damaged some of the threads on the screw or vise's nut.

BTW where is BOW? I live in Seattle and thought I knew most every small town in Washington and Bow is a new one to me.

welcome

 

[four.cycle]

^ just west of Belfast. northwest of Mt. Vernon.

welcome to the site, zigzagfrog

 

[zigzagfrog]

DR and 4C..yep, Bow is north of Mt Vernon and west of I-5. near the tiny communities of Allen, Blanchard and Edison. The vise does have a quick release
feature using a split nut. Its the threaded half of the nut thats worn and no amount of lube will help with that. I will try to post some pics but as I travel on the internet frontage road and not the super highway, that will be a challenge. I DID learn to take pics with my tablet tho!!

ZZF

 

[WarrenJ]

thought Bow sounded familiar my dad was born in Allen.
had lots of family in the area way back when.

 

[zigzagfrog]

Ive done a fair amount of searching on the enet and have discovered that there are a number of different nut assemblies for quick release vises. One type uses two screws to secure the 1/2 nuts, another type has the 1/2 nut slide away via gravity. My type uses a pin to hinge the two 1/2 nuts together which pivots away to release the acme screw. I found a couple of sites for parts but one hade no parts available and the other had a couple of different types of nuts but none like mine. Because the threaded part of the 1/2 nut is worn, I can make the vise work by usuing a couple of hose clamps to force whats left of the nut threads into the acme screw. Its a real Rube Goldberg solution and defeats the quick release function. I pondered buying a square nut with acme threads to simply replace the split nut all together. again, the quick release function wouldnt work but at least the hose clamps would go away. 15 bucks for that solution. AND THEN A MIRACLE HAPPENED. I found an exact replacement hinge type new old stock piece for $7.50 on ebay!!!
Couldnt believe it but there it was.
I dont have it yet but am hopeful it will fit and the old columbian will be up and running soon. Stay tuned.

 

[zigzagfrog]

The new part is here and its an exact replacement!! The first photo is the Columbian 7RG as I got it. The next photo is the underside showing the split nut in the open position allowing the Acme screw to slide freely; hence the quick adjustment feature. The last pic is of the split nut removed, The new part is on the right, The roll pin goes on the end of the screw securing the 3 hole plate. There is another pin, not shown, that connects both halves of the nut allowing them to hinge open oe shut.

The vise is back together and working. YAY!!! Now if I can just find a spot for it. I'd better start clearing my benches!! The Wilton bullet vise is next I think.

ZZF

 

[drivesitfar]

ZZF: congrats on the find and happy to see it was the right part and fixed your old Columbian quick release wood vise.

just a little warning because it's happened to me. BEE CAREFUL because the Vice for Vises is real and your benches and shelves will fill up with more of that cool old cast iron quickly as you learn more about them.

ok we got that out of the way and hope you enjoy more of your tool finds and find places to use them as they were meant to.

cheers