Help identifying old vise

[Obi-Wan]

We spent some time this weekend cleaning out an old hoarder house that we're going to flip. In the garage, I came across a big 6" bench vise that I brought home to replace the dinky 4" vise I've been using. The vise was in a few pieces, and some parts are still missing (namely the handles for the main screw and the rotating base).

I'd love to know what kind of vise this is, but the only identifying mark I can find is a big "6" cast into one side, indicating its size. No other letters, numbers, or symbols anywhere that I can find. Can anybody help me identify it?

My next step is trying to replace the main tommy bar handle. The hole in the main crank is 5/8" in diameter. I figured those things would be commonly available as aftermarket replacement parts, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Any suggestions that don't involve milling a custom handle?

The rotating base lock nuts are available for cheap, fortunately.

 

[4xdog]

Big jaw size digits cast into the side like that are an almost certain mark of a generic Chinese vise.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Generic cheap import vise from China. OK as a beater vise. If you are going to flip it, I would minimize your investment.

 

[Obi-Wan]

Big jaw size digits cast into the side like that are an almost certain mark of a generic Chinese vise.

That's not surprising. Other than a few Delta power tools, most of the tools I ran across were pretty cheap.

 

[Obi-Wan]

Generic cheap import vise from China. OK as a beater vise. If you are going to flip it, I would minimize your investment.

We're flipping the house where I found it. I'm keeping the vise. I do need to find a sturdy place to mount it, though. My current benches probably aren't up to the task.

So what's the most likely failure scenario on a cheap vise like this? Other than the main crank handle breaking, apparently?

 

[Roberts210]

Chinee vises don't hold work securely, especially as they age. Jaw inserts fall off of them with regularity because the makers can't seem to understand helix angles. Generally there is a lot of backlash in the main screw/nut.

 

[Obi-Wan]

Any ideas for a not-crazy-expensive way to replace the main crank handle? McMaster-Carr has parts that could work, but they'd cost more than an entire new 6" vice from Home Depot. Paying a machinist would probably cost even more.

Why can't I just buy a pre-made handle with one threaded end for a detachable ball?

 

[tool_scrounge]

A few reasons...

1) handles act like a safety device so the handle should bend before the vise is damaged. So the diameter and length are not really generic.
2) since they are not the same diameter and length, you do not get much volume price reduction
3) folks do not really want to pay what it takes to make them and make a reasonable profit.

This is part of the reason it is hard to get anyone to make replacement pipe vise jaws for combo vises. They use a lot of A2 tool steel and it is not cheap material. Thus buyers balk at the price.

 

[Packard V8]

Any ideas for a not-crazy-expensive way to replace the main crank handle? McMaster-Carr has parts that could work, but they'd cost more than an entire new 6" vice from Home Depot. Paying a machinist would probably cost even more.

Why can't I just buy a pre-made handle with one threaded end for a detachable ball?

Losing the handle must be genetic with those vises. A very similar one I inherited in a similar situation to yours had as a handle a long bolt with a nut on the threaded end. Works about as well as the rest of the vise.

jack vines

 

[Obi-Wan]

The good news is that I went rummaging through that garage this morning and found the handle for that vice. One end of the shaft is threaded, as I expected. I didn't find the matching nut.

The bad news is that the threads appear to be M14-1.25, which is an uncommon pitch. All the local hardware & auto parts stores only have M14-2.0 and M14-1.5. I can order a pack of them on eBay for $10 (shipped from China) if I really want to.

I think I'll just get a 5/8x10" bolt + nut at the hardware store and call it good. Maybe lock-tite the nut & then grind off the hex corners once it's on.

 

[Shiftless]

I think I'll just get a 5/8x10" bolt + nut at the hardware store and call it good. Maybe lock-tite the nut & then grind off the hex corners once it's on.

That’s the best idea.
Alternatively, you could probably re thread the handle end you found and put on a nut with a more common thread size.

 

[gungatim]

lgr