Help needed with an American Scale 77 vise

[Mpmckenzie]

Help needed with an American Scale 77 vise - Sorted!

Hi everybody,
I'm a long-time reader and admirer of this forum and its fantastic members.
I'd like to be able to pick the collective forum brain regarding a problem I have with an American Scale No 77 vise I've acquired off EBay.
(Yes - exotic vises do sometimes crop up in England!)
It's a swivel jaw, swivel base vice with 4 1/2" jaws. It needs a restoration!
I've dis-assembled a few stuck swivel jaw vises before (Parker 372 and Columbian 406) but I'm having a problem with the seized swivel pin in this vise.
I'm wondering - could it be a screw-in pin???
It's currently in the E-bath but my usual (successful) methods of pin extraction have failed - please help!!
Best wishes,
Mark

 

[Davefr]

I have the exact same vise and it came with the stuck pin.

I'd start by squirting penetrant around the pin for a few days. However it probably won't work by itself.

Now use a torch and heat the area surrounding the pin. Lock some vise grips on the pin and tap it in both directions and it'll probably break free. You might also set the vise in your freezer overnight. You want a cold pin and hot swivel jaw.

Good luck.

 

[drivesitfar]

MP: i don't recall ever seeing any American Scale vises with a threaded pin on any of their swivel jaw vises. that said it's over 60 years old and has traveled a long ways from Kansas City to find you so maybe an owner did put some threads on it.

my guess is not because having a threaded pin just makes it harder to use in my opinion. some pins and swivel jaws just haven't been used enough so the rust in those tight areas can really almost weld them together.

have you seen the Vise Repair 101 thread? here's the link and maybe you can post up some pictures over there where you might get more eyes on your vise and questions. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=340330

have you tried the little bolt and nut press that some of the members use to push the pin up from under the vise? you might have to remove the vise nut to use it. another idea some of the old swivel jaw vises actually had a hole in their base if you take the swivel base off where you can maybe access the bottom of the pin with a hand punch. in any case BEE CAREFUL and take it slow. your E bath might have great results too so let us know how you are doing and don't be afraid to take and post a lot of pictures.

Dave: that could work if you can get it hot enough, but there is a lot of cast iron to heat up in that 77's static.

 

[dutchgray]

How strange, I have one of these as well, so that's two here at least, I haven't got to tackling the pin yet.

 

[Mpmckenzie]

Success!!
Thanks for the replies.
Knowing it was a simple pin allowed me to resort to my usual method of small screw jack pushing up (with quite a lot of force) from inside the static, g-clamp keeping the swivel and static together - and smacking the swivel by the pin with a 4lb copper hammer!
Pin is larger than the Columbian and much longer.
I'll leave the swivel jaw attached to the static base for the restoration as it moves freely and I don't fancy driving out the securing pin.
Mine came with brass jaws which were well beaten up. I'll re-make these and some steel jaws too when it's ready.
Will attempt to upload a picture.
I'm thinking black/light grey for the paint with white lettering.
Thanks again - great forum.
Mark

 

[Mpmckenzie]

Blimey! - Massive Chas Parker on UK EBay at the moment - seem to be coming out of the woodwork!
Mark

 

[dutchgray]

The 6" one, saw it yesterday, to far for me to bid on but they are huge compared to an English style 6", I know someone with a very tired example in that size.