How To Repair Vise?

[Ryan87LX]

I've got an old vice that I inherited from my Grandfather. It's not fancy or particularly pretty, and it's not big.

Last weekend I was tightening it down on something and the pin that holds the handle to the screw shaft sheared off. I didn't even know there was a pin there, but you can see the remnants of it in the screw shaft.

I get drilling out the shaft and the handle to make room for a new pin. But where do I find the pin? Do I just use a roll pin, or is there some fancy hardened steel pin I need to find?

Anything else I need to know to do this job?

 

[Outlawmws]

Pics would help, but it's likely that a roll pin would suffice. I doubt the original would be hardened since it sheared to begin with.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Pictures please...

I would agree either a roll pin or taper pin would probably work...

 

[rusty65]

It happened while he was tightening down maybe the vise he has is a wilton?

 

[Ryan87LX]

I'll try to get pics tomorrow. It's definitely not a Wilton. My guess is that it's just a little hardware store vise.

 

[dadsEH]

maybe Gramps did a repair with a penny nail some time ago..? what diameter is the pin?

 

[Ryan87LX]

Okay here's some pics. The first is just a shot of the vise itself. The second shows the hole in the screw shaft. The third pic is the handle itself. If you look closely you can see the remnants of the pin in the metal.

I didn't check the diameter of the pin, but it's pretty hefty. I broke it tightening the handle by hand, but I'll admit to hitting it to tighten it down in the past. Never put a pipe or anything on it though.

Thoughts?

 

[Outlawmws]

Yep, a roll pin will fix that up fine. Drive out the remnants use a drill to fine the size, and make a trip to the hardware store for a pin.

You may want to remove the inside C clip so you can get to it easier and then re-install. It is a dead soft clip and you bend it slightly to spread it. then just crimp it back down. (pliers, vise grips, almost anything...)

While you have it apart, if its loose, use a washer to shim it tighter, and don't forget to add some grease.

 

[Doug Arthurs]

That doesn't look like a roll pin to me. It appears to be solid. I would knock it out and measure to see what size it is. Probably a dowel pin would work. A roll pin is knock going to take the pressure you will be applying

 

[EOC_Jason]

Yeah, I would get a solid pin since most of the torque is going to be taken by that pin unless you can press that shaft in tighter. Maybe even find someone to just weld it all up for you?

 

[Outlawmws]

A roll pin will probably take it better than the dowel pin will, Roll pins are spring steel and don't shear easily at all, I have one inside my old electric 1/2' drive impact gun and while it broke once about 30 years ago, the replacement roll pin is still lasting and it is taking the brunt of the hammering...

 

[jusridin]

A roll pin will probably take it better than the dowel pin will, Roll pins are spring steel and don't shear easily at all, I have one inside my old electric 1/2' drive impact gun and while it broke once about 30 years ago, the replacement roll pin is still lasting and it is taking the brunt of the hammering...

+1 on what outlaw said
Roll pins have saved my *** on countless occasions