Need some help with a Desmond Simplex 43SJ Vise

[DrifterDavid]

Hey, as the title says I've got a Desmond Simplex 43SJ.....Ive had it forever, I actually use it at work and have been for a long time. One thing in looking around here I realized though is that it has a pivoting rear jaw which I had no idea about. So today I brought it home to try and get the locking pin out and see if it would move. I couldn't seem to get it out from the top so I thought I would unscrew the vise jaws completely and see if I could get to the bottom and knock it up with a brass drift. I ended up getting it broken free and when I went to toss it back together I ran into an issue. The leadscrew doesn't seem to want to thread back into the base. I'm by no means a vise expert, I'm really more of a newb but I really need to get this back together because I use it daily at work and my Prentiss and American Red Seal are apart for resto's right now.

The vise has never had any issues, it comes apart and goes together without a hitch. No tightness in the threads or anything. I can't see anything stripped in the threads. I tried to just hit em with some brake clean and some kroil to see if it might help but its just like it doesn't want to walk into that first thread. It hops in the groove and hops right back out. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Or if someone could tell me how to get the bottom plate out so I can get the center nut that contains the threads out and maybe I can find the problem.

Anyways any help would be greatly appreciated! And here's a pic for reference.https://scontent-iad3-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14680638_10154628328022445_4946738893417204162_n.jpg?oh=276069dd14ab52743541ee9a301c6f43&oe=588CEFF8

 

[matt_i]

I have seen vises built where the acme/buttress thread nut pivoted slightly, to allow for some misalignment with the slide and not bind internally.

That said, if the nut moved to a point where the axis of the thread isn't aligned with the screw, then the thread won't start.

I can't see the insides of yours to see if that's a problem. I would try rotating the base 90 degrees with the nut pointing straight up and try to carefully drop in the sliding jaw asm and start the thread that way. May have to rig up some clamps and/or angle plate.

Alternatively, if you can find a helper, then use a long screwdriver or a piece of dowel rod, etc, to try to align/position the nut from the back side as the other person is aligning the sliding jaw and turning the screw to start it.

 

[drivesitfar]

David: great looking vise that is for certain. you might try laying the vise on it's side and lining up the screw with the vise nut cause the screws on some of these old vises don't line up very easily especially on the bigger vises. its hard to turn the screw and use the other hand to line it up, but doable if you keep at it.

here's a thread i started a couple years ago you should probably post up your vise issue with a lot more pictures showing the insides, bottom and all sides of your vise.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252830

so you got the swivel jaw pin out? were you also able to move the swivel pin.

good luck and welcome to the group. also in case you hadn't noticed there are more than a few of us that love vises and love to help others fix theirs if we can.

 

[DrifterDavid]

I actually got it after a lot of work. Thank you for the replies though. It looks as though the internal piece after I got some hunks of grease off had gotten a bit buggered at some point. I ran a matching tap through and got it working again! I really appreciate the help. Now if I can just get that locking pin out and the pivoting rear moving I can break it down and get it looking new again!

 

[DrifterDavid]

Oh and sorry. I thought I had broken it loose but unfortunately after I got it together I realized I hadn't. I'm going to try and slowly heat the surrounding area and see if I can get it to swell a wee bit and tap it out.

 

[DrifterDavid]

https://scontent-ort2-1.**.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/fr/cp0/e15/q65/14590056_10154628328142445_1735956109535504061_o.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9On the other hand after two days in electrolysis tank my American Red Seal looks much better! Just gotta get some new jaws on the way and get rid of the horrible stick welding on the old jaws!
https://scontent-ort2-1.**.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/fr/cp0/e15/q65/14902777_10154649710562445_7857565711368677941_o.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9

 

[drivesitfar]

David: i see you are working on an American Seal vise now and you started your thread with a Desmond swivel jaw vise. is the American Seal vise a practice so when you work on the rarer Desmond you'll have had practice?

you might want to just attach pictures using the paperclip (just above where we are writing our posts) and attach pictures almost like you would when attaching pictures to an email. that way the pictures would be easier for us to see.

also don't be shy and take plenty of pictures to post from all sides and top and bottom if you need help.

might i also suggest you start posting your pictures and questions on the Vise Repair 101 thread where you might get more help if you need some.

here's the link to that thread: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252830

also if you have a chance to search and read about some of the repairs you are doing on your vises you'll get plenty of information on that thread.

 

[metalmagpie]

Your pictures are way too big. This causes the text to run off the page.

It would be great if you could resize them smaller.

metalmagpie