Here's a repost of a thrust bearing conversion I did a while back on my Wilton Patternmakers vise; thrust bearings make the vise action ultimately smooth!
I asked the other day about finding parts for a wilton woodworking vise, and couldn't find any. I have the ability to make parts, just prefer to buy if they're available. So, decided to make them and show the process.
Here is the vise, with a makeshift wooden handle. I think this was a $5 or $10 yard sale find, I've had it quite a while and found it cleaning out a bottom shelf last week.
The shaft was somewhat beat up from having pliers or a pipe wrench on it. I cleaned it up with a file.
I chucked a steel bar in the lathe, and drilled it 9/16" to fit the vise shaft.
Parted the piece off to the right length, reversed it in the chuck, and turned the nose to a nice shape:
The hole in the vise shaft was off center, apparently they drilled it and the nose piece together originally. Made it irritating to lay out and get the pin hole right:
Drilled it, and it looks good:
Ordered a few parts from McMaster Carr, came in two days. A 17/32" rod, two threaded ball ends, and a thrust bearing assembly, to upgrade the vise slightly.
The vise jaw bearing surface was cupped shape from either original design or wear. Had to file it flat for the thrust washer to bear on.
Bored out a recess in the end of the nose cap to hold the thrust bearing just a little less deep than the bearing assembly.
I threaded the ends of the rod for the handle, drilled the nose piece for the handle, and screwed it all together. Put a roll pin to hold the assembly on the shaft, and done:
The thrust bearing makes it unbelievably smooth to lock down and release. I like that so well, I think I'll take apart my 4" columbian and rebuild it with a thrust bearing.
Total time in this work shown was about 4 hours.
I'll polish this all on the buffer when I get a chance, and strip the paint off the vise and repaint. Another days project.
dave
