Prentiss #19 Swivel Base Washer Question

[kck8385]

I have a Prentiss No 19 that if you tighten the square head bolt that fastens the base to the vise, the vise will not rotate. Will someone please post a picture of what the washer is supposed to look like. The one on my vice is just a plain flat washer.

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[RoninB4]

A photo might help

 

[RTM]

I have a Prentiss No 19 that if you tighten the square head bolt that fastens the base to the vise, the vise will not rotate. Will someone please post a picture of what the washer is supposed to look like. The one on my vice is just a plain flat washer.

Thanks,

Kevin

If you are talking of the one Under the vise, that should be a shoulder bolt, with a shoulder slightly longer than the thickness of the base. Comes up thru the piece on the right, laying on the clamp?

 

[kck8385]

I appreciate the replies.

I’ll post pictures tomorrow. I’m probably not explaining it correctly.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[thehorse13]

You're explaining it correctly. The question that the pictures will answer is if you have the wrong fastener for the base.

 

[kck8385]

Here are some pictures.

1. Vise Stamp
2. Bottom View
3. Bottom with bolt removed
4. Bottom with washer removed. Washer is same diameter as what it is bearing on underneath
5. Bolt head. It is 1" square and 3/16" thick
6. Bolt side. Threads are 7/8" total including the approx. 1/8" shoulder
7. Washer. It is a 2 1/2" flat washer that is 1/8" thick

Thanks,,
Kevin

 

[Shiftless]

Looks like you are missing the lock down hardware. The swivel bolt is not meant to be super tight.
What does the other side of the main vise body look like? There should be a lever actuated lockdown.

 

[Shiftless]

Here is an old post by a true expert vise restorer. KMScott
This shows you what you want to know. Does your base have a series of holes in the top surface?

Vise Info Thread

Wow that Rocky is a real beast!

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Shiftless]

I have your vise’s baby brother. 2 inch wide jaws. On this one, the swivel locks with a spring loaded pin that lifts out of the hole, swivel the vise, and then release the pin which then drops into a different hole.

 

[Shiftless]

(deleted)

 

[kck8385]

Shiftless,

I appreciate your help.

1. The lockdown hardware is there it is just not seen from the angle of the pictures. It is a spring loaded pin with a lever.
2. Base has 3 hold down holes with one broken. Top of the base has the holes for the pin to sit in.

My issue is if I tighten the swivel bolt only tight enough to allow the vise to swivel the bolt backs out when I rotate the vise and it becomes loose on the base. I thought I may have an incorrect bolt or washer it appears not.

How can I stop the swivel bolt from loosening up when use the vise?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Shiftless]

Probably just wear. There might be a way to use a spacer or modification of the bolt or washer to make it work. I’m not a machinist.

Do you often need to swivel that vise? If not, just tighten it up and use it.

If you want a vise to use, perhaps a collector would trade that old Prentiss for a more modern USA made vise that would be a more suitable “daily driver”.

I have lots of vises on shelves but the only one I actually use is a newer Wilton combination vise model C1.

 

[kck8385]

Shiftless,

I appreciate the information.

 

[RTM]

My issue is if I tighten the swivel bolt only tight enough to allow the vise to swivel the bolt backs out when I rotate the vise and it becomes loose on the base. I thought I may have an incorrect bolt or washer it appears not.

Again, it seems to me that this is caused by the lack of a shoulder bolt of the right dimension. Your bolt does not have a shoulder. The hole in your base plate should be a larger diameter than the threads in your vise base. The idea being that the shoulder bottoms out, gibing you a tight bolt, but the head is just loose against the bottom of the plate, allowing it to swivel. At least this is how my Reed 203.5 works.

Does your vise wobble when the locks are loose. My shoulder bolt and hole in the base were a bit off, so I put some shim stock in there to tighten that up. If you have no shoulder, and need it, your vise and plate should be pretty sloppy when unlocked.

Generic shoulder bolt pic from the web. The right shoulder edge should hit the bottom of the vise, and the underside of the bolt head
Should lightly touch the bottom of the swivel base.



As your vise is vintage, finding the correct shoulder bolt may be a bear. A bushing may do the job, right ID and OD, cut to just a hair longer than the distance from the bottom of the swivel plate to the bottom of the vise body

 

[kck8385]

RTM
I appreciate the information.
Kevin

 

[KMScott]

RTM nailed it. I give .005 clearance when shoulder bolt or .005 longer bushing when tightened.