Repairs to #4 Gray Vice

[AlbertaGuy]

Are their parts availale for this vice? Actually it just looks like the one piece thats broken and the removable jaw pieces are missing. Was I wasting my time by rescuing this from the steel dumpster I dug it out of?

 

[A_Pmech]

I can make most kinds of vise jaws.

Let's see some photos of your vise and a jaw width measurement.

 

[AlbertaGuy]

Oops, they didnt upload the first time. Here you go.

 

[A_Pmech]

That looks like a fairly modern vise. Does Gray support it with parts?

 

[autopts]

That vise may have been made from a place far, far, away. There might be a chance it might be a good candidate for the scrap heep.

 

[AlbertaGuy]

OK, so how can I figure out if its worth saving? Will there be some sort of a casting ID on it?

 

[jride200]

Your vise appears very, very similar to my 4" jaw Paramo. If so, the nut is unfortunately not replaceable, but rather it is cast as part of the fixed jaw. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news for you...

 

[AlbertaGuy]

Not a big deal. I already have a nice record on my bench, just thought I could rescue this one and fix it if it was worth it. I'll check tomorrow to see if the nut is removable or not. Thanx.

 

[whelenfan]

How did you make out with that nut? is is removable/replaceable?

 

[jride200]

I just got to thinking... Hope you didn't throw this vise out yet... If the nut happens to be non-replaceable (I suspect that this is the case), you could remove the remnants of the old nut and insert a new one, perhaps commercially available one, perhaps a one-off machine shop job. Anyway, 'stake' the new nut in place with holes drilled through the base. There you go, problem solved. Of course, I don't know what access you have to tools/machinery, so I don't know if this will work for you or not.

 

[AlbertaGuy]

OK, the broken piece actually was quite easily removable but now what? I tried searching on the net for replacement Gray parts but no luck. When I inherited the vice the 'anchor' part that was snapped off the piece in the picture was missing. Any ideas who or where to contact would be great. Thanx.

 

[JeremyManning]

gray tools customer service 1-800-567-0518

 

[ZRX61]

That thing has *Record* written all over it. Same color, same threads on the screw, same design etc. You can't screw the front all the way off owing to the way it's put together & the fact that the back end on the slide is "closed". You have to knock the pin out that holds the screw/handle in the front piece (next to the spring/washer) & then screw/pull it apart slightly. Once you get the handle/screw out, you knock out the pin (in the base) holding the nut in place & then tap the nut out rearwards by placing a punch through the hole on the front piece where the screw goes.

Did that make sense?

 

[Jzytaruk]

being a welder, I would just weld the thing back together and not fuss with ordering new parts. Welding cast iron isnt too bad if you know the correct procedure.

 

[2oolhound]

Looks like you 2 Edmontonchuckers should get together on this one.

 

[AlbertaGuy]

Yah, but like i said the bottom piece that broke off is AOL. Big thanks to jeremymanning. Called the number and the rep said go to any Gray distributor (edmonton nut and bolt) and all the parts are listed in the back of the catalog. Sure enough, there they were... to the surprise of the guy at the order desk. Ordered the nut, $9.95. They even had the jaws for $9.95 a set as well but i'm gonna wait to make sure the nut is correct first. May even turn this into a full blown overhaul, strip the old paint and do over. Thanks guys, ill let you know how i make out.

 

[Catalyze]

Excellent! I love a happy tool ending.
Craig