straighten a vise lead screw?

[deltaphisig]

Let the flaming begin...

My drill press angle vise fell off the drill press and stuck the floor. The vise survived without a scratch, except the lead screw has a very slight bend in it. It still runs the full length, but gets a little stiff mid shaft. Any suggestions on straightening it out? I don't mind paying someone to do it if I have a ballpark on the price. It is a Wilton drill press vise that I paid $15 for.

Thanks.

 

[Burgerkong]

Press.

 

[lilredex]

Easy enough......

Use your vise, make some jaw covers first if you don't already have some. Steel OK, copper even better.

Find where the bend starts and position that just outside the (vise) jaws. Pull over 'til straight. Keep moving it into the jaws as you get it straight.

Pull on the cross bar end, slipping a short pipe over it if you need to, for an easier pull. Go slow and pay attention to what is happening.

 

[91bronc300]

Drop it on the floor again from the other direction.

Doing it manually in a soft-jawed vise is probably what I would do too. Find where exactly it's bent with a precision straightedge and mark it with a paint pen then do it by hand in a soft-jawed vise.

 

[Provincial]

Easy enough......

Use your vise, make some jaw covers first if you don't already have some. Steel OK, copper even better.

Find where the bend starts and position that just outside the (vise) jaws. Pull over 'til straight. Keep moving it into the jaws as you get it straight.

Pull on the cross bar end, slipping a short pipe over it if you need to, for an easier pull. Go slow and pay attention to what is happening.

You can test for straightness by rotating the screw. Once straight, the end of the screw will rotate without wobbling. Keep working the high part of the arc down to the centerline until it stops flailing around. A dial indicator helps keep track of how far you need to bend it past straight to compensate for spring-back.