Vintage Wilton 500s

[Davidsig]

I just finished restoring an old Wilton 500s. This is a beautiful beast of a vice and
one I've been after for a long time. I need help with a problem; one of the cap screws holding the jaw in place just wouldn't come lose. I heated it, tried penetrating oil; wouldn't budge. So I drilled it out put an "easy out " in and it broke off. Help please...what can I do now???

 

[KMScott]

I just finished restoring an old Wilton 500s. This is a beautiful beast of a vice and
one I've been after for a long time. I need help with a problem; one of the cap screws holding the jaw in place just wouldn't come lose. I heated it, tried penetrating oil; wouldn't budge. So I drilled it out put an "easy out " in and it broke off. Help please...what can I do now???

Hopefully the easy out is not still in the hole. If so then you must visit a machine shop to mount your vise in a Milling machine if you do not have one to carbide drill out your easy out. Do your best to pick the broken hard pieces out of the hole.

I added a few pic's on how I locate and drill out ruined or stuck screws. A heavy duty drill press can work if you do not have a Mill. But rigity of set up is a must, can't have it moving around. I first locate the center and use a center drill to spot the screw so your drill does not wander. Then I drill out the 5/16:18 cap screws with a 5/16 drill bit until the head pops off. I then use a 1/4 inch drill to drill out the threads. A letter F drill (.257) is the correct tap drill size for a 5/16:18 thread. If you loose the location you might have to pick up the other threaded hole and move 2- 3/8 to the other threaded hole. If you mess up then visit your local auto parts store and buy a 5/16:18 Heli Coil kit and drill and tap with the Heli Coil tap and install the helicoil with the install tool in your kit. Good luck.