Vise Cleanup

[WhoWhatNow]

A few months ago I was doing a few small projects which reminded me how much my cheap Cummins vise sucked. Around the same time, I found this site and the vise thread. You can see where this is going, right?

This is the first one I bought.

I found it on Craig’s List and had a friend pick it up for me in New Jersey. The guy selling it said it was his grandfathers. It was covered in rust, but it was complete and worked smoothly. It weighs 60lbs by the bathroom scale and has 5" jaws. I couldn't read the name and I didn't want to wire wheel it for fear of removing whatever was left of the writing. So into the tank it went.

This was my first attempt at electrolysis and I have to say it is really amazing. I wasn't sure what to except, so I picked up a cheap Harbor Freight battery charger in case I screwed something up. I didn't want to destroy my good charger.
The rest of the family wasn't too happy about me leaving a vat of water plugged into the wall overnight, so I only turned it on when I was home. I don't know how many hours it was actually on, but it was in there for a few weeks. Most of that was because I simply didn't have time to mess with it.
Here it is out of the tank.
I put a wire wheel on the angle grinder and went to work. So this is where I am now. Most of the rust is gone, but it is badly pitted. There is still some rust in the pits. Do I just keep going with the wire wheel to get the rest? I still need to get inside the slide and the static jaw. Any hints for doing this? Just a smaller wire wheel?

A crack or how it was cast?

I was carefully around the lettering on the side, but it looks like I still took some off. Can't tell for sure, but I think it is a Prentiss.

I wiped it down with some WD-40 si it wouldn’t rust again. I haven’t had time to get back to if for a few weeks. Originally I was going to paint it, but now I am thinking I will leave it as is.

I will update this thread as I get more time to work on it. Let me know what you think.

 

[spongerich]

Electrolysis will (eventually) get all of the rust. It works best "line of sight" so repositioning the electrodes once in a while helps. To get the inside of the base, wrap some rebar in nylon window screen and put it in there, that will prevent it from shorting out but should clean up the inside pretty well. Whatever you do, it'll flash rust a little when you rinse it off. I use the hottest water that I can so it dries quickly.

 

[Zeke]

Looks like a good welding vice to me.

 

[ZRX61]

Pitted is an understatement. I'd beadblast it at this point & maybe gunblue it.

& yes, that's a crack.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

Looks like a good welding vice to me.

That's the plan. As soon as I learn to weld!

ZRX61 - What would you use to blast with?

 

[ZRX61]

glass bead.

I think it's way too far gone for filling the pits with JBWeld etc after like I do to some of mine

 

[holdover]

did you add anything to the water? Is that a trickle charger you used??

 

[sscustom]

that coming up nice ,one more dip and it will shine

 

[ddawg16]

Pitted? Understatement....

I would be interested to see what the difference would be if you used vinegar. I would have thought that electrolysis would have done a better job.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

Looks like a good welding vice to me.

Given the general condition, that's the plan.

did you add anything to the water? Is that a trickle charger you used??

One box of baking soda.

Pitted? Understatement....

I would be interested to see what the difference would be if you used vinegar. I would have thought that electrolysis would have done a better job.

I didn't take the vise apart before putting it in. That is most likely why it didn't clean up too well. I most likely keep it apart and try again.

I didn't get to step foot in the garage this weekend. Maybe I can get it in the bath again during the week. I'll post pictures as the project moves along. Thanks for the comments!