Vise restoration

[Vyacheslav.Nevolya]

I found this old vise and decide to give this tool a new life.

[rlm98253]

Nicely done, sir.

[Vyacheslav.Nevolya]

[DIYer]

Thanks Vyacheslav.Nevolya! We've added your Vise Restoration to our Vises category,
as well as to your builder page: Vyacheslav.Nevolya's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Vise Restoration by Vyacheslav.Nevolya

tags: vise, restoration

[McDesign]

What Were Once Vis(c)es Are Now Habits.

Forrest

[thehomeengineer]

Nice job and looks like a strong vice that will last, even with the abuse we all inflict on this important item within the workshop. I think the vice is one of the most used tools in my workshop gets used for all kinds of jobs: a press, bender, light anvil, and not forgetting a vice lol. A good quality vice clamped to a strong bench is a must. Well worth the effort in restoring this one, vices are not cheap.
Thank you for sharing
The Home Engineer

[ncollar]

That is one beautiful vise. Now it ready for a life of good care.
Thanks for sharing
Nelson

[Toolmaker51]

I found this old vise and decide to give this tool a new life.

Friends and tool-hounds;
It's interesting how many of us enjoy restoration of sturdy vises, gaining not only fully serviceable but pleasant to look at.
When I go through a vise, the favorite enhancement is reducing backlash of the screw. It depends on available room in the housing, but can be easy as a thicker thrust plate, or adding a preload spring in compression.
Why, you ask?
Think about the last time you had two hands on a bulky part, while twisting the screw with the next and lesser qualified body part, elbow, shoulder, chin, belly...
With the screw preloaded, handle stays where you put it before any clamping has occurred. Also a nice time saver when manipulating a block on each side, while deburring for example.

A couple posts later The Home Engineer comments "Well worth the effort in restoring this one, vices are not cheap." Very true.
But a lot of people do not realize it. Two jobs back they did have cheap vises. Every one of the total six identical units on hand had been welded, a uber-common import. Most broken more than once, all in the same area, junction of jaw and the tenon. Looking underneath, the faults were glaringly clear. Thin, off-centered walls, no real corner fillets, and poor size control between tenon and the receiving mortise.
Is it unfair to judge a shop owner by the tools he supplies? I think not. No one has ever suggested I supply my own vise(s).