Vise Restoration

"Pixel" (Improbcat) 04/22/2020 at 20:04 • Filed to: None

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I rescued this vise from my late father’s shop in 2003, but it has been in storage since then waiting for me to have a shop with a plac e for it. I’ve been doing a lot of work to setup my garage since I’m stuck at home like everyone else, but when I tried to use it, it was rusted badly enough to barely function. A restoration was in order.

It is almost like sitting for 15+ years on basement and garage floors is bad for a vise...

Once I managed to get the bottom bolt off, there was little question why it wouldn’t rotate without some hammer persuasion.

Vise underside after some attention with a wire cup attachment.

The screw for the front plate was bent. The only thing I had in that size was a bolt, and I wasn’t going out to a hardware store during quarantine for one screw. Time to get creative.

A coat of self-etching primer

And a coat of dark green paint.

I’m really happy with how it turned out for about 5 hours work. It is now almost a showpiece, and I get to have a bit of my dad with me in my shop.

Nom De Plume > Pixel 04/22/2020 at 20:41

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That was good oppo. G narled hands and space heater all the way to custom striped handle covered in paint more frozen than cured.

Nothing effete or political here.

shop-teacher > Pixel 04/22/2020 at 21:29

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This is awesome!

My previous school had a bunch of these vices. Everyone goes crazy for the Wilton bullet vices, but quite frankly these are just as good.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Pixel 04/22/2020 at 21:34

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But did you make a new one?

This guy does some awesome restoration work. He also has a machine shop and makes reproduction parts, including hardware. “I make a new one” has become his catchphrase.

Sseriously though, great work.  The vise looks great.  

Agrajag > Pixel 04/22/2020 at 21:36

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Looks fantastic! 

Pixel > shop-teacher 04/22/2020 at 21:39

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Yeah. This thing was acquired used by my dad (likely at a tag sale), he used and abused it. I used and abused it as a kid/teenager. It sat on damp basement & garage floors, and with a tho rough wire brushing and greasing it works like new, and the jaws are still basically perfect.

facw > Pixel 04/22/2020 at 21:52

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Gorgeous! Hope it works well.

shop-teacher > Pixel 04/22/2020 at 22:16

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I'm not at all surprised.

Captain of the Enterprise > Pixel 04/23/2020 at 03:28

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Great job and I love the story behind it! I love the color!

OPPOsaurus WRX > Pixel 04/23/2020 at 08:01

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good to see you have a grip on things

Tohg2 > Pixel 04/23/2020 at 10:49

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I picked up one of those about 8 years ago for a steal on Craigslist. It had already been restored and had new jaws. If you search around the replacement jaws are still available. Old American iron like that is hard to beat.

Just Jeepin' > Captain of the Enterprise 04/23/2020 at 22:31

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How are you feeling?

Captain of the Enterprise > Just Jeepin' 04/24/2020 at 05:05

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I’ve been feeling worse again the last 3 days. The fatigue was so strong yesterday that I spent most of the day sleeping or lying in bed. The day before breathing was worse again. I’ve been feeling more sore again with aches and pains. But the chest pain is mostly gone.

It seems to switch from feeling a bit better for a couple days and then worse for a few days. So I’m hoping to feel a little better again later today.

I’m also hoping I get my test results today but it could take up to a week to get them so that could be up to Monday. I’m pretty sure I have it but it would be nice to know for sure. I’m hoping to feel better soon. I’ve had symptoms for almost three weeks now with the more severe ones being almost two weeks. The first week was mainly a sore throat but the chest pain and breathing hit hard about a week in.

I really appreciate you asking and checking in! It is very nice of you. 

Just Jeepin' > Captain of the Enterprise 04/24/2020 at 08:42

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I had the flu for the first time in years, just as the first COVID cases were discovered here in Indiana. Intellectually I knew the flu was worse than just a sinus infection or cold , but experiencing it was still quite a shock.

Despite literally blacking out from dehydration one night and waking up in a pool of my own blood (sounds more dramatic than it actually was, but doesn’t it sound delightful?) it was, overall, mild compared to what could have been, and certainly not the ongoing misery you’ve found yourself in.

I hope you feel better soon. Please post once you have some answers, or just to say hi.

Captain of the Enterprise > Just Jeepin' 04/24/2020 at 11:36

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I’m sorry about what you went through. I’ll try to keep everyone posted, I’m hoping to get my results today. I had the flu a few years ago too.