# Need help restoring an old vice



## Slugsie (21 Feb 2020)

I have picked up an old Record #6 vice. It's a bit rusty, but should clean up nicely and will be very handy for many tasks. The only problem is that the jaws are missing and the screws that would hold the jaws in place are snapped off and rusted into the holes. I've tried a few things to get them out, but with no success. Heat, penetrating oils (including the old ATF/Acetone mixture), and broken screw extractor bits. No joy.

So, I was wondering if there was someone with a metal shop in the Blackpool/Preston area who might be able to help me out?


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## ED65 (21 Feb 2020)

Nice bit of kit!

How much heat did you use? Did the screw extractors fail to get a bite or something else?


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## --Tom-- (21 Feb 2020)

If the screws have snapped in it’s usually a sign that twisting them out is going to be tough. Centre punch, drill and then retapping is the course of action I’d take. Particularly if you have some thread exposed that will index the tap, as it can then just clean out the old thread if you’re lucky


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## Slugsie (21 Feb 2020)

ED65":mcctpw7q said:


> Nice bit of kit!
> 
> How much heat did you use? Did the screw extractors fail to get a bite or something else?



I've only got a hand held blowtorch, and it's a big chunk of iron, so probably not enough. I'm having trouble drilling into the broken screws enough so the extractors can do their job.


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## Slugsie (21 Feb 2020)

--Tom--":33ovzlvo said:


> If the screws have snapped in it’s usually a sign that twisting them out is going to be tough. Centre punch, drill and then retapping is the course of action I’d take. Particularly if you have some thread exposed that will index the tap, as it can then just clean out the old thread if you’re lucky



I'm having a problem drilling into the old screws. If I could figure out how to securely mount the parts on my small drill press it would help, but as it is I've tried with a handheld drill which hasn't been too effective.

Out of interest, anyone know the thread size the holes would be tapped to? I'm guessing it won't be metric, so I'm going to have to borrow the correct size once I'm in a position to tap the holes out.


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## Inspector (21 Feb 2020)

We used to use small carbide rotary files/burrs in a high speed grinder to drill out hardened screws. If the screw extractor didn't work we'd use the burr to carefully enlarge the hole until reaching the thread root of the screw. Then it is easy to pick out the threads. Those were 10-32 screws, about 5mm, so the vice screws should be easy. They were a ball shape.

I can't seem to put in link of similar ones.

Pete


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## MusicMan (21 Feb 2020)

I bought a couple of small left-hand spiral drills for extracting small broken screws. Worked well. Search on ebay.


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## TFrench (21 Feb 2020)

I think I've only ever had a screw extractor work once. If you can find someone with a milling machine it would be quite easy to do - spot with an endmill to get it flat, then drill out with left hand drillbits. If I remember right, the jaw bolts on an old record are a whitworth size. There's a guy on ebay selling repro jaws at the moment.


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## hawkeyefxr (29 Mar 2020)

If the bolts are flush with the surface you can put a nut directly over the screw and weld in the hole of the nut to fill it up. Let it cool to cold, then heat the cast iron around the bolt. Your trying to expand the cast iron without getting the stuck screw warm. The cast iron will need to be HOT.
If your extractors are easy outs give them a big miss completely.
This is a tried and tested method


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## hawkeyefxr (29 Mar 2020)

Should have added, if you have a small air gun set it low and use that, the knocking action does more that a straight twist of a spanner or socket.


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## sunnybob (29 Mar 2020)

I understand renovating some old tools, but c'mon, you can buy a new vice for under 50 quid. Its going to cost you a lot more than that in time and money.
heres just one offering.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vices-Record-H ... 4%3ARecord


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## Trevanion (29 Mar 2020)

sunnybob":1yn400l1 said:


> I understand renovating some old tools, but c'mon, you can buy a new vice for under 50 quid. Its going to cost you a lot more than that in time and money.
> heres just one offering.
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vices-Record-H ... 4%3ARecord



A new No. 6 will set you back over £300 Bob!

And then there's the case of "They don't make em like they used to..."


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## sunnybob (29 Mar 2020)

Maybe so, but unless you're going to sell it to another enthusias and make a profit, it's still a lot of time and effort for a vice. :roll: 
I know, i,m a philistine 8) 8)


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## TFrench (29 Mar 2020)

Sometimes it's the journey, not the destination Bob. The old Herbert one I ponced up recently should have gone in a skip if you thought like that.


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## TheTiddles (4 Apr 2020)

I’m doing this on a No.4 right now.

If you’ve got replacement jaws, clamp one on in the right place and use it as a guide bush to drill out the old screw with a decent drill bit (by hand is fine) if you use an 8mm bit, you can then helicoil for M8 and get rid of the 5/16” Whitworth screw that are there originally and replace with some nice cheap SS ones, that won’t rust in again.

As for not making them like they used to.... they were rough then, they are rough now.

Aidan


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## TFrench (4 Apr 2020)

TheTiddles":2j4q7wmt said:


> As for not making them like they used to.... they were rough then, they are rough now.



They're rough now, AND made out of metal the consistency of cheese :lol:


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