Disaster Strikes!

[MJP]

Been making a small secondary workbench -

found an old Record 52E vice during a rust hunt a couple of weeks ago.

Derusted it with vinegar, bought new vice cheek bolts and mounting bolts, made new pine cheeks - looked the biz.

Just mounted it on the bench now..

Tightened up the mounting bolts - vice cracked right across the two front bolt holes.!!

Not a happy bunny.

Martin.

 

[MJP]

Just stripped the vice - the majority of the cracked surface looks old, I think that it was already mostly fractured and I just gave it the final tickle to finish it off.

So I don't feel quite so bad about it now - though I'm still quietly fuming!

Martin.

 

[NazNomad]

Dammit... Plenty of places in S. Wales to get it welded though. Worth doing.

 

[Rorschach]

Get it welded up, if its steel it shouldn't be too difficult.

 

[MJP]

It's cast iron not steel, Rorschach - and isn't cast a bit tricky to weld? I thought that trying to get it brazed might be more successful.

anyway, I'm off soon to the garage, see what they say.

They owe me a favour!

Martin.

 

[MusicMan]

Cast iron won't really weld (unless it is one particular type), and brazing is not IMO strong enough for a vice.

 

[Rorschach]

Aah ok, probabl why it was cracked then. Very glad I have a steel vice, I probably would have broken it long ago otherwise lol.

 

[MJP]

Thanks Both -

Musicman - yes, I agree, brazing might not be good enough. But since I have nothing to lose, worth a try.

Rorschach - I'm surprised at that. I thought that all woodworking vises were cast iron, Records anyway.

Been to the garage, closed - I suppose for their Summer Hols. So this is going to have to wait until next week now. Drat (to put it politely, this being a family-friendly forum).

Martin.

 

[MattRoberts]

Having restored a 52E myself, I feel your pain! You could always look to buy one cheap from the 'Bay to get the replacement parts - especially one that's going cheap because the quick release or other part is broken / missing

 

[MJP]

Thanks Matt - yes, if brazing doesn't work that's what I'll do.

It's just such a shame that my bargain find that I was so proud of restoring to what appeared to be good health has ended in such a way.

One of life's ups and down I guess.

Martin.

 

[Rorschach]

Thanks Both -

Musicman - yes, I agree, brazing might not be good enough. But since I have nothing to lose, worth a try.

Rorschach - I'm surprised at that. I thought that all woodworking vises were cast iron, Records anyway.

Been to the garage, closed - I suppose for their Summer Hols. So this is going to have to wait until next week now. Drat (to put it politely, this being a family-friendly forum).

Martin.

It was a topic here a while back, I have a Woden vice that is all Steel, like you I thought they were all cast iron but it seems we were both wrong and steel are/were available. It is certainly tough!

 

[MJP]

That's interesting Rorschach.

Forgive me for asking, but how do you tell if a vise is cast iron or steel (other than cracking one apart!!)?

They would be cast steel then rather than cast iron, presumeably? Less carbon, less crystalline, more ductile?

I'll keep my eyes open for any Woden wood vises on my rust hunts from now on.

Martin.

 

[wallace]

I think you can tell what metal it is by using a grinder and seeing what type, colour sparks come off

 

[Rorschach]

Mine is easy on the side in the casting it says "STEEL" lol

 

[MJP]

Wallace, Rorschach - thanks.

Yes of course - a little grind will tell all.

Unless you strike lucky and see The Word of course!

Martin.

 

[bugbear]

Aah ok, probabl why it was cracked then. Very glad I have a steel vice, I probably would have broken it long ago otherwise lol.

I've never seen a steel woodworking vice - what have you got?!

BugBear

 

[No skills]

Brazing might be fine, I brought my record vice from eBay with a hairline crack in it (no other bidders :lol: ) - it's been fine with no work done to it.
Being the bodger I am I'd either try brazing it or epoxy with some reinforcement added.

 

[Rorschach]

Aah ok, probabl why it was cracked then. Very glad I have a steel vice, I probably would have broken it long ago otherwise lol.

I've never seen a steel woodworking vice - what have you got?!

BugBear

It's not a woodworking vice, the Woden is an engineers vice. Although I think my woodworking vice is also steel, no name on it though.

 

[worn thumbs]

If you can find a tame metalworker,brazing should be fine.If you have to pay a commercial rate for the job,probably not worth the expense.There are people who can weld cast iron with the correct filler rods and with pre-heating and they are not easy to find.

 

[yetloh]

There used to be outfits that advertised repairs to cast iron crankcases - presumably where they had been cracked by frost due to the absence of anti-freeze rather than a con-rod coming through the side - which I think was referred to as "stitching", but I guess this would have been on relatively thin cast iron. Don't know whether anyone still offers it.

Jim