More shop stuff.

[Wingedwheel]

Since I’m doing more and more in my garage I have discovered what I thought were good places to mount things have become not so good places. My bench vise that is on the corner of my main bench is now in the way of my laser bed. I considered mounting them (2) on my work table but a few weeks ago I did a project that took up the whole table, (72”x49”) so it would have been a bad place there also. I saw a great idea where the guy had mounted his bench vise on a “T” base and clamped that in a flush top woodworkers vise. First thing was finding a vise. I picked this one up on Marketplace.

it needed a little work but the price and size was right.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I started by dis-assembling everything for a good cleaning.

bench dog works well also. These are sometimes missing on these older vises.

I used a loose wire wheel in front of my dust collector fixture to clean everything and it was amazing how easy and clean it was. I thought I had a can of machine grey but unfortunately did not. With a cabinet full of rattle cans I just couldn’t justify going for more paint so I picked a can of blue…

 

[Wingedwheel]

The faces cleaned up amazing so I taped them off and started spraying.

the paint dried super fast so I actually got to put things back together.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Thanks to Michigan weather the paint got a little extra cure time. I spent most of the morning clearing the 4” of snow that saw fit to fall last night. Due to the mild temps yesterday the driveway was still warm enough to melt the snow and once I cleaned it freeze up lol. Sun came out and all was right in the cosmos. Anyway I decided the best spot to mount the vise and cut a filler block.

I had to notch the table rail but not enough to cause any concern

I want to make some wooden pads with magnets epoxied into the back to hold them on without having to use screws. I’d like to use maple but I’m not sure I have a piece 5” tall. I might have to raid the firewood pile for a piece. I need a piece that tall because I mounted the face flush with the bottom of the tabletop so the pad would be flush with the top.

 

[Wingedwheel]

One thing I’ve noticed is the offset of the screw on the face. All other pics and vises I’ve seen, it’s centered.

 

[kshansen]

I want to make some wooden pads with magnets epoxied into the back to hold them on without having to use screws. I’d like to use maple but I’m not sure I have a piece 5” tall. I might have to raid the firewood pile for a piece.

Interesting idea of the magnets to hold them in place, might have to steal that idea!

Not sure the reason for the clamping screw to be off-set. My Craftsman version of that vice is centered. I'm sure there is some reason for it.

 

[RustiePyles]

That's a sweet old Columbian! Nice find!

 

[Wingedwheel]

I guess with the screw off center I think I’m getting more clamping face area? Anyway I found a couple pieces of reclaimed Maple pallet wood in my(stolen term) “unclaimed material pile”.

of course it couldn’t be that easy though. When I started sanding on my big belt sander I kept smelling burning belt rubber. I had noticed it the last few times using the machine but hadn't done anything about it. Of course that became a whole project in itself as I had picked the sander up some time back off CL for $35 from a guy that bought a house and the sander was in the garage. He didn’t want to with fixing it up so I became the owner.

I was able to get it usable but the disc was pretty much stuck on the main arbor so I didn’t go deeper. This time it became a situation where I was too far into it to back out. I had to somehow get the sanding disk and drive pulley off which were both stuck on, both aluminum and I knew I was gonna have to beat on something and try not to break it. I was able to get behind the disk with a long screwdriver and hammer. It was a skinny screwdriver and I’m surprised I didn’t crack the aluminum cast but working it back and forty and spinning it I was finally able to pop it off. That’s when I realized that somehow the shaft got mushroomed on the end so another hour of fine filing everything slid on and off very easily.

All that just for these two pads. I glued RE magnets in recessed holes.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Worked out great! I had a little sanding to flatten one board a little but otherwise, worked great.

now after all that I’m back to my original mission. I cut a piece of plate to mount the bench vise.

I set up my handheld and cut the profile.

Then I welded a “skeg” underneath Inactually made two mounts because I have a smaller vise that I’d like to use occasionally.

Holes were drilled and tapped.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I seriously think I have a problem sometimes. I set out to do one simple think and it snowballs into 20 other adds. I looked at my bench vise and realized I’ve had it so long I can’t remember when or where I got it. I don’t even remover if I ever painted it lol so throw it up on the table and take it apart for a good cleaning. I love my new setup with the dust collector. Used a wire wheel on the drill in front of a home made set up and zero mess.

Back over to the paint cabinet for my choices and decided I always wanted a Golden Anvil!

 

[Wingedwheel]

All good

 

[Wingedwheel]

I had to post this, being a man of many vises…..

 

[Grimly]

Worked out great! I had a little sanding to flatten one board a little but otherwise, worked great.View attachment 204497
now after all that I’m back to my original mission. I cut a piece of plate to mount the bench vise.
I set up my handheld and cut the profile.
Then I welded a “skeg” underneath Inactually made two mounts because I have a smaller vise that I’d like to use occasionally.View attachment 204503View attachment 204505
Holes were drilled and tapped.

You should be on the Garage Journal Vises thread. Those pics would get some interest, for sure.

 

[Wingedwheel]

You should be on the Garage Journal Vises thread. Those pics would get some interest, for sure.

Thanks, I’ll check the site out.

 

[Wingedwheel]

One thing I’ve noticed is the offset of the screw on the face. All other pics and vises I’ve seen, it’s centered.View attachment 204310

I learned from a guy on a different site that the off set is for vertical clamping. By using the side closest to the screw it helps prevent “Racking”.

 

[RustiePyles]

We do have a thread on vise restoration here as well.

https://www.xs650.com/threads/restoring-an-old-vise.60529/

 

[gggGary]

Is that fabricated tee enough support for typical vice tasks?

 

[Wingedwheel]

Is that fabricated tee enough support for typical vice tasks?

It’s 5/16” plate so I would hope so As it’s only a 4” vice. My only concern would be slippage in the wooden jaw liners. I can remove them if it is an issue. The smaller vise is 5/16” flat stock welded together but I doubt I’ll be cranking on anything in that vise very hard.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I liked the vise pads I made out of Maple so much I made a set for the 4” bench vise.

I guess if I did anything different I would go back to a more standard color on the vise. I’m not crazy about the Gold.

 

[gggGary]

I liked the vise pads I made out of Maple so much I made a set for the 4” bench vise.
View attachment 204758View attachment 204759View attachment 204760
I guess if I did anything different I would go back to a more standard color on the vise. I’m not crazy about the Gold.

Never seen a "splitting point" like that one on the anvil, on a vice.