Getting an old vice apart

[Dr.Al]

Bolt it to something firm.

Make some sliding wooden wedges.

Place them in from the sides and drive home until tight.
Then drill a series of shallow 10mm holes in them and fill with water.

Apply heat to the fixed jaw area. Until spit bubbles.

Tap the body with a hammer.
Using a block off wood between the hammer and the back of the sliding jaw, try to drift out.

The wooden wedges will loosen, just tighten up.
The water will make the wood swell adding more pressure.

Slow, but it works.

Soak in penetrating oil for a week.

Electroyolis to remove the rust, then gently bash with a hammer.

Donate to TYA MIS Vice fund.

I haver done a few with the above method in the past.

All have worked.

I ended up doing something similar, but not exactly the same as this.

I cut a piece of wood diagonally such that it made two wedges that (when at their narrowest setting) just fitted in the gap underneath the jaws of the vice. I didn't bother drilling holes in the wood, I just banged the wood in so it was applying a reasonable amount of pressure on the vice. I then chucked the whole lot in the citric bath and left it for about 3 days. I figured the citric acid / water mix would make the wood swell.

I the got a scriber and marked the line where the two parts met and hit the wood with a hammer to tighten the wedge. After a few hits I could see signs of movement so I just kept on whacking the wood wedges until it came apart.

Woo! I'll post more photos soon (probably on a separate thread so I can include photos of all the vice restoration stuff)

 

[Screwdriver]

I ended up doing something similar, but not exactly the same as this.

I cut a piece of wood diagonally such that it made two wedges that (when at their narrowest setting) just fitted in the gap underneath the jaws of the vice. I didn't bother drilling holes in the wood, I just banged the wood in so it was applying a reasonable amount of pressure on the vice. I then chucked the whole lot in the citric bath and left it for about 3 days. I figured the citric acid / water mix would make the wood swell.

I the got a scriber and marked the line where the two parts met and hit the wood with a hammer to tighten the wedge. After a few hits I could see signs of movement so I just kept on whacking the wood wedges until it came apart.

Woo! I'll post more photos soon (probably on a separate thread so I can include photos of all the vice restoration stuff)

An excellent idea. Well played!