J Smart Mfg. Co. vice restoration

[Screwdriver]

Picked this up some time ago and it looks to be in pretty good nick.

Rare as hens teeth I should imagine, made in Canada...

Quick release looks good.

Came apart easily. Only a couple of "issues". A horrible handle and some home made mild steel jaws.

Finally got around to ordering up some bar stock and some steel balls. Machined for an interference fit.

Heated up the ball and pressed it on.

Then reheat and peen over the end. It's not coming off...

Other end was a bit more tricky thanks to a blunt M12 die that insisted on on going on sideways. Note the shattered die holder and pipe wrench. I wasn't going to take no for an answer...

...and just as I have started, we're almost finished. Just need to make up some jaws.

 

[123hotchef]

nice one

 

[Maker]

The new handle looks really good.

 

[Richard.]

As you cut the interference fit on the lathe why didn’t you just cut the m12 thread on there while you were on.

 

[Screwdriver]

As you cut the interference fit on the lathe why didn’t you just cut the m12 thread on there while you were on.

Got caught out again as I forgot, the Colchester Student doesn't have a 1.75 metric pitch. I think the bar is the perfect size for the vice and 10mm would be a bit mean for the ball ends (not that it would matter) so I went with 12mm. Then I remembered I can't cut a 1.75mm pitch.

 

[Screwdriver]

Been playing with this on the odd spare days, cleaning mostly.

Mostly wire wheel tbh, it was nice and dry so the castings came up lovely.

Mostly done, now I need to make up some new jaws.

It already had 5/16 UNC 18 screws so I had to wait for eBay to do it's thing, then decide how to mount the jaws. The standard countersink is too wide.

Just trimmed to a shoulder, the same width as my favourite half inch countersink bit so I could make a deep pocket for the screw head.

Jaws are some mystery metal which I assume is some sort of carbon steel alloy.

Left plain for now.

Hardened and tempered anyway (but I am leaning towards them being CRS).

Still, they fit, looks nice, now I just need to decide which shade of black to paint it...

 

[arther dailey]

That is a cracking job, loving the "original" finish, some of your best work there sir.

 

[Gragson]

That is a nice finish right there, be tempted to leave as it is and oil it.

 

[Screwdriver]

That is a nice finish right there, be tempted to leave as it is and oil it.

That is very tempting, it is in unusually good condition for its age.

 

[Climber]

I agree. Leave it as it is with a bit of oil. Step away from the paint brush.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Get some linseed oil and a block of bee's wax.
Break the wax up and add the linseed oil and mix until you get a paste.

Then using a version of a French polish rubber, work it in.
It is a bit off work, but you will end up with a good finish.

 

[Screwdriver]

I typically go for a single coat of boiled linseed oil. Not made up my mind yet because I don't know if I'm selling it or going to put it to use. There were a few sections where you could see the original colour and from the factory, it was black. I should also heat blacken the other end of the handle to match the forged end. Red hot, dunk in chip fat etc.

 

[Migmac]

Leave it as it is, painting it would spoil it

 

[Screwdriver]

I have neen restoring vices for years now guys. Many of them spent here and I remember the days when I used to have to tell everyone what b.l.o. even was....

I love the look of naked cast iron but I shall decide whether or not to paint it, as stated earlier.