Parkinson ball base vice

[GraemeVW]

Picked a Size A parkinson ball vice up today. Few issues, but it was cheap enough.
Firstly, it has no jaws. Has anyone got decent pics of what the jaws are like?
Secondly, does anyone know the thread size for the jaw screws?

Lastly, are these iron or steel? I suspect iron.
It has some drill marks in the dynamic jaw. I'm not overly bothered, may leave them, may in weld them
If it was steel, I'd weld them up.
More of an issue is the missing corner at the rear of the dynamic jaw. Not a big issue unless used at full opening, and even then it's not a huge issue. But I'd quite like to fix it. If its iron, I can't just build it up with weld. If they are steel, then easy fix.
Assuming iron, what are my options? Make a steel piece and braze it on? It wont seem much stress at all.
I can't braze though so id have to get it all ready and find someone to do it.

Thanks.

 

[timgunn1962]

They are cast Iron. I have one that has been broken and repaired in a very Cast Iron manner.

Most likely threads are BSW.

You could probably repair with a lump just Devconned in if you square the angled break. It looks like it'll be under compression in use at full opening that way, rather than loade in shear if you stick a bit onto the cleaned-up diagonal break.

Being CI, it's not a heavy duty vice, but it is absolutely superb for holding fairly delicate stuff at odd angles. With a clean sheet to work from, I'd be looking to fit Copper jaws.

 

[GraemeVW]

Repair is already underway. I assumed it would be iron, confirmed when I put a grinder to it.

I was thinking either aluminium or copper jaws too.

 

[GraemeVW]

I am at a bit of a loss with the jaw bolts. I don't have one to measure, and can't measure the internal thread.
I need to find something that fits, then measure that.

Thanks.

 

[Agroshield]

I am at a bit of a loss with the jaw bolts. I don't have one to measure, and can't measure the internal thread.

Whittle a pencil from a hexagon to a round shape. Screw it into the hole. That will tell you the thread pitch when you unscrew it and the diameter if you are careful with the penknife.

If the hole is big enough, a skinny blu-tac sausage on a skewer poked in the hole and pressed onto the threads will tell you the pitch. From that we can guess the diameter.

 

[Seadog]

The jaws screws are probably BSF.

 

[GraemeVW]

Whittle a pencil from a hexagon to a round shape. Screw it into the hole. That will tell you the thread pitch when you unscrew it and the diameter if you are careful with the penknife.

If the hole is big enough, a skinny blu-tac sausage on a skewer poked in the hole and pressed onto the threads will tell you the pitch. From that we can guess the diameter.

Fantastic idea!
I have some moldable plastic stuff too that I can jam in there, let set, then unscrew.
One way or another, I'll make something like this work.

 

[Agroshield]

I have some moldable plastic stuff too that I can jam in there, let set, then unscrew.

Lightly oil or wax the threads to make removal easier.

 

[GraemeVW]

The bolts are 3/8" 24tpi, which I believe makes them unf right?

 

[MattF]

@CwazyWabbit may be able to answer this one.

 

[GraemeVW]

Dynamic jaw is fixed.
Cleaned the break up, and cut some steel to fit. I then drilled it, screwed some pins into the iron vice jaw, slid the new piece over the pins and welded the steel bit to the pins.
Yeah, I couldn't resist putting a tack or two on the join, seems to have worked ok even though drilling it proved it's deffinately cast iron of some kind.
I suspect I could weld all the join, but I won't. I'll fill the remaining crack, and the drill damage, with JB.

I'll clean it up, paint it, then see about making some jaws.

Tempting to see if I can seperate the handles and nickel plate them!

 

[GraemeVW]

Trying to find some copper to make some jaws, need something around 10mmx15mm, 100mm wide. (3/8x5/8 x 4"?)
Not coming up with anything though.

Tried looking for aluminium too, but same.

I don't really have the machinery to mill anything to size. Was easy on the last vice as I could buy 01 steel on the right size, but would like soft jaws on this I think.

 

[MattF]

If I recall correctly, regarding the screws, they have a narrower angle on the head. Possibly 60°, due to the small insert area.

 

[GraemeVW]

If I recall correctly, regarding the screws, they have a narrower angle on the head. Possibly 60°, due to the small insert area.

I've seen other vice jaws like that.

This will be limited to what I can make.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Do you want pictures/measurements of some original jaws. I'll dig out a good condition ball base vise if you like.

PS. Apologies for the delay in replying, I was being a lumberjack yesterday (not the Monty Python type)

 

[GraemeVW]

Do you want pictures/measurements of some original jaws. I'll dig out a good condition ball base vise if you like.

PS. Apologies for the delay in replying, I was being a lumberjack yesterday (not the Monty Python type)

That would be very helpful, thanks!
I guess they have the same jaws as a 'handy' no3, but considering I can't buy jaws for one of those either, it's not much help!
I'm still undecided if I'll make soft jaws or het new hard jaws made.


I can't find much info on these. I have know they existed for a long time, and seen a few pics. I knew they were quite desirable, but now I'm looking for info I can't find any.
Are they uncommon?

I have it mostly cleaned up ready for paint once I find a suitable shade of red.

 

[Popcorn]

The bolts are 3/8" 24tpi, which I believe makes them unf right?

Correct

 

[CwazyWabbit]

They were really rare at one point, then they started to come out of the woodwork so to speak, now they seem rare again.
There are a number of variations in the design, most obvious one is the ball release handle design, iirc the writing on the side of the vice also changed.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

The jaws measure 100mm x 15mm (height) x 8mm (depth). I measured the grey one as it's the closest match to yours, same text and same locking lever style.




EDIT: Hadn't noticed before that one of them doesn't say Parkinsons on it. So had to go and check the other two. (apologies for the backdrop )

 

[GraemeVW]

Thank you, very helpful. The jaws are thinner than I'd thought they would be (8mm vs 10mm).
Fantastic collection you have there. Seems they made them over quite a time span. I'm surprised there aren't more about.

The dark blue one has jaws that come above the body. Do you think they are replacements?