Brown & Sharpe Tool Makers Universal Vise Help

[gcaldicott]

I picked up a Brown & Sharpe Tool Makers Universal Vise recently. I want to disassemble it to clean it up. I am stuck and could use some guidance. Here is the Vise.

I removed the swivel Base and bracing levers.

That leaves the Vise connected to the angle base.

I would like to remove the vise from the angle base, but I'm not sure how. Below is a picture of the Vise upside down with the angle base open. In addition to the swivel base, the vise also swivels on the angle base. I removed the locking bolt and I stuck a screw driver in the slit to spread the hole on the angle base thinking that I could pull the vise out. Spreading the slot allows the vise to lift about .030", but that's it. I'm not sure why. Next I tried to loosen the three slotted cap screws on the round pivet block that protrudes through the angle base and seem to connect it to the vise, but they do not budge. I assume they are standard right hand threads. I don't want to break anything.

Any ideas?
Thanks,
Greg

 

[4ssss]

You may have to drill out the heads of the screws and easy out the threaded ends. Those screws shown on the round piece are more than likely just retainers for the lead screw bronze nut. I think if you just spread the casting where it's split, the vise part of the compound will just slide out. Check to see if there are any set screws on the side that lock the vise to keep it from swiveling and remove them completely. Sometimes the manufacturer has turned down the front of the screw to fit into a slot, or put a brass round ahead of the screw, and just loosening them won't do it The good news is that the B&S compound vise is all US made and if you need to replace a screw you can get them at a hardware store.

 

[Bob Korves]

The vise has had many decades to get frozen up, do not expect to get it apart without damaging things in a few minutes. Respect the age of the vise and go slowly and carefully. In the big picture, what is an extra week (or whatever) of time to get it done properly. Buy some Kroil, PB Blaster, or other good penetrant and put some on the stuck parts. Not WD40 or equivalents. Half acetone and half ATF is probably the best and cheapest penetrant. Wiggle everything as best as you can. Let sit for half a day or so, then repeat, and keep on repeating until they come loose. The screws are easily damaged, and that will NOT make it easier to get them out. Use the penetrant, turn the screws toward tight, and then toward loose. Repeat and repeat at intervals, do not force them. They will come loose eventually. It helps if the other ends of the screw holes are accessible, if so, put penetrant there as well. They should be right hand screws. The pivot pin is removed by turning the hex head counter clockwise, but my similar vise also had a pin though it in the middle to lock it. Use penetrant wherever it might help. Excessive penetrant is just a waste of it. It needs to get into the stuck places, not bathe the vise. Again, take. your. time. be. careful. Walk away if you start getting impetuous, and do something else for a while until you settle down.

 

[Bob Korves]

Those vises are very versatile and handy to have around. They are nowhere near as rigid as a standard milling machine vise. Go really easy with your cuts if you use it on a milling machine. They are great on a surface grinder or tool grinder, and I think that is what they were originally intended for. Your vise is larger than mine, so it might do better on a mill..

 

[gcaldicott]

Those vises are very versatile and handy to have around. They are nowhere near as rigid as a standard milling machine vise. Go really easy with your cuts if you use it on a milling machine. They are great on a surface grinder or tool grinder, and I think that is what they were originally intended for. Your vise is larger than mine, so it might do better on a mill..

Honestly, the vise is a beast! It ways 135 lbs. I think it will be rigid enough on my VN12 mill. That is where I intend to use it. It is currently soaking in some PB blaster. I also hit the screws with a MAPP gas torch. I am taking it easy on the screws because I am not even sure they need to come out. I really just want to separate the vise from the angle base. I thought spreading the hole with a screw driver would allow the vise to slide out, but it doesn't seem to move more than about 0.030".

 

[4ssss]

Try taking off that nut and big washer on the side in pic#2. There may be something under it holding that pin along side it. It appears to be that's what is keeping the upper vise part from coming out.

 

[Rustrp]

I thought spreading the hole with a screw driver would allow the vise to slide out,

Put some metal shim stock in the slot (two pieces) and then put your screwdriver or wedge between the shim stock to open the slot a little. The nuts already looks as if a wrench slipped of at some time in history. I would stay away from the heat because you're expanding the screw and you need the reverse. Use a screwdriver that fits the screwheads, preferably with the tip ground flat, not the standard screwdriver taper, then use an adjustable wrench on the blade for a little extra torque as you push down. An impact screwdriver would work well on these too.

 

[woodchucker]

If you have an impact driver, the hammer hits may help loosen the bolts.
Also heat is your friend when trying to remove parts. Try to heat the outter split housing, and don't heat the hub.

 

[Rustrp]

Also heat is your friend when trying to remove parts.

Yeah, you could have used it on the stump.

 

[woodchucker]

I have another stump to do, and may drill a hole in the center and bottom , and burn that one. My maul handle split in multiple places, and this is just a small stump... So yea let it burn.

But seriously, I have used heat a number of times to loosen things. As long as you are not getting it red hot.. you are trying to expand it, or loosen the rust.