Made alum. vise jaws... and now I see how wildly off my vise is...

[r-mm]

Hi all

I know there is a lot of vise love around here. I bought this older US made Columbian vise a while back, it had hideous steel jaws in it which I mostly have covered with soft covers. These soft covers obscured an underlying mis-alignment that became veeerry evident when I put my magnetic alum jaws on.

I did square the alum jaws at the mill. They may not be aerospace grade square but they are close enough that I should not be seeing this.

I realize this is a pretty noobie post. If anyone can help me diagnose how to remedy the vise I would appreciate it.

 

[mmcmdl]

Mill the jaw square or mill the soft jaw on an angle ? ( on the back side )

 

[r-mm]

I would attempt this with the vise not the jaw but figured there may be a "coarse adjustment" either missing or irrevocably set into the vise.

 

[markba633csi]

It looks to me like there may be an underlying issue with the jaw and ram- could even be broken/separated there or bent
That vise has been thru rough use/abuse

 

[Jim F]

Jaws are fine, vise is FUBAR.

 

[r-mm]

Do you mean that in the literal sense of "BEYOND" repair, Jim ?

 

[Flyinfool]

It looks like there is a mark on the ram indicating that the moveable jaw has shifted about 1/4 inch. Something at the interface of the moveable jaw and the ram is missing, broken or bent. Take it all apart and see what is going on, then you will know if it is fixable or truly and literally FUBAR.

 

[RJSakowski]

The vise can be repaired and returned to useful service but most likely can't be returned to anything resembling as new condition. The moveable jaw is obviously sprung. The question in my mind is "are the moveable jaw and beam one piece or are they two separate parts" if the former, the beam is most likely bent from over tightening and to cure the misalignment of the jaws, it would have to be straightened. If two pieces, there may be a fastener which is partially sheared and causing the tilt.

Were it my vise, I think that I would mill the moveable jaw square to the beam. That way, if you ever want to make new soft jaws , your task is simplified. Second choice would be to mill the angle in the back of your soft jaws as @mmcmdl suggests.

 

[r-mm]

Here's what the movable jaw looks like

 

[mmcmdl]

Is the ID thread stripped out ? I have a large Starrett vise with both the lead screw and threaded thing stripped beyond repair .