Disassembling a 3 Way Angle Vise

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bluwolf

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I'm trying to disassemble a 3 way angle vise. It's an old Jet model# UAV-4 if that helps. It's just in bad shape from non-use. Once I put a little oil in the ways and got it unfrozen it seems to works very well. It has a lot of surface rust on all the bare machined surfaces (but not the ways) so I'd like to take it apart and clean it up right. I took out all the gib adjusting screws but the swiveling sections don't want to come apart.

I realized that both sides of the gibs are angled so they won't come straight up. And there isn't enough room to rotate the sections enough to get the gibs out. The only thing I can think to do is to use a punch and try to tap the gibs (half moon shaped) around to get them out. I've tried to Google instructions but there is nothing on the angle vises. Regular vises, yes, angle vises, no. I just thought I would ask if anyone has done this before and knows a trick before I screw it up.

Thanks,
Mike
 
What ever you do don't use a punch on the little gibs. They are much softer than your punch and will mushroom on the end causing an endless of problems.

I have a smaller version of your vise, but never had it apart. It needs a bath really bad, but since I don't use it much, it's low on the list of stuff that needs servicing right now.

I would suggest getting a couple cans of brake cleaner as start hosing it down. Then next get a can of LPS-1, not WD-40!, and soak it good and start working the movements, rocking back and forth, adding more LPS-1, keep doing this until the movements are fairly free. You may have to wipe the crud off the slides and reapply LPS-1.

As far as I know, the slides should come off freely. I don't recall any stops limiting travel on these vises. You may have to use a lead hammer or rubber mallet to persuade it a little to separate, but don't get carried away. It's cast iron and will break with excessive force.

Last word of caution to anyone that has one of these vises, especially one of the smaller ones like I have. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN the vise. Just tighten gently just enough to keep the part from moving. Failure to do so may break off the end of the vise!

Ken
 
My apologies to you guys that replied. I thought I had set up a subscription to notify me if someone responded. Apparently not... I've since fixed that.

I was able to finally get it apart. As you said, I kept lubing it up and playing with it until I saw the lube squishing and moving around in the gaps. Then I gently used a brass punch to tap the gibs around until they came out. I actually went very well. Now I just hope it goes back together as nicely as it came apart.

Mike
 
Being a little slow sometimes, it just occurred to me that might ask what kind of grease and/or oil I should use when reassembling the vise. I was thinking way oil but there may be something better? I also have Mobil 1 synthetic bearing grease.

Thanks again,
Mike
 
Please no grease!

Just use your favorite oil and you'll be fine.

Ken

PS, If you insist on using grease, get you a tube of Lubriplate 105 motor assembly grease. Generally used for engine assembly, but used for many other things. It won't turn to solid over years of storage.
 
Thanks, I was leaning that way. But part of the reason I asked is because it seemed to be old grease that made it tough to get apart, and it didn't look like it had ever been apart before, so I thought it might have come new that way.

Mike
 
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