Thread: Waldown vice jaw

Originally Posted by morrisman

Hi

I cleaned up my Waldown vice, It is missing one of the jaw faces ?

Not sure if I can make one as it would have been hardened ?

Any ideas

Mike

Mike, don't know if you've access to a mill/shaper? You could make one from a harden-able steel and harden it after. Using your Waldown vice set up at 45 degrees and a V cutter cut the teeth and then reset to 45 degrees opposite to before, cut the rest of the teeth and drill holes to suit.
I've not done it, but should be feasible.
Kryn

Mike , you could do as Kryn has suggested, but I think that mild steel or even aluminium jaw(s) would be fine for most work. Judging from the photo, you may be using the vice for milling and not just drilling, but even so the softer jaws could just as often work in favour, as against compared to hardened jaws. The hard jaws can mar work if no soft packings are used, and if you are holding hardened workpieces, I think the soft jaws may hold tighter than the hard jaws. Hot rolled flat bar, given a skim cut to true it up, or Al given the same treatment would work well I think.
Waldown also had jaw sets with a pivoting jaw on the movable jaw, with about + or - 15° movement for holding parts which were not perfectly square, I have an idea that BT may have one of them as I think he may have uploaded a nice set of photos of it some time ago. Your vice is the first I have seen with a protractor scale engraved on it, presumably for vices mounted on a tilting frame. My own similar vice has no such scale. Are your hold down clamps of Waldown origin? I have no clamps for mine as yet, but again I'm nearly certain that BT has shown us his, and as I recall, they differ a bit from yours. In my case it is a forthcoming project, Ok one of many that I have. Cheers,
Rob

One advantage of using soft(er) steel for vice jaws is that if there is a mishap the cutter is not damaged when it starts cutting into the jaw. I thought my Vertex jaws were hard but they don't appear to be - just have a smooth (ground) finish. (Now how would I know that? )

Michael

Originally Posted by Ropetangler

Mike , you could do as Kryn has suggested, but I think that mild steel or even aluminium jaw(s) would be fine for most work. Judging from the photo, you may be using the vice for milling and not just drilling, but even so the softer jaws could just as often work in favour, as against compared to hardened jaws. The hard jaws can mar work if no soft packings are used, and if you are holding hardened workpieces, I think the soft jaws may hold tighter than the hard jaws. Hot rolled flat bar, given a skim cut to true it up, or Al given the same treatment would work well I think.
Waldown also had jaw sets with a pivoting jaw on the movable jaw, with about + or - 15° movement for holding parts which were not perfectly square, I have an idea that BT may have one of them as I think he may have uploaded a nice set of photos of it some time ago. Your vice is the first I have seen with a protractor scale engraved on it, presumably for vices mounted on a tilting frame. My own similar vice has no such scale. Are your hold down clamps of Waldown origin? I have no clamps for mine as yet, but again I'm nearly certain that BT has shown us his, and as I recall, they differ a bit from yours. In my case it is a forthcoming project, Ok one of many that I have. Cheers,

Rob

hi Rob

Yes I was wondering if the hold down clamps on my vice are original. The clamps have had the spacer/foot roughly welded on to the corner , looks a bit rough but maybe Waldown did it that way ? BTW this vice has metric bolts on it , it may be from the 1970's . Dont know when Waldown went out of business .

Ok sounds like mild steel will suffice . I may also make a optional jaw with a groove for holding round stock .

Mike

Originally Posted by morrisman

hi Rob

Yes I was wondering if the hold down clamps on my vice are original. The clamps have had the spacer/foot roughly welded on to the corner , looks a bit rough but maybe Waldown did it that way ? BTW this vice has metric bolts on it , it may be from the 1970's . Dont know when Waldown went out of business .

Ok sounds like mild steel will suffice . I may also make a optional jaw with a groove for holding round stock .

Mike

Mike, don't know if you thought about it, but when you make the jaws, make them with a vertical and horizontal groove.
Kryn

Originally Posted by morrisman

Dont know when Waldown went out of business.

Not for a long time I hope as they make good machines and have very helpful customer service.

Michael

Originally Posted by Michael G

Not for a long time I hope as they make good machines and have very helpful customer service.

Michael

I thought Waldown was gone and was now Brobo??

The only feature of the vice I have that I don't like is the serrated jaws. To hold a workpiece I place brass strips between the piece and the jaws to prevent marring. Replacement of the jaws with smooth soft steel jaws is something I've been meaning to do for a long time.

The hold down clamps that came with the vice are cast and are different in appearance to Mike's. https://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...17#post1705717

BT in Budapest.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

I thought Waldown was gone and was now Brobo??

For a while it was Brobo-Waldown, so whether it was an aquisition or buy out? Bit like Hercus - they are now owned by the same family that used to do the Durden woodworking equipment. Regardless of that if you contacted B-W they would have Waldown information and sometimes parts.

Michael