Thread: Henry Disston & sons saw vice

Yours looks like a No. 1 with the ball & socket feature.
Here's some pages from the 1932 catalogue:
IMG_20220320_214139.jpgIMG_20220320_214201.jpg

Discovered a big fail. Sadly.
Pulled it apart to glue some thin cork onto one of the jaws to take up some wear.
The pivoting point has had a previous break repaired with a braze. That repair has failed.
Looking at the photos can anyone suggest a way to repair?
I have a post in the welding metalworking site.
Re-braze, welding with new specialists rods, JB welding???
On the off chance, anyone got a broken one I could scavenge a bit.
Any help, suggestions or know someone in the Newcastle area

Well I have had the pivot point fully brazed. Old stuff cut out and filled with braze.
Filed and ground it back to shape.
Now I'm procrastinating on drilling the pivot pin hole.
With the jaws aligned and the cam lever open, should there be gap between the jaws?
The pivot pin hole position seems critical imo.
I can put in a spacer to the thickness of a saw blade, say 1mm, and then drill through using the outer pin holes as a guide.
BUT I am concerned about the jaw gap being too tight or too loose. The cam lever is the clamping action and tension as I understand.
Anyone have one of these can offer more information?

Lyle,

The vintage saws vices I’ve played with general seem to have ill fitting jaws, weather that was from use or the casting settling or just the way they were manufactured, I don’t know.
I personally would drill your pivot hole with the jaws having a slightly gap in the centre.
Then file(Joint) the jaws true, cast iron is easy to file.

But just make sure there is still enough cam action to close the jaws, there should be, we’re only talking about 1/1.5 mm material removal at max I assume.

Cheers Matt.

That style of saw clamp should touch at the two ends first and as the vice is clamped up tight the centre will touch the blade too. It must not be the other way around.

Regards
Paul

Understood.
Small gap in middle

Does the cam lever get pushed fully down or just enough to hold the jaws securely onto the blade to be filed.

Originally Posted by Lyle

Understood.
Small gap in middle

Does the cam lever get pushed fully down or just enough to hold the jaws securely onto the blade to be filed.

Fully down,its a cam.

Well it's done. 95% happy with the outcome.
Used a brand new drill bit and it still ran off a bit. But recovered with a tiny bit of filing.
Vise now holds a saw blade very well.
Good for another 50 years!!
Now to pull it apart and paint it.
Thanks for all the info and advice
Lyle

Originally Posted by Lyle

Well it's done. 95% happy with the outcome.
Used a brand new drill bit and it still ran off a bit. But recovered with a tiny bit of filing.
Vise now holds a saw blade very well.
Good for another 50 years!!
Now to pull it apart and paint it.
Thanks for all the info and advice
Lyle

The full test will be to file a saw, an note if you get vibration,or if it sings it high note scaring the Neighbours for 20 miles(32.187 km for Paul).
But Job Well done.

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

That style of saw clamp should touch at the two ends first and as the vice is clamped up tight the centre will touch the blade too. It must not be the other way around.

Regards
Paul

As i do agree with my learned friend in Principle, i have noted that in my humble practice,the outcome did not suit the Principle, but i will bow down as Paul has many more years of being around these soded saws then me as is lovely wife will attest too.

Cheers Matt.

Nice job Lyle! They just don't make them like this anymore.

Sadly for me it was a case of buyer beware. Bought the vise at an auction and couldn't see the damages.
I did like the challenge though. Luckily the blokes at the Maitland Steam and Antique Machinery Association were able to help by brazing it properly.
I like getting old gear back into use.
I'd bought an old Diston tenon saw to do up. Sadly this means a full retooth. Hence my taking the opportunity to buy the vise.
Now waiting for some files to finish the job.

I was walking by one of our local antique shops a couple of weeks ago & spotted one of these clamped to a table inside. Apart from some missing paint & a bit of light rust, it was in excellent condition, so after parting with the grand sum of $65, it came home with me. Not sure what they normally sell for, but seemed fair to me & I like to support the local shops as they quite often have some good older tools.
Just trying to get the jaw pivot pin out so I can pull it apart to give it a clean & a new paint job.

Sixty-five bucks sounds like a bargain to me. I've been keeping an eye out for one, and they seem to be $100+.