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Thread: Offset Dawn Vice Repair
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1st October 2014, 08:21 PM #1
Offset Dawn Vice Repair
I picked up a Offset Dawn Vice that has a missing jaw and has a chunk broken on a screw hole.
How can I repair this? Getting it welded is out of the question as it is over 1000km round trip to where I can get it done.
I did wonder if i fill the area up with something like JB Weld the drill and tap it.
Also where can I get replacement jaws? the one on it is 120mm long.
Ratty 05/2004 -05/07/2010 COOPER 01/08/1998-31/01/2012
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1st October 2014 08:21 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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1st October 2014, 08:30 PM #2I break stuff...
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Dawn still sell replacement jaws, although I believe they aren't that cheap. If you've got a mill you could machine something up that would be quite suitable, mild steel would probably do the job depending on what you're using the vice for.
As far as the bolt hole goes, looks like there might be enough meat behind there to simply drill the hole deeper and tap it, and just use a longer bolt. Could use jb weld or some other epoxy to clean it up cosmetically if you wanted...
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1st October 2014, 10:43 PM #3SENIOR MEMBER
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I would agree with J&H on this one. The vice appears to be cast iron, which will be tricky to weld, unless you get someone who really know what they are doing, from what I understand a good brazing job will be easier, and would work just as well, assuming that the hole is one of the 2 threaded holes to secure the missing jaw. (Actually welding with a nickel electrode can easily provide you with very hard nodules almost impossible to drill and tap with ordinary tools) From the photo, it looks like the bed for the jaw is pretty rough, and really needs building up and then machining back, so that you have a good supporting bed for the new jaw. This will prevent straining on the jaw holding bolts, and greatly lessen the chance of future breakouts. Here is a link to Sydney Tools, and if you navigate around, you might find the right jaws if this one is not the one you want, but as J&H has said, they are pretty expensive. https://sydneytools.com.au/dawn-6515...ld-style-vices If you have no machining or welding facilities, JB Weld would allow you to fill voids, which you could file back, and drill and re-tap the thread, so that a replacement jaw, either a genuine spare or home made would be fully supported, and likely to get you out of trouble till you can organise a more permanent repair. Good luck with it, Dawn vices are worth some TLC, and are likely to give good service for a long time,
Rob
PS As you would be putting JBWeld in front of a partially tapped hole, or rather a partial hole, it might be difficult to drill and tap it unless you drill it oversize and then helicoil it.
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1st October 2014, 10:52 PM #4.
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One of the members suggested making jaws out of of mild steel for my Dawn and so I did. Nearly 3 years on I haven't regretted it as the times I felt hardened jaws would have been useful have been well and truly outweighed by the times I wanted softer jaws. I thought the softer jaws would mark or become damaged and need to be replaced but so far they are working out fine.
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1st October 2014, 11:03 PM #5Philomath in training
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Personally I'd try greasing a suitable bolt (vaseline or similar), screw that into the hole and then pack the JB weld around it. With luck you will mould the thread you need.
Next question is do you have the equipment to make up a jaw of mild steel and even (as you look to be a woodworker), do you have the steel?
Michael
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2nd October 2014, 09:03 AM #6
Thanks for your replies. You have given me a lot to think about.
Blimey the replacement jaws are pricy.
I will give it a clean up and take another photo I hope it doesn't need machining as that is a 1000km and 10 hr trip.
Also I want to clean it up and repaint it, What type of paint should I use?
To make jaws out of mild steel if I get rectangular bar of closest size as possible, apart from cutting to length and drilling the hole for the screw what else will I have to do?
Ratty 05/2004 -05/07/2010 COOPER 01/08/1998-31/01/2012
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2nd October 2014, 09:35 AM #7.
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Have a look at this thread for some ideas on cleanup https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/electrolysis-using-computer-power-supply-134107
I used Epoxy enamel but I don't thing it matters what you use as it will get beat up anyway.
To make jaws out of mild steel if I get rectangular bar of closest size as possible, apart from cutting to length and drilling the hole for the screw what else will I have to do?
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2nd October 2014, 06:40 PM #8Philomath in training
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If a jaw has been there before then it probably won't need much work - perhaps a lick with a file?
As Bob says, just about any paint will do. I like the wattyl Kilrust but there are others out there
If you can measure up the existing jaw I'm prepared to make a couple of MS ones up for you and post up to TC
Michael
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2nd October 2014, 08:05 PM #9
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2nd October 2014, 08:07 PM #10
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2nd October 2014, 08:12 PM #11Senior Member
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+1 for making up some mild steel jaws and if you felt it necessary drilling and tapping a new bolt hole through into the middle of the jaw into the body of the vise.
regards
Ian
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2nd October 2014, 08:22 PM #12Philomath in training
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There don't look to be any big dings in it so it should be fine. Provided the new jaws sit flat that's all you need to worry about.
Are you able to measure the jaw up for me or is it better to post the old one down for me to measure?
(Send me a PM if you want me to make jaws and we can swap details)
Michael
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3rd October 2014, 01:33 AM #13GOLD MEMBER
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I'd be inclined to take up Michaels offer on the jaws, then fit a bolt with a thin coating of a lubricant and then fill the gap with JB weld as someone else suggested. That's what I like about this forum, a lot of genuine people ready to help.
Kryn
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30th October 2014, 09:15 PM #14Philomath in training
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I plan to make up some replacement jaws for Mark in the near future but he's away from his vice at the moment so while I have an old Dawn catalogue that gives outside dimensions for jaws, I haven't got information on the bolt hole positions. Has anyone got a 4 1/2" dawn offset vice similar to Mark's and can measure the bolt sizes and positions for me?
The catalogue calls the jaws "imperial - old style" but lists the bolts as M8. Looking at some photos they might be that, but then if imperial could be 5/16" or even 3/8".
Michael
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30th October 2014, 11:47 PM #15SENIOR MEMBER
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Good evening Mike, it may pay to wait till you do have access to exact details or measurements, as judging by the details of my 6" offset Dawn, (which is marked as a Dawn 150, implying a metric 150 mm instead), there could be some traps for young players. As an example, my Dawn 150, has jaw inserts of 152mm in length as best I can determine in poor light, and has 5/16 18tpi fasteners holding them in. The fixed jaw has machine bolts, and the movable jaw has countersunk flat head screws, although these seem to have been home made from machine bolts which have been faced off and reverse chamfered in the lathe before having a slot cut in, perhaps with dual hacksaw blades, by the look of it. Interestingly the hole centres are different for each jaw insert, although the moving jaw (and perhaps the fixed jaw as well) has been drilled and tapped to accept the countersunk screws, but also has through holes outboard of the tapped holes on the same 5" pitch as the fixed jaw. Perhaps this was done to allow the use of jaw inserts already in stock, but on my vice, the two inserts have different hole centres, although it would seem that it would also accept identical jaw inserts. I have no idea what the smaller vice would be like in this regard. Hopefully someone will come up with the relevant info, Regards,
Rob
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