Thread: vice repair advice sought - cast iron

You could use nickel rods on it, if you can just get a couple it will be cheaper for you, you maybe able to find a fabrication workshop or welder that might be able to sell you a couple.
If welding seems to awkward you could try one of the liquid steels (Devcon etc), although for the area you have to do it also will be a bit expensive.

Hi Des, If your welder has a special voltage tapping 70V, you should be able to get electrodes for welding cast. You would need to clean up the base (grinding/machining) to remove the drill holes as these could cause slag entrapment. Before welding, warm the vise body so that it is quite hot (to a stage of having to use gloves) otherwise cracking could occur, the other item that is needed is a way of letting it cool down slowly (buried in a bucket of DRY sand should work or lime, if it is available).
Hope this helps,
Kryn

Welding cast with a stick welder is quite easy, however you will not get a perfectly clean weld. It will have a burn edge on the weld which you can't eliminate.

Mig will be better.

The way that vice has been drilled into is really quite sickening. Who would do such a thing ?

Rob

Originally Posted by nearnexus

The way that vice has been drilled into is really quite sickening. Who would do such a thing ?

Rob

Stevie Wonder

Originally Posted by nearnexus

The way that vice has been drilled into is really quite sickening. Who would do such a thing ?

Rob

Who does such a thing?
people who don't pay attention to setting up a big radial arm drill with autodownfeed
employees who have the attitude "It's ok if it's damaged, the company makes enough to buy a new one"
contractors who have the attitude "it's not my workshop, or my tools... so who cares"

Maybe I'm odd, but I don't view tools like vices, etc as consumables, but there is an attitude amongst some of the people I meet in industry who treat all equipment as a consumable

I don't have a MIG, so buzz box it will have to be. What type of rods (other than the nickel ones) should I be looking at? (the one needing the 70V tap)
which is easier to clean up after (grinding, etc) - the nickel ones, or the ones which need the 70V tap?

If I was to farm it out to a professional business - does anyone have any idea on the cost (time and materials)? FWIW, it'd be a Perth business most likely if it was cost effective.

I had considered cutting out the top lip of the slide, and replacing it with a piece of steel (or cast iron) screwed back into the original slide and base - My dad was concerned that that would weaken the vice - I'm not sure based on the fact that the current holes weaken it, but they have curved sides, not the stress risers that a corner would represent.

thanks for the replies,
Des

Originally Posted by desbromilow

What type of rods (other than the nickel ones) should I be looking at? (the one needing the 70V tap)
which is easier to clean up after (grinding, etc) - the nickel ones, or the ones which need the 70V tap?

Des

I'd recommend you have a chat to the BOC guys. They have depots everywhere and a huge range of rods etc.

They will tell you the best options.

All that BOC stuff is pretty good.

Rob

Des,
I would have thought some Pilbara currency would be the go, of course depending on which part you are in though. If in Perth then an engine block repair place would be the go, some around Malaga / Basendean. Just looking at it though it would be a 50/50 guess if it would be worthwhile as I suspect a commercial place would charge around $150 based on some past repairs I had done. As a learning piece then a good option and as others have said it needs to be pre heated and slow cooled to minimise/avoid stress cracking.
Good luck with it. Alan.

Just happened to come across this video which might help.

Stick Welding Cast Iron with 7018 - YouTube

Rob

You may find it is ductile iron, not sure if this will make a difference or not. Give it a file and then smell it, ductile stinks like ozone (apparently) i reckon it just stinks!

If you think the vice is strong enough as is but you want to fill the holes in, another option my be to shape some CI to fill the worst of the holes and fill in the gaps with Q bond or similar...dodgy i know.
I have never had any luck welding cast with rods, no matter the pre-heat the iron under the welds has cracked and let go as the part has cooled. The other worry may be distortion once cooled.

Cheers,
Ew, now regretting handing his oxy acet bottles back just a bit....

Originally Posted by C-47

Des,
I would have thought some Pilbara currency would be the go, of course depending on which part you are in though. If in Perth then an engine block repair place would be the go, some around Malaga / Basendean. Just looking at it though it would be a 50/50 guess if it would be worthwhile as I suspect a commercial place would charge around $150 based on some past repairs I had done. As a learning piece then a good option and as others have said it needs to be pre heated and slow cooled to minimise/avoid stress cracking.
Good luck with it. Alan.

It would still be worthwhile as a new one of these Dawn vices from Blackwoods is over $400.
FWIW on the Blackwoods site the dawn vice is listed as "semi steel" what ever that means. I'll ask our metallurgist when I see him.

bollie7

Originally Posted by bollie7

It would still be worthwhile as a new one of these Dawn vices from Blackwoods is over $400.
FWIW on the Blackwoods site the dawn vice is listed as "semi steel" what ever that means. I'll ask our metallurgist when I see him.

bollie7

I rang Dawn and the lass on the phone said it is made from "Super grade cast" - the same alloy as the unbreakable vices (the hammertone green ones)
I'll see what options I have - worst case it will be cleaned up and used as is until I get a solution I can do or afford.

I did find a small design flaw in the one I have - I'm going to confirm my findings first, then build and test my solution before offering it to Dawn and the forum. Unfortunately that flaw doesn't stop dopes drilling holes in the vice, but does improve serviceablility


Des

Could we have a few more pictures of the bottom of the sliding jaw and the part underneath?

Stuart

Originally Posted by Stustoys

Could we have a few more pictures of the bottom of the sliding jaw and the part underneath?

Stuart

I can take some more photos on the weekend.
The sliding jaw is near perfect - a few dimples on the top and some burs on the bolts retaining the jaw.
All the damage is limited to the base - with a minor bend to the screw handle (I must presume someone closed up the vice with a hammer to bend 1/2"+ steel rod with their hands)

Matty welded up my old Dawn post drill just fine. So it can be done.

On the it's made by Dawn doesn't mean it was made by Dawn.

The Dawn Manufacturing Co (the original Aussie co EST 1917) was sold off and eventually was owned by Stanley USA before being bought back by another Australian company.

In 1959, the company was taken over by the G.N. Raymond Group. The Dawn catalogue now included a wide range of engineer's vices, woodworker's vices, plumber's vices & equipment, G-clamps, quick-action clamps and toggle clamps. In 1973, Dawn was acquired by Siddons Ramset Limited. In December 1991, Dawn became a unit of the United States owned Stanley Works Pty. Ltd.
In November 1998, Dawn regained


The reason I brought this up is that current Dawn metallurgy doesn't necessarily relate to older products. When I enquired after info on older products they just weren't interested at all.