I need some suggestions

[enjenjo]

I have a Columbian vise, made before Wilton bought them out. The vise jaws are badly worn, particularly on the left side. My problem is instead of being held on by screws through the face, the jaws have a T profile and are held in by pins through the stem of the T. No one that I can find makes new jaws for this vise, and I can't find any jaws that will interchange from other brands.

Any suggestions on how to fix this vise?

[Rochie]

How about welding up the face of the jaws and then filing down to parallel?

[enjenjo]

How about welding up the face of the jaws and then filing down to parallel?

I have thought of this but there are a couple problems with it. First the jaws would no longer be hardened, and second, no serrations for holding. I can set it up in the mill and cut the existing jaws parallel, but no serrations. I may end up doing this if I can't find a better idea.

[chimp koose]

How about welding a few passes of hard surface welding rod in strips to provide grip and then put them in a surface grinder to get the strips parallel to the back side? they might just warp quite a bit though. You could also make a new set from 1045 and then harden them .

[idrivejunk]

Might just be showing metallurgical ignorance here but could you mill trenches and inlay vertical , diagonal, or horizontal sections of a flat metal file? If the orientation varied, that might clamp good. If it didn't shatter the file pieces. Epoxy drops would be my thought to hold them but you could maybe drill and drive rolled pins in then chop flush. Or countersink pop rivets. I am also picturing a full width file inlay retained by hog ringish wire clamps at the ends. Flush at ends if could be done fancy. These ideas stem from me seeing somebody using file chunks to make shrinker / stretcher jaws so if files are too brittle to use, forgive that.

You could always just shoot some flake on the vise and call it a bench queen.

[moose]

Frank, realistically how important are the serrations? Flat parallel  jaws provide good clamping force with-out the possibility of marring soft material.

[enjenjo]

I have soft jaws, I want some jaws that don't slip.

[kb426]

Back in my tenure in the aluminum plant, we had long reach vise grips modified with 1/2 round mill bastard files pieces welded to the tips. How about taking the largest flat file you could find and making a jaw face out of it?

[idrivejunk]

That ^^^. I figured there must be a reason that won't work or he wouldn't ask.

Wonder if a sandblasted finish on the jaw faces might be more effective than just smooth but less trouble than serrations.Or if that'd be adequate.

Also wondered how come a guy couldn't use a file to create some.crosshatched grooves.

[idrivejunk]

Diamond embedded crankshaft friction washer technology is also a thought.

[enjenjo]

That ^^^. I figured there must be a reason that won't work or he wouldn't ask.

Wonder if a sandblasted finish on the jaw faces might be more effective than just smooth but less trouble than serrations.Or if that'd be adequate.

Also wondered how come a guy couldn't use a file to create some.crosshatched grooves.

The problem with a file is it's too hard, and the teeth are made for cutting. I did consider grinding the teeth down, but it's still to had to mount easily and with welding I only get one chance.

If it's  soft enough to file, metal would be too soft to hold serrations.

The present jaws are 5.8" thick, and 1" high I found some Wilton jaws that are 11/16" high, and 1/2" thick. I am going to attempt to mill the current jaws to 1/8" thick, and leave a ledge on the bottom to support the new jaws. Then tap the current jaws to screw the Wilton jaws to them. It may not work but that is the plan so far. Right now I am waiting for the parts to come in.

[moose]

Frank, another thought. Would stippling the jaws like they do for shrinker/stretcher jaws work?

[enjenjo]

Probably. I thought of that too. I also thought of an acid etch. The first thing is I have to make them parallel

[enjenjo]

I fixed this the easy way. I put a block in it under the jaws, and closed it on the block, then milled the jaws with a roughing mill so it has some texture. works much better now.

[Pete]

C'mon Frank you know how it has to be done. You are just trying to wheedle out of it.
Mill off the present surface with a carbide cutter. Weld with Airmang rod, mill flat, then cross mill with carbide "V" cutter so you end up with a diamond pattern like original.