restoring a record 34p vice - how?

[edward]

I've just scored a used Record 34p 4" 'engineers' cast steel vice from a 'well known auction site' to replace my 3" vice of dubious quality that now has a bit missing from one of the jaws thanks to me and my BFH. The delievery guy is going to love me like a brother.....

It looks a bit rusty and claggy from the photos and it has been painted white, so it will need a clean up and re-paint at least. I was thinking disassemble and dunk it in citric acid overnight, then a good going over with scotchbrite and a coat of smooth hammerite on the bits that stick out?

Plenty of grease on the screw and a new split pin in the nut. It looks like it has some nasty Ali washers on it so will prob make a bronze replacement.

Also, most importantly, what colour? 'trad' blue or something more exotic

Any other suggestions? Anyone had one of these apart before? I assume the nut at the back releases the lead screw?

[Arbalist]

Use Electrolysis to clean off the rust. I've used it many times and it doesn't eat into the surface like acid does.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

You can get washing soda cheaply in any supermarket.

If it's a Record vice then it's a legal requirement to paint it blue!

[awemawson]

My preference is for citric acid for de-rusting, but I creak on about it like an un-oiled wheel so I'll shut up 

[edward]

Electrolysis looks fun but being a Pharmacist I 'aquired' some years back 20kg of citric acid so I will prob go that way. Andrew, do you just whack it in a bucket of the stuff? I've only ever done small items before.

I think I will stick with blue. It seems like a crime to do anything else. Although my wife did mention that Hammerite do a gold paint.......

I also may need to straighten the tommy bar - just heat it up with a torch and and whack it? Or is there som other more subtle method?

[awemawson]

Set it on a couple of thin wood strips so the solution can get under it, dunk it in (I usually start with a warm solution and leave it over night) then agitate the item surface occasionally with a nylon washing up brush.

Of course give it a good degrease and dismantle first - I've been known to put a squirt of washing up liquid in to lower the surface tension.

Some pictures of biggish stuff at the bottom of this page:

http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,8981.0.html

[RussellT]

If I recall correctly there's a steel dowel to take out before it all comes apart - I think it's to stop the moving jaw breaking your toes.

I did the tommy bar cold - clamped it in another vice and heaved on it.  It straightened well - you can't see it was bent and it was S shaped before.

The more serious hazard of putting pipe on the tommy bar is when the moving jaw snaps off.  (I've seen it done.)

I'd go for blue too.

Russell

[edward]

From the Ebay photos this one looks to have a nut with a split pin through it at the back of the moving jaw, so i am hoping it will come apart that way.

You never know, i might even do a restoration thread.....