Tragedy! My vice broke!

[John Hill]

Not just any vice either, this is the little vice that came with my shaper,  probably not original but it was original when it came to me!  Now it is busted! 

I can usually blame myself when something busts in my 'shop but I was not mistreating it in any way and the end snapped off!


I hope I can find someone who can magic it back together again or else I will have to screw a plate on the bottom.

[Rob.Wilson]

Broke were 


Rob 

[John Hill]

Fixed jaw snapped clean off!  Actually, there seems to be a significant inclusion in the casting, it looks like a chunk of charcoal, sort of crumbly black, real black....


Maybe it has been touched with an arc welder at some time?  You can see that earlier in its life someone brazed longer lugs to the sides.

[Artie]

hi John, sad luck mate... but not all is lost.... the vice on my shaper has been broken at exactly the same spot as yours. Long before I came along it was proffesionally bronzed back together, very neat and very strong... Ill try and take a couple of shots when I get home..... perfectly adequate repair in my experience...

[Sorekiwi]

I worked for a guy once who loved Kiwi's because "they can fix anything with a stick and a rock..."

You better go looking in the garden!

[Artie]

As promised, this repair is ancient and works great....



and



Obviously done by a damned good brazer/welder...... the inside of the vice jaws has been machined square and flat after repair.....

There IS hope.........

Rob

[John Hill]

Thanks Rob, that vice does look a bit bigger than mine!

[Rob.Wilson]

OOCH John


Is there enough meat to bolt it back on ?


Rob W

[John Hill]

Rob, I do not think so, it is only a very small vice and I am afraid if I put screws into it and a bit of pressure it might break the casting(s) more.

[sub-xtx]

Hy, you can weld it with eletric arc using inox rod.
First chamfering deep on both side, cover pieces with sand leaving free only the space for weld,immediatly cover the vice with sand (cooling must be very slow).
Good luck

[Artie]

Gotcha, not much metal for a mechanical bond...... but then.... as it isnt too large... why dont you grab a chunk of steel, throw it into your mill and make one? Id weld three pieces together (the 2 ends and the bed) and then machine them up.....

I have faith in you..... 

[John Hill]

Ummm, do not have a mill (yet) and I doubt I would live long enough for my little shaper to gnaw a new vice out of solid!

Besides, you have to realise that this little vice is 'special' as it came with the Adept shaper, which is a dear wee thing in itself!

I will take it to an 'expert' to get it brazed.  If I am still not confident with it I might screw it to a plate.

[Jonny]

You can get it cast welded.
That involves proper sticks and heating up the two cast parts prior to welding then cooling over a matter of hours. Have had track control arms done in the past.
Doubt brazing or silver solder would last long if the jobs were gripped.