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Vice problem

  • 02-01-2012 3:24pm
    #1
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,221 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    After many, many years of work and abuse, my old 'Woden' 13" vice is broken.
    Yes, I over tightened it - and cracked the face.
    I tried welding it with my limited metal working ability but the weld didn't seem to 'take' at all. More weld ended up on the floor than the vice.
    I am not sure exactly what sort of iron it is made of. Grey cast iron, perhaps.

    The vice is an heirloom, I would like to keep it going.

    Any advice on how I could repair it? What do I need to do to make an effective weld? Or is this is even possible?


Comments

  • #2
    fergal.b
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 6,337 Mod ✭✭✭✭fergal.b


    I don't think it could fixed in any way that would give you the same strength back but you could bring the part to a foundry where they could make a copy of it and recast it by melting down the old one.


  • #3
    Double Barrel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,464 ✭✭✭Double Barrel


    Did a Google search and found this:http://www.brazing.com/techguide/procedures/cast_iron.asp


  • #4
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,221 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    Great link DB. Thanks.


  • #5
    makita
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 96 ✭✭makita


    the best way is to braze it any engineering company would do that or the other option is get ni-rod for your own welder but this can be tricky as you have to heat the cast first and and have a higher risk of cracking afterwards in the cooling period


  • #6
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,221 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    fergal.b wrote: »
    I don't think it could fixed in any way that would give you the same strength back but you could bring the part to a foundry where they could make a copy of it and recast it by melting down the old one.
    Thanks for the suggestion. Are there foundries around that would do this for me, do you think?


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  • #7
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,221 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    makita wrote: »
    the best way is to braze it any engineering company would do that or the other option is get ni-rod for your own welder but this can be tricky as you have to heat the cast first and and have a higher risk of cracking afterwards in the cooling period
    I might have a go at this if I can't find a pro to do it and if I can get the rods


  • #8
    fergal.b
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 6,337 Mod ✭✭✭✭fergal.b


    slowburner wrote: »
    Thanks for the suggestion. Are there foundries around that would do this for me, do you think?

    I only know of this one in Athy http://www.athyfoundry.ie/about.htm but I'm sure there would be one closer to you.


  • #9
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,221 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    fergal.b wrote: »
    I only know of this one in Athy http://www.athyfoundry.ie/about.htm but I'm sure there would be one closer to you.
    None closer to me sadly.


  • #10
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,221 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    makita wrote: »
    the best way is to braze it any engineering company would do that or the other option is get ni-rod for your own welder but this can be tricky as you have to heat the cast first and and have a higher risk of cracking afterwards in the cooling period
    Thanks for the advice Makita. You were right, it certainly was tricky, far too tricky for a metal gombeen like me.
    I bought the ni-rods and I got some advice to sit the vice jaw in sand because it is supposed to help avoid cracking as the iron cools down. I was also advise to 'take the chill off' the iron by preheating it.
    I did all this and no way could I get a bond between the metals.
    I was told that even if it did bond that it would more than likely crack again.

    I've managed to make a real hash of the vice.
    I should have brought it to a pro in the first place, if I could find one.
    I should stick with what I know.
    So now I am thinking of a wooden jaw, probably 25mm ply.

    I shall put the old cast jaw up on the wall as a memento of former glory.


  • #11
    fergal.b
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 6,337 Mod ✭✭✭✭fergal.b


    slowburner wrote: »
    None closer to me sadly.

    A few schools have there own furness for metal work maybe you could get someone to do it as a project :)

    Or you could have a go at making your own :D



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  • #12
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,221 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    That looks like fun.


  • #13
    TheBody
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,629 ✭✭✭TheBody


    fergal.b wrote: »
    A few schools have there own furness for metal work maybe you could get someone to do it as a project :)

    Thats a really good idea. I remember (many years ago now!!) a local builder bringing in a load of tips for his kango to get sharpened in my school. It was all done using the propper processes etc. It might be worth asking anyway!!


  • #14
    jack of all
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭jack of all


    Great vid there Fergal, reminds me of the foundry class I did in tech school (Linen hall trade school, Bolton Street) many years ago. We made our castings in aluminium only, a little easier and more forgiving than trying to cast in iron, I'd imagine.


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