Vise restoration

[orezok]

I like mine just the way it is. Dirt over rust! :laughing: :laughing:

My barn ain't no museum.

 

[ericher69]

Excellent choice.
If possible, maybe post some pics along the way.

Will do

I have most parts blasted and primed. Finishing up smaller pieces. Will try and take pictures tonight when I work on it

 

[North West Farmer]

e-richer69,

I acquired a vice that appears identical to the one picture in your post #1 at a garage sale and it has been very serviceable and tough for a number of years. I don't recall what I paid for it, but it seemed to be a very good value at the time. It looked almost brand new, was a very shiny gray, looked almost like a porcelain finish.

As the vice began to get heavy use the nice finish got chipped or scratched here and there and to my consternation, as the casting under the finish started to be exposed, it turned out to be an extremely rough textured casting with almost no finish grinding. The manufacture had done a nice job of coating the entire casting with a material similar to very hard body putty. The surface then appeared to have been sanded to provide a real nice surface for the final paint and the nice shiny gray enamel was applied and probably baked on.

What I found underneath, compared to the beautiful finish was needless to say, disappointing, but the vice has proved to be extremely durable and has performed up to my expectations. This turned out to be one of those bitter sweet kind of things where I thought I had acquired a really fine quality unit, both from the standpoint of appearance and utilization in the shop. The original appearance proved to be of completely inferior quality, but the vice has held up it's part, no matter what I have demanded of it.

This is not a vice I would have any interest in restoring, beyond keeping it in good working shape. The good side has been I have been able to use it in any way I needed to without attempting to be careful to not damage the finish. It has actually turned out for the best, has been pounded on, welded on and abused as needed to get the job done. It wasn't at all what I originally thought it was, but the price was great and it continues to work for me.

I have put some inexpensive rattle can black enamel on it from time to time after it has taken a good scorching while being involved in heating and bending some metal.

Most of my tools and equipment are maintained at a restored level both functionally and in appearance. The subject vice and several others in the shop seem to take a pretty good beating, since they need to hold whatever I need for any purpose required. After over 50 years of shop activity, the shop vices have ended up being the items that have not, and will not be kept at a restored level in regard to appearance.

Good luck with your vice restoration. I sincerely enjoy restoring almost anything. Vices I have acquired in used condition usually get the restoration treatment originally and after that, just service and some occasional touch up so they don't make the shop look bad.

Nick, North West Farmer

 

[ericher69]

e-richer69,

I acquired a vice that appears identical to the one picture in your post #1 at a garage sale and it has been very serviceable and tough for a number of years. I don't recall what I paid for it, but it seemed to be a very good value at the time. It looked almost brand new, was a very shiny gray, looked almost like a porcelain finish.

As the vice began to get heavy use the nice finish got chipped or scratched here and there and to my consternation, as the casting under the finish started to be exposed, it turned out to be an extremely rough textured casting with almost no finish grinding. The manufacture had done a nice job of coating the entire casting with a material similar to very hard body putty. The surface then appeared to have been sanded to provide a real nice surface for the final paint and the nice shiny gray enamel was applied and probably baked on.

What I found underneath, compared to the beautiful finish was needless to say, disappointing, but the vice has proved to be extremely durable and has performed up to my expectations. This turned out to be one of those bitter sweet kind of things where I thought I had acquired a really fine quality unit, both from the standpoint of appearance and utilization in the shop. The original appearance proved to be of completely inferior quality, but the vice has held up it's part, no matter what I have demanded of it.

This is not a vice I would have any interest in restoring, beyond keeping it in good working shape. The good side has been I have been able to use it in any way I needed to without attempting to be careful to not damage the finish. It has actually turned out for the best, has been pounded on, welded on and abused as needed to get the job done. It wasn't at all what I originally thought it was, but the price was great and it continues to work for me.

I have put some inexpensive rattle can black enamel on it from time to time after it has taken a good scorching while being involved in heating and bending some metal.

Most of my tools and equipment are maintained at a restored level both functionally and in appearance. The subject vice and several others in the shop seem to take a pretty good beating, since they need to hold whatever I need for any purpose required. After over 50 years of shop activity, the shop vices have ended up being the items that have not, and will not be kept at a restored level in regard to appearance.

Good luck with your vice restoration. I sincerely enjoy restoring almost anything. Vices I have acquired in used condition usually get the restoration treatment originally and after that, just service and some occasional touch up so they don't make the shop look bad.

Nick, North West Farmer

Nick,

Yup I found the same disappointing rough casting finish...

Thanks for sharing as for durability and usefulness.

Here is a picture of primed parts

 

[sixdogs]

Rough castings, yes, but I didn't realize American makers used the skim coat of body filler.
I thought that was just a Chinese thing?

 

[chad22]

Great choice on the Kubota Orange. :thumbsup: That's what I was gonna vote for.

Chad

 

[ericher69]

Rough castings, yes, but I didn't realize American makers used the skim coat of body filler.
I thought that was just a Chinese thing?

Could very well be! Have not found any type identification that would lead me to believe it is from overseas...

Oh well; as long as the tool performs and takes a beating what can I expect for $8.00 and a few hours of my time.

I'm sure it will do everything that I demand it to do and more!

Will post finished pics probably this week

 

[JoeBuyer]

There can't be Kubota orange vise, that would imply a need for a vise to fix a Kubota. We all know they don't break and don't need a vise. I would paint it a different manufacture's color. I won't choose the color because I don't speak poorly of other makes (partially because I have many other brands). Nice vise by the way !

 

[ericher69]

There can't be Kubota orange vise, that would imply a need for a vise to fix a Kubota. We all know they don't break and don't need a vise. I would paint it a different manufacture's color. I won't choose the color because I don't speak poorly of other makes (partially because I have many other brands). Nice vise by the way !

Lol

Or it could symbolically stand for how tuff and rugged the orange machines are! Maybe not the most refined or prettiest (vice/tractors) out there but always get the job done with little maintenance!

 

[CompactTractorFan]

There can't be Kubota orange vise, that would imply a need for a vise to fix a Kubota. We all know they don't break and don't need a vise. I would paint it a different manufacture's color. I won't choose the color because I don't speak poorly of other makes (partially because I have many other brands). Nice vise by the way !

If he still wants orange, there is always Kioti orange. :laughing: