Aligning vise jaws

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Anyone here have experience realigning vise jaws?I have an old Fulton vise with jaws that are notparallel. With the vise closed, the jaws are touchingon one side, and there’s a gap of maybe .025” onthe other side. I was considering putting somethingin the tight side, tightening the vise down hard, and hitting the other side with a soft coated sledgehammer. I would  live with the vise the wayit is, rather than risk breaking it, but was wondering if someone here knows a safe method of fixing it.Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
Reply:You could take the hard jaws and mill the vise.Can you post photos of the problem?Dave

Originally Posted by jpump5

Anyone here have experience realigning vise jaws?I have an old Fulton vise with jaws that are notparallel. With the vise closed, the jaws are touchingon one side, and there’s a gap of maybe .025” onthe other side. I was considering putting somethingin the tight side, tightening the vise down hard, and hitting the other side with a soft coated sledgehammer. I would  live with the vise the wayit is, rather than risk breaking it, but was wondering if someone here knows a safe method of fixing it.
Reply:

Originally Posted by jpump5

Anyone here have experience realigning vise jaws?I have an old Fulton vise with jaws that are notparallel. With the vise closed, the jaws are touchingon one side, and there’s a gap of maybe .025” onthe other side. I was considering putting somethingin the tight side, tightening the vise down hard, and hitting the other side with a soft coated sledgehammer. I would  live with the vise the wayit is, rather than risk breaking it, but was wondering if someone here knows a safe method of fixing it.
Reply:Did the jaws get twisted? Or is it just from wear/play in the mechanisms?The harder you fall, the higher you bounce...250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
Reply:I’ll get pics when I’m out there later today.Vise isold and not exactly pristine. Jaws appear to beseparate pieces , but I didn’t see any screws or pins.I’ll look more closely later.. It looks (to me) thatthe movable jaw has been bent in some scenario involving either a sledgehammer or long lever.It’s probably bent more than the ~.025” I’m seeing but the big clearance in the slide is letting the jaws align themselves partially.Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
Reply:I wouldn't try to twist it back... I'd make up the difference by grinding or adding braze on the side that needs to come up. I inherited a 6" Record vice that had been in a barn fire. The movable half of the body had warped and twisted up so bad that the vice couldn't open and close freely. It took a lot of grinding but I eventually got it to the point that it works again. I was thinking the heat had probably weakened it, but I put it on my old welding bench over 10 yrs ago and it's still taking a beating.The harder you fall, the higher you bounce...250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
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Originally Posted by whtbaron

I was thinking the heat had probably weakened it, but I put it on my old welding bench over 10 yrs ago and it's still taking a beating.
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Gap is actually more like .040-.045 as measured with a washer/feeler gauge. Jaws faces are not removable.Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
Reply:Since you don't have removable jaw inserts maybe remove and chuck the dynamic jaw in a milling machine to get them parallel. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk:
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Originally Posted by Lis2323

Since you don't have removable jaw inserts maybe remove and chuck the dynamic jaw in a milling machine to get them parallel. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:

Originally Posted by Lis2323

Since you don't have removable jaw inserts maybe remove and chuck the dynamic jaw in a milling machine to get them parallel. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:Did you check the hard jaws?Dave

Originally Posted by jpump5




Gap is actually more like .040-.045 as measured with a washer/feeler gauge. Jaws faces are not removable.
Reply:For what little distance that is you could do it with a file. Spread the jaws just far enough to have the file barely cutting and tighten as you go. But I'm old school and have matched many a part with a file.Lincoln 330MPXLincoln Power Mig 256Lincoln LN-25X Wire FeederMagnum PRO 250LX GT Spool GunModified Lincoln 225¼ Ton of Torches OFC-A OFG-AAir Carbon Arc GougingEverlast 62i Plasma CutterIngersoll Rand Type 30 14hpInstagram: #Freebird Welds
Reply:I'm all for milling/grinding/filing it flat again, but screw that out as far as it will go and check the body closely for cracks (top and bottom). The question is, is it just a little twisted (like me) or is it beginning to fail?The harder you fall, the higher you bounce...250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
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Originally Posted by 12V71

Even some very careful work with a 9" angle grinder held nice and flat could fix that.
Reply:Good luck using the grinder. I never have good results I’m better with a file.:
Reply:Maybe I’ll start with grinder, clean up with a file.And then put some Dykem down and draw file the jaw flat.I’m still moving my stuff into garage at new house. I havesmall shaper and mill/drill but it will be a while before they’re moved in and usable.Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
Reply:Definitely don't try putting something in the vise and hitting it...that's more likely to crack something.  The jaw inserts were cast in place and are hardened steel, so filing is going to be a challenge.Something else to consider:  The slide (moveable jaw) can only close so far due to the shape and how it flares out after the machined portion ends.  If you remove metal from the jaws, you can wind up where the slide will be as far in as it can go and the jaw faces don't make contact.  There might be enough travel left, but it's something to check before you proceed.Check out my bench vise website:  http://mivise.comMiller Syncrowave 250DXMillermatic 350P with XR AlumaProMiller Regency 200 with 22A feeder and Spoolmatic 3Hobart Champion EliteEverlast PowerTig 210EXT
Reply:I didn’t know the jaws were hardened. I scarred jaws on another vise with a hacksaw, so I guess I assumed all vise jaws were relatively soft.Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
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Originally Posted by jpump5

Maybe I’ll start with grinder, clean up with a file.And then put some Dykem down and draw file the jaw flat.I’.
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Originally Posted by 123weld

sounds right.   if them romanaian dad-son can true/scrape/sand lathe ways by hand, i think u can handle a common vise jaw.      one of my molars was hurting, so my dentist says, it think u got a high spot.    he pulls out what looked like , that black carbon ditto paper, and says bit down on this.     then he did a 30 second sanding w/ a mini die grinder like, and it fixed the problem.
Reply:

Originally Posted by jpump5

I didn’t know the jaws were hardened. I scarred jaws on another vise with a hacksaw, so I guess I assumed all vise jaws were relatively soft.
Reply:I would find out if hard jaws or vise that out.Dave

Originally Posted by jpump5

I didn’t know the jaws were hardened. I scarred jaws on another vise with a hacksaw, so I guess I assumed all vise jaws were relatively soft.