Columbian vise restoration

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I been lurking on these forums for quite a while now, but this is my first post. :beer:I got an old Columbian 404 1/2 for a song and I stripped the paint and rust with electrolysis, but now im in a bit of a jam. It has a removeable jaw but I've no idea how to remove the pin! Any ideas gents???The inside picture shows the pin from the inside by the white paint. Tried to fit a punch but there doesnt seem to be a way.Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2 Attached Images
Reply:Drill press and just drill it out??????Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:I would check out garagejournals.com  In the general tool discussion board is a thread devoted to vises.
Reply:Should just pull up, but with the rust I see in the picts, I'm betting it's still locked solid. I'd give it another go with the electrolysis myself and see if you can't maybe hook your wire directly to the pin to try and concentrate the electricity on the "problem" area. I'd be tempted to solder on a piece of wire to the pin top to get as much electricity to the pin as possible. Heat and good penetrating oils would be my 2nd choices. You may have no choice but to grab it with a set of vise grips and see if you can twist it to break the bond. I dislike suggesting that as it's a good way to damage the pin. You might also put a block inside to limit the drop on the pin and then try to drive it down a bit to break the rust free, but I'd be careful not to drive it so deep you can't grab the pin from the top to pull and twist. If all else fails, I'd think about welding a large nut to the top and hitting it with the impact wrench before I'd drill it out..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:fsisnerosSlow down  -  and don't do anything more to your vise until you hear from the entire Forum.Till then: you have a machinist vise, a vise that has never been abused.   In photo #1  -  It appears that the jaws and body have never been struck with a hammer.That is rare for a vise in aged distress, but tells us a great deal about the history of the vises original users  . . . .Condition aside: you have a swivel-jaw vise, not a removal jaw vise.Swivel jaw machinists vises are highly coveted.Don't drill anything!  -  You will only destroy your good find.  Drilling is not the fixxxxx.  The insides are not what most would guess, and replacement parts don't exist. Patience, fluids, vibration, and the forum  -  will make your vise work again. Opus
Reply:I don't know.  A small drill bit in a press over the pin, nice and slow would still be my guess.   Maybe take it to a machine shop that has a better drill press to handle the vise.  I drilled out a pin on a cast aluminum manifold of old Nathan train horns.  Just go slow on your vise  and then replace the drilled out pin with a custom new one.   Either way you go with it, good luck.Last edited by SuperArc; 01-07-2013 at 01:35 AM.Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:DoubleLast edited by SuperArc; 01-07-2013 at 01:36 AM.Reason: Double
Reply:Does it need to be removed?  You'll never get it anchored again as good as the factory.  Leave it be.
Reply:STOP!!  Opus has it right, what you have is a machinist vise or tool room vise.  I own one.  That pin is a tapered pin. I had the same problem, what I did to remove the pin was drilled and tapped a hole in the pin, made a cup (on a lathe) and put it over the pin, put a cap screw through the hole in the cup and screwed it into the pin. the edge of the cup contacts the top of the vice and the screw now acts as a jack screw and raises the pin from its seat and once removed , the jaw can be swiveled to allow odd shaped work to be gripped in the vice.  Do not destroy the pin!  Hope this helps.  Best  Bob
Reply:Just a side note, the drilling and tapping is only to a depth of about 3/8".  It is only there to allow the screw to engage enough thread so it does not strip out.  The raising of the pin only takes a little bit to break the grip it has to the vise.  Best  Bob
Reply:Can you make a little screw jack for the inside?  A long coupling nut and threaded rod or bolt might put enough upward pressure on the dowel pin to help."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:fsisnerorThe exposed pin is not the pivot.  The pivot pin is blind and under the rear jaw.Every pivot jaw pin I have seen has a straight thread at the bottom, and unscrews,normal right-hand thread.The square key-looking feature on the right of the horizontal seam is a radiused thrust shoulder when the pin is out.  The rear jaw pivot pin may be accessible through the slide port.I would saturate [soaking would be better] and regularly vibrate [peen] for a longtime before I got aggressive with the pin.  Before I started a soak:I would run a directed torch flame, not on the pin, but around the perimeter on the jaw body.   Don 't use a rosebud, but a large welding or cutting tip.  These provide more directed control.  Rapid heat-input is important; you want to heat the jaw, not the pin.  High directed heat in short intervals is key in cracking seized components.  Let it cool to room-temperature, do this 4 or 6 times.  Then start your bath.Heat, soak, and vibration  -  time is your best tool, keep us posted.Opus
Reply:I don't have access to a torch at my house but I figured another round of electrolysis wont hurt.  I'll let it soak for a while, maybe even a few days, and might even try to get a stronger power source for better results.  I positioned the jaw face down so i was able to put the anode directly into the body of the vise and I clamped the negative directly to the pin, so there is only 1/2" between the bottom of the pin and the anode.  Hopefully this will do some good rust busting!
Reply:Originally Posted by fsisnerosI don't have access to a torch at my house but I figured another round of electrolysis wont hurt.  I'll let it soak for a while, maybe even a few days, and might even try to get a stronger power source for better results.
Reply:I am only using 1.5 amps to do the electrolysis so I do not think it would be enough to do any kind of damage or embrittlement to my vise. I have seen many many restorations using this method so I feel it is safe, but if anybody has seen problems with this please let me knowSent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Reply:Originally Posted by fsisnerosI am only using 1.5 amps to do the electrolysis so I do not think it would be enough to do any kind of damage or embrittlement to my vise. I have seen many many restorations using this method so I feel it is safe, but if anybody has seen problems with this please let me know.
Reply:I am only using 12 volts because this is the power supply I had available. It worked well just took quite a bit longer. The piece is now really clean and I am occasionally adding penetrant to the pin and letting it sit.I have a slide hammer but cant think of any way I could attach it to the pin without welding. Anybody have an idea??Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Reply:I would do as Rhuat posted and drill and tap the pin and then use a jack screw or a slid hammer to pull the pin, all you need to move it  will be about 1/8" or less and it should come right out.Or you could use a pair of vise grips if you can lock on to the top if the pin, remove the adjment screw and replace it with a pice of all thread rod with a slidehammer setup.As it should be a taper pin it only needs to be moved a little to get it free,.Nice looking vise  it will be a great pice to have and work with for years to come.Joe
Reply:Originally Posted by fsisnerosI don't have access to a torch at my house but I figured another round of electrolysis wont hurt.
Reply:Hello, my name is Gavino I’ve been a long time lurker too for quite a while now, this is my first post now that I can add to this site. I got an old Columbian from dad last year, model number 406 and was in the same situation that you’re in. The vise came out of an old copper mine in southern Arizona that shut down back in 1987. I poured a lot of oil around the lock pin, under the swivel-jaw crack (both sides), then the hole here the slide goes and let it sit for a few days on it’s side and side the flip it over to the other side so that oil gets in. I would tap the swivel-jaw part when I would flip it over. After a few days of doing this I got a pry bar and put one end of the bar in the grove that is on the lock pin and wacked the h#$l out of the pry bar and the pin popped out. I've got a other old Columbian and Witon Vise also from my dad. Anybody know or use a good place to upload pictures?Last edited by Gavino; 01-09-2013 at 04:42 PM.Reason: Added a question.
Reply:After reading Gavino's post I think everyone is right, patience and oil will be the key here because I want to try and avoid marring the pin if I can. I will update in a few days!Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Reply:You can upload your pictures as attachments in your posts.
Reply:Thanks Tat2dHandz, I did not see the attachment at all. Here are some pictures of the vise. Attached Images
Reply:Here are the other vises that I also have. Attached Images
Reply:I have the same 404 1/2 Columbian vise.  It was given to me in 1985 and the pin was missing.   I drilled the tapered hole straight and tapped the base for a ¾”-10 bolt.  I have been using it ever since.I would think that if you heat around the pin with a torch that the tapered hole would expand enough for the pin to pop out.   I see you don’t have access to an oxy/acetylene outfit but a propane torch may provide enough heat. Attached ImagesInstead of pounding on the pin, would it be possible to rig up some sort of small, slotted plate welded on the end of a steering wheel puller (or similar shaft puller)?  The puller then could somehow be mounted on or around the vise and a strong uniform pulling pressure applied to the pin after a long soaking in oil or penetrant, as has helped free up some.
Reply:Well, I had my dad bring over his mapp bottle with him today while we did some work on the motorcycle frame and figured we would take a whack at the vise.  Heated up the area real good, and managed to fit a stud and a bolt threaded together through the hole in the bottom that mounts the vise body to the base.  Had a bit of an angle but with a good whack the pin came right out! Pictures give a better description of how we did this.Time for more cleaning and degreasing, then priming!Link to the gallery belowhttp://imgur.com/a/U4iYf