I came across a nice cast iron 6" engineers vice with a broken neck whilst dumpster diving the other day. I've already been told that welding them up is a waste of time but I thought I'd ask here and see if anyone had any magic tricks. As a starving student I don't have the cash to go buy a new one but I do have access to good arc welding gear and temperature controlled tempering ovens. So any advice on technique?
Cheers Gregg
the gravel pit Diary of an arts metal caster
run a google advanced groups search on this group and cast iron.
Nickel rod (either 99Ni or 55Ni45Fe). Two methods. I was taught and have posted the "cold - peening" method. Ernie prefers and has posted the hot method. Given access to ovens, go with Ernie's method.
3rd possibility is to braze it.
Go to the shop and buy a vice.
It's not easy to weld cast iron. It's also damned expensive to buy the right rods for doing it. I can buy _6_ brand-new OK-quality vices for the minimum purchase quantity of nickel rods at my local welding shop. Even if I could buy the rods in a "repair sized" quantity like they used to sell them, it's still not cheap.
Nor is putting a big vice back together an easy place to learn
You also care about the accuracy of the results, and how square the jaws finish up.
I applaud your sentiments. If you have a "welding course" that you can sneak this into as an exercise, then go for it. However if you just want a vice, I don't think this idea is practical.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required