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My old post vise gave out on me last Tuesday while I was twisting some 1/2 inch square stock.
The main screw just sheared right off, and I had a hot piece of steel flopping around (not fun). I ended up having to forge a new screw from some 4140 round bar I had, but it took me most of the afternoon. Has anyone found a good source for replacement vise screws, or should I just keep making my own?
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john_dixon611mo ago
Yeah, that pipe wrench trick... it works in a pinch, but it's a good way to round off your stock. I tried it once on some rebar and ended up with a hexagon. Honestly, half the fun with these old tools is just keeping them running yourself, even if it eats up an afternoon. Making that screw probably taught you more about the vise than just buying one ever would.
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west.alice22d ago
See, I get where john_dixon61 is coming from, but I've had the opposite experience. That pipe wrench method saved my hide last week when my vise jaw snapped. Sure, you can mess up your stock if you crank it like a maniac, but a little finesse goes a long way. Sometimes the right tool for the job is the one that's already in your hand. Learning to work around a problem feels more practical to me than treating every old tool like a museum piece.
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