Any thoughts on how to straighten this....

[MattF]

Anyway.. I had a whack with a hammer.. And it just bounced off..

Never thought I'd actually hear myself ever say this, but you didn't use a big/heavy enough hammer. You need some fair weight for a 1/2" to 3/4" rod, to counter bounce. A dead blow or lead/copper mallet would be the best choice.

 

[roofman]

Ive just sorted my vice handle on my press...the mission was to take the silver back gorilla user bend out of it and get it looking decent. After 5 mins that beast called OCD started to kick in and the thing got cut at the nipple end and the V blocks came out with the bar back on the press. 45 mins later i had it looking like a good one,put the bar back into the vice after spending another 45 mins fixing the nipple end back onto the bar with a hidded stud into each part and just screwed up,couple of rubber 0 rings each end to save the "blood blisters" (iff you,ve done it you will know what i mean). Was it worth the time and effort?...Nope but it kept me out of trouble for another couple of hours.

 

[Maker]

Ive just sorted my vice handle on my press...the mission was to take the silver back gorilla user bend out of it and get it looking decent. After 5 mins that beast called OCD started to kick in and the thing got cut at the nipple end and the V blocks came out with the bar back on the press. 45 mins later i had it looking like a good one,put the bar back into the vice after spending another 45 mins fixing the nipple end back onto the bar with a hidded stud into each part and just screwed up,couple of rubber 0 rings each end to save the "blood blisters" (iff you,ve done it you will know what i mean). Was it worth the time and effort?...Nope but it kept me out of trouble for another couple of hours.

I can't stand O rings on vices, it takes the nice noise out of dropping the bar down.

 

[500e]

The muttered cursing as the blister grows

I can't stand O rings on vices, it takes the nice noise out of dropping the bar down.

 

[OuBallie]

No more cries of pain and blood blisters for me now, as I made the handles on mine 'sticky'.

My no-name vice has a feature I love, and something that every vice should have, and that is, cross-handles that are held by friction so that they doesn't try to attack hand or fingers when in use.
I've modified my Record Nos 1&3 plus Columbian 554M to have this feature.

View media item 8790One of the blobs at end of shaft needs sawing off, then the end of the screw drilled down to accept a spring and brass disk that presses against the handle thus applying friction.
Blob bolted back on and Bob's you know who.

View media item 8789Testing before going back into the vice.
The hole in the screw was somewhat larger than the handle, so handle wobbles a bit in use, BUT it stay put.

I've tried adding another photo of the in use Columbian after I uploaded these two, but keep getting a blank Vice 2 Folder.

Tried 'O' rings as 500e but soon gave up and bit the bullet.
Best thing I did.

Geoff - It's now a pleasure using the vices.
Edit:
Why isn't the second photo appearing?

 

[Screwdriver]

I generally have the opposite problem if the handle is too stiff to slide easily when I just want the damned thing out of the way.

S.

<edit> PS you should choose the

[IMG[ option when sharing images inline. (with the bracket reversed!)

 

[MattF]

I generally have the opposite problem if the handle is too stiff to slide easily when I just want the damned thing out of the way.

I'm not a a fan of stiff handles either. There is another option similar to Ouballie's method though, and that's a ball detent. Similar setup, but a ball bearing goes under the spring, and a groove is cut around the centre of the handle. It latches when central, but moves relatively freely otherwise.

 

[OuBallie]

Thanks Screwdriver, will try that next time.
Pity the site doesn't have a Preview button to test before posting.

MattF,
I like your idea!

Geoff - Coming to terms with how my Austin Seven brake Cross-shaft works