Drill Press Vice

[Windy Miller]

I was given this nice little Record 412 vice the other day, with one of the mounting lugs missing.

I think it would be easy enough to cut and file a piece of 8mm steel into shape, but I'm not sure about the welding. What material would the vice be made of? Cast iron? Cast steel? How can I tell whats it is?

What sort of rod would be best for this type of repair?

Sorry about the naff picture quality - iPhones again, Oh how I miss my old Nokia!

 

[brightspark]

it will be made of cast iron cast steel doesnt break .u can make a piece up out of steel and braze it on with oxy acet or sumone else might have an other idea if u put the vice up to a grinding wheel if its cast iron u get dull red sparks

 

[stormin]

Spark test is the way to determine cast iron from steel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R1Y6_g0DU8

Almost certainly cast iron though that vice.

As for how to weld it you'll have to wait for someone else not really my area of expertise. I had a cast vice that cracked. I decided it was probably crap and not worth welding, went and bought a record one instead.

 

[Paul.]

Vairous ways to test it spark testing with a grinder is one way, cast iron will give a duller orange spark than cast steel.
Another way is to drill a small hole where it wont show, in the break will do, cast iron will produce a powdery swarf, my guess is its cast iron, you could weld it with a copper nickel electrode. or if you have oxy acetylene gear braze weld it.

 

[scott0031]

Its cast iron, no two ways about it clearly seen from the pic plus i know it's cast Iron anyway..

If it was me i would not bother trying to weld or braze, it wont like having heat put into it. It will only break again in time, if not sooner. Reason is unless you can match up the bottom faces exactly or re machine once welded, so you have a perfectly flat face, it will break again due to misalignment and clamping force.


You have enough meat there to work with, make those remaining lugs flat, make the new part to attach. Drill though the new part for a suitable size cap head or csk screw. Spot those holes though to the vice, drill and tap. Job done wont break unless misused. Its sure way to do it with success first time unlike trying to weld it.



Kind regards,


Scott (ward eng)

 

[Mad Mick]

Hi ,suggest you shape a replacement piece,v both sides and stick weld with quality cast rods,remembering to keep a longer arc than with normal rods.Should not be a problem with expansion/cracking as you are working on edge of the vice.Had similar probs with cast water cooled manifolds with cracked lugs in a previous life,regards,Mick

 

[Welderpaul]

I think Scott has it spot on. We've sucessfully welded cast iron tags/lugs etc only for them to snap off when subject to load similar to this. A mechanical repair is a much better way of going about it.