Vice

[mkinga]

A bunch of us repaired the 6" Record vice today thanks to everyone
involved. It look like the history was :-

At some point in the past the flat part of the moving jaw (at the back
of the vice) had been used as an anvil.
This had caused high spots to form which in turn caused the vice to
jam while it was being opened. It looks like in an effort to free it
up brute force was applied which resulted in a pin inside the vice
shearing and a washer bending. So PLEASE do not use the back part of
the vice as an anvil the casting in that area is also relatively thin
and hitting it there could crack the casting! The other vise has a
small area that can be used for hitting things on or there is an anvil
somewhere. Also if a vice jams then there is a reason for it! Find the
reason and fix it (in this case light filling down of the high spots
was all that was needed) DO NOT apply brute force in an effort to free
it up. Other tips, do not try and tighten the vice by using a length
of tube to increase leaverage or a hammer, vices are not presses! The
worst case is that you'll crack the nut casting at which point you'll
be throwing several hundred pounds worth of vice in the bin, best case
is you'll bend the vice handle or shear a pin inside the vice which is
a PITA to repair.

Cheers.
Martin.