How to "fix" this little vise?

[Ultradog MN]

Or should I fix it at all?
Am still refreshing my South Bend shaper.
Need to do a good clean and derust on the original vise.
It is always sad to see a nice tool abused but this is how I got it. It will still work just fine.
My thoughts are to either clean out the divits in it with a dremel and fill them with something like JB Weld or just leave them as they are.
I did a similar "fix"on a drill press table I had. It looked a lot better afterwards.
What would you guys do?

 

[AGCB97]

I would just leave them as they are but that's just me. Form follows function.
Aaron

 

[Martin W]

If the divets do not affect operation, I would leave them, but the JB weld looks good.
I almost didn't buy my drill press because of the divets in the box table. I am glad I did, it has been a wonderful machine for me. I just put a vise on top of the table and it's all good. Every time I look at it, reminds me to use a spoil board underneath when Iam drilling.
Martin

 

[great white]

picked up an old brown and sharpe last year. Was in pretty bad shape, but mechanically sound. Seems like it was used in a wood working ahop as every crack and crevice was packed solid with sawdust.

Before:



“Repairing” the damages:






Had to skim to bottom surface to bring it somewhere close to flat:



After a spritz of paint:


Jb weld to fill the divots and cuts. Thats all just cosmetic though. Only real “improvement“ was fly cutting the bottom surface to make it flat again.

 

[brino]

I did a similar "fix"on a drill press table I had. It looked a lot better afterwards.

Nice job on the table!

After a spritz of paint

Wow, what a transformation!

Brian

 

[pontiac428]

The holes that I didn't make are reminders of how much I paid for the vise.


But if you've ever left a mark on your own tools, It's more like this:

 

[Mill Lee farm]

I was just thinking about this on the Kurt I’m rebuilding. I’m not worried about the cosmetic aspect really. I’m actually thinking that filling the divot nice and smooth will keep chips and dirt from getting under the moving jaw.

 

[great white]

I was just thinking about this on the Kurt I’m rebuilding. I’m not worried about the cosmetic aspect really. I’m actually thinking that filling the divot nice and smooth will keep chips and dirt from getting under the moving jaw.

Yep, that was another reason I filled the holes and cuts. It also helps shed coolants and lubricants is its exposed to them. Paint just seals the jb weld and make it that much “slicker” to shed things.

 

[Mill Lee farm]

I’d also add that if this is a ‘shaper vise’, it’s probably worth it as they seem to be selling for insane prices.

 

[sdelivery]

I’d also add that if this is a ‘shaper vise’, it’s probably worth it as they seem to be selling for insane prices.

Sure, look at all that BEAUTIFUL cast iron,
and YOU just know it's the Good kind!