Kurt vise disassembly

ARC-170

Jeff L.
H-M Lifetime Diamond Member
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Oct 17, 2018
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I have a Kurt D50 vise, I think. I was told it was a Kurt vise when I bought it and as far as I can tell it matches the specs for a D50 on the drawings I got from Kurt's website. I called customer service and they told me that it will have the model number cast into the bottom. I need to remove the turntable to see this. In the meantime, I'm trying to take it apart to clean it.
Here is my question: 1. how do I get the back/fixed jaw off? The drawing I have shows bolts holding it from underneath, but there are square key/bars as well on either side (see photo). My concern is that it will be misaligned when I re-install it. Is there a trick to this, or is it just a matter of removing the bolts and tapping out the square key/bars? Or, do I tap out the jaw somehow?
DSC00336_LI.jpg
 
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Remove the bottom bolts and remove the jaw from the alignment keystock . It's a tight fit and will realign when put back together .
 
Usually there are two cap screws and the square bar. Once the bolts are out, it comes apart relatively easily.
I can't see there would be any alignment problem as long as you put it together the way it was taken apart.
 
Thanks. So I'm guessing I need to 2. keep the keys aligned the same way and in the same slots? I'll mark them with a Sharpie.

I'd like to take this apart, clean it and paint it. 3. Anyone know the closest rattle can color to Kurt blue?

4. Has anyone ever bought a new nameplate?
The paint on my nameplate is totally gone. The stamped serial # is still there, though. I'm guessing they aren't for sale to prevent fraud, but maybe if I send in photos or something they'll sell me one.
 
If the back jaw is tight on its keys, you can loosen the bolts underneath, support the vise "on edge" (within another vise?), and use a wood dowel to tap on the screw heads. Once there's a gap, you either try can prying there, or else loosen the screws further and keep tapping.
 
1-2. GETTING THE VISE APART
I got the vise apart. I had to tap the fixed jaw to break it loose. There was probably a cup full of old chips on and in this vise. It's now soaking in the Simple Green.

There is "SA" and A-50 cast in the bottom. When I was looking for what this meant, I found this on the P-M forum: "There is an employee at Kurt who reads this forum. He emailed me that it is a D50. And that years ago the body castings were marked with an "A" if they were made at the Scott Atwater foundry in Minneapolis."

3. COLOR
There's a guy on YouTube who restores vintage machinery and he restored a different Kurt vise. He just used the loudest blue he could find, which was Rustoleum Sail Blue.
 
I called Kurt and got some answers:

3. COLOR
They told me to use Krylon "Ford Blue". It's from the "Farm and Implement" line.

4. NAMEPLATE
She told me that this vise is probably 40 years old and that nametags are no longer made for these so they don't have any. They often get damaged anyway, so they've gone to stamping them on the vise itself. She told me even the newer stickers won't fit. I find that hard to believe, though. I'll keep the plate, but I may not re-mount it.

5. BEARINGS and PARTS
This vise has the same measurements as a D50, but she told me that since A50 was stamped on the bottom, it's an older vise that was designated A50. The D100 has a similar shaft to mine (the D50 in the drawing on their website looks different), but she told me mine has no bearing. Seems they started adding those later. Mine has no bearing, so I thought I'd ask if there even were any.

I hope this helps anyone looking at a Kurt vise or restoring one.
 
For those of you following along, here's the finished vise:
DSC00348.JPG

I use "Ford Blue" engine enamel. I used Mobil Vactra #2 Way oil for lube on the screw threads and bearing surfaces.
 
I know this is an older thread. Hoping someone will see the post. Attempting to remove bolt from bottom of Kurt vise. These are the bolts holding the fixed jaw.I got one out, been soaking the other. Tried impact, used a extension bar, no heat yet.. I twisted a 1” piece of 1/2” Allen in socket with extension twice. My torq maxes out at 150 ft/lbs and it does not budge.
 
It's a long story in detail, but the short of it is this: commercial mixes of penetrating stuff don't penetrate quickly. Kroil and WD40 are good, but the winner by a factor of 10 is something you mix yourself. 50/50 solution of acetone and automatic transmission fluid. It's a mixture not a solution so you have to shake well before use. Apply liberally and it should loosen within 24 hours.

A 36" long 3" diameter shaft in a ditcher machine was bound up with bearings rusted on and the huge nuts on either end refused to budge. Two days of commercial stuff, heat (lots of heat) the nuts finally came loose with an 8' extension. The shaft simply refused to budge. I introduced the farmer to this mixture and late in the day we applied it and gave up. Next morning, the shaft had fallen out! True story.

Patience, my friend, Patience.
DanK
 
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