Why did they do this?

I am afraid that the vise has "met its maker" If a vise was special enough to be of value if repaired, I would make a pattern and have a casting made, machine it up, and it is fixed! I did that with a Brown & Sharpe tilting swivel (toolmaker's) vise years ago.
 
Kinda makes me wonder how it got broken to start with.
 
Except for it being an Atlas vise I'm not sure they are that big of a deal. Yeah, on eBay they fetch $350-400 for them but it seems to be more about completing a set than their amazing quality. I would not hesitate to find a replacement by a different maker if my Atlas vise gave up the ghost like that. Especially for those kinds of prices. A 4" Kurt used is less than that.

It had to be poor casting or got dropped. But then again a guy on a different forum told about working in a blacksmith shop and breaking an anvil.....I guess anything is possible.
 
C-Bag said:
It had to be poor casting or got dropped. But then again a guy on a different forum told about working in a blacksmith shop and breaking an anvil.....I guess anything is possible.
Click to expand...

It could also have been a gorilla with a cheater bar tightening that vice until it let go.
-brino
 
Extropic, got it right. I really hadn't looked at it too closely. The fixed jaw had totally broken off and it looked like someone had planned to braze it back together and just settled for the 4 screws. I'm glad it was a spare.

Randy
 
CluelessNewB said:
I have not idea but I do notice that there appears to be a gap between the casting and jaw. What's up with that? Here is a picture of mine: View attachment 267856
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You worry entirely to much, if the working surfaces are good it is unimportant if there is a "gap", it may simply be clearance.

Try this, it would drive you nuts, 5 vices on one machine table that travels 60" (-:
This past New Years Eve, the customer had to have it on Tuesday, the part is 168" long, face mill then 3/16" 0-ring grooves the entire length.

fivevices.jpg
 
The Atlas vice has a very low height which is advantageous considering the small working envelope. Last time I looked there weren't any currently available new replacements that were that low, I suspect this is why they bring big bucks on ePay.
 
CluelessNewB said:
The Atlas vice has a very low height which is advantageous considering the small working envelope. Last time I looked there weren't any currently available new replacements that were that low, I suspect this is why they bring big bucks on ePay.
Click to expand...

My assessment comes from my well used Atlas vise. The jaws were not accurately square, the swivel base was warped and it has no downward clamping pressure built into them like even cheap Chinese machining vises so I really had to go through mine to get it close. But ultimately making a new backstop and using toe clamps instead of the vise gives me the most clearance and accuracy. It has crossed my mind to put a paint job on mine and put it on eBay and use the $400 for better things but it does have sentimental value being the original vise. Just my 2c, YMMV.
 
Regardless the ~reason~ it definitely belongs in the category "what Old Tools would say if they could TALK"!!!

philip, from the Great Pacific NorthWET.
 
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