Record 53 Quick release spare

[robeng]

Hi

Newbie post.

I recently bought a Record 53 quick release vice (60-70s I think) from a well known auction site. The vice was very rusty and had a few issues! In particular the quick release function jumped on use. I used some of the (excellent) advice given on this website and found the thread and 1/2 nut inside the q/r housing to be surrounded in wood shavings! Problem solved.

I then started to clean the vice thoroughly, giving it 3 baths of citric acid, and voila! It looks awesome.

Everything was going smoothly so I thought before I install it I'll take it a apart and give it a complete clean. During the disassemble I managed to break the quick release spring..... I've tried searching the internet for a spare but haven't come across one, except from the modern record website, who I understand have nothing to do with the original 60/70s vice I have??

Does anyone have any experiences of replacing the quick release spring and where a good place to get one is? I've read a good link from this website that shows how to fit it so I feel confident I could do it and keep this vice. The amount of time I've spent on it, makes me really want to keep this vice !

Thanks in advance

 

[Hot stuff]

Where is it broken? I had one with a broken spring and just brazed it together again, worked perfectly. You're right about finding spares for them though, better keeping your eyes open for damaged ones and robbing them for bits.

 

[Doingupthehouse]

This is where I got mine. Not cheap though, nearly £26!

http://www.knighton-tools.co.uk/acatalo ... pares.html

Cheers
Simon

 

[robeng]

Hot stuff

Thanks for the suggestion. I had a look at the spring in more detail last night (it is a very interesting bit of engineering btw). It has snapped in 2 places, ie, there should be 3 pieces, but I only found 2 bits inside the vice. Looking at where the spring broke, one side is a clean break and the other break is rusty! I reckon a part of the spring must have broken off a while ago, and then I came along and broke another bit the other day.....

 

[robeng]

Hi Doingupthehouse

Thanks for the reply

I did drop them an email, but got no reply. Can you confirm that you have an older vice similar to my 53, and the newer spring worked for you?

Thanks
Robert

 

[Doingupthehouse]

Hi Doingupthehouse

Thanks for the reply

I did drop them an email, but got no reply. Can you confirm that you have an older vice similar to my 53, and the newer spring worked for you?

Thanks
Robert

I bought mine to replace a broken spring and worn castellated nut on an old Record 52. It was a perfect fit, the nut design was completely different, but fitted and worked with no problem. I also have a larger 52 and a half and it appears to have exactly the same spring.

Simon

 

[robeng]

Hi All

Thanks for your help.

I ended up purchasing the spare quick release spring from http://www.knighton-tools.co.uk/acatalo ... pares.html £26 + postage - ouch!! I'll let you know how I got on.

For anyone lese looking in future, I tried Irwin themselves and they directed me to a company called Toolbank who ignored both my emails and a phone call where they said they were going to ring me back.

What was really weird is that an old search I had still setup on Gumtree popped up with a 52 + 52 1/2 for sale just round the corner for £15 each 2 days after I posted here. The pictures didn't look promising, and one of them was described as seized. So I went and had a look thinking to use one of them for parts, but they were in such nice condition it seemed wrong to take them apart. So after a quick clean up and oil, I've fitted the 52 1/2 to another bench and using the 52 as a tail vice!

Hopefully the new spring will work out for my poor old '53.

Rob

 

[Doingupthehouse]

That's a good price for the vice. Managed to pick up my 52 1/2 on eBay last summer for £10 - I was the only bidder! Thought it might need a lot of work, but it's perfect, just needed a clean. Made me think twice about buying the replacement spring, but the old 52 has sentimental value as it belonged to my partner's dad.

Cheers
Simon

 

[robeng]

Got the spring from knight-tools. It came very quickly. Was a 5 minute job to install - vice is working great now.

I took a tip from another post who suggested keeping the quick release held with a pair of beefy cable ties. Made it much quicker.

As an aside, I got a response from Toolbank the day after my other spring arrived. They quoted me a much more reasonable £12:50 + £2:50 postage. Only problem is 2 week wait as it ships from America. The price was much more reasonable so thought I better order a spare.

If you can wait, I'd suggest those guys in future. Almost 3 for the price of 1 !

Rob

 

[Bod]

Useful information.


Bod

 

[Doingupthehouse]

Glad you got it sorted. Should last a lifetime. Interesting price difference, assuming the spares come from the same far eastern factory as the modern Record Irwin vices...

Simon

 

[MGeiger]

I know I'm really late to the party but I have the same problem you did.
I tried looking up the Toolbank company you mentioned but came up with lots of different ones, none of which seemed right.
If you still have it, could you possibly send me the link or contact details?
Hope you see this. Thanks

 

[nabs]

they do still make the springs http://www.knighton-tools.co.uk/acatalo ... pares.html (towards bottom of the page) and this should fit all apart from the very old Record QR vices. Not cheap though - I wonder if a watch/clock repairer could make you a copy (assuming you still have the original broken spring to use as a template)?

 

[Simon in the shed]

Try this place, all sorts of vice stuff including Woodwork vice springs
www.viceman.co.uk

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Six years later, I expect he's sorted it.

 

[Simon in the shed]

Never looked at date, rookie error. I'll go back to my shed.

 

[Jake]

Very useful information - ignore the thread date policing.