Quick release vice repair.

[Streepips]

Recently responded to a post on here about a non functioning QR vice and I suggested a broken spring may be the problem....... Well the day after I posted, guess what? The spring on one I was refurbishing gave up. Seeing as this model has not been made sine the 1930s then It has done well to last this long, but a replacement might be hard to find, unlike say a Record 521/2 0r 53.
The vice is a Parkinson Perfect 16, otherwise in good condition, even though its has spent 30 years at the back of someone elses damp shed before I got it.
Anyway, the spring fits the same as the Record, in a recess in the front jaw, flat coiled bar, but larger than the record.
Spent a while googling spring manufacturers, forums, ebay etc etc but nothing looked hopeful and so I decided to think about what exactly the spring did, and if it had to be that particular spring in that particular place, and came up with an idea that would tension the half nut againt the threaded rod but still have enough give to operate the quick release...
It took about 20 mins in all. just knocked it up to see if it would work, more a proof of concept than any thing, but it works so well Its staying as is and getting fitted like that.
Might be of use to someone else with a QR with a broken spring...........

 

[Benchwayze]

There are codges and then there's lateral thinking!

5* =D> =D>

John

 

[Streepips]

Built it up, all cleaned and greased and fitted to the bench now. Works a treat. If any thing an improvement on the original! Reason I say that is because the spring pressure can be adjusted, plus if the spring does break it can be easily got at and replaced without a full removal and stripdown. This Parkinson is quite a hefty lump, I am sure its heavier and with deeper throat than the Record 52 1/2 on my other bench.
I have found a 9" QR vice as well, make as yet unknown, but that will be getting refurbed and fitted as a tail vice on the new bench build.

 

[Benchwayze]

Thumbs up Pips.

Should last you a good few years. Nice one.
John

 

[9fingers]

It might be worth fitting a short bolt and nut to the new strap to fit inside the spring just in case it might skid out sideways with time.

Not a strong feeling but easy to do whilst it is accessible.

Bob

 

[Streepips]

Thanks and well spotted 9fingers. I actually did that before mounting the vice, slipped the top coil of the spring over the strap and short bolt and washer to retain it.
Surprisingly the spring does not seem to wander as I thought it might, sits nice and straight pressure on or off.
Time will tell how good a mod it is!

 

[bugbear]

That's ingenious! It's not identical to the original, since now the Q/R bar is turning the lever, and not the otherway round, which (I think) will alter where in the system the lash is.

But since the alternative is to not have a usable vise - excellent!

BugBear

 

[ChiselRich]

Hi
This is exactly what I need.

What size / strength of spring did you use. There spare too many to choose from and I since I'm ordering online I can't touch to see,how string they are.

Thanks

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You might wait a while - the post is three years old, and the OP hasn't been here for two.

 

[rog8811]

I know this is an old but recently resurrected thread but I have a fix that worked on my woodworking vise and I see no reason why it would not work on a metal working vise.
I have posted it on "instructables" under my board name here (it seems I am not allowed to post links here).

The fix could not have been simpler, consisting of a piece of plywood, a short section of band strapping and a wood screw.

It works in 2 ways, if left to its own devices, turning the handle to close the jaws brings the cam shape round far enough to hold the QR lever out far enough to allow the jaws to be tightened.
When undoing the vise the cam turns away from the QR lever allowing normal use of the QR function.

If I want to have the vise wind in and out with no QR all I have to do is turn the cam until the end of the QR handle drops into the notch to hold it in place.

Videos of how it works can be accessed in the instructable.