Welding Tips and Tricks

Had it sandblasted and zinc yellowed the metal parts as well as remade some of them adding my own touches. This vise stands 13.5" tall and weighs 120#.

Beautiful job! I wouldn't want to use a vice that looked that good.

It will be going on the new welding table I'm building. It will actually be sitting off to one end of it on a separate plate attached on the bottom surface of the table. The frame will get painted tomorrow and the I'll order the 72" x 40" x 1-1/4" top and get it Blanchard ground. Then I'll be off to my next project.

I'd consider making a separate vise stand. You'll want the welding table at a comfortable height for the welding you do, and mounted on the table would put the vise jaws over foot higher than that. To me most welding tables are too high, maybe for soldering or something dainty, not for wrestling around heavy iron.
My 4'x 6' 1/2 thick welding table is thigh high, with a good vise on one end, about where I run a grinder like a chainsaw, and a smaller, removeable riser table at waist high on one end for tig and smaller stuff.
The rule of thumb for anvils is to set the top at where your fist hangs at your side, I'd go an inch or two higher maybe for a vise of that size, if it's on a high welding table, the jaws will be near chin height, no upper body strength up there...
I think a lot of people forget welding projects are 3D not 2D, I have found myself standing on my welding table for projects a couple times.

Poleframer wrote:I'd consider making a separate vise stand.

This is my Wilton C2 on its pedestal.

Very nicely done.

Could you share what you were charged for the sandblasting and zinc-chromate coating? I recently purchased several vices and was going to look into exactly this. thx

Ok, I knew going in this was going to cost some money but it was more of a personal project.

Here goes -

First, I dismantled to vise completely

Second, I inspected all the parts. The screw was in good shape but the bolster was real rusty as well as the handle as well as bent.

Third, I sent the big parts out for sandblast. That was $75

Fourth, I then took the screw, cut and removed the handle and machined about .05-.06" off the bolster OD to clean it up. I also, re bored and sleeved the bolster so the handle would glide through nicely. The original bore was toast.

Fifth, I made a new handle from 3/4" 1045 shafting and used 1-3/8" dia case hardened balls which I drilled and tapped for the handle ends.

Sixth, I had to remake the swivel locks as they were rusty. They were made from 3/4 1045 and fitted with 5/8" case hardened balls on to 3/8" 1045 shafts.

Seventh, all the appropriate pcs. were sent out for yellow zinc. $75

Eighth, when the parts were back from sandblast I masked the appropriate areas and painted ( 2 coats with rattle can) with Rustoleum blue.

Ninth, I assembled all the pcs., highlighted the identifying lettering/numbering and there you have it.

It was a lot of fun!

JEKS wrote:Very nicely done.

Could you share what you were charged for the sandblasting and zinc-chromate coating? I recently purchased several vices and was going to look into exactly this. thx

If you have a lot of pcs. then group them together for better pricing. I was charged the minimum and could have done twice as many pcs. for the same price. Also, some plating shops will not do used parts; they will only do new. Check first.

excellent. thanks, and again, nice job