Emmert Vise Part - hinge

Hi All.

I've gotten a couple hinge leafs for my 18" Emmert vise from CS Machinery that I'm not too enthused about. CS Machinery has had great customer service, but after two poorly made parts, they opted for a full refund and I keep the parts.

The main issue is the poor alignment of holes bored for the hinge pins. One ear is drilled properly, but the other is drilled offset, which causes the collar to rest proud of the surface of a bench on one side.

The minor (non-functional) issues are the quality of the casting, the total lack of squareness of the leaf, and thickness variances of the leaf - both of these last two issues would require creative mortising of my bench, or other machine work (both additive and subtractive).

Can this thing be re-machined to have the hole plugged and rebored? I ordered this replacement(s) as the original was broken when a friend dropped the vise. Perhaps having the old original one welded might be an option?

The first picture shows the hole offset in the ear, as compared with the second (properly drilled) ear on the other side. It's too far to the right side.

Third photo shows how the collar is offset in the hole on the improperly drilled ear.

Forth photo shows the gap difference between the two sides with the collar installed.

Fifth photo shows the out-of-squareness of the leaf itself. (Note, the first 4 pictures are the first replacement leaf I received, and the 5th photo is the second replacement leaf. The 2nd leaf has the same issues as the first, and the 1st leaf is just as out of square as the second, although the 2nd leaf also has the additional issue of the center screw hole casting divot being too deep.)

Thoughts? Suggestions?

I would install as is and see what happens. It is possible that the piece might have to be set in slightly deep on one side
for the jaws to be level with the top of the bench when in locked WITH PIN position. You can easily counter sink the shallow hole deeper. All things considered ,it could be a lot worse.

Thanks Mel.

I had considered letting in deeper on one side.

I decided to take it to a machine shop. I ran by a local shop at lunch time.

The guy will run a fly cutter around the 3 sides to square the leaf up, and then plug and line bore. I don't think he really wanted to do it... he said $200. I'll have to throw in another $90 with my refund, so not too bad.

I told him I wanted it good and cheap, so take as much time as he needed! ;) He said he couldn't get to it until the end of the week. I said "Hey, take to the end of the month... please!"

Todd

Check out these links, fellow had an emmert and made the part you needed, plus some links to his repair-restoration. May be of some help.

http://www.mprime.com/Emmert/RogerVM1.htm
http://www.mprime.com/Emmert/Images/...inge_plate.jpg
http://www.mprime.com/Emmert/Images/...tilt_parts.jpg

Fellows price on the repair is a pretty fair retail price for such work. If you had a good amateur home shop guy handy he's likely do it for a lot less. But at the pro shop you are more likely to know what you are getting.

Scott

Thanks Scott. I had seen the first link but not the other two. I think it's very makable...

I think I am going to try and make this via the drawings that Scott linked to.

I have an old Atlas Metal lathe that I have never used - got it a few year ago. I know I can use it to drill the 1.25" square blocks, but can I use it to cut the outside radius on the blocks and to square up my cuts for the angle?

Thanks, Todd

Glad that I found this, great info guys. I should be getting one (Emmerts Vise) soon that has the same piece broken. With the drawings I will probably make up a replacement from steel.

Todd, if you run into any problems feel free to drop me a PM, Im more of a metal worker than a wood worker, Bridgeport Mill, lathe, etc


Honestly on the original casting it may have been better to scrap it rather than attempt a repair, By the time the original piece is plugged and re-bored the surrounding material will be getting mighty thin in such a high stress area

Hi Adam - thanks! Next chance I get I'll be heading over to the scrap metal supply yard to get some 3 x 3 x 3/8 angle and some 1.25 square stock.

I think I'll need to radius the hinge knuckles by hand with a file - I don't think I can radius on corner on a lathe. (Well, I guess I could by making a ball jig, mounting the knuckle to it, and then pivoting the piece (swinging the piece) across an end mill chucked up in the lathe. Or, is this a bad idea? I'm a total newbie when it come to metalwork.)

I have a 14" (maybe 12"?) Milwaukee metal chop saw with an abrasive wheel for cutting, and welding capability. I was just reading up on reamers the other day on youtube (tubalcain - that guy is great) so I understand the process for drilling the knuckles now.

On the drawing linked to above, I don't care for the hole spacing on the flat part of the hinge. Even the guy in the link that posted the story (Roger) didn't follow that pattern for hole placement. I like his better.

Question - what type of sanding belt should I use for final clean up on this piece? Silicon Carbide?

Todd

I would probably just radius them with a file myself, I might mill off the corner at a 45 degree angle just to get most of the material off but you could even dress it down real close with a hand grinder pretty quick.

And yes the Tubalcain stuff on youtube is great