Ball vise maintanance

[farmer57]

My older GRS ball vise is suddenly not turning properly (there seems to be a rough spot when turning - for lack of better description) - I would like to take it apart and give it a cleaning. How does it come apart?
I took the threaded rod out but what do I do next?
Thanks in advance.

 

[papart1]

contact grs........they will fill you right in as to what is happening and what to do about it.

 

[Jonathan.Silas]

Not sure what model you have but heres the pdf to the low profile https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIAxAC&usg=AOvVaw3PekYUp0OMII6FL2u0S404

 

[SamW]

If I remember right, remove the friction set screw on the side of the lower half and lift the upper out. Clean the bearings and surfaces, lube with a light grease, re-assemble and good to go.

 

[sam]

It's the simplest device in the world. As SamW said, remove the set screw and lift off the top of the vise and give it a good cleaning and you'll be back running in no time.

 

[farmer57]

Thank you very much everyone and thank you Jonathan for the PDF!
I guess mine is a bit stuck since it does not want to come apart. I will try 'harder'.
I did contact GRS but they wanted me to send it in for cleaning - this is not what I had in mind though.

 

[Jonathan.Silas]

Thank you very much everyone and thank you Jonathan for the PDF!
I guess mine is a bit stuck since it does not want to come apart. I will try 'harder'.
I did contact GRS but they wanted me to send it in for cleaning - this is not what I had in mind though.

No worries, you might have a chip or three binding things up on you. Good luck on your percussive maintenance!

 

[allan621]

Farmer57

Yeah it does seem stuck but its not. There is nothing wrong with your block. The GRS blocks are milled to pretty precise tolerances. So when you try to lift the top half off the bottom half there isn't a lot of room between the top's post and the bottom's hole; and the oil which lubricates the movement of the the top half creates a kind of suction. It might take a bit more muscle than you think is necessary but keep at it and it'll pop out.

Allan

 

[sam]

Which vise do you have? I believe their Small Block can't be taken apart. Just remembered that.

 

[monk]

the suction, as previously mentioned, gets even worse as dust and gunk congregate there. try using lighter fluid to creep down inside. it may reduce the viscosity of the gunk.

 

[farmer57]

Gentlemen,
Thanks for more input. Sam, yes it is Small Block and I was not able to get it apart. What seems to have worked was sliding a very thin piece of stainless steel between the two halves which sort of 'lifted' the top half by a tiny fraction. I had to grind and polish the edge to super thin in order to even fit it in). I followed with fine tip air gun all around (not sure if this did anything at all) and followed it by 90% rubbing alcohol 'injection' via syringe (did not have lighter fluid on hand) and this seems to have really loosened things up so I am back in 'business'. Thanks again everyone!