STUCK PIN

[Greg Derse]

New member question regarding stuck pin in vise jaw. Purchased old Victor vise with stuck middle pin in jaw. Any thoughts on removing? I have tried liquid wrench to no avail. Pin seems to be a tad lower than the other two pins on each side. (3 pins on each jaw) could this be milled out? Hardened pins and jaw no doubt, or cut flush to vise top? Rather basic it seems. Vise seems to function well otherwise, I have disassembled completely and re-assembled.

Also, anybody have upper jaw set, the one with multiple holes for sale for Victor? I can fabricate upper jaws if nothing else turns up I suppose, however hardening might be a problem. Any parts out there?

 

[monk]

might work. gently, very gently, heat unit with a candle or some not-so-hot-flame. the plate may expand a bit, allowing you to remove the stuck pin.

 

[T.G.III]

What Monk said, add some heat, and gently tap the top of the pin a couple times while the whole mess is saturated with a good break free type product, should loosen right up.

 

[John B.]

Use some Break Free at the base of the pin.
Clamp the pin with a pair of vise grips before heating the plate from the bottom.
The vise grips will act as a heat sink and help to retard the pin from expanding.
Tap the top of the pin while applying some rotation pressure with the vise grips.

 

[Doctorslava]

Can you make a picture of the jaw with a pin? There are some ways to remove the pin depending on your abilities. If it is extends you can probably TIG weld a rod to it and have better grip, Than you can use a slide bar hammer to drive it out. Another way is by using a plunged EDM to burn the pin inside the hole. I do have a 5" victor vise and it has two 0.25" pins on one side and one at the opposite side. Thanks
Slava

 

[Goldjockey]

Personally, I'm a fan of John's vise grip approach. I like Doctorslava's approach as well.

Given my aversion to paying someone else to do anything I think I can easily do myself, the next thing I'd try is carefully spot welding the top end of that pin to the upper cross bearing of my 20 ton shop press, and using the steady downward pressure of the ram against the flat top surface of the vice to free the pin once and for all.

Once it's out. I'd knock the pin off the cross bearing with a heavy hammer, and clean up the weld spot with an angle grinder.

Otherwise, I'd just pay a machinist who can bore out the offending pin, maintaining the exact diameter of the socket, and have done with it.

 

[mitch]

Hi Greg-

Lots of good suggestions here. My question is, depending on the sort of work you plan to do, are you likely to ever need that pin? If not, saw/grind it off flush and be done with it. In my own work, I virtually never use the pins for holding anything (not even sure where they are), but do use the pair of .25"d holes to mount my custom hand-rests. Can't remember the last time there was anything in the .375"d hole in my GRS vise.

 

[Archie Woodworth]

First acquire a 1/4" metal dowel pin. Drill a 1/4" hole down the center of pin all the way through the pin. Then pack hole with heavy grease ... next hammer the metal dowel pin into the drilled hole ... it will "hydraulic" the the part out of the vise.

 

[Crazy Horse]

The very best penetrant is a mixture of 50% Acetone and 50% transmission fluid.

 

[Greg Derse]

Thanks for responses everybody! I finally got it out after 3 days of periodically dropping liquid wrench on pin and got out the vise grips after attempting to remove with channellocks.
Clamped on vise grips and lo, the pin started to swivel. Easy after that. No burrs or any thing on stuck end of pin, and due to amazing hardness of pin, the vise grips hardly left a mark, amazing. Thanks again.
Now, still looking for Victor upper jaws and misc. parts. I'll go to classifieds.

 

[mitch]

I almost forgot- there's a product called "Kroil", or "AeroKroil" in an aerosol can, and it makes Liquid Wrench look like 3-In-1 oil. It'll get into ANYTHING and loosen it, but be forewarned: It stinks. Use it outdoors or you'll smell it in your workshop for days.

 

[Greg Derse]

Thanks Mitch. I will keep that in mind for the "stuck" issue I have. I believe I have heard if it before as it was mentioned in another forum regarding lever action rifles.