Need help with broken a Vise Nut

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Originally Posted by G-ManBart

I understand lots of folks think it will work, but I have yet to see anybody pull it off successfully. I don't know if there's a difference because the part is actually ductile iron, not cast iron, or because it's simply a thin part, but I haven't seen an old vise show up with a brazed nut that was still in service, and I've seen countless other types of brazed repairs on vises that were clearly done a long time ago and held. Along those same lines, I've had so many people contact me after trying to braze a nut unsuccessfully that I lost track a long time ago...they break it, try fixing it, it fails again and then they send me a note looking for a source for a replacement part. Maybe it's a coincidence of epic proportions, but I really doubt it.

I've stick welded vises with nickel rods, brazed them, TIG brazed them and TIG welded with two different Inconel filler wire and the best results have usually been using Inconel. I prep the area to white metal using a carbide bit, then use just the arc to cook the carbon out...heat, stainless brush, repeat until the black soot stops coming out, then lay in a root pass and build off that. I have some aluminum bronze TIG wire I'm going to try next. I'll have to add nickel silver to the list.

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PM me your address and I'll send you a couple sticks of Nickel Silver to mess with If interested. 312 Stainless as well if you want to mess with it too.

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Originally Posted by frede162

Yup that's how I broke the mine. I was pressing a bearing out of a phenolic pulley used on a cable pulldown fitness machine. No cheater bar, and only moderate force, but that is indeed how I broke the previous braze on mine.

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Sorry I was meaning to send this to G-Manbart

As a future reference most vices have an Acme or a square thread, square thread is largely obsolete, the other issue is that it may be a multiple lead thread, 2 to 4 "starts."

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Originally Posted by CAVEMANN

As a future reference most vices have an Acme or a square thread, square thread is largely obsolete, the other issue is that it may be a multiple lead thread, 2 to 4 "starts."

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Thanks for that helpful observation!

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Originally Posted by frede162

I have a DESMOND STEPHAN SIMPLEX 31s vise that belonged to my wife's grandfather. Unfortunately the main nut (spindle) has broken. I'm a woodworker and not sure it can be to fabricated or welded. As seen in the photo the nut was repaired before....looks like it was brazed with brass??

Attachment 1724787

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I use Everdure and a TIG torch, electrode Straight polarity, DCEN. I do melt the base material some I don't just coat it. I have welded vises that have broke and when we did the same thing again it didn't break, haha.

Sincerely,

William McCormick

Well back 80"s me was main welding guy of shop, did lot repair on every type metal came in door always welded cast with nickel rod and sometimes brass ,would tell guy that couldn't tell or guarantee it would hold or not until started welding on it ,lot time if newer cast Chinese metal it wasn't wort trying , one day welding rod salesman pull up in 76 ford Pinto, my boss man sent him down to shop to me (office was on second floor) salesman told me if boss man bought welding rod from him each welder in shop got nice Buck knife!!! he got my attention ,, so he brought cast iron head place it on welding table told me go get piece scrap steel plate behind shield? me thinking can't weld cast to steel? so pick 3/16" flat bar about 10" long he gave me his 1/8" cast iron rod told set machine amp as was gong weld 7018 , so tack it on head and welded it like 7018 knock the flux off was most beautiful bead every put on cast!!!!, so he instructed me take hammer bend it over beat hell out of it until beat 180 degree ,, me was smiling!! walk the guy back upstairs told my Boss man that was great rod!(and wanted that Buck knife!!)so waited few hours seen boss man ask him if bought that rod from him? he said guy was asking like $500 for 10 lb guy went out back door never ask what brand rod it was or ever seen the Pinto again!! so that my story ,, just seen this cast rod on U-TUBE "Muggy Weld "there 2 rod the first like clean dirty impurity out then finish with 2 rod looks like winner!!!worth checking

Thanks for that helpful observation..

The last time I checked there were over 200 variations of cast iron, I have successfully welded some using brazing, arc welding, and MIG welding, It depends a lot on the part and its' function and the welding material used, as well as the process used. Good luck!

"There is no metal so strong, that it will withstand a weak mind" Shackletts' Axiom

Your vise is useless as it is.
Brazing will give little strength.
If I were to try, I'd Find a way to jig it, so you can keep placement of the two parts exactly aligned. V it out to a true open root. You need some space between the two parts & room to get in there to weld.
I would TIG weld a "butter" layer of stainless on each face. The cast will be dirty, it'll take a series of cleanings to cover the entire face of the pieces with stainless. Hastelloy is another option. Once completely coated, they can be welded to each other with stainless, or ER70S6.

Start to finish, keep it hot, then cool very slowly.

The person how did that repair.
1) Did not bevel the joint
2) The brazing was poor
3) I would need more photos of vise to see if a reinforcement can be add to.

Dave

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Originally Posted by frede162

I have a DESMOND STEPHAN SIMPLEX 31s vise that belonged to my wife's grandfather. Unfortunately the main nut (spindle) has broken. I'm a woodworker and not sure it can be to fabricated or welded. As seen in the photo the nut was repaired before....looks like it was brazed with brass??

Attachment 1724787

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by frede162

I have a DESMOND STEPHAN SIMPLEX 31s vise that belonged to my wife's grandfather. Unfortunately the main nut (spindle) has broken. I'm a woodworker and not sure it can be to fabricated or welded. As seen in the photo the nut was repaired before....looks like it was brazed with brass??

Attachment 1724787

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A braze made correctly will work and be plenty strong as long as its not yarded on with a bar.
or you can buy 2 Acme threaded nuts and fab the car and stand off out of 4140
fwiw

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Originally Posted by samhop

A braze made correctly will work and be plenty strong as long as its not yarded on with a bar.
or you can buy 2 Acme threaded nuts and fab the car and stand off out of 4140
fwiw

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The ACME nuts will only work if it's a standard ACME thread, and not a proprietary thread as many vices are. When I broke the rod on my vice, buying the ACME rod and matching nuts was going to be about 80% the cost of a new vice, and you still need to get a good weld at the knob that holds the handle on without heat stressing the threaded rod.

Out of the box a tiny bit here-
Find a local hobby machinist , hand him the nut and say, "can you help me please?"
And hand them the lead screw too.

Or measure it, allow for shrinkage and machining, and make a wood pattern to send to a small foundry. Then give the casting to a machinist.
Two dovetail sides and the bore and thread? Piece of cake. These things were designed to fit a bit sloppy anyway.

cast iron, gray, ductile ect full depth V grind and Braze weld with ox-ect. ss stick will work but if it has been brazed you will have to get all the brass off before ss stick repair. I would braze weld it if it was my vice

Samhop. You touched on an alternative repair. McMaster Carr, Fastenal and others, sell Acme threaded rod (and nuts) why not make a weldment from steel round stock, weld it to whatever flat stock you need, drill and tap the round stock for the proper Acme threaded rod? (Acme taps are commonly available.) This would allow the repair of vises that no longer have replacement parts available and be stronger in the process. The only tools required would be a welder, drill, tap size drill and tap, this would allow a vise repair service to put many of these old vises back in service. Just thinkin out loud. Good luck!