# Record vise restoration



## woodtickgreg (Apr 17, 2020)

This is going to be a picture heavy thread that will show the tools needed to do such a restore and how easy it actually is to do. It does take some elbow grease and some patience but I'll show you the methods I use for such a project. I try to do things as efficiently as I can and yet be thorough in the detailed cleaning. So here we go......

I purchased this vintage record vise at an auction. My plan is to restore it without painting it so I don't destroy the original decal that's on it.



Its a no.53 quick release made in england. I'll do my best to remove the paint drips that are on it. It's ok if they dont all come off as I plan to use this vice.



Its rusty and dusty from sitting in my shop for years.



Its a large vise, 10 1/2" wide jaws.



Now to start stripping it for a thorough cleaning and rust removal.
First I removed the 2 bolts that hold the half nut retainer on.


 


Then I removed the screw holding the bar that releases the half nut.



That also allows the release lever and spring to be removed.



And then the half nut just lifts off.



I try to keep all my parts together in groups for cleaning and reassembly.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 17, 2020)

Then I just used an old nail set to drive out the retaining pin.


 And removed the end plate.


 Once your to this point....


 The fixed casting will slide right off.


 And that's all there is to stripping it. Now the work begins, the cleaning.


 The mighty wire wheel! This is a dedicated grinder that I set up for use with wire wheels. Its mounted on a board that I just clamp to a bench. It's not to powerful so it doesn't rip things out of your hand. If I lean into it to hard it will stall, that's all you need for rust removal and cleaning parts. One wheel is a little coarser and thinner than the other.

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## woodtickgreg (Apr 17, 2020)

The first part I worked on was the main screw and handle.
Before......


 And after the wire wheel.


 A little better background for the cell phone. The wire wheel gets right to the bottom of the threads and removes all the rust and crud. The handle came out really nice.


 Much better, and it was quick and easy with the mighty wire wheel.


 

 Sorry for the poor picture but the same treatment was given to the release bar.


 And to the shaft of the release lever. I stayed away from the paint because the wire wheel will remove paint.


 The shaft cleaned up nice.


 And then I dropped the lever into a bucket of wd40.

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## woodtickgreg (Apr 17, 2020)

And the release spring gets a bath too.


 Before and after the wire wheel. Everything that's not painted visits the wire wheel.


 The half nut retainer .


 The half nut before......


 And after.


 
Next I'll start working on the jaw castings. They'll take the most work to clean because I dont want to strip and repaint them, some of the patina will be retained. I am trying to keep this as original as I can. I will try and remove as much of the paint drips the previous owner dribbled all over it.

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## ripjack13 (Apr 17, 2020)



Reactions: Agree 1


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 18, 2020)

Started the cleanup on the castings this morning.
A fine scotch brite pad and wd40 where my tools of choice. Also a putty knife to scrap and pick at the paint that was dripped all over the vice.


 It cleaned up pretty good and I saved the decal.


 There is paint everywhere on this thing. I think a painter owned it. Lol.


 Rusty guide rods.


 Cloth backed sand paper was the tool to clean the rods. I started with 150 and went to 400.


 They also cleaned up very nice.


 I got most of the paint off the inside jaw, it all doesn't have to come off as the vice will be getting new hardwood jaws.


 I ran a tap through all the holes to mount the jaws, there was still casting flash on the back side. I dont think this vice ever had wood jaws, or was ever mounted as far as that goes. I see no signs of mounting hardware witness marks. Maybe the user just clamped it to a bench.


 I did sand the top edge of the jaw as it was dinged up and also covered in paint.


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 18, 2020)

Need I turned my attention to the fixed rear casting for the same treatment.
Pretty neglected, and also covered in paint. More wire brush, scotch brite. Wd40, and puttyknife treatment. Lots of rubbing.


 Looking at the paint line on the backside of the rear jaw I'm thinking it was clamped to a thin bench, or a door. Definitely not a woodworkers bench.


 
Top edge before......


 
And after sanding with 150. I'll probably hit both jaws again when it's all assembled and closed up to match them. I'm guessing those are hacksaw marks.



This one cleaned up nice too.


 
All the cleaned parts ready to assemble.

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## woodtickgreg (Apr 18, 2020)

Time for re assembly.
Started by waxing the guide rods with minwax paste wax.



Next I slid the rear fixed jaw on, and boy does it slide now. And also put the main screw in.


 installed the rear bracket, 2 washers, and the drift pin.


 Inserted the release lever.



And the spring and locater.


 
I applied wax to everything that the half nut moves against.


 
And I waxed the threads on the half nut and set it in place.


 Installing this bar was a pita! Took me several attempts to get it tensioned right. If the tension of the spring isnt right it wont engage when you turn the handle. I had to turn the tension nut with a wrench and install the bar and tap it in with a hammer all at the same time, I needed a third hand, lol. Then I installed the screw that holds in together.


 
Set the half nut cap on.



And tightened the 2 bolts that lock it down.


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 18, 2020)

Now that it's all assembled I could close it up to work on the top of the jaws.
They dont match up and they are pretty dinged and beat up.


 I spent some time with a really big flat bastard file and leveled the jaws and also removed most of the damage.


 here you can see all the filing dust. Cast iron is hard and this took some time.


 After the filing was done I hit it with the ros with 150 and it came out nice. Then I waxed it.


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 18, 2020)

Heres some before and after pics.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 1


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 18, 2020)

So after 2 days of rubbing parts to clean them I basicly ended up with a like new vintage Record no. 53 quick release vise. 


 

 

 
This was done in preparation for the new bench build that it will be going on. 
It was also done to show folks what can be accomplished with a little time and some effort. Old iron can be made new again. Definitely worth the effort!
I guarantee you the new Chinese knockoffs dont work as smoothly as this old English made vice.

Reactions: Like 3


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## TXMoon (Apr 18, 2020)

WOW!! What an amazing restoration! I love how you were able to keep the blue paint. Overall, great job!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 18, 2020)

TXMoon said:


> WOW!! What an amazing restoration! I love how you were able to keep the blue paint. Overall, great job!


Thanks Kevin, trust me it would have been easier to sandblast it and paint it, lol. But I wanted to try and keep it as original as I could, saved the decal on the front too. I think it's worth more in it's original finish. But if I had found something like this that maybe was in rougher shape I wouldn't think twice about stripping it and painting it.
The whole purpose of doing a thread like this is to show people that if you find a bargain tool and are willing to put some time into it you'll end up with a very nice tool. It's really not that hard to do. It's just a project like any other.

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## Tony (Apr 18, 2020)

Great restore my brother, looks dang fine!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## tocws2002 (Apr 20, 2020)

Nice job on that vise. I have two older quick release vises I need to give the same treatment to, will keep this in mind when I get around to doing it.

Thanks,

-jason

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Maverick (Apr 20, 2020)

Looks like new....great job and thanks for sharing.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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