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It’s now 2019, my Father passed way nine years ago, but I have retained some of the tools, one of them being a bench vice. It’s a medium sized one, but over the years of not being used needs some TLC. The first thing I needed to do was take it apart. Removing the two pieces was not too much of a problem, by winding the handle until they separated.

However, the real problem started when I tried to remove the tension coil spring. It was about the same thickness as a car valve spring, and if you have ever tried to compress one of those you will know what I mean?

What I needed was a spring compressor tool. Car versions would not work, because the space was too restrictive.

But hey, this is a workshop, we have steel, and a welder right?

Now this was interesting, if you ever thought that welds were not strong, what I made up, was supposed to be used once. However, when you are trying to put the screw thread back in, and shim it to get the right tension. You end up putting it together and taking it apart more times that a Fiddler’s elbow!

Take a look at the jig I made below.

My Father’s Bench Vice Referb

The steel is 4mm, just some scrap pieces. The large aluminium washer is just to stop the steel tension bolt damaging the front of the vice screw.

Notice the weldnut, had to get one of these in somewhere!

Now I have to say that this tool did bend, a small amount, but always went back to its original shape, and I must have wound it in and out 40 or 50 times.

It did not so much as crack any of the welds!

A closer look at the parts

A quick clean up of the parts, a repaint, make another of the quick release mounts, see below.

Refurb finished and ready to be bolted to the Quick Release Mount

The vice in use today. I will admit this is my ‘go-to’ vice in the workshop, and there is something special about refurbishing something that belonged to my Father and am still using today!