Vise lubrication
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- This topic has 9 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 3 months ago by Steve Follis.
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I have a new Eclipse vise that I’ve torn apart and from which I have removed the heavy shipping grease. What are options for coating/lubricating before reassembly? Paul mentions furniture wax in his blog, but I cannot tell if he uses that everywhere and if he is using it as a lubricant. Sometimes he refers to oiling his vise, and I do not know if that is 3-in-1 on the threads and guide rods or if that is really furniture wax again.
What is a good thing to use that won’t smear up into my work or just collect dirt?
Dave- Thanks for the reply. I searched a bit and found a number of people saying they used paste wax for everything on the vise and, since it seemed Paul might be doing the same, I gave it a try. We’ll see how it goes. Minwax Special Brown, since that is what I have. I used bearing grease on the two bolts that go into the tappings and that hold the retaining cage for the split nut and also used it on the washer and retaining pin at the end of the screw thread (same reason). Following your lead, I used my Phil’s green bike grease. I wanted zero chance of those rusting or otherwise freezing and they are not exposed to dirt.
28 January 2014 at 5:13 am #26715Ed, I have the same vise, I did not clean off the original grease and my vise was a bit “sticky” at first, it has since loosend up and I am very happy with it. I am about to have to do some work on my bench and will be taking the vise off. I will probably be stripping it down and thoroughly cleaning it and then waxing it as you are describing here. I am interested in knowing how this works out for you. Thanks.
I recently bought two old quick-release Morgan vises from a professional cabinetmaker who owned about a dozen of them and used them for many years on multiple benches. He swore that only an occasional application of paste wax is all anyone needs to keep the action working smoothly. He demonstrated by taking one of the vises that was a bit sticky, and he was able to get it working effortlessly with only about a minute or two of vigorous wiping. If I remember he generously applied the wax, and then wiped it all off as best he could with a clean rag.
Steve- I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m going to be limited, in part, by the junky bench to which the vise is attached, but I plan to put a new top on it which should solve the problems. I removed all of the heavy grease with naphtha with usual precautions and a complete disassembly. Since the naphtha completely degreases things, I took care to make sure everything was coated with wax (on moving parts, not the jaws). I do think and suggest that a grease be used on the threads of the two bolts that are buried into tappings in the fixed jaw and the retaining pin.
Scott- Thanks for passing that on. I can easily believe the wax will be sufficient. The new vise moves easily. I was afraid that the spring was too stiff for the quick release. I won’t know until a long work day with it when I’m tired, but so far it seems okay. You need to do it right handed, though, I think, for maximum ease.
Steve- Does the pop-up dog in your vise go all the way down flush with the jaw or does it bottom out projecting above? I think I may cut 3/16 or so off of mine to allay fears of catching a plane on it. It is below the wood jaws, but I think I want it all the way down flush.
28 January 2014 at 12:49 pm #26730Ed, mine is a bit proud like you are describing. I just took it completely out and have it handy to drop in when needed.
29 January 2014 at 2:06 am #26774Well, Ed, as of today, I still know exactly where mine is.
I think.
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