Craftsman 5½" Bench Vise (Model
No. 113.228162) Manual
I have been using a 4½" bench vise for decades, and have always wanted to get a
larger one. It was OK for most jobs, but there have been times when I thought
for sure I'd break it when hammering or bending metal parts in it. This
Craftsman 5½" Bench Vise (Model No. 113.228162) appeared on eBay and looked to
be in pretty good condition. I figured a bit of polishing and painting would
restore it to nearly good-as-new.
The vise was taken completely apart and all the paint was removed using a high
speed grinder with an abrasive pad. It left the metal unscathed. Areas that
could not be reached with the grinder were wire brushed. Unpainted metal parts
were polished with a fine grit pad. A thin coat of RustOleum primer was applied,
then three coats of gloss red over that. The vise was set in the sun all day to
cure. A thin layer of grease was put on the swivel base mating surfaces, jaw
screw, and where the handle meets the vise jaw.
As can be seen from the photos, the
Craftsman 5½" Bench Vise no much like it would have
when removed from its box decades ago. Now I have a much sturdier vise for heavy
duty jobs, but the problem is now I'll be hesitant to use it for fear of messing
up the finish ;-) The Craftsman 7" Woodworking Vise (Model
No. 391.5191) is one I have had since around 1982, having bought it soon after
separation from the U.S. Air Force. It has served faithfully throughout many
woodworking projects, including the building of my pièce de résistance
Lorraine Grandmother Clock,,
built from Klockit plans. While still in excellent mechanical condition, I
decided that while restoring my newly acquired Craftsman 5½" Bench Vise (Model
No. 113.228162), I might as well go ahead and spruce up this one as well. The
same procedure was used here, and the results can be seen in the photos.
Posted November 18, 2023
Other Woodworking Tips & Projects:
|
