Emmert vise woes

[Kim Hillard]

Hello, I am the old owner of an old Emmert PM vise. It was given to me @ 20 years ago and now that I am retired I have decided to resurrect it. Problem # 1. The lead screw is so VERY badly rusted that it will not turn, budge or move in any way shape or form. I've applied weeks worth of penetrating oil (WD40) with little to no joy. Gentle and mild tapping of the handle bracket ...same results.
I realize now that I will need to purchase aanother lead screw and possibly the threaded hub it screws into at the rear. Question # 1. If I remove the front vise jaw can I get the long square screw housing and the screw out from the back?
Problem # 2. The wood handle hub has a bolt in it that does not appear original. I want to remove the but it too is stuck so I cannot get this off the front of the lead screw.
I'm looking for a little educated advisors feedback as to how it is disassembled.
Thanks in advance
Best regards,
Kim

[Nicholas Lingg]

First - You'll need this http://www.tooltimer.com/emmert.htm

Next there's a gentleman southeastern PA that has the Emmert vise parts, if no one else come's up with his name I'll keep looking for it.

[Malcolm McLeod]

Kim,
I'm not familiar with the vise, but have dealt with some rust issues, so two suggestions:

One, use a heavy weight penetrating oil. The WD40 may evaporate and so not give you the 'soak' time you expect.

Two, try some heat. Wrap the lead screw in wet rags and then heat just the hub with a torch. Just before the house catches fire, hit the hub a few times with persuader of choice, and then try to turn the screw. (as hub expands, it may break the rust bond between the parts.)

Good Luck!

[Kim Hillard]

Nicholas, thank you kindly. I have seen the article you linked but I don't see that it shows how the assembly or disassembly is performed. I have to get this apart before I can revive the threaded screw or else all bets are off. I will contact the fella in PA per your suggestion.

[Kim Hillard]

Malcolm, I'm OK with the heat and other oil methods or a combo of both. I'm sure once I get it apart that thoseethods can be used. It's the "getting it apart" part that is my main task beforehand. I appreciate your input.

[Jim Ritter]

PM sent.
jim

[Kim Hillard]

Jim, not seeing your PM yet. Could you resend possibly?

[Jeff Bartley]

Kim, have you tried PB blaster? I've used it for years to great success. There's another product called 'kroil' that, according to a mechanic, puts PB to shame, but I've never used it.

[Kim Hillard]

Jeff, haven't tried either but may have to try them. Thank you

[Ryan Mooney]

When all else fails electrolosis will usually get rusted together parts unstuck.

[Kim Hillard]

OK I may not have stated this clearly enough. I'm not so much interested in removing rust but how exactly to disassemble the vise to take off the rusted pieces. Sorry for the confusion. I will however use any and all rust removing suggestions once I get it apart. Thanks to all

[Mark Herdman]

Use a proper penetrating oil, WD40 is nothing like as good at penetrating rust as "Plus Gas".
Time and plenty of wiggling, you'll get there.

[Ryan Mooney]

OK I may not have stated this clearly enough. I'm not so much interested in removing rust but how exactly to disassemble the vise to take off the rusted pieces. Sorry for the confusion. I will however use any and all rust removing suggestions once I get it apart. Thanks to all

I would bet that the rust is largely what's making it hard to take apart. If you remove the rust then it should come apart more easily.

[Walter Plummer]

Kim don't give up. Here are pictures of the vises we restored. We used Seafoam's Deep Creep but now I think I like PB Blaster better. It will loosen things up. Then we used Evaporust to clean them up. You can get the Evaporust from Harbor Freight or Tractor supply. We never could get the pin out of either front jaw to release the square tube. Cleaned-vises.jpgRusty-vises.jpgVise-parts.jpgPainted-vise.jpg

[Walter Plummer]

Forgot to say that both of ours would unscrew even rusty. The front jaw and the square tube with the screw in it all unscrew out the front. Then you can remove the hub from the rear jaw and get the guts out. Is yours a turtle back like mine?