Cast Iron TIG Welding - Harbor Freight Vise Repair

[kmrzm2004]

Why didn't you use the press for crushing?

[badboyz2193]

should have heated it up 1st. if u get cast iron like red hot n then weld it, much better results in stregth.

[ColtDeltaElite10mm]

Con't from below..... I felt that the good old fashioned stick welding with a nickel rid would work better to get a decent weld pass in that tight area. The Tig cup I feared wouldn't fit right in the confined space. That was just my own feeling. Anyway, since then, my vice has held up to heavy abuse and the weld has held so far....

[ColtDeltaElite10mm]

Nice video! I too like others here were cringing when u fired up the grinder in your custom machine shop!!!! Right then, I wanted to shout, "WHATYA NEW!?!?!???"

Nice video, I'm just teasing a bit. I have the same vice with the same problem! I used Lincoln's "Softweld 99Ni" 1/8" electrode rod with DC+ and 100 amps. I heated the part in my BBQ at 425F for two hours. Welded it, chipped the slag then back into BBQ with slow cool down. Worked beautifully!

[colecross24]

I noticed how you were pushing on the pedal, does you machine not have a pulse feature?

[dougspair]

...Oh...this really hurt looking at the grinding in the same building as the machinery...and the engine...are you nuts?

[dougspair]

..Crushing..? isn't that like...'sledge' time...?

[dougspair]

...Harbor Freight...is that the store that sells all those baot anchors...??

[tdtrailer]

That vise isn't the only thing from Harbor Freight in that shop. Don't feel too bad, I broke that same vise; but I broke the shaft where it meets the jaw. Then, I got a Wilton.

[Ibringthetruth1]

What is blue engine for?

[leeportcam]

Yeah it broke because its cheap China crap! America was built on American parts. Now America has succumb to the all mighty dollar. The root of all evil is the love of money. 

[psient]

Great video. I would suggest assuming the vise was reverse engineered in its design the problem is Quality of the metal. Thanks for the effort. I have the same vise but use it for work holding rather than for crushing.

[amaedesign]

@psient I completely agree that the design was probably copied from a higher quality vise which was made of cast steel, not cast iron. Funny thing is I don't usually use the vise for crushing, but my son was having fun crushing some aluminum extrusions. I didn't think it would hurt the vise because of my experiences with better quality vises. Now I know!

[1Rectified]

@amaedesign I also had a smaller model (appx 4 inch) from H.F. that broke in the same spot. I tig welded it with 70S2 rod and it works like new. Cool vid. Liked that the sound editing.

[Ibringthetruth1]

Good vid but some issues with it.

1. You didn't explain why the part broke but then you recommend the vice.

2. The welding had no closeup which i would have like to see.

3. What do you do for a living ? engine mech?

[amaedesign]

@Ibringthetruth1 The part broke because I used the vise for crushing. At the time it broke, I was putting 200lbs of force on the crank handle. Some would call that abuse. I'm an engineer and design consumer products for a living. I anticipate and design for that. The vise is a great value so long as you don't use it for crushing duty. If it were made of cast steel, it could handle crushing duty too. But that would cost 3x the harbor freight price.

[bigted1955]

Do your grinding outside be a good ideal.

[yesac101]

my suggestion if you do anymore cast iron get some nickle 99 its worth the expense. you also never know when you might have a cracked header that needs fixing too its just good to have around its like a spare welding hood you may never need it but if you do you would be glad you had it around

[amaedesign]

@yesac101 I was thinking to pick up some the next time I'm at a weld shop - probably when I refill my argon bottle.

[jaratt85]

THE GRINDER!!!!!!!!!!! I am so glad I cant hear high pitched noises in one ear.. god that hurt my right ear

[trekzilladmc]

I see you like to do a lot of shopping at Harbor Freight like me :)

[25rsboy]

cue the music

[MrArtsey]

Good informative video !!! Taking a chance in the unknown can pay off in more ways than one. I have an identical vice and if it breaks I'm going to do the same thing. Thanks at least $70 worth. The satisfaction of fixing something that would otherwise become a piece of junk is priceless!!!

[echo5delta16]

WOW amazing garage... Speed shop? You have way to many high dollar machines in there to be just a hobbiest.

[amaedesign]

@echo5delta16 Nope, not a speed shop - I'm a genuine hobbyist. I just happen to like big machines. That Ford 460 engine you see in the garage there - it's for a F700 truck and probably makes about 200hp tops =)

[spoirier90]

what song is this

[1964corvan]

HAHAHAHAHA i have nearly identical vise and is broke in the exact same place!

[amaedesign]

@1964corvan

And that's exactly why I posted this video. I actually searched youtube to see if anyone else had the problem before I bothered to make the video. =)

[Delticola]

What in the heck do you do in that shop? Build retro engineered flying saucers? You have some really interesting looking equipment in the back wall of that garage shop but I don't even know what it is. You've convinced me however that a pedel on a Tig Welder can really make it easier. My Tig, has no pedel, but it's a Harbor Freight, the blue model. It' pretty cool, but I have a lot to learn about Tig. I tried Helium and welding Aluminum with the Harbor Freight DC Tig. 

[MrDan27611]

I have that exact same vise. I bought it at my local farm supply store. I always felt kinda dirty about having it because it's not a "good" vise but doggone if it isn't the handiest thing in my shop. I'm glad to see someone else enjoying it, and showing me how to fix mine when it breaks. Nice fix, btw. 

[amaedesign]

@MrDan27611 Thanks for the compliment. The repaired vise is still going strong. I agree, it's a great design (except for the achilles heel shown in the video). If the repair holds, I won't have any reason to replace it for 20 years.