On Tuesday, October 21, 2003 at 11:17:15 PM UTC-5, Silvan wrote:
I have a badly rusted vise. I think I posted about it a couple years ago
when I got it. I'm finally getting geared up to give electrolysis a try,
because everything else (heat, liquid wrench, time, vinegar, Coke, 10'
cheater bar, sand blaster) has failed to get the screw turning. I'd have
done it already, but even my 80-something grandmother has never heard of
washing soda, and I have no idea where to get some. The web makes it sound
common, but it ain't common around here, unless I'm blind.

I DAGS, and turned up absolutely *nothing* about Morgan except a couple of
unanswered questions, which is pretty amazing. The way this looks, I can't
believe it's a no-name cheapo, so I'm beginning to think it must be
extremely old.

I'm trying to get some sense of how old it is, and how valueable in the
great scheme of things. Something comparable would set me back better than
$100 at least, so it's worth saving, but I'm trying to figure out if it's a
$100 vise or a $150 vise. Based on the amount of iron in this thing, I'd
say it's even a $200 vise, but it looks like the $150 Record has it beat on
capacity, if not massiveness.

It says MORGAN VISE CO CHICAGO to the left of the screw, and MORGAN 10A VISE
to the right. The jaws are 7" wide, and I estimate it would open to about
10" if I could budge it. There's a pop-up dog thingie on the front.

It's *massive*. I'd say by eyeball the guide rods are better than 1" in
diameter. I don't own a wrench, not even a Crescent, big enough to get
around the nuts on the ends of the rods. It probably weighs somewhere
between 40 and 50 pounds.

I don't know how advantageous massive would be, and the screw is
significantly pitted after years of rust, so it might never be smooth and
sure. Still, it looks like one hell of a vise if I can ever get it going.

If I can't find "washing soda" maybe try Drain-O? That's almost pure lye,
isn't it? Yes, I realize it would be caustic as hell, and washing soda
would be safer, but mostly I just want to get this thing working if I can.

Also, someone asked this several years ago, and never got an answer. I'll
repeat the question. What color should this be painted?

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

Just soak it in a bath of muriatic acid ( available from Ace Hardware ) for about a week or two it will dissolve the rust.

Sodium Carbonate (aka: washing soda) can also be had in bulk as "Swimming Pool PH Increaser". Just read the label to be sure. Don't confuse it with Sodium Bicarbonate (aka: baking soda) which can also be had in bulk as a pool chemical. They are not the same. Sodium Carbonate is used as an electrolyte in electrolysis for rust removal.

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