Acme Threads

[uncledj]

  Weird one.

  I've a very heavy, very large old Columbia vise that I've come across.  At OSU, one of their shops was throwing out this old Columbia vise because the threads on the ?nut? were stripped.   I've found that they're ACME threads and as I measure the diameter of the rod I get 1 1/8" diameter and count 4 threads per inch.

  I can repair this by finding a coupling nut that will thread onto the rod, cut off the part that's stripped and weld a coupling nut in it's place.

  The problem is that I only find 1 1/4" or 1" nuts offered with the 4 threads per inch.

  1 1/8" nuts are available in 5 threads per inch only.

  I wonder if this is actually a 1 1/4 rod that I'm looking at.   I haven't taken a micrometer to it, but as it sits it clearly measures 1 1/8" and it sure looks like 4 TPI.

  I'm measuring at the end and the threads don't appear worn at this point on the rod.

  Should I expect this rod that measures 1 1/8" is sized small to accommodate the loose fit desired for a vise?

[RDawson]

Got a good machine shop close by? With the industry here our local machine shop has worked with a lot of acme threaded stuff. Somebody like that might can help you. 

[M61A1MECH]

Looking at what McMaster-Carr offers and poking around on some machinist websites I find ,  you are correct that 1/4" or 1" ACME are typically made with 4 threads per inch and 1 1/8" ACME are typically made with 5 threads per inch.

I agree with Ronnie, search out a local machinist to verify what you have, It is possible the vice manufacturer made their own proprietary thread form, that is not really an uncommon practice.

The other possibility is maybe it is not a true ACME thread form, could a Buttress thread or a square thread, they look similar to ACME and are similar in strength and would be suitable for the lead screw on a vice. Again a half decent machinist would be able to tell you.

[Woody]

John do have some pictures of this project? 

[uncledj]

[Woody]

yep that's a lot bigger than the one I have in my shed, I broke the mounting ears off of it but the screw is still good. but it's way to small for what you have. 

[uncledj]

  Yup, It's a big-un.   That's why I grabbed it but the repair's looking like it may be a problem.   I could take it to a machine shop that's capable of cutting an Acme thread, but the expected cost may be worth more than the vise.   I'm still exploring options.

  Thanks for thinkin' of me.  🙂

 

[RDawson]

Thinking outside the box here John. I googled 1-1/4 ACME rod and found places to get rods and coupling nuts. Maybe replace the original rod and weld in a coupling nut. Make both sides new instead of matching the old. Or drop down a size if needed and sleeve it. 

Edited yesterday at 01:13 AM by RDawson

[uncledj]

  I was thinking the same thing, but the cost of the rod / nut may cost as much as to have a threaded sleeve made up.      Better yet would be to have the original part bored and a new threaded sleeve inserted and welded in place.   There's a little machine shop nearby.   I'll keep the assembly in my work van and stop by and see what they say.   

  I'm guessing a couple hundred $$$...Still worth it for such a beast of a vise.

[uncledj]

  So, I talked to a fella with a small shop who will repair it for $600.    Not gonna do that.   I'll try to talk to another fella tomorrow and if his price is similar I think I'll take Dawsons' advice and drop down from 1 1/8" to 7/8" and replace the rod and the nut.   We'll see how it goes.

[uncledj]

  So looking through Mcmasters, they offer carbon steel and alloy steel rods.   The alloy is about twice the strength of the carbon, the alloy is more expensive, which is not a problem, but the next question is will I be able to weld the alloy with a simple 6011 rod, ....final pass with a 7018?    I don't know if alloy means a different type of weld than the farmer / junkyard welding I typically do for structural fab.