Making a Vise Stand From Gladiator Parts

[WILDHOBO]

Pretty basic, and I’m sure I’ll make a mess of the welding, but it’ll be fun, so who cares. I have an old Wilton C1 that someone wisely recommended I mount to a stand instead of a bench, for project flexibility. So I grabbed a recently broken rear axle shaft that still had all but a couple inches of its length, and one of my old rubicon wheels. From there, I’ll build a plate for the vise to attach to the top of the shaft. I grabbed some scrap steel to use for $10 from a local blacksmith. We’ll see how it turns out. I’m a terrible welder. Since it’s being built with Jeep parts, and will be used for Jeep projects, I thought I’d share. No making fun of my welds.

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[Mad Mac]

Good luck with that.

At first glance I thought the topic was
installing a vise on a Gladiator
like I did on my 3/4 ton flatbed.

This modestly priced Olympia vise
can also be stabbed into a hitch receiver
as well as being bolted to a workbench.

 

[WILDHOBO]

This is the basic initial plan. This is just the scrap steel I found to use as materials. I’ll be cutting off that tacked l bracket obviously. The square tube makes the stand taller since it hits the shoulder of the axle shaft about 6” down. I’ll make set bolts for the square tube to secure it to the shaft. I was originally going to try welding to the shaft, but I think I’ll skip that in favor of set bolts. I’ll cut the flat plate down to somewhat similar to the vise footprint. Then I’ll weld the square tube to the plate, drill the plate and bolt to the vise. The vise already swivels, so no need for that on the stand.

 

[Rob_R]

Nice Wilton bullet vise!

 

[WILDHOBO]

Nice Wilton bullet vise!

Thanks. It was my grandfathers. Manufactured in April 1977. I was three months old. I just bought the magnetic polymer jaw things so I can do my axle rebuilds without marring the shafts. But they’ve already come in handy for other projects.

 

[Blade1668]

Thanks. It was my grandfathers. Manufactured in April 1977. I was three months old. I just bought the magnetic polymer jaw things so I can do my axle rebuilds without marring the shafts. But they’ve already come in handy for other projects.

Damn you are making some of us feel old now. I remember 1977, I was in grade school my grandfather passed away. Good to see a classic vise though. I ordered a Winton vise years ago because I wanted a quality American made one it wasn't.
On the grandfather tool thing I've got my grandfather's hacksaw I use, it brings back memories every time I get it out. I wish I still had the 1/4 drill that was his. Dang thing shocks you ever time you use it. I made a lot of stuff with it though.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Damn you are making some of us feel old now. I remember 1977, I was in grade school my grandfather passed away. Good to see a classic vise though. I ordered a Winton vise years ago because I wanted a quality American made one it wasn't.
On the grandfather tool thing I've got my grandfather's hacksaw I use, it brings back memories every time I get it out. I wish I still had the 1/4 drill that was his. Dang thing shocks you ever time you use it. I made a lot of stuff with it though.

I love using his tools. My welder was his, and he made the welding table with it. I’ve got a bunch of his stuff. Wellsaw from the 50’s, Delta table saw from the 20’s, monster drills, wrenches, etc. and they all get used. Old stuff lasts.

 

[Blade1668]

I love using his tools. My welder was his, and he made the welding table with it. I’ve got a bunch of his stuff. Wellsaw from the 50’s, Delta table saw from the 20’s, monster drills, wrenches, etc. and they all get used. Old stuff lasts.

I've got some of my father's tools to include his old Lincoln "tombstone welder" from when I was a toddler. I've not actually tried it out but keep it since it was his. I gave my sister and nephews a few of his welding hoods. Since my sister was a welder and was better than I am at welding.
I already have my own welding equipment.

 

[Lost1wing]

I have a brake drum from an old school bus that I was going to use as a base for my vice. Then one day I tried to loosen a nut from a tierod assy when it was still mounted to my work bench. I thought to myself, the pedestal mounted vice would not have worked out for that project. So I gave up on the idea. I may still make a pedestal mount for a vice one day.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I've got some of my father's tools to include his old Lincoln "tombstone welder" from when I was a toddler. I've not actually tried it out but keep it since it was his. I gave my sister and nephews a few of his welding hoods. Since my sister was a welder and was better than I am at welding.
I already have my own welding equipment.

Very cool. I, “learned” to weld with his miller, and it’s the only one I’ve ever used. Still going strong. But I’m terrible at it. Who cares. It’s fun.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I have a brake drum from an old school bus that I was going to use as a base for my vice. Then one day I tried to loosen a nut from a tierod assy when it was still mounted to my work bench. I thought to myself, the pedestal mounted vice would not have worked out for that project. So I gave up on the idea. I may still make a pedestal mount for a vice one day.

I think it’ll be heavy enough for most things, but the way I’m building it, I’ll be able to move it to the welding table if I need to. And that thing won’t move much. I’d guess it’s 350lbs or more.

 

[Mad Mac]

Here in my small town in East Texas
all the kids learn the three "R"s.
Reading, Writing and... Welding

'Cept, I didn't go to school here.
Gave my Dad's Lincoln TIG welder
to my cousin.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I cut out the basic rough shape of the vise plate today. 5/16” steel. is slow to cut through. I’m sure the people with plasma torches and laser cnc’s are laughing right now. But this old saw is awesome for me. Between last night and today cut the angle piece off the square tube and ground the welds off. Then took a 1/4” off of it for a square end without hammer damage.

 

[WILDHOBO]

No making fun of my welds. Unless someone is a knowledgeable arc welder and wants to help me get better. Today I cleaned the rust off the square tube, drilled a couple 1/2” holes, and welded 1/2” nuts to it to use as set bolts. The welds look like someone puked steel boogers onto it, but they don’t move. I’ll try to clean it up to look better later when it cools. But the threads are perfect and the bolts hold the tube to the axle shaft with no movement.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Last week I cleaned up the cuts on the jet sander. Worked like a charm. I sanded some flats onto the 5/8” washers and will drill holes in the plate later.

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