War relic or just another tool rescued from a swap meet? This week, I clean up a vintage German Heuer Primus bench vise while delving in to the possible history behind it.
This vise has been sitting in the shop for a while, and was a good candidate for a full teardown, restoration, and rebuild. I use the lathe to modify the vise lead screw, build a new vise handle to replace the old, beat up one. I also show how to fill imperfections in castings or forgings using a simple and easy body filler before painting. One of the most important parts of this build is making the vise turn smoothly. I show how to add bearings to the vise screw so it spins smoothly no matter how tightly it gets cranked down.
While the paint is drying, we take a little break and delve in to the industrial history behind this vise, and how manufacturing in Germany and trade with America was changed due to the outbreak of WWII. Included are some great clips of Heuer Primus vises being manufactured in the 1930s and 1940s, along with learning how this tool may have made its way across the Atlantic during Operation Overcast and Operation Paperclip, following along with German rocket scientists after the war.
Subscribe: bit.ly/3sCiR5W
Instagram: duluthmachineworks
Garage Journal: bit.ly/3qbynE5
The rest of the internet: linktr.ee/duluthmachineworks
I'm Chris, and welcome to the shop. Here on this channel, I post videos of my machine work, fabrication, welding, vintage tool restoration, and industrial history, produced in my 1930s-themed home machine shop. Through building and working in this vintage-inspired space, I hope to conduct a little bit of experimental archaeology by using tools, equipment, and methods found in pre-war American manufacturing. Along the way, I'll also show some clips from my side projects and day job too.
8 фев 2022
