Trying to fix a Parker 249

This Parker 249 was my grandfather's. He was a sign painter, and this vise was in his shop until he retired several years ago, and I inherited it when he passed away.

I've been looking to fix it up, and a couple things have me stumped.

First is the cracked dynamic jaw.

Is there any decent way to fix this? I don't weld but I'm sure I could find somebody to do it if it would hold. Below is a pic of pop-pop's fix: a plate hammered to shape that was bolted through the jaw insert and jaw body.

If I want to replace this whole jaw, what models would have the same sliding jaw as the 249?

Next is the static jaw. I can't for the life of me figure out if there's a jaw insert on here or what; the face is completely smooth:

My first thought was that maybe this jaw got snapped off too, and the remainder just got filed flat. For comparison, here's the face of the insert from the sliding jaw:

Can any of you Parker gurus tell if if the static jaw insert is on there based on this shot?


Curious to see what everybody's thoughts are!

Hello!
That poor old Parker has seen some work over the many years. Let me start off with the thought: it isn't financially worth fixing.

The 249X was a 4" swivel base vise in Parker's heavy casting line of machinist vises. Later it was called the 824. Then it was phased out by the lighter weight line of Parkers and the 974 model. Will a 974 jaw slide right into yours? I don't know since the frames were different weights (almost 25 pound difference between the 824 and the 974). A jaw from an 804 and 954 were from the stationary base models. The 800 series would swap as would the 900 series. Once again...no clue if they would swap into a 249X.

The easiest way to figure if that stationary jaw of yours is still on the vise is to put they dynamic jaw in and push it shut. If the jaw was cut back so that there is no jaw face, then the slide won't completely close down and touch. On a Parker you would have to cut back almost 2" to remove the jaw face cutout.

Sentimental value aside.....you can get a Parker 4" vise off of Fleabay for $100 without much problem. Good luck with things.
Craig

Catalyze said:

Hello!
That poor old Parker has seen some work over the many years. Let me start off with the thought: it isn't financially worth fixing.
Sentimental value aside.....you can get a Parker 4" vise off of Fleabay for $100 without much problem. Good luck with things.
Craig

Click to expand...

....................+1

First off I would get it apart and get it as clean as you can, and then clean some more.
For the broken part, since you have the piece I would silver solder the broken part back on. The silver solder will get into the crack and into the pores of the metal and hold like crazy with as much crack surface as you have.
The drilled holes, I would either drill and tap them and run some all thread into them and cut it off flush. Then I would do a little silver solder over the all thread and then grind/file them flush. When youmpaint the vise you will never know they are there.
Areas where you have dings and dents like on machined surfaces you can also use the silver solder to fill those too.
I understand you want to save this vise because of it's history but like was said it's not with fixing dollar wise. If it was me I would fix it up and keep ot for the fun of it or for light service only

Bob

Catalyze said:

Hello!
That poor old Parker has seen some work over the many years. Let me start off with the thought: it isn't financially worth fixing.

The easiest way to figure if that stationary jaw of yours is still on the vise is to put they dynamic jaw in and push it shut. If the jaw was cut back so that there is no jaw face, then the slide won't completely close down and touch. On a Parker you would have to cut back almost 2" to remove the jaw face cutout.

Click to expand...

The jaws do slide together. I guess that insert is in there, it's just been filed and beat on enough I can't tell where it starts.

rsanter said:

First off I would get it apart and get it as clean as you can, and then clean some more.
For the broken part, since you have the piece I would silver solder the broken part back on. The silver solder will get into the crack and into the pores of the metal and hold like crazy with as much crack surface as you have.
The drilled holes, I would either drill and tap them and run some all thread into them and cut it off flush. Then I would do a little silver solder over the all thread and then grind/file them flush. When youmpaint the vise you will never know they are there.
Areas where you have dings and dents like on machined surfaces you can also use the silver solder to fill those too.
I understand you want to save this vise because of it's history but like was said it's not with fixing dollar wise. If it was me I would fix it up and keep ot for the fun of it or for light service only

Bob

Click to expand...

I suppose you guys are right. For any money I sink into trying to find parts, I could just have a second vise.

I think i'll clean up the static jaw but leave it as is. I'll give a shot at silver-soldering that cracked piece back on, and relegate this to light duty. It probably deserves some light duty, considering what it looks like it's been through over its life.

I'll have to get a different vise if I want something to beat on... is this the first step towards having a dozen vises like so many guys on here do?

If it was only a dozen vises....my wife would be happy!! LOL
In the Ohio area, your best friend might be Craigslist. You live in an industrial state and have a good chance for vises to pop up. Good luck on things.
Craig

rsanter said:

First off I would get it apart and get it as clean as you can, and then clean some more.
For the broken part, since you have the piece I would silver solder the broken part back on. The silver solder will get into the crack and into the pores of the metal and hold like crazy with as much crack surface as you have.
The drilled holes, I would either drill and tap them and run some all thread into them and cut it off flush. Then I would do a little silver solder over the all thread and then grind/file them flush. When youmpaint the vise you will never know they are there.
Areas where you have dings and dents like on machined surfaces you can also use the silver solder to fill those too.
I understand you want to save this vise because of it's history but like was said it's not with fixing dollar wise. If it was me I would fix it up and keep ot for the fun of it or for light service only

Bob

Click to expand...

on this plan of attack. One added suggestion: get the parts in an oven as hot as you can before attempting to heat it for silver solder: that way it's part of the way there when you hit it with a torch, and concentrate the heat on the largest mass.

You WILL need to use an ox-acetliene torch this is way beyond any Bernz-O-Matic setup. When you are done buy the parts in hot sand and let it cool slowly.

The break is in compression, so it should last fairly well for ordinary use outside of beating on it.

If it were mine and in your situation, I'd do the repair, hang the "cost analysis". It's part of your memories of Pop Pop.

Same here. I'd fix it the best I could to be usable just because it was my grandfathers. I wouldn't care if it cost 3x what I could get another one for.

Outlawmws said:

on this plan of attack. One added suggestion: get the parts in an oven as hot as you can before attempting to heat it for silver solder: that way it's part of the way there when you hit it with a torch, and concentrate the heat on the largest mass.

You WILL need to use an ox-acetliene torch this is way beyond any Bernz-O-Matic setup. When you are done buy the parts in hot sand and let it cool slowly.

The break is in compression, so it should last fairly well for ordinary use outside of beating on it.

If it were mine and in your situation, I'd do the repair, hang the "cost analysis". It's part of your memories of Pop Pop.

Click to expand...

Is the O/A really needed for silver soldering or would MAPP do the job?

The break runs through the holes for pinning the jaw insert so it'll be in tension around the pin holes, which is the part I'm concerned about.

Thanks everybody for the input. I'll try to get this thing back together after the holidays. Probably when my wife is away if I'm going to get away with putting vise parts in the oven.

kjbenner said:

Is the O/A really needed for silver soldering or would MAPP do the job?

The break runs through the holes for pinning the jaw insert so it'll be in tension around the pin holes, which is the part I'm concerned about.

Thanks everybody for the input. I'll try to get this thing back together after the holidays. Probably when my wife is away if I'm going to get away with putting vise parts in the oven.

Click to expand...

IMO YES! it is needed. I've silver soldered washers onto a 3/8 dia. spike with silver solder using mapp gas, and it was barely adequate for that, The mass of the vise parts makes it an impossible task for Bernz-O-matic...

Weld....solder....or whatever.....
There is a Parker 249 on Ebay now with every part you could want or use. Bid high and often and use whatever you need off of it.
Craig