I bought a Wilton bench vise, a light duty DIY type of vice, but not junk for sure. The spindle has excessive runout (not straight) so Wilton is sending me a replacement under warranty.

However, when I reassemble it with the new screw, I'd like to add a thrust washer between the screw head under the handle and the jaw body, since it comes without any such thing.

My question is, I don't know what type of material the thrust washer should be, except I'm thinking it should be softer than either the spindle steel or the cast iron jaw body. So I'm thinking a copper thrust washer, and I'll grease it and the screw with moly grease or moly paste.

Does this sound right ? Any advice appreciated from the great Sigforum brain trust.

https://www.wiltontools.com/us...60-swivel-base/28819

First I don't think you need it in any way shape or form. But since its intended to be sacrificial any material softer than the screw head is fine. Copper is probably fine but I'd look at the thrust load to make sure. Me personally I would use a bronze one as I have lots of experience with those. I suspect easier to get as well.

Bronze ? Is that softer or harder, or have better natural lubricity than copper when separating rotor motion against steel and cast iron ?

Thank you for spelling it "vise" (U.S.) and not "vice" (U.K.)

All the thrust washers I have seen in use on a vise are ordinary carbon steel washers, but I am not a metallurgist, and don't even know what the considerations might be. I get that you'd rather have a cheap sacrificial part, in which case anything in the copper alloy family should be acceptable. I might be inclined more towards bronze for its lubricating properties rather than brass or unalloyed copper.

This really isn't an answer to your question. I have never actually seen a pure copper thrust washer so its a wildcard to me personally. I normally use copper washers for crush washers and I suspect that's not going to work here for obvious reasons. I have seen steel, bronze, and numerous synthetics. You can get bronze thrust washers in a huge variety of variations that include iron, al, copper, PFTE and a zillion other things added to enhance their properties. Since you intend to lube the thing I don't think 'natural' lubricity is really a deal. I took a quick look at McMaster Carr and they do not list a "copper" thrust washer, but do have iron copper ones that look better than an bronze one, but since they don't have hardness it could be they aren't going to solve your 'hypothetical' issue.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:
Bronze ? Is that softer or harder, or have better natural lubricity than copper when separating rotor motion against steel and cast iron ?

Stronger than copper, but still pretty soft compared to steel and cast iron.

are those vises rebranded china knockoffs? I keep thinking there was a great deal on yost vises a few years ago here on the forum, I have one and really like it. go with a bronze washer.

Oilite and Oilite Plus are a fairly common thrust washer type used on machinery. That what I would go with.

^^^ This. Oilite bronze is your answer.

Anything is better than nothing.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: vinnybass,

Hardened steel unless you use very little pressure and a little oil wouldn't hurt.
The other materials won't last long, some not past the first time or two.
Unfortunately the budget Wilton stuff is made in that Asian country we all need to avoid.

Mine is a made in China 4" one I bought in 1980 when I moved to FL and started my lawn business, sold that business and went to work for Echo. Still
use it a lot.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
Hardened steel unless you use very little pressure and a little oil wouldn't hurt.
The other materials won't last long, some not past the first time or two.
Unfortunately the budget Wilton stuff is made in that Asian country we all need to avoid.

Yes the Wilton I bought is made in China. You have to spend real money for better vises made in better places, and they sell for between $1,500 and $3,000. My vise was $98, but WAY better than the turd vises at Home Depot or the even worse shit vises at Harbor Freight. Those vises are real dogs.