CMS-Japanese Motorcycle Supply Parts

Dawn 6SQ Cast Steel Quick Action Bench Vise Refurbishment


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Today I'm refurbishing an Australian-made Dawn 6SQ cast steel (as opposed to the cast semi-steel/cast iron) quick action engineer's bench vice. More info on the company here.

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Being cast steel this vice would have come from the factory in blue, some of which will be evident once the red paint is removed. The vice owner requested it be re-painted in red.

Unlike the plain screw vices, the quick action vices have the screw tethered to the dynamic jaw at the back:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Evidently the quick release handle broke at some point:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

The shaft behind the handle also didn't come from factory this way:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

After undoing the retainer block we can take it out:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Well. Once the nuts and spanner have been removed from the threaded end:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

This is the bottom of the half nut:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

The split pin in the end of the screw comes out next, followed by the washers:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Now we can see the top part of the half nut which can now be removed:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Jaws and half nut cleaned up - the phosphor bronze of the half nut is very obvious now:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

No.4 marked on it:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Removing the paint - blue visible underneath:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

The cast steel texture is notably different to the typical cast iron - more subtle wrinkles:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Painting day:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

The owner had acquired replacement parts for the QR handle:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Cleaned up:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Reinstallation:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Flat bar and screw go in the end now, on the left in the photo:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Half nut needs to be greased and installed now, and the retaining block reinstalled:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

You can add tension to the QR handle by cranking the nut behind the handle with an open ended spanner - this adjusts the amount of spring tension on the handle. If you don't do this at all on reinstallation the handle will probably not spring back particularly enthusiastically. Note how the nut has an end with ratchet-like teeth to help make this happen easily.

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Washers and split pin returned:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

This model has a cut-out for the QR handle to sit in when the handle is set to release:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Missing a little something.

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Better.

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

This is how it started:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Done:

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

Here's a vintage Australian-made Dawn cast steel bench vice restoration, model 6SQ

As a point of note, it actually stood slightly taller than the 6HP I was restoring at the same time.

Check out some more Dawn restorations here!



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