First Vise Restoration - Wilton C2

[BoilermakerNate]

I think I've read just about every vise restoration thread I could find on GJ and elsewhere. I've somehow turned into a complete vise nut along the way. I scored a Wilton C2 and C3 a few months back for a nice price. The C2 is in worse shape, so I figure it is the perfect candidate for my first restoration. Here it is as I got it...

As far as I can tell, the only thing wrong is that it is missing the end cap. From what I have read, I guess the best thing do is get a freeze plug to replace the end cap, but we'll cross that bridge later. Right now, I'm going to start disassembling it...more pictures to come!

 

[Lump]

Nice Wilton. Enjoy your resto process, and keep the photos coming!

 

[BJ42LX]

That is one sweet Wilton...

 

[autopts]

The C2 is in worse shape? Its gorgeous!! Looks like its still got the original finger savers on it. Me? If I was bolting it down to use, I'm afraid to say I would not do a thing to it. It looks great!

 

[Lump]

The C2 is in worse shape? Its gorgeous!! Looks like its still got the original finger savers on it. Me? If I was bolting it down to use, I'm afraid to say I would not do a thing to it. It looks great!

+1 on that! I believe I would wipe it down with a thin coat of oil, and rub that finish for a while, till the oil seemed to shine a bit, and then quit right there. Nice haul!

 

[BoilermakerNate]

Yeah, it has both finger savers still. I agree, it is in great shape. In comparison, the C3 is just dirty, it looks practically brand new (minus an end cap also). So I'm definitely not touching the C3. I really just want to get a vise resto under my belt and learn something along the way. Here are a couple pics while starting to break it down last night...

So far, everything has cooperated quite nicely. The front collar, handle and screw, and dynamic jaw all came off without a hitch. I then started to work on removing the static jaw. The screws are taking some convincing, but the first one came out after working it back and forth for about 15 minutes. It was caked with hardened grease. I was not so lucky on the other...hit it with PB blaster and let it soak over night. Same goes for the dynamic jaw. The pipe jaw on the static side was loose and just fell out. The other pipe jaw came out easily.

Hopefully, the PB blaster will work today and I can get the remaining jaw out tonight.

 

[SwampCat]

YEAH if thats the ugly one, whats the other one, STILL IN THE BOX ?

 

[autopts]

A hammer impact will make for easy removal of those Philips screws. Alot of C- Series are missing caps, a mystery to me. I know the 450S take a 2" deep freeze plug, 15/16" is a bit small however you might have to hit the sides of that plug on a grinder to make it fit.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

I tried the remaining screws and was able to get them all out...I love PB blaster! Alright, all the jaws are now off.

I also removed the swivel base. A couple hammers with the impact, and the carriage bolts came loose. One of the brackets, that holds the swivel in place when tightened, was cracked right down the middle. Both brackets have a nice thick layer of rust. The carriage bolt is still stuck good in the bracket that isn't broken. They are now sitting in a tub of evaporust overnight. I plan on repairing the broken bracket with JB weld. I don't want to attempt to weld it, being cast iron and all....I would probably just make it worse. The break is real clean, so JB weld should work well. I'll post some pictures of the progress tomorrow.

 

[Gregg]

Looks good! I'm about to start a restore job on 450N i just picked up today...trying to get as much info here as I can!

Anyone know where I can get replacements of those rubber gaskets on the handle of the vise? the one I picked up today does not have them, and I wish that it did.

 

[autopts]

Looks good! I'm about to start a restore job on 450N i just picked up today...trying to get as much info here as I can!

Anyone know where I can get replacements of those rubber gaskets on the handle of the vise? the one I picked up today does not have them, and I wish that it did.

I call them finger savers. You can find some close in the plumbing section of a big box store.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

Looks good! I'm about to start a restore job on 450N i just picked up today...trying to get as much info here as I can!

Anyone know where I can get replacements of those rubber gaskets on the handle of the vise? the one I picked up today does not have them, and I wish that it did.

Gregg, there are a lot of good vise restorations on here. I really found v7guy's C2 resto to have a lot of helpful information. Check it out if you get a chance.http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69225

 

[Davefr]

Anyone know where I can get replacements of those rubber gaskets on the handle of the vise? the one I picked up today does not have them, and I wish that it did.

I use rubber O-Rings and double them up on each end. They seem to work just as well as the factory washers.

 

[Davefr]

I plan on repairing the broken bracket with JB weld. I don't want to attempt to weld it, being cast iron and all....I would probably just make it worse. The break is real clean, so JB weld should work well. I'll post some pictures of the progress tomorrow.

Worth a try but I think you're pushing your luck with JB Weld.

I'd get someone to braze that part or just get a chunk of steel and fabricate a new one.

I've never liked Wilton's swivel lock design. Parker's expanding collar seems like a superior design.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

I took the swivel brackets out of the evaporust and brushed them clean. The carriage bolt was still stuck in the one bracket. I chucked it up in my morgan and beat it into submission. Couple good whacks with a ball peen hammer and the bolt came loose. I decided to give the JB weld a chance. If it doesn't hold, I can always still get it brazed. Here are the brackets, the broken one repaired.

 

[Davefr]

I decided to give the JB weld a chance. If it doesn't hold, I can always still get it brazed. Here are the brackets, the broken one repaired.

I'd go one step further and get a piece of flat steel (1/8" thick??) and cut it to the shape of the bracket and drill a hole in it. Now bond it to the surface of your bracket so it'll help distribute the stress evenly over the bracket. (you have plenty of clearance)

Otherwise all your stress will be right on the repaired crack.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

I'd go one step further and get a piece of flat steel (1/8" thick??) and cut it to the shape of the bracket and drill a hole in it. Now bond it to the surface of your bracket so it'll help distribute the stress evenly over the bracket. (you have plenty of clearance)

Otherwise all your stress will be right on the repaired crack.

That's a good idea. I was worried about the carriage bolt putting too much stress on it since the crack runs right along the hole. I'll try that this weekend. Thanks.

 

[Outlawmws]

I use rubber O-Rings and double them up on each end. They seem to work just as well as the factory washers.

Ditto. If they are big enough, you don't even need 2, 1 is enough.

 

[v7guy]

That's a different swivel base clamp than I'm used to seeing on the C2s. It looks like it's in great shape!
look forward to seeing it all cleaned up.

I really wasn't sure how much I would use a vise thise big, but I don't know how I got by without it now.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

That's a different swivel base clamp than I'm used to seeing on the C2s. It looks like it's in great shape!
look forward to seeing it all cleaned up.

I really wasn't sure how much I would use a vise thise big, but I don't know how I got by without it now.

That's what I thought too. I haven't seen another C2 with these types of clamps. I know what you mean about it being a big vise. That's how I was feeling about my C3, but I couldn't pass up such a good deal...and it will definitely get used.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

Thought I'd show my latest acquisition...a nice little morgan chicago 135. Best of all, it was free! My girlfriend works for a manufacturing company and they were cleaning out old work areas. Maintenance said they didn't need it and that she could have it.

 

[Slip_Kid]

damn you ****!!

 

[BoilermakerNate]

Finally got around to making the plate to cover the repaired swivel clamp like Davefr suggested. I think it should work nicely.

 

[Slip_Kid]

That cover plate looks good, well done.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

That cover plate looks good, well done.

Thanks. Just got a 14" bandsaw a few weeks ago, so that definitely helped out.

But I've already encountered my next issue. It would appear that the vise has been fully disassembled before. When they reinstalled the two pins holding the threaded sleeve, they must have heated them up because they look fused to the casting. I tried using a punch, but I got nowhere. At this point, I would almost opt to just leave it, but looking inside the body of the vise revealed one of the pins have been broken and the sleeve is somewhat loose.

Staying true to this being a bit of a learning experience, what the hell...I decided to drill them out. It wasn't fun by any means, but it turned out ok in the end. The bit wandered a little starting out, leaving a ragged looking hole, but I can work with it.

The part that sucked is that I broke the bit I used to drill the pilot hole in one of the pins. To make things worse, it was a cobalt bit. My buddy had a carbide tipped bit that ended up chewing through the mess though, what a headache. I made the new holes 1/4" to accept a standard pin or 1/4" rod cut to length.

 

[mark52621]

I just restored an identical c2 a couple weeks ago. It had swivel clamps identical to yours and one was busted beyond repair. Wilton, or at least the person on the phone, told me they don't sell replacements of that part.

I ended up buying an inner ring from a new c2, it fit perfectly. The only problem is my c2 doesn't have a hole in the center of the base for the center plug that goes between the inner ring and the base. I left the plug out and the vise works perfectly.

 

[v7guy]

Thanks. Just got a 14" bandsaw a few weeks ago, so that definitely helped out.

But I've already encountered my next issue. It would appear that the vise has been fully disassembled before. When they reinstalled the two pins holding the threaded sleeve, they must have heated them up because they look fused to the casting. I tried using a punch, but I got nowhere. At this point, I would almost opt to just leave it, but looking inside the body of the vise revealed one of the pins have been broken and the sleeve is somewhat loose.

Staying true to this being a bit of a learning experience, what the hell...I decided to drill them out. It wasn't fun by any means, but it turned out ok in the end. The bit wandered a little starting out, leaving a ragged looking hole, but I can work with it.

The part that sucked is that I broke the bit I used to drill the pilot hole in one of the pins. To make things worse, it was a cobalt bit. My buddy had a carbide tipped bit that ended up chewing through the mess though, what a headache. I made the new holes 1/4" to accept a standard pin or 1/4" rod cut to length.

I had some real problems with those pins too, I didn't have to drill them out but it did take a lot of persuasion.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

I just restored an identical c2 a couple weeks ago. It had swivel clamps identical to yours and one was busted beyond repair. Wilton, or at least the person on the phone, told me they don't sell replacements of that part.

I ended up buying an inner ring from a new c2, it fit perfectly. The only problem is my c2 doesn't have a hole in the center of the base for the center plug that goes between the inner ring and the base. I left the plug out and the vise works perfectly.

I hope the repair holds up and I don't have to order different parts. Time will tell...

I had some real problems with those pins too, I didn't have to drill them out but it did take a lot of persuasion.

Well at least there was one thing you didn't have to drill out on your vise. You did just about everything else! It was a little difficult lining everything up. Since the pins were ground flush to the body of the vise, you couldn't tell what true center was. After I was done, I made sure the holes still lined up with the holes in the threaded sleeve, which they did.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

Been busy putting new windows in the house the last week, but found some time to make some more headway the other day. Now that everything is disassembled, it is time to degrease and start stripping paint/rust. I used a combination of purple power for the big stuff and brake cleaner for small parts to degrease. I then used an angle grinder with a wire cup and knotted wire wheel to take as much paint and rust off as possible. And finally...electrolysis! I think I've read enough about this by now to make my eyes cross, time to try it out.

I had a bunch of old pc power supplies laying around, but I really didn't feel like rigging one up for electrolysis. I have too much going on to add yet another small project, and I didn't want that to hold up this project. So I went to good 'ole harbor freight and got their 6v/12v battery charger. Works like a charm! It took some experimenting with plate placement and the settings on the charger, but I got it to run at a steady 10 amps.

Here's the body of the vise after about 8 hours in the tank:

It's getting there, but I threw it in for another night. I'll follow up in the next day or so.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

I took the body of the vise out again after another overnight soaking in the hot tank. Couldn't get much cleaner. I scrubbed and rinsed it in soapy water, then dried with a heat gun.

After that, I took my angle grinder to it again with a crimped wire cup and went over the whole thing. Rinsed it with water and dried again. Here's how it turned out:

I did notice three thin cracks when i was drying it. You can see them here:

I'll be sure to fill them before painting and use the vise for light duty stuff.

 

[Lost Road]

that is sweet! I am going to look at this tomorrow:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44259078@N03/6307156080/in/photostream

I'll check back to see how things go.

 

[autopts]

I took the body of the vise out again after I did notice three thin cracks when i was drying it. You can see them here:

I'll be sure to fill them before painting and use the vise for light duty stuff.

Gee, thats a bummer and externally that vise is in excelent condition. Cracks there usually can been seen on the outside. Its good that you didn't pay alot for that vise. I would use it, I just wouldn't open it up far, thats all.
If it gives way, the front jaw will still be held on because its still screwed on the the inside collar.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

that is sweet! I am going to look at this tomorrow:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44259078@N03/6307156080/in/photostream

I'll check back to see how things go.

Wow, that's a nice machinist vise, in excellent condition too. I can't tell, what size are the jaws?

I just picked up a Morgan vise a week ago myself. I still need to take and post pictures of my latest finds from this last weekend...a Parker/Union vise and a Greenerd 3 ton arbor press. In terms of working on vises, I think the press should really come in handy straightening vise handles.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

Gee, thats a bummer and externally that vise is in excelent condition. Cracks there usually can been seen on the outside. Its good that you didn't pay alot for that vise. I would use it, I just wouldn't open it up far, thats all.
If it gives way, the front jaw will still be held on because its still screwed on the the inside collar.

Yeah, I couldn't see a thing when I went to pick it up or even after. I was surprised to say the least. Oh well, it will still serve a purpose. I sure hope the same thing doesn't happen in that picture, yikes!

 

[Lost Road]

I am pretty sure I will be bringing that baby home with some other goodies tomorrow. I'll post up some pics!

 

[autopts]

that is sweet! I am going to look at this tomorrow:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44259078@N03/6307156080/in/photostream

I'll check back to see how things go.

Don't just look at it, if its in good condition and around even $150, buy it! Its the big Wilton 600. That vise open is nearly 3ft long!

 

[Lost Road]

yes, by "look at it" I mean buy it!

 

[autopts]

yes, by "look at it" I mean buy it!

I traded someone $100 in new wrenches just for the swivel base on that big guy. Get the back support ready. Its about 160 lbs.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

New loot!
Parker/Union Vise

3 Ton Greenerd Arbor Press

96 Drawer Steel Storage Cabinet...some assembly required.

 

[BoilermakerNate]

Primed the body while the base and dynamic jaw are in the hot tank getting nice and clean.