boro_boy70
Well-known member
This is my first shot at a vise restore. The vise is a Wilton Shop King that came from my Grandfathers garage after he passed away. I've had it in my garage for a couple of years, not really knowing what I wanted to do with it. Then I thought, why not restore it, and give it back to my father. This vise was in my grandfathers garage from the early late 50's until 2010 when he passed away. I restored it, and gave it to my dad this past Fathers day, and he knew exactly where it came from as soon as he opened the box.
The only thing is, I can't convince him to mount it on the other end of his bench and use it. He is building a special shelf for it above his bench, He doesn't want to scratch it. My 7yr old son asked if it can go on his work bench someday, I never thought a bench vise would turn into a family heirloom, but I guess it has.
The resto was pretty easy, took it apart, and soaked parts in lacquer thinner for a few days. Cleaned up dings and gouges with a file and a 4" grinder. Then on the machined surfaces, I cleaned them up with a flap disk, then wet sanded them and polished them up to look like chrome. I thought it looked good with the art deco style of the vise. Painted it with Rustoleum paint, and here it is.
BEFORE
AFTER
sorry about the crappy pics, and the lack of in progress pics, but the pics were kind of an after thought. The before pic was taken when I almost listed it on Ebay. (glad I never did it)
The only thing is, I can't convince him to mount it on the other end of his bench and use it. He is building a special shelf for it above his bench, He doesn't want to scratch it. My 7yr old son asked if it can go on his work bench someday, I never thought a bench vise would turn into a family heirloom, but I guess it has.
The resto was pretty easy, took it apart, and soaked parts in lacquer thinner for a few days. Cleaned up dings and gouges with a file and a 4" grinder. Then on the machined surfaces, I cleaned them up with a flap disk, then wet sanded them and polished them up to look like chrome. I thought it looked good with the art deco style of the vise. Painted it with Rustoleum paint, and here it is.
BEFORE
AFTER
sorry about the crappy pics, and the lack of in progress pics, but the pics were kind of an after thought. The before pic was taken when I almost listed it on Ebay. (glad I never did it)
