The VISES of Garage Journal

[va.grouseman]

This followed me home today.---126.8lbs.---Jaws, 5 5/8"---needs lockdown.





















The swivel jaw isn't ceased up but is tight. Has tight tolerances, will be a good restore project. Found it on CL. and showed it to my wife, and was all prepared to break into this academy award performance on what an asset this vise would be to us and what a mistake it would be to pass this up. And she says, "let's go get it". Long-----long----- pause. You have no idea how many times I've heard, "how many vises do you need". I wonder what this is going to cost me.

 

[balane]

I wonder what this is going to cost me.

It's very desirable obviously but it sounds like you might just have to sit through some type of live performance, possibly even with singing. Good luck.

 

[KMScott]

This followed me home today.---126.8lbs.---Jaws, 5 5/8"---needs lockdown.

VA, really nice vise. Let me know if you need help with the swivel handle, I am getting plenty of practice on forming handles. Was you going to restore it or add it to your chain gang.

 

[bigcaddy]

That a nice one, grouseman. Considering what your wife said, I bet that is going to be an expensive vise

 

[Mark in Indiana]

They weren't in business until 1941, so I think it's a 1945...

So…when did they start casting "Chicago, IL." in the body?
This is very interesting.

 

[drivesitfar]

VA: does your wife have a sister?? nice Rock Island and nearly as big as our 577's and a swivel too. i did notice it only followed you after you cut the bands on the pallet it was shipped on or did someone else set that one free.

Does he get in the shop or left outside to see if he can become another member of the chain gang??

Zoomie: i saw your post when i hit the back button so we must have posted close to the same exact time. thanks for the shipping box with the 1941 and it's a C series. any idea where i can read up on the history of Wilton Bullet vises or anyone else know so maybe i can pass on the information later?

 

[oldldh]

The swivel jaw isn't SEIZED up but is tight. I wonder what this is going to cost me.

Fixed it for you....

As far as the price is concerned---

You can bet your patootie that the price will be a tad under astronomical...

A tad---

Not a little---

A tad---

Prepare thyself!!!

Now about that vise....

 

[Filson]

VA - awesome score bud, but it sounds like you stepped into some scary territory with the miss. "Maybe if I quite giving him **** about vises and support him on it... he'll support me with..." Dun dun dunnnnnnn...

 

[autopts]

This followed me home today.---126.8lbs.---Jaws, 5 5/8"---needs lockdown.





















The swivel jaw isn't ceased up but is tight. Has tight tolerances, will be a good restore project. Found it on CL. and showed it to my wife, and was all prepared to break into this academy award performance on what an asset this vise would be to us and what a mistake it would be to pass this up. And she says, "let's go get it". Long-----long----- pause. You have no idea how many times I've heard, "how many vises do you need". I wonder what this is going to cost me.

Is it true your wife interviewed for that show "Hoarders" because you need professional help?

 

[Outlawmws]

SNIP Found it on CL. and showed it to my wife, and was all prepared to break into this academy award performance on what an asset this vise would be to us and what a mistake it would be to pass this up. And she says, "let's go get it". Long-----long----- pause. You have no idea how many times I've heard, "how many vises do you need". I wonder what this is going to cost me.

Congratulations! you have her broke in!



Oh...

Buy her dinner out... Maybe you will both score!

 

[zoomieport]

So…when did they start casting "Chicago, IL." in the body?
This is very interesting.

This is just working on guessing...

Patent Applied: Aug. 01, 1941
Patent Granted: Mar. 03, 1942
*these provided by http://www.datamp.org/patents/advance.php?inc=1

But I would think, at the time, they would continue to use the molds until changing them was more out of necessity, i.e. "change to the design" or "just plain wear". So when they needed to change they would change the info cast into the sides. So by this "theory", they could have cast "patent pending" vises well after the patent was granted... therefore they could still have "stock parts" to last quite a while, extending the actual assembly date even further...
Now keep in mind, these are all just guesses and I think this thread is the best Wilton reference guide on the web. My deductions are just from a lot of reading and surfing. The new owners don't seem to be interested and there isn't much to go on from former employees from what I've seen. (If someone has some, please share?) There are many Wilton fans out there with far more knowledge than I have on the subject!!! I think Autopts (Nick) is one of the more learned members on the subject and I have learned a lot from his posts...

That being said, I'm still just guessing, lol!

I'm always looking to learn more on the subject, so I'd love to hear anything someone knows, or any theories you guys have...
Obviously I like 'em...

Take Care!!!
ZOOM (Mike)

 

[Fretters]

That definitely doesn't sound like it's going to have a cheap outcome.

On a tangent, my wife crossed over somewhat today. Always told her to keep an eye out on any skips she passes in case there's any old tools or such in there. You know how women like to give you earache over stuff like that, about it being embarrassing etc. Today, she came home with something from a skip for herself, (must admit, she didn't do bad either), so I'll have a peaceful life on that front now.

 

[toomanytoyzz]

That definitely doesn't sound like it's going to have a cheap outcome.

On a tangent, my wife crossed over somewhat today. Always told her to keep an eye out on any skips she passes in case there's any old tools or such in there. You know how women like to give you earache over stuff like that, about it being embarrassing etc. Today, she came home with something from a skip for herself, (must admit, she didn't do bad either), so I'll have a peaceful life on that front now.

Skip=trash can

I use this all the time now to bother my wife. Thanks again Fretters!!

 

[Fretters]

Skip=trash can

Someone mentioned they're likely similar to the American dumpsters. These are the things we have:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skip_(container)

The design makes them awfully easy to have a quick ganders in as you're passing too.

 

[BFBOB]

This followed me home today.---126.8lbs.---Jaws, 5 5/8"---needs lockdown.


The swivel jaw isn't ceased up but is tight. .

That's a good one. When it's seized up, it has ceased to move.

 

[va.grouseman]

The guy I got it from is firm that it is a #64 but I think it's a #54. The five hasn't got a break in the loop on the bottom but I still think it's a five. I think I'm going to resto this one, I'm curious as to what's under all that paint.
Thank you gentlemen. You are all right you know. I've entered uncharted water under my roof. But I know it's just reverse psychology. She can't reverse my addiction so she is using it rather, which makes this a symbiotic relationship. I'll let it ride till the price get's too high.
Drivesit, it appears Photobucket mixes and matches photos. That was a picture of the C.P. 976 a couple of weeks ago. I grabbed it by mistake cause it was in the same set of pics as the Rock island. I edited it out on my end when I realized it but was apparently too late. And yes she has two sisters and they think I'm nuts to.
Fretters, I didn't know it till now but I'm a skip hopper/diver to. Yea that's good stuff
Might be calling on you K.m..

Yep BFBOB, (ceased), got that one wrong. That's what happens when you don't thoroughly edit.

 

[GETRIDAONE]

va, My standard reply is " and how many pocket books & shoes are in your closet ?"
Great find on the swivel vise. I sure would like to have that Parker vise wrench your 976 is sporting.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Mark,
pretty sure the old ones are date of production so yours is most likely a 1945. also i don't think Wilton was in business until 1941 that is the date on the box that Zoomie posted. i'm still getting up to speed on these too and I've owned maybe 15 of these awesome vises at one time or another over the last few years and still own a few.

is yours a small bullet or a C1?

Drivesitfar:
The vise is a bullet. Markings on the body are:
Wilton Tool Corp (no city listed underneath)
Wilton vise no 4. Pat Pend. USA

Markings on the moving jaw are:
840
Opposite of the 840 is a letter L that's circled. What does that mean?

 

[lpoolck]

Managed to finish my restoration. Ground the rust off. Sanded it down, primed it with zinc primer and finished it off with Hammerite smooth blue. Looks a bit too bright of a blue but that's just the exposure on my phones camera.

All metal work that was removable was put in solution of degreaser then vinegar and salt to remove rust. The rest I used metal Polish and a rotary wire brush. Came up fairly nicely I think.

Only down side was that someone had used the vice as a bench when using a saw. :banghead:

 

[Mark in Indiana]

This followed me home today.---126.8lbs.---Jaws, 5 5/8"---needs lockdown.




The swivel jaw isn't ceased up but is tight. Has tight tolerances, will be a good restore project. Found it on CL. and showed it to my wife, and was all prepared to break into this academy award performance on what an asset this vise would be to us and what a mistake it would be to pass this up. And she says, "let's go get it". Long-----long----- pause. You have no idea how many times I've heard, "how many vises do you need". I wonder what this is going to cost me.

Va: That's a great find.
My theory is that your wife is now wise enough to understand that there are plenty of activities that guys enjoy and wives don't appreciate (ex. spending days away from home hunting or tucking' bucks at the **********). So spouses need to appreciate tool restoration because it keeps us around home and out of trouble.

 

[drivesitfar]

Mark,
not sure what all the Wilton markings are and the history yet, but i would like to find out because even AutoPts and others so far don't have a firm grasp on that. another vise challenge.

maybe we can both post good pictures of our Wiltons. you of your 1945 and mine of my 1946 and maybe that might help get some questions answered. can there actually be too many vise pictures?

VA: I was asking if your bride had any sisters because if the family is already on board with understanding the vise vice then if my bride goes before me I'll give a sister a call. it has to be in the genes doesn't it?

keep buying the big old good ones and restore one or two and post pictures if you get a chance and would like to.


Calling all Wilton bullet vise historians. is there any web pages, books or information to share on the history along with pictures of the various designs?????

 

[va.grouseman]

Mark-----Getridaone-----Both excellent points of leverage which I will be using very gingerly. Thanks.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Mark,
not sure what all the Wilton markings are and the history yet, but i would like to find out because even AutoPts and others so far don't have a firm grasp on that. another vise challenge.

maybe we can both post good pictures of our Wiltons. you of your 1945 and mine of my 1946 and maybe that might help get some questions answered. can there actually be too many vise pictures?

VA: I was asking if your bride had any sisters because if the family is already on board with understanding the vise vice then if my bride goes before me I'll give a sister a call. it has to be in the genes doesn't it?

keep buying the big old good ones and restore one or two and post pictures if you get a chance and would like to.




Calling all Wilton bullet vise historians. is there any web pages, books or information to share on the history along with pictures of the various designs?????

The great thing about restoring these vintage tools is researching the history.
For your review, I started a thread a few months back on GJ called "very early vintage wilton bullet vise restoration", that featured pictures.

Maybe we scan shake the tree of Wilton knowledge.

 

[Outlawmws]

It seems to me that a lot of the history is known, but the collective knowledge is sort of scattered. I've seen dates for the various location markings, and I thought the time frame for the date stamps being 5 years in the future vs. mfg date was well known?

Another piece to document would be the colors used by the factory (at least for the std offerings, I'm sure contract vises might not map...)

I'm not a lot of help here, I've had all of 2 Wilton vises, and I don't own either of them anymore. The only Wilton I own currently is a H. band saw...

 

[Jpkimmel]

A Chas. Parker #435 and a wilton 940

 

[PghJKB]

Hey Jpkimmel
Is this the famous "Invisible" Chas Parker 435?

Welcome to the nut house...

 

[zkling]

Welcome to the nut house...

 

[EOC_Jason]

Working on this late-model Reed 104-N (Stationary Base)... I was just going to coat it in paste-wax and call it a day but the bits of paint I couldn't get off with the wire wheel really bugged me. So I ended up blasting the whole thing clean, polishing the parts that will be kept bare metal & taping them up. Stuck it under a heat lamp for a while then primed... Now I just have to wait a couple days to paint it... Probably go with the traditional Machine Tool Gray?

Would it be sacrilegious to paint a non-wilton Hammered Verde Green?

 

[Jpkimmel]

Chas. Parker Co. #435

 

[Jpkimmel]

Sorry about that. Thanks for the welcome.

 

[oldldh]

Probably go with the traditional Machine Tool Gray? Would it be sacrilegious to paint a non-wilton Hammered Verde Green?

Arrest Me Red!!!!

It makes them easy to find!!!

 

[jakemac]

I thought the trick to finding vises was to grab the end of the chain and work your way up.

 

[Outlawmws]

Only where the owner is chaining them to trees in vise slavery!

 

[oldldh]

Only where the owner is chaining them to trees in vise slavery!

I thought that was against the law!!!!


Those vises must be freed!!!!!

And painted "Arrest-Me-Red".....

 

[bigcaddy]

It's very desirable obviously but it sounds like you might just have to sit through some type of live performance, possibly even with singing. Good luck.

I thought that was against the law!!!!


Those vises must be freed!!!!!

And painted "Arrest-Me-Red".....

Is it just me or does Oldldh have an obsession with "arrest me".

You like handcuffs, Oldldh?

 

[GETRIDAONE]

Jason, " Probably go with the traditional Machine Tool Gray "
This Craftsman was gray and I just couldn't do it again. It is Rustoleum hammered brown but the color doesn't show well in the pictures.

 

[Fretters]

Jason, " Probably go with the traditional Machine Tool Gray "
This Craftsman was gray and I just couldn't do it again.

You have taste in colour. Grey is one of those "over my dead body will I paint owt that colour" colours, IMHO.

 

[Strouty]

Here are some pictures of my Columbian 205










And this is my cute little no name one. From what I understand it was a kit that the students would finish in metal trades, we think it is from the 1960s. Best part is that it was made at my high school!













Last is my Reed 405. The pin for the jaw is not original, but it works well.

 

[zkling]

I apologize in advance if this is a repost. Somehow I came across this ad and thought it was pretty slick. Someone on here do this? (PM me if you want). The candy apple red and polished surfaces really look nice IMHO.

*Pics are not mine unfortunately, taken from ebay listing. I have no connection to the seller, just thought the repaint was nice.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Craftsman-B...280593098?pt=Clamps_Vises&hash=item417da13cca

 

[balane]

Texasbuddy is the most meticulous of vise restorers on eBay in my opinion. Check his current and completed auctions. They are all masterpieces of attention to detail. He obviously spends a lot of time on his vises and mostly focuses on that style of Craftsman vise. I would love to have one but they all get bid up quite high and deservedly so.

Look at this honey; http://www.ebay.com/itm/281281935459

.