New vise issue (or am I too picky)?

[Lu-Max]

Just yesterday I took delivery of a brand new Wilton C-1, a vise that I saved up for to purchase. In fact I waited until I was able to buy one on sale.

When I opened and unpacked the C-1 I immediately noticed a line of casting slag and deep grinder marks on the top of it near the translating jaw, and grinder marks on the jaw itself. My guess is that someone used a grinder or coarse flap disc to grind off the worst part of the slag. It kind of bugged me when I first saw it, but I thought “oh well”... I finally have my new C-1.

This morning I took a better look at it in the sunlight, and I must admit that I have become more and more disappointed with it due to those deep, uneven grinder marks and that slag line from the casting. They are right on the top and very obvious. Quite frankly it looks horrible for a new vise (or any product really). I can be super-picky about some things and I’ll admit to not having expert skills using a grinder myself, but after saving up for this vise I am really not happy with the condition it showed up in. These appear to be manufacturing defects, not something caused by the vendor or during shipping.

It would be different for me if I had ordered a refurbished, open-box, or b-stock vise, but this one is brand new. I plan to keep this thing until I die, so starting out with a vise that actually appears new would be really great.

Am I being a dink? What would you do? Sorry for the crappy photo quality.

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[Cope]

I would take it back.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

I wouldn't accept that. Much too ugly for what you pay and it will be there mocking you for the rest of your life. No way. YMMV.

 

[ThomasP]

If you're not happy, return it. The customer is always right (so it's said!!!).

 

[Need more space]

Wow great looking vise besides the grinding marks! I've always had old ones, what does a new one like that run?

 

[Fordman7795]

Thats fugly. Id send it back

 

[redwrench60]

Yikes! That almost looks like it's been repaired, retouched and re-sold.......I wouldn't accept that. I wouldn't be a **** about it but I'd get that exchanged.

 

[mitusa]

Take it back......exchange it or have them discount yours and then take it home and finish smoothing the affected area and repaint.

 

[Lu-Max]

Retail on this is ~$1000, I paid just under $500 for it on sale plus a 'coupon code'.

It looks like it is unanimous, I'll contact Wilton and the vendor first thing tomorrow.
Thanks again.

 

[Cdstahlman]

That looks like one someone used, f'd up, and returned.

 

[t4runner]

Return it. You paid top dollar for that vise and it should be perfect.

 

[Mike007]

Aside from the defect, that's a sweet vise!

 

[espyking83]

Would probably end up looking like that after the first use anyways. But yeah, with the money it costs for a USA vise I would atleast like to look at it and salivate in its beauty before I beat it to ****. Nothing irrational with you being dissapointed.

 

[espyking83]

Yikes! That almost looks like it's been repaired, retouched and re-sold.......I wouldn't accept that. I wouldn't be a **** about it but I'd get that exchanged.

I think you're right after looking closer at it. I'd definitely send it back.

 

[methomas70]

If you're not happy, return it. The customer is always right (so it's said!!!).

The customer is NOT always right.
But the customer IS always the customer.

That being said, your vise looks like it should be sitting on the Blemish or Factory Seconds sale table.
The detractions are obvious, won't get better over time, and they don't add any character to it neither.

It's definitely not the one they'd put on the cover the Wilton catalog.

 

[91bronc300]

Me personally, I would clean that up myself. Grind and file the entire top of that jaw smooth and probably smooth over any other rough spots like that on the vise too then repaint it my own color. The jaw inserts seem to line up just fine and if the action of the vise was smooth and tight I would be fine cleaning up casting roughness like that myself. Then either flip the jaw inserts over or hit them with the belt grinder to get rid of the grinding mark someone left on them.

 

[fury9]

Send it back, you payed damn good money for a high quality vise and it looks like ****.

 

[wild cowboy]

Wilton quality control has been in the dumper for a while now, this is not the 2nd or even 3rd one of these threads I have read on GJ lately.

I would look at a Morgan or a Yost if I had to have brand new, or for what you paid, why not get a beautiful restored old vise off ebay, the quality was much better back in the day!

You could even get an old Wilton, if you are in love with the bullet vise. $500 buys some incredible restored vises on ebay!

 

[Lu-Max]

I'll be sending it back else working out some sort of a deal with Wilton.

The ground area is appreciable lower than the rest of the top, if you look at the jaw line that entire area is low from about the center over. Pretty certain that this was just a bad casting and QC let it slip.

I will definitely post about how Wilton handles this. They have an excellent reputation so I am not anticipating any issues.

Thanks again for your input everyone.

 

[T45]

If it was a bad casting, why did they fix it with the jaws on?

Am I wrong seeing those are inserts?

I'm sure its fine, but something happened

to that hunk of metal after assembly.

Good luck OP

 

[Lassen Forge]

I would send it back. Looks like a Chinese forgery of a Wilton. I don't care if I paid $125 for it, I wouldn't accept that. And after that, I would be HIGHLY leary of the seller.

After looking closer at the pictures, there's no way I'd accept that. I can go to SR&Co. get one of their name brand vises for a LOT less and not have it look like a flawed casting of questionable material.

 

[95riosnake]

Considering the metric ton of cash involved in buying a brand new C1, it should not look like that. I would most definitely do everything I could for them to get a new one on the way. Like others have said, I would expect to see something like that sold at discount as a factory blemish model.

 

[wild cowboy]

I don't understand why anyone would buy new Wilton with the recurring quality control issues that keep appearing here on GJ

if you are a Wilton bullet nut, that's fine, but get one of the classic vintage ones off ebay or craigslist, the ones that were built long ago and made their reputation, not the current garbage.

 

[Tarheelgarage]

Just yesterday I took delivery of a brand new Wilton C-1, a vise that I saved up for to purchase. In fact I waited until I was able to buy one on sale.

When I opened and unpacked the C-1 I immediately noticed a line of casting slag and deep grinder marks on the top of it near the translating jaw, and grinder marks on the jaw itself. My guess is that someone used a grinder or coarse flap disc to grind off the worst part of the slag. It kind of bugged me when I first saw it, but I thought “oh well”... I finally have my new C-1.

This morning I took a better look at it in the sunlight, and I must admit that I have become more and more disappointed with it due to those deep, uneven grinder marks and that slag line from the casting. They are right on the top and very obvious. Quite frankly it looks horrible for a new vise (or any product really). I can be super-picky about some things and I’ll admit to not having expert skills using a grinder myself, but after saving up for this vise I am really not happy with the condition it showed up in. These appear to be manufacturing defects, not something caused by the vendor or during shipping.

It would be different for me if I had ordered a refurbished, open-box, or b-stock vise, but this one is brand new. I plan to keep this thing until I die, so starting out with a vise that actually appears new would be really great.

Am I being a dink? What would you do? Sorry for the crappy photo quality.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Wilton sure has gone into the ******* of late with their piss poor quality

 

[CNGsaves]

+1 to Send It Back.

Not being too picky at all. You're the customer who is entitled to quality, and dayuuum that is NOT quality.

 

[Lassen Forge]

So that's a Genuine Wilton, not a counterfeit? My gods, how the mighty have fallen low...

 

[tedsters]

i would send it back also that is unacceptable

 

[383 240z]

The one I welded up looks better than that. Keith

 

[SweetD]

Maybe that's why it was "on sale"?

I'd take it back for sure. Even if the very first time you use it you leave the same marks. At least they would be your marks.



Dave

 

[tomshep]

I would be concerned about that area being a weak spot in the casting process.

Return it.

Tom

 

[Canoe50]

I'll be sending it back else working out some sort of a deal with Wilton.

The ground area is appreciable lower than the rest of the top, if you look at the jaw line that entire area is low from about the center over. Pretty certain that this was just a bad casting and QC let it slip.

I will definitely post about how Wilton handles this. They have an excellent reputation so I am not anticipating any issues.

Thanks again for your input everyone.

Good luck getting it resolved. No way you're being too picky. That's unacceptable Wilton let that out the door.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Return.. That one looks like a reject... I would hope that Wilton would be ashamed to release a vise that looked like that....

It is not only a sad deal for You, but for the rest of us, who for decades; have regarded Wilton as a product of quality..

 

[Lu-Max]

Good news, the vendor I purchased it from called me yesterday and I got to speak with a very helpful and sweet young lady. They are hot-shipping me a replacement vise today, the Asst Mgr opened it up and made certain that the replacement was pristine. I just have to pack up and drop off the defective one at the neighborhood UPS store this morning. Entire thing will be done at no cost to me.

I also heard back from Wilton, they provided me a toll free number along with a guy's name to call. I don't need to call them now that the vendor has stepped up, but I will just to see what he has to say about it because I'm curious. Will post a summary of that conversation.

 

[tarbellb]

Thats great news, what a quality vendor.

I see your in CO, mind telling me which vendor has been treating you so well?

 

[Leadberry]

FYI, when you get your replacement, expect there to be grinding marks. I think it's just part of the modern manufacturing process. My new Yost has them, but they're nowhere near that bad. So, just try not to be disappointed when they're still there.

However, that jaw looks plain ugly. That is something I definitely wouldn't accept.

 

[Lu-Max]

Enco (www.use-enco.com)

 

[Canoe50]

Good news, the vendor I purchased it from called me yesterday and I got to speak with a very helpful and sweet young lady. They are hot-shipping me a replacement vise today, the Asst Mgr opened it up and made certain that the replacement was pristine. I just have to pack up and drop off the defective one at the neighborhood UPS store this morning. Entire thing will be done at no cost to me.

I also heard back from Wilton, they provided me a toll free number along with a guy's name to call. I don't need to call them now that the vendor has stepped up, but I will just to see what he has to say about it because I'm curious. Will post a summary of that conversation.

Great news. Glad to see the vendor & Wilton stepped up to the plate & did the right thing. That's what customer service is all about.

 

[EOC_Jason]

waiting to see replacement vise...

 

[redsand187]

Good news, the vendor I purchased it from called me yesterday and I got to speak with a very helpful and sweet young lady. They are hot-shipping me a replacement vise today, the Asst Mgr opened it up and made certain that the replacement was pristine. I just have to pack up and drop off the defective one at the neighborhood UPS store this morning. Entire thing will be done at no cost to me.

I also heard back from Wilton, they provided me a toll free number along with a guy's name to call. I don't need to call them now that the vendor has stepped up, but I will just to see what he has to say about it because I'm curious. Will post a summary of that conversation.

That's great they are taking the hit on the shipping, so you don't have to. Hopefully, they will get some sort of consideration from Wilton.

While freight is heavily discounted for big volume shippers, shipping around 80lbs of metal still isn't cheap.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

FYI, when you get your replacement, expect there to be grinding marks. I think it's just part of the modern manufacturing process.

Agreed. I have several excellent condition C0s and C1s....and they all have grinding marks against the cast seam....but they look good and done right.

Looks like Michael J Fox gotta wild on yours...