The VISES of Garage Journal

[Blue Frog]

Thought I was over this terrible vise sickness, but I've had a relapse.

Picked up this little gem today and thought I would post for posterity.

This is a 2 ½" Wilton. Didn't know there was a 2 ½". CL ad had it listed as 2 ½" but I was hoping that it was the elusive "baby". Not so, but will be a keeper for sure.

Birth date is 6-30-64.

Looks like it had a swivel base at one time, but no longer.

Has seen better days, but should clean up nicely (if barn temp ever gets above 0*) Just needs a little love for the handle and some rust removal. Paint seems to be original (what's left of it) and will probably just de-rust, clean, polish and add a coat of BLO

Maybe a complete set would cure this Wilton illness!

If you want to see an original color, see my post #24383 on page 1220.

As for a complete set curing the illness - RIGHT!

You'll only want to start the second set, then the third, ......


Blue

 

[jakemac]

Is the back of the base busted or is it angled.

It's fine. That's a gusset that is part of the cast to add strength to the part of the base that sticks out under the slide.

 

[loudog212]

I joined the club. Here is my $20 craigslist find.

 

[jakemac]

Good Job. The pipe jaws on those exposed screw vises are usually missing. When I do see them loose in the wild, I never see them in pairs. It's always singles, like an odd sock in the dryer that never matches any of the other lost socks.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Loudog212: Welcome to the insanity! You got a good deal.

 

[FMC1959]

The new Paint Job

Beautiful job! Nothing flashy about it, just nice clean, classic lines. Looks better than new.

 

[zkling]

I joined the club. Here is my $20 craigslist find.

Unless that paint is exceptionally thick, that looks to be in great condition.
For a long time a Littletown was my only vise, it will certainty serve you well used within its limits.

This is an old Craftsman vise in the shop at work. It is in very clean condition. It probably hasn't been used much. Someone made a stand for it.

Nice vise, but jeeze what did they cut the plate with, a stick welder?

 

[va.grouseman]

Quote by Zkling
Nice vise, but jeeze what did they cut the plate with, a stick welder?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


An old Hobart and gouging rods.---And not a bad job for gouging rods.

 

[loudog212]

Unless that paint is exceptionally thick, that looks to be in great condition.

The paint is very thick. I am thinking i am going to need some chemicals to remove it all. I went to town with my drill and wire wheel but it only made a difference in some spots.

 

[balane]

Grab some gel stripper. It may take a few applications but it makes quick work of things, just a little messy is all.

 

[zkling]

Grab some gel stripper. It may take a few applications but it makes quick work of things, just a little messy is all.

Go get some Jasco paint and epoxy stripper at Lowes. Don't forget the gloves and glasses. You'll have a bigger mess and wear out your drill if you keep using the wire wheel for paint removal.

 

[bluebolt]

IMHO: $40.00 is too high of a retail price. I wouldn't go higher than $30.00, assuming that there are no issues outside of rust. That being said, those vises are good for home use. I believe that that one is a USA made one. The Japan C-Man vises have the jaw size cast into the dynamic jaw body instead of the chevrons (please correct me if I'm wrong).

BTW: I had a Japanese C-Man vise for over 20 years of industrial maintenance. It was never abused and it always did its job. The only reason its gone is because a customer gave me an offer that I couldn't refuse.

My advice: Wait until spring. There will be more vises available at yard sales, auctions, etc.


Happy trails!

Sorry Mark, you are mistaken. The USA ones clearly say MADE IN USA under the model number and the model number starts with 508. The ones like this that start with 391 are the Japan made ones.

OP. If you need a vise now there's nothing wrong with paying $40 for that vise but a cash offer of $30 might get it. INSPECT it closely!

 

[Lucky 13]

Unless that paint is exceptionally thick, that looks to be in great condition.
For a long time a Littletown was my only vise, it will certainty serve you well used within its limits.



Nice vise, but jeeze what did they cut the plate with, a stick welder?

Yeah, it looks like it, maybe a torch? The base is crude, but it works.

 

[Tarnished]

2", 2-1/2", 3", 3-1/2", 4", 4-1/2, 5", 6", 8" in "Bullet" sizes.

Thanks Zoomie, looks like just 3 more to go for the 1st set, right Blue???

If you want to see an original color, see my post #24383 on page 1220.

As for a complete set curing the illness - RIGHT!

You'll only want to start the second set, then the third, ......


Blue

Thanks Blue, mine sure isn't original paint. LOL. Wish it looked as good as your virgin. WOW! Nice survivor.

 

[jrobb316]

I don't have a beautiful restoration here but this is going to be my main vise for auto repairs in my shop. I wanted to leave the patina as I don't think its bad. I took everything in a parts washer and cleaned it. Someone went ape with white lithium grease on it. Main screw is fully lubed with moly 60 paste. Took a die grinder to the jaw inserts and anvil to shine them up. The handle I ran on a bench grinder wire wheel. On the slide I used a scotchbrite pad by hand. It's a 924.

 

[G20-Budo]

Looks good jrobb! How wide are the jaws and how far does it open?

 

[jrobb316]

4 inch jaws, opens 6 inches, weighs 46 lbs. Its pretty stout IMO.

 

[G20-Budo]

Sounds good Jrobb! I'm sure it will serve you well.

 

[jreb10]

4 inch jaws, opens 6 inches, weighs 46 lbs. Its pretty stout IMO.

I like the remaining blue paint on it. Nice restoration, just the right patina for a worker.

 

[McBrownie]

I don't have a beautiful restoration here but this is going to be my main vise for auto repairs in my shop. I wanted to leave the patina as I don't think its bad. I took everything in a parts washer and cleaned it. Someone went ape with white lithium grease on it. Main screw is fully lubed with moly 60 paste. Took a die grinder to the jaw inserts and anvil to shine them up. The handle I ran on a bench grinder wire wheel. On the slide I used a scotchbrite pad by hand. It's a 924.

Nice job leaving what remains of the original crinkle paint, or spatter paint, or whatever Starrett called it.

 

[econotrk]

4 inch jaws, opens 6 inches, weighs 46 lbs. Its pretty stout IMO.

Jrobb, I really like the look of your vise as is. Sometimes it's nice to leave them as is.

 

[organ]

Anyone know if the guy who owns viseparts.com is a member here?

 

[econotrk]

Nice job leaving what remains of the original crinkle paint, or spatter paint, or whatever Starrett called it.

Maybe called Zolatone?

 

[McBrownie]

Maybe called Zolatone?

Is that a color created by Zoltare?

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Sorry Mark, you are mistaken. The USA ones clearly say MADE IN USA under the model number and the model number starts with 508. The ones like this that start with 391 are the Japan made ones.

OP. If you need a vise now there's nothing wrong with paying $40 for that vise but a cash offer of $30 might get it. INSPECT it closely!

Thanks Bluebolt. In will always be a student.

 

[Exeter]

I was over at someone's house and they had a couple of vises. Anyone know anything about them? Other than the last pic is a blacksmith vice.

The one in the first couple pics is a Parker. It has the swivel jaw. What size jaws does it have?
Here's a very similar Parker 271 1/2 that I just restored:

 

[66Charger67]

Hey guys, picked this bench vise up off craigslist, got it home and it will close and tighten when you rotate the rod clockwise, but when you rotate it counter-clockwise the jaws don't move at all. After a rotation or two counter-clockwise something does "release" and I can manually drag the jaws open.

There's not a lot out on google about this brand, "WARDMAST'R" is the brand that's stamped on both sides. Anyone have any ideas?


Chris,

Your vise looks like it could be a rebranded Wilton "Triple Duty". See post #9257 for a couple of photos. Also there is some info. on it at the following link. http://junkyardtools.com/tool_history/wilton

 

[oldldh]

JRobb....

Your Starrett 924 is a very stout, handy vise for 99% of the things one needs a vise for...

I'm a Starrett owner, too...

Mine is a 925, your vise's big brother...

Kevin Scott and I have researched the paint on Starretts, and I think it's called "Zolatone"...

The 926 is a huge B@#tard, with a four figure price tag to go with it...

Superior clampers, though...

 

[oldldh]

Anyone know if the guy who owns viseparts.com is a member here?

www.wiltonviseparts.net

and

www.benchvisejaws.com

Kevin Scott is your man...contact him at either site...or PM him on the GJ...(The site you mentioned is for Reed and Columbian vise parts...if that's the only site you're interested in, I don't know who is involved with that...)

 

[jrobb316]

JRobb....

Your Starrett 924 is a very stout, handy vise for 99% of the things one needs a vise for...

I'm a Starrett owner, too...

Mine is a 925, your vise's big brother...

Kevin Scott and I have researched the paint on Starretts, and I think it's called "Zolatone"...

The 926 is a huge B@#tard, with a four figure price tag to go with it...

Superior clampers, though...

I wish I had the 925. If I come across another Starrett I will buy it, but this is the only one I've seen locally.

 

[joe.striper]

All right you little b#$/@rds who emailed my sellers in PA and offered $100 more than the asking price for MY vise that i had already negotiated a price on and closed a deal on??? Huh...well. I''m waiting....early Reed you said...highly collectable you said...sell it to me you said...

I lost the vise...I'll find out who it was...I will....

 

[Outlawmws]

Ouch, that *****. Wish I could say it's never happened to me, but I'd be lyin'...

you should have kept quite and waited for some well heeled noob to post "look at this; what is it? did I get screwed?..." (It's happened here before...)

 

[oldldh]

All right you little b#$/@rds who emailed my sellers in PA and offered $100 more than the asking price for MY vise that i had already negotiated a price on and closed a deal on??? Huh...well. I''m waiting....early Reed you said...highly collectable you said...sell it to me you said...

I lost the vise...I'll find out who it was...I will....

Hot Damn!!!

A WHODUNIT!!!

I can't wait for the reveal....

Where's Brother Sherlock Holmes when you need him???

(Now, how does one strip taupe paint???)

 

[jakemac]

All right you little b#$/@rds who emailed my sellers in PA and offered $100 more than the asking price for MY vise that i had already negotiated a price on and closed a deal on??? Huh...well. I''m waiting....early Reed you said...highly collectable you said...sell it to me you said...

I lost the vise...I'll find out who it was...I will....

That ***** Joe, I was really looking forward to learning more about that vise once you got it.

This is why I'm leery of posting sales that I'm interested in, I don't want to jinx the deal before I get my hands on the item. I hope we find out who the vise rustler is. Let's form a posse.

 

[organ]

All right you little b#$/@rds who emailed my sellers in PA and offered $100 more than the asking price for MY vise that i had already negotiated a price on and closed a deal on??? Huh...well. I''m waiting....early Reed you said...highly collectable you said...sell it to me you said...

I lost the vise...I'll find out who it was...I will....

Seller is the *******...

 

[jakemac]

^^^^^ ^^^^^
They had a deal. A man is only as good as his word.
But jacking a sale after the deal has been agreed on is just as bad. The buyer is just as slimy.

 

[va.grouseman]

Old,---did you dig up some of those old coffee cans and purchase the big Starrett on E-bay?


Joe,---You may not have gotten the vise, but you have the new owner by the kahunas.---If it's a G.J. member, he can never show it off or brag about it.

Lesson learned.---If you find something you really like in the future, play it close to the vest.---If you need info on something, just PM somebody you trust.---Not me, I can't be trusted.---I'm weak.

 

[bl00]

. .

 

[joe.striper]

Old,---did you dig up some of those old coffee cans and purchase the big Starrett on E-bay?


Joe,---You may not have gotten the vise, but you have the new owner by the kahunas.---If it's a G.J. member, he can never show it off or brag about it.

Lesson learned.---If you find something you really like in the future, play it close to the vest.---If you need info on something, just PM somebody you trust.---Not me, I can't be trusted.---I'm weak.

yeah, now i will have to console myself with my Columbian 4.5" and 6.5" Monarch and my new workbench. Life isnt worth living.....

 

[Outlawmws]

Old,---did you dig up some of those old coffee cans and purchase the big Starrett on E-bay?


Joe,---You may not have gotten the vise, but you have the new owner by the kahunas.---If it's a G.J. member, he can never show it off or brag about it.

Lesson learned.---If you find something you really like in the future, play it close to the vest.---If you need info on something, just PM somebody you trust.---Not me, I can't be trusted.---I'm weak.

Better still, pick someone too far away to make a practical grab for it!