va.grouseman
Well-known member
Blue,---Does your history app. show pics also, or just tell the stats?---I would really like to see those pics.---I don't carry a smart phone.
Wilton Bullet Vise date stamping. show yours with or without EXP on slide
- Thread starter drivesitfar
- Start date
Just the stats.
Shiftless
Well-known member
Nice set up!
Do you plan to keep it on the stand?
That stand is a work of art! Do you have plans to clean it up and/or repaint it?
If you pull the slide all the way out and turn it over, there should be a date code stamped into the bottom of the key way.
Post that date for the collection, please.
Bellaireroad
Well-known member
Here is a 5 inch jaw Chicago
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ckadams00
Well-known member
Here is a 2.5" baby with Chicago markings stamped 2-78. I know this doesn't meet the original intentions of the thread, but my other 2" bullet is "Chicago 73" and I know several people were commenting about the length of time between the Chicago casting and the stamps. This is the oldest one I have seen other than the one posted by another member with an "80" stamp.
Incidentally, if they still had Chicago babys in 1980 when do you think the stock actually ran out? LOL
Someone made a comment that they may just never have changed their castings for the baby bullets . . .but there are Schiller Park babys (though rare) that pop up on eBay every so often.
Incidentally, if they still had Chicago babys in 1980 when do you think the stock actually ran out? LOL
Someone made a comment that they may just never have changed their castings for the baby bullets . . .but there are Schiller Park babys (though rare) that pop up on eBay every so often.
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bagged89s10
Well-known member
3" Wilton 930. Date 1/47
hi,
i'm new to these here boards, but found this thread and wanted to share my grandfather's wilton with everyone.
it's marked 835 on the main casting; it's also marked on one side of the moving jaw with 835, and with something in a circle on the other side.
on the slide it's stamped "4-945". curved wilton, chicago usa on both sides.
my grandfather had it on his workbench forever, and they're both now mine. looks to be an early one.
thanks to all who put this thread together. i've learned a lot.
i'm new to these here boards, but found this thread and wanted to share my grandfather's wilton with everyone.
it's marked 835 on the main casting; it's also marked on one side of the moving jaw with 835, and with something in a circle on the other side.
on the slide it's stamped "4-945". curved wilton, chicago usa on both sides.
my grandfather had it on his workbench forever, and they're both now mine. looks to be an early one.
thanks to all who put this thread together. i've learned a lot.
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duane, excepting the GF40 (which i didn't check for on the base), this is what i just posted that was my grandfather's. twins!
OP
drivesitfar
Well-known member
MW: excellent first post and welcome to the forum and Garage Journal. Happy to hear you were able to keep Gramp's old Wilton bullet. it doesn't look abused and just used so maybe just a cleaning and re greasing is all it needs before you bolt it to your bench.
your vise is one of the oldest ones with an actual stamp on the slide to don't use it as a press or hit it with a BFH and it should last you long enough to pass on to your grandkids.
one tip i might lend you is to throw an oily or even a clean rag over the slide if you are cutting anything in the jaws so you can keep as much debris out of the slide area as possible. also clean and re grease every couple years unless you are a daily user then every 3 to 6 months. i do like the patina or there are so many spiffed up Wilton vises on this forum you might get some ideas on what color to paint it. I vote to keep as is like Gramps would have used it or clean it up and put some BLO on it.
good luck
your vise is one of the oldest ones with an actual stamp on the slide to don't use it as a press or hit it with a BFH and it should last you long enough to pass on to your grandkids.
one tip i might lend you is to throw an oily or even a clean rag over the slide if you are cutting anything in the jaws so you can keep as much debris out of the slide area as possible. also clean and re grease every couple years unless you are a daily user then every 3 to 6 months. i do like the patina or there are so many spiffed up Wilton vises on this forum you might get some ideas on what color to paint it. I vote to keep as is like Gramps would have used it or clean it up and put some BLO on it.
good luck
OP
drivesitfar
Well-known member
MW: you can up your posts count by posting pictures of your wilton and another one for your blacksmith vise on the main vise thread. i'm also going to start a thread just for and about blacksmith vises just because i think they deserve one so post some pictures there as you have time.
again welcome and ask questions if you read threads and have any because that's how we all learn.
cheers and hope the rag tip helps
again welcome and ask questions if you read threads and have any because that's how we all learn.
cheers and hope the rag tip helps
Shiftless
Well-known member
Madwing:
Welcome to the board.
Grampa's vise is classic! I'd vote for a quick wipe with BLO (boiled linseed oil) and use it as is for clean work.
I'm with Drives regarding covering the slide with a rag to preserve the smooth action on your vintage vise. There are only a couple of thousandths clearance so any crud that gets in there will cause you grief.
You might want to take this opportunity to take it apart, clean and relube it.
Check out the vise repair site for guidance if you need it.
I missed an opportunity to own my grandfather's vise long ago.
Welcome to the board.
Grampa's vise is classic! I'd vote for a quick wipe with BLO (boiled linseed oil) and use it as is for clean work.
I'm with Drives regarding covering the slide with a rag to preserve the smooth action on your vintage vise. There are only a couple of thousandths clearance so any crud that gets in there will cause you grief.
You might want to take this opportunity to take it apart, clean and relube it.
Check out the vise repair site for guidance if you need it.
I missed an opportunity to own my grandfather's vise long ago.
Egapgt
Active member
An observation not previously noted (I don't think). Picture 5 in Kevin's post shows a footnote at the bottom saying the 8" Wiltons were not Wilton products. Whose were they?
Tom
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Egapgt
Active member
Egapgt
Active member
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Also, for those with damaged Spindles or nuts; (at least for this year vise) have an unconditional lifetime guarantee. I never noticed that.
Egapgt
Active member
These are from a current e-Bay listing. The markings are unfamiliar, at least to me. The seller says they cannot make the number out after "MAR". Has anyone else seen the date stamp marked in a similar manner? The "GUAR EXP" font seems right, just in the wrong place. Perhaps the retailer applied them.
Tom
Tom
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Never seen markings like that they may indeed have been retailer applied.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
PghJKB
Well-known member
A couple more for the database.
First a No. 6, with hooks, dated 11-51. Kinda late for a No. 6, but the Baby on it's back is even later.
Second, a 4 incher, this one dated 2 - 47. The swivel locking nuts are brass.
JKB
First a No. 6, with hooks, dated 11-51. Kinda late for a No. 6, but the Baby on it's back is even later.
Second, a 4 incher, this one dated 2 - 47. The swivel locking nuts are brass.
JKB
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Reforminded
New member
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2010
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I have an A9450 4.5" Jaw. It is stamped "Guar Exp 6-30-62."
ckadams00
Well-known member
Just got a new baby 2" bullet - Schiller Park (how long did they make these after the move?) stamped "3-85"! I'm under the impression there aren't any baby bullets manufactured after about 1960? So this one sat for 25+ years? Anyone think different?
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OP
drivesitfar
Well-known member
SS: are you posting pictures from a cell phone? maybe that is why and try turning the camera the other direction when taking pictures and see if that helps.
Wilton must have made thousands of the baby bullets with Chicago on them because they stamped them into the 80's as you will find others in this thread. your 1985 might be the latest so far and i'll let Bluebolt chime in since he has the data.
ALL: thanks all for posting your Wiltons and adding to our data so we can keep trying to figure out Wilton's stamping method.
Have a great weekend
Wilton must have made thousands of the baby bullets with Chicago on them because they stamped them into the 80's as you will find others in this thread. your 1985 might be the latest so far and i'll let Bluebolt chime in since he has the data.
ALL: thanks all for posting your Wiltons and adding to our data so we can keep trying to figure out Wilton's stamping method.
Have a great weekend
McBrownie
Well-known member
Sure looks like a C0. Any stamps like that?
CRSINMICH
Well-known member
Uncle_Charlie
Well-known member
I found this sad looking thing on the local CL. There's no "guar exp" stamp on it. Since it says Chicago USA, I assume it's an early model. I don't know what the 1 means under C0, or the CH (H inside the C) for that matter. The baby poop yellow paint was applied to keep it from rusting. I was told it came out of an automatic transmission shop, so it has been well used.
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OP
drivesitfar
Well-known member
CH: do you have the vise in front of you? can you pull out the dynamic all the way and clean off the slide to take a picture and post the date stamp? or is there one? the ones without them we've pretty much determined that they were made 1941-1945 during WWII and sold to the government well at least the Chicago and patent stamped ones. nice C0 and I'm guessing late 40's or early 50's so hopefully you'll find a date stamp.
McBrownie
Well-known member
Uncle_Charlie
Well-known member
The only mark I can find that might be a date stamp is on the base assembly where it says "13 350B." The other two photos are what I believe you mean by dynamic. If ever there was a date stamp on that part, it's long gone. It was originally painted machine gray, if that helps to determine the age.
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Uncle_Charlie
Well-known member
It is painted baby poop yellow. I wouldn't care if harbor fright did that, but this is American iron, after all.
McBrownie
Well-known member
The "Chicago" and hex lock down nuts on the swivel put it late '40's through late '50's. It's a really nice vise.
CRSINMICH
Well-known member
Uncle_Charlie
Well-known member
Rookie question here....Did Wilton ever use rivets to hold the jaws in place? I'm still working on tearing down the C0, and there appears to be no machining on the screws (if that's what they are) for a screwdriver head or an allen head driver. I'm trying to drill one out, but we all know how much fun removing rivets can be.
ckadams00
Well-known member
Got another baby today with a PowrArm looks like the set was sold together with original matching paint - Chicago - stamped 1-80. Pictures when possible.
Uncle_Charlie
Well-known member
I know it's bad form to reply to your own post....it's kinda like talking to yourself. Anyway, I got the jaw out of the body. It was held in with screws, but they were so badly mangled that no ordinary turning type tool would ever touch them. They didn't even look like screw heads at all. I ended up using screw extractors- a tool I generally avoid. The jaws were so badly trashed before I got the vise, that reusing them is not an option.
has anyone tried these or worked with this vendor? http://www.wiltonviseparts.net/3-1-...wilton-vise-jaws-fits-the-early-wilton-vises/
They look promising, but pricey to boot.
If I can get the jaw off of the dynamic, I'll call it a day and resume work on it next week.
OP
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Uncle: I did see your post and couldn't think of one Wilton with rivets. I'm on vacation so checking in on gj as I have time, but not for long like usual. Happy to hear you figured out the jaws were screwed on and the web site you found is run by a member here you might have heard of. KM Scott and yes he makes jaws and I've yet to hear of an unhappy customer. Good luck