Wilton Bullet Vise

[Kuffar]

Hi, first post. I ran across this site, looking for ideas on disassembling a Wilton bullet vice. I picked it up for $15.00, but boy is it stuck. I haven't played with the internals on a vice before, but it can't be that tough. Well, after you get it to move.
This one looks to have all the parts, but it had the internal nut hanging out the back. It appears the two rolls pins are sheared off. I disassembled the vice a down to the final two cast iron pieces, but they are not gonna budge. I tried heating the vice, to loosen the grease inside, but she still no move! I don't have a porta-power, to force them apart. I liberally applied PB Blaster, and am now awaiting that verdict.
There was an older thread, about using apple cider vinegar. I've been playing with old tools, for years, but haven't ever tried that one. That's acetic acid. I have a pretty good supply of oxalic acid, which is a rust eater. I got it to use on my bees. It removes the rust, so they can fly better. Gotcha, on that one, huh? It's to kill mites, that are tearing the bees up. Anyway, anyone tried oxalic before, onstuck tools? Thanks.

 

[wrenchr]

Evapo rust will do it.

 

[notlob]

This post shows a method which may help free up your vise:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7520944&postcount=6647

 

[MayerMR]

I had this same thing happen to me, also with a Wilton, and I was able to get it unstuck by the method you'll find in this thread:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386890

Post some pics, we all wanna see it!

 

[TexasT]

I got mine un stuck with a splitting wedge. Who ever had it before had busted the horseshoe thing off and it was just stuck. I pulled the handle and threaded piece and did the pb blaster for a week or two then "split it". I am figuring out what I'm going to do for the horseshoe piece as the real replacement part is pretty pricey. I got some big washers and am going to cut it to fit. Gotta drill and thread some holes in the jaw to retain it.

 

[454ragtop]

I suspect you're going to find a bent slide tube once you get it apart, sadly.

 

[Kuffar]

Sorry, I'm just getting back to this. I've spent the past 3 days fiddling with this. I had some oxalic acid, I dropped the parts into. If I can get this picture posted, it shows where the waterline was. I've gone through half a can of PB Blaster, and decided to try a gunsmithing concoction, called Ed's Red. 50/50 acetone and ****** fluid. I managed to get the vice to move about 1/4", the second day. As for internal damage, it seems to have been kept to a minimum. The two cross pins, sheared off, allowing the tube to blow out the back. I'm missing the plug, but that's a small item.
I liked the one tool, that opens a stuck vice, but didn't see it until tonight. I had an old pick head, and a cold chisel. I stuck the pick head through the throat, and hammered the cold chisel in, as a wedge. Oh, I forgot to mention, I tried heat too. Twice. To no avail. Once it moved 1/4", I beat it closed again. Then open, and blah blah blah. I finally got it open, about an inch. I greased a huge splitting wedge, and slid a couple of 1/4" plates in the jaws, then hammered the wedge in, until it almost hit the shank. Pulled the wedge, added more plates, etc. So, it was an ordeal.
Once apart, i gave it a baptism in some soda bicarb, and stuck it on top of my heat barrel, and burned all the crud off. After wire brushing all the surface rust off, I didn't have the right color paint. Looks like the same color green as my old Snappin' Turtle. So, it's sitting next to my wood stove, in a Pewter color. Evidently, it was a '74. The #'s I have are 279.
The oxalic acid worked so well, I tossed a Royerford Excelsior No. 0 press in too. It came out great. I'm hooked. An old rusty come along went in next.

 

[Kuffar]

Ok. Sorry again. As soon as I edit some pix, down to a smaller size, I'll upload them.

 

[exmaxima1]

Evidently, it was a '74. The #'s I have are 279.

It's a '79. Unless the words "GUAR EXP" are also stamped, you don't deduct 5 years off the date.

 

[2oolhound]

Good work! We'd still like to see some pics though and thanks for the word on oxalic acid, I haven't heard of it before but if it takes the rust off bee's wings like you say it must be pretty safe to work with. Is it expensive? easy to get?

 

[Kuffar]

Ok, thanks for the clarification on the dates.
As to oxalic acid, I think I paid $14.00, for 10 pounds, off of eBay. If you've ever flushed your radiator and engine, you've used oxalic acid. It's also available at your grocery, as RedOut. You'll find that in the laundry supplies.
If you ever see your local fire department, flushing hydrants, that stirs up all kinds of rusty sediment in the water mains. When I was working we always tried to let the residents know where we would be flushing, so they wouldn't do laundry that day. Otherwise, they wound up with orange whites. We kept a box of RedOut, at the station, to pass out to PO'd women. Not being sexist here, but I don't think we ever had a guy come in after any.
I think the RedOut is much more expensive than the eBay version. The purity is 99.something%, for the bag I bought. Purity, is probably not a big deal for removing rust from tools, or engine blocks, but is a biggy when applying to honey bees. Remember, food source.
I think I put 1/4 cup in about 3 gallons of water. That mixture is still going strong. So, it's quite economical.
Oh, one more thing. Remember, this is an acid, so watch your eyes, hands, and especially lungs. And, don't forget to rinse your metal items in a soda bicarbonate rinse, to neutralize the acid. I let mine soak overnight. It's a bit slimy when you take it out. Light surface rust will form, almost immediately, but comes right off with a wire brush. That's why I painted my stuff, as soon as I could.

 

[Kuffar]

Ok guys,
Here's what this vice originally looked like. As soon as I can figure out how to shrink these other pix down, I'll post them. I've wasted an hour and a half screwing with different photo apps. None of which seem to be able to do a simple task.
I know I'm getting older, but I used to shrink stuff down with no problem.

 

[Kuffar]

Yeah, that didn't go either.

 

[Lonstar]

Use postimage - https://postimages.org/

Upload pic, leave image size as is or choose a reduced size, then copy the URL for "Hotlink for forums" further down the page. Paste link in your reply.

If file size of pics are too big to upload to postimage (you'll get a message saying so when you try), use MS Paint to reduce the file size. Google how to do that if you're not sure.

 

[Kuffar]

Thanks Lonstar. I'll try that.
Gimme a day or two. I thought retirement was supposed to be....less busy.

 

[MayerMR]

Thanks Lonstar. I'll try that.
Gimme a day or two. I thought retirement was supposed to be....less busy.

I think the best we can give you is half a day. We got deadlines to keep here on GJ!

 

[Kuffar]

https://postimg.cc/7CD6WrM8 This is what the vise looked like, except the barrel nut was hanging out of the back.

https://postimg.cc/4nFYNMZV. This is what I wound up with, to pry these two pieces apart. I inserted the pick head through the throat, and then drove the cold chisel in. That finally moved the pieces 1/4". I just kept working them, until they loosened slightly. Then kept adding spacers.

https://postimg.cc/21S9FVMP. Final product. Works as smooth as glass.

 

[Randall3rd]

Wow! What a difference!

 

[MayerMR]

https://postimg.cc/7CD6WrM8 This is what the vise looked like, except the barrel nut was hanging out of the back.

https://postimg.cc/4nFYNMZV. This is what I wound up with, to pry these two pieces apart. I inserted the pick head through the throat, and then drove the cold chisel in. That finally moved the pieces 1/4". I just kept working them, until they loosened slightly. Then kept adding spacers.

https://postimg.cc/21S9FVMP. Final product. Works as smooth as glass.

Looks great Kuffar!

 

[Kuffar]

Thanks! Now I'm afraid to hit it. ��
Reading through some of the threads, I'm starting to appreciate some of my old tools, a bit more. I have some from my dad, and grandfather.
My wife has told me, she is just going to rent a dumpster, if I die first. I have 2 son-in-law's that may know what's there.