Vintage Vise Locked Up

[Dietrich67]

Hello all. I rescued this old Wilton bullet vise from a trash heap. Got it all cleaned up and realized that it’s completely frozen up internally. I’ve tried everything, but I just don’t have the heavy duty tools and equipment that would be necessary to free it up. Any suggestions as to where I could take it for help? I’m in the DFW area. Thanks in advance!

 

[mark-NJ]

"Rusted up" frozen? or "Broken" frozen?

If rusted, I have had, over the years, amazing results with a home-brew of 50/50 acetone & automatic trans fluid. Sounds crazy, but I've loosened stuff that other oils & solvents wouldn't budge.

First time someone told me about this mix, I thought they were pulling my leg. Now? I swear by it!

 

[Shiftless]

The problem with those is that the clearances are so tight. I have rehabbed a few. A tiny bit of rust will stick them HARD.

After soaking in penetrating oil or acetone/ATF, you might have to rig up some kind of press to get it to move. I had to do that once. I have pictures somewhere if you need it later.

If you can’t get it to move, you can advertise it here on GJ as a project vise. There must be more than a few GJ guys in your area. I bet somebody would give you cash or trade you for an operable vise. I have a lot to choose from but shipping costs would kill the deal.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Yeah, soaking it in a rust-removing solution might be the only real option. If you can get all the rust out, and it works, then there's your problem. Otherwise it is mechanically broken.

 

[Dietrich67]

Are there machine or tool shops that do this type of work? It’s just too cool to give up on!

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

If you can get the dust cap and pins out you may be able to rig something up like this. I put as much tension as I dared on that chain. I didn't have access to a torch so I left the heat gun on it for a bout a half hour. Along with the heat, wiggling a five foot pry bar between the jaws ultimately got it to submit. The hydraulic jack didn't have a whole lot more left in it either. And yes if you could get the pins and cap out a machine shop could probably fit it in their press too. Make sure you remove the spindle first!

 

[budget76]

my suggestion that I had success with: stand it on its' tail and every day for the next 2 weeks, fill it between the static & dynamic groove with PB Blaster or equivalent (not WD40, something better). let it soak in good. After those 2 weeks, take off the front plate so the screw is not holding the dynamic jaw and use a deadblow / wood with mallet / etc to try to get it to move. if it moves 1/16" you've won. if not, keep soaking. once it moves you can slowly work it using either the deadblow or the screw, let it soak again if it sticks.

some are worse than others, there's a couple good threads with massive sagas on getting them free. Yours looks similar to the shape mine was in when I got it

 

[Shiftless]

Are there machine or tool shops that do this type of work? It’s just too cool to give up on!

I admire your courage and dedication. I’ve never heard of anybody who does that work as a business. Considering the time involved, it has to be a labor of love. A machinist somewhere might rise to the challenge and take on your project to work on in between other jobs in his shop.

 

[Hammer1963]

Soak it in a solution of salt water, agitate and tap the body with a bronze or copper hammer occasionally. I was pleasantly surprised how well this worked for me on a similar vise. Once the vise was freed, I used a 50/50 acetone and auto trans fluid bath to further loosen the remaining crud

 

[Shiftless]

Hammer:
Im glad it worked for you in that one instance, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who has seen what salt water does to cast iron and would be quite hesitant to try your salt water bath on a nice vise.

I would suggest electrolysis as another alternative.

It’s hard to completely immerse a vise in penetrating oil. If you mix ATF and acetone, it will separate so a guy would have to agitate the container regularly.

If you soak it in Evaporust it might do the trick. Put the vise in a big plastic bag. Fill with Evaporust and then immerse in a bucket of water. That uses a lot less Evaporust than using a whole bucket full.

 

[toolmiser]

What you need is patience. You need to soak it with something to penetrate the rust and that could take a couple months, but it won't cost you much.

 

[RTM]

Rather than soaking it in the ATF / Acetone mix, spray it down regularly. The solution works because the evaporation of the Acetone helps motivate the ATF to get in side. Soaking it generally isn't as effective (heard from guys who were hearing of this in the earlier part of this century, never done it)

 

[619DioFan]

I would remove the end cap , remove the turn handle assembly , stand and support the vise vertically with the tail end up and fill with blasters or kroil. add more each day , let sit for a week in this position. then attach it to something ubber strong with the tail pointing down and put a bottle jack under to push against the end of the movable jaw while carefully prying between the jaws with a big prybar.

 

[isb cornbinder]

"Rusted up" frozen? or "Broken" frozen?

If rusted, I have had, over the years, amazing results with a home-brew of 50/50 acetone & automatic trans fluid. Sounds crazy, but I've loosened stuff that other oils & solvents wouldn't budge.

First time someone told me about this mix, I thought they were pulling my leg. Now? I swear by it!

Acetone & automatic trans do not mix. You might have been just as well off with the ATF alone.

 

[LSU]

When you get it solved, please post how you did it.

 

[Rabid Badger]

A Harbor Freight 20 ton press is cheap compared to the value of that vise. If you don't need it afterward you can sell it and recoup most of your money.

 

[alinc100]

Question ,would electrolysis penetrate the rust or will it only work on the exposed surfaces? I can't recall someone dunking a whole vise or not.

 

[lilredex]

Electrolysis is the secret. This $2 garage sale item was rusted solid and nobody wanted it. It took a day or so in the tank and it was freed up. Sold it for $50.

 

[Al Borland]

Instead of prying, put the pressure on it as suggested, then tap on it with a hammer. TAP. Do not beat the bejeesus out of it. Use a deadblow with a soft face.
Also, oil the slide from both sides, not just back or front.

 

[wrenchr]

Take your time, keep spraying and have a beer!!

 

[Dietrich67]

Take your time, keep spraying and have a beer!!

That’s a given!

 

[Shiftless]

Using 3/4 inch allthread I rigged up a puller.
I first removed the tail piece and the big nut and then stacked up a few washers that were the right size to bear on the back end of the slide but fit through the bore. That’s a 24 inch Snap On breaker bar. It was flexing significantly before the parts started to move.

Yes, I soaked both ends with Kroil penetrating oil for weeks prior to this approach.

 

[Mgdoug3]

I have a Morgan Chicago 45 that was my grandfather's that was rusted up solid. It took me a year before I got it freed up. I tried PB Blaster, a torch, 20 ton press and none of that worked. I about gave up but put the vise in another vise and use a big punch and sledge hammer. I got it move just a little. Soaked it some more with PB blaster or ATF/acetone and stuck it in the press to push the jaw back in a little. I walked back and forth between sticking it in my other vise and the press and I eventually got it freed up. I restored it and now it's my favorite vise to use.

On YouTube, Abomb79 used his giant press to free up a stuck Wilton. Search for him and you can see how he did it.

 

[Shiftless]

 

[Davefr]

Get a large tote and fill it with feed grade Molasses and water in a ratio of around 1 to 10. It's as effective as Evaporust but works much slower. It's way cheaper too!! Toss it in and come back in a month and you might be pleasantly surprised. If it doesn't totally free it up, it'll get you off to a great start.