Wilton Baby Bullet Model 825 $15 Thrift Store Restoration

PWRstroke_smoke · May 31, 2016

I have been looking to find a baby bullet in the wild for many years. Well luck was on my side last friday at the local thrift store. This was the first one I have ever seen and I bought it in a hurry for only $15.
It is in very good condition and has the original jaws. I was going to leave it alone but decided since I am not going to sell it I will do a full restoration.
Decided to use a rustoleum hammered paint in Verde Green.
I really like the size of the 2.5" model 825, the 820 is just too small for my application.

Model 825 Fixed Base 2.5" jaws. Date code: 6-69

Baby Wilton 825 Vise by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

Baby Wilton 825 Vise by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

set atop the 1918 65lb arm and hammer anvil

Baby Wilton 825 Vise by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

Roberts210 · May 31, 2016

You got a great deal! Just out of curiosity, the price tag says $20. Did you offer them $15, or had they already reduced the price?

Is it possible the vise had a swivel base at one point?

FJ 432 · May 31, 2016

Well you ****. Nice find and looks like a well cared for. I would be tempted to leave it alone. But I'm anxious on seeing it finished.

Trey T · May 31, 2016

nice score ... very cute vise

PWRstroke_smoke · May 31, 2016

Roberts210 said:
You got a great deal! Just out of curiosity, the price tag says $20. Did you offer them $15, or had they already reduced the price?

Is it possible the vise had a swivel base at one point?

The thrift store i was at does not hold items and I only had $15 cash. Another guy was looking at it, so I didnt want to leave and go get more money. I offered 15 and they took it.
I was on my lunch and it was a quick stop in at my favorite picking spot, they said it had just come out of a local mans estate they purchased.

I think this one was hard mounted to a little gunsmith bench, so I dont think it ever had the swivel. They said they would save it for me if they found it and I showed them a picture of the pow r arm swivel on my phone.

morgaj1 · May 31, 2016

Great find. I think it looks great with its current patina.

rlitman · May 31, 2016

Suckage earned! Nice find. Though with the paint in as good condition as it is in, I'm not so sure I'd consider restoring it.

bulletpruf · May 31, 2016

You ****!

Curious to know how much it weighs. Thinking about setting up a small "work station" for my daughter in the garage (she's 3) so I would have an excuse to buy another vise. Already have the 3.5 and 4.5 bullets, so a baby would round out the collection a bit...

PWRstroke_smoke · May 31, 2016

I will post up a weight after i get it all re assembled.
Well it was a tough decision for me to decide whether or not to restore it or leave it as is. Since Im not selling it I decided to give it a makeover.

Baby Wilton 825 Vise by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

TMcCay · May 31, 2016

Yeah that is definitely a YOU ****! Congrats on the great find!

TLCObsession · May 31, 2016

How did you fill in the gouges on the anvil section?

LXCam · May 31, 2016

You are so beyond a you **** that you **** just for that alone. :fawk:

Congrats on a total score of the century for that baby collectable. Every time I come across one they're north of 4 bills. :thumbup:

PWRstroke_smoke · May 31, 2016

TLCObsession said:
How did you fill in the gouges on the anvil section?

I didn't. I was going to then just decided to file them smooth. There is masking tape covering the anvil i didn't want to paint that area. The gouges are the only negative I can see with this vise.

TMcCay said:
Yeah that is definitely a YOU ****! Congrats on the great find!

LXCam said:
You are so beyond a you **** that you **** just for that alone.

Congrats on a total score of the century for that baby collectable. Every time I come across one they're north of 4 bills.

Thanks guys for all the well deserved "You ****"
I about **** my pants when I saw the thing.
I wont lie I, ran to it when i saw it from a few aisles away in the store hahah

I am all finished with the resotration already took about half the afternoon, I will post pics in a few.

CNGsaves · May 31, 2016

Massive SUCKAGE EARNED !!! :thumbup:

. . .

. .

Heck for $15 you must be the damn best haggler in the country !!
Can I send you $100 and have you fill up a pallet full of scores for me ?????

PWRstroke_smoke · May 31, 2016

Its all finished! Im glad I decided to restore it, the color and hammered paint is pretty cool. I am very happy with how it turned out.
Once the paint cures i will drive the end cap back on and the side pins that hold the lead screw housing in place. It kinda just floats in the vise housing with two pins that keep it from moving forward or backwards.

Baby Wilton 825 Vise by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

CrotalusAtrox · May 31, 2016

Sweet deal and the restoration looks great

McFarmer · May 31, 2016

When I retired from teaching they closed the shop program. There was a Wilton bullet from the '60s on each bench.

I later found out they took benches and all to the dump.

Rory Bellows · May 31, 2016

Great find! Turned out very nice. But, I think the true "baby" bullet only has 2 inch jaws. More like a jewelers vise. Still great buy and wish I would have come across it. Score!

PWRstroke_smoke · May 31, 2016

Chilang said:
Sweet deal and the restoration looks great

Thanks

McFarmer said:
When I retired from teaching they closed the shop program. There was a Wilton bullet from the '60s on each bench.

I later found out they took benches and all to the dump.

I hate hearing stories like that to bad you didnt get them before they went to the dump.

Rory Bellows said:
Great find! Turned out very nice. But, I think the true "baby" bullet only has 2 inch jaws. More like a jewelers vise. Still great buy and wish I would have come across it. Score!

yes you are correct the 2" jewelers vise is model 820 and 920. the overall size is quite a bit smaller than this one (825). So small in fact that it is nearly useless to anyone but a jeweler or collector.

PWRstroke_smoke · May 31, 2016

The rear cap and pins are in, officially finished. Now to find a Pow-R-arm!

Baby Wilton 825 Vise by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

PWRstroke_smoke · Jun 5, 2016

CNGsaves said:
Massive SUCKAGE EARNED !!! . . . . .

Heck for $15 you must be the damn best haggler in the country !!
Can I send you $100 and have you fill up a pallet full of scores for me ?????

I would be glad to haha, I have been on a lucky streak here lately, picked this up today for 50$
Jet 18" bandsaw and htc mobile base

Jet JBS 18 Band Saw by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

FigureItOut · Jun 5, 2016

PWRstroke_smoke said:
Now to find a Pow-R-arm!

I noticed one in the GJ classifieds, two actually from the same seller. I don't know if it's what you need or the price is reasonable. Certainly not as reasonable as what you got the vise for.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk

Trey T · Aug 2, 2016

Are these 2.5" bullet considered "baby" bullet? I'm confused with the 2" one bc these run about $350 on eBay. I want to buy one from eBay, hoping to get it under $250shipped, ending today.

Anyone have 2.5" and 2" bullet pic comparison?

It's crazy but these small vises are so hard to find and so expensive. Need one for my kid's photoshoot.

dr_clyde · Aug 2, 2016

I've always thought the 2" was considered the baby, but they may have included the 2.5 in on that designation too. I don't know for sure.

I have a thread on my baby bullet and there are a few photos of it on a regular wilton for size comparison.

Trey T · Aug 3, 2016

Thanks Jake. I did some more digging and the 2" is significantly smaller than the 2.5". I'm gonna wait for a 2" baby bullet, hopefully in the sub $300 in good condition.

But geez, those vises commands about the same price as the 4.5" or 5" machinist bullet.

BFBOB · Aug 3, 2016

Great score, nice refinish job, but displaying it on that fabulous Arm & Hammer anvil?? Now you're just showing off. :lol:

kevnmcc · Sep 5, 2019

I am new to the forum, but came accross this Wilton thread. I found a bullet Wilton 820 in a tool box that was given to me. It appears to have all the original paint intact with no dents whatsoever. Just curious as to the pricing of such a find. Any info would be appreciated. I will post pictures soon...

ptgarcia · Sep 5, 2019

kevnmcc said:
I am new to the forum, but came accross this Wilton thread. I found a bullet Wilton 820 in a tool box that was given to me. It appears to have all the original paint intact with no dents whatsoever. Just curious as to the pricing of such a find. Any info would be appreciated. I will post pictures soon...

Worth about $40, but since you're new here I'll give you $50. :thumbup:

Seriously, though, if it really is like new you can get several hundred for it if you're patient.

pcmeiners · Sep 10, 2019

Nice find, price was a steal. Restore looks good !

beltdrive · Sep 10, 2019

I dig the 2.5 inch..I have one...I think it is model 825. FYI the chicago labeling makes the vise made in the late 40s (probably) but not assembled until 1969 when it was stamped.....according to my research.

hitechneanderthol · Oct 17, 2022

Think about it beltdrive. A company isn't going to store castings for 30 years. They want/need the floor space.
The 2 1/2" vises were still made in the US, still made in Chicago, so why not use the older bucks for a vise that is not a big seller?
Especially if the bucks aren't worn out.
Just my 2 cents 'cause the Wilton factory kept **** records of anything pre 2000 (or so). So they can't shed any light.

Griff79 · Oct 17, 2022

You ****!
Griff

3baygarage · Oct 18, 2022

Wow, six years and still sucking.... :lol:

bigredcornhead · Oct 18, 2022

I just want to know the painting process and colors he used came out great!

Jayman17 · Oct 20, 2022

The paint he used is Rustoleum Hammered Verde Green and it is difficult if not impossible to find currently. Out of stock just about everywhere.

Jay

Jayman17 · Oct 20, 2022

bigredcornhead said:
I just want to know the painting process and colors he used came out great!

See above post

Wilton Baby Bullet Model 825 $15 Thrift Store Restoration

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