6" Wilton Vise

[DavidB]

Thanks to Craigslist I now have another vise! It's a Wilton No. 60 with 6" jaws and a 9" max opening. This monster weighs in right at 100 lbs and makes my previous "large" vise seem small. It also has the rotating static jaw. Does anyone know how to rotate the jaw? I took the nut off but the stud did not come out. I'd rather get instructions on how to move it than go banging around and tear something up. I don't see any cracks or large chips. There are a few small ones around the base.

There are a couple down sides it though. Someone welded the dynamic jaw pad in and the handle is slightly bent. I think the seller tossed a quick coat of paint on it for the sale and it'll probably be coming off in the near future.

There is no date on the bottom of the slide but is what looks to be a date on the underside of the static jaw. Can anyone comment to this?

The guy wanted $90 for it so I think I did ok.

Now for what you've been waiting for...pictures.

Side view

Other side

Rotating static jaw

Fully open with a 12" ruler. For reference my bench is 2' wide.

Possible date

Picture of the welding

Wilton, Prentiss, and junk in the background

Any who won out you ask? The seller or me? Nope, my wife won out because while I was there the guy was showing me some other stuff he had for sale and I asked about a Troy-Bilt tiller he had since my wife has been wanting one. It came home too and now I get to till.

David

 

[impulse922]

you errrrrrrrrrrrr

least an enthusiast got it i 'spose

// see vise thread on ~page 2

i gotta ask though, did you flag the post, because the ad disappeared a while before he contacted me and said it was sold..

 

[DavidB]

I didn't see your post asking about it from page two until you pointed it out. I regularly watch Craigslist and jumped on this when I saw it. I shot him an email about 10:30 this morning and called him later on. I picked it up from him around 2:00. No, I didn't flag the ad. The thought of doing that to keep someone else from buying it never occurred to me.

David

 

[Jack Olsen]

That's a beautiful vise and you got a smokin' deal. But is that one jaw piece welded in?

 

[impulse922]

I didn't see your post asking about it from page two until you pointed it out. I regularly watch Craigslist and jumped on this when I saw it. I shot him an email about 10:30 this morning and called him later on. I picked it up from him around 2:00. No, I didn't flag the ad. The thought of doing that to keep someone else from buying it never occurred to me.

David

ah, you caught it an hour or so before me then, and i'm not exactly local anyways.

definitely looks like a keeper.

 

[DavidB]

ah, you caught it an hour or so before me then, and i'm not exactly local anyways.

definitely looks like a keeper.

Where are you located? It was an hours drive for me.
If you need a tool box and are near Ft. Walton there is a good deal on a Snap-On (not my ad btw). http://okaloosa.craigslist.org/tls/1813777423.html

That's a beautiful vise and you got a smokin' deal. But is that one jaw piece welded in?

Yeah the dynamic jaw pad is welded in.

 

[impulse922]

Where are you located? It was an hours drive for me.
If you need a tool box and are near Ft. Walton there is a good deal on a Snap-On (not my ad btw). http://okaloosa.craigslist.org/tls/1813777423.html

hahahah i was just about to tell you bout that $500 box. I'm over in Mobile.

// its a little to large for me to transport.. and a bit steep for my hobby budget. (college budget, ha)

 

[ZRX61]

What's the finish on the Prentiss?

 

[DavidB]

I'd love to have that box but I think the wife would shoot me.

What's the finish on the Prentiss?

It's Rust-Oleum Hammered Black. I did a thread about about restoring it that has some more pictures if you're interested: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63428

 

[impulse922]

I'd love to have that box but I think the wife would shoot me.

better than shooting yourself

florida craigslist > coastal AL,MS, LA

 

[mjozefow]

Nice Wilton! I love the look of it. I know most of the rotating jaw vises are a tapered pin, so maybe try tapping the jaw upward gently to get it to move.

 

[DavidB]

Nice Wilton! I love the look of it. I know most of the rotating jaw vises are a tapered pin, so maybe try tapping the jaw upward gently to get it to move.

Hmm ok. Upon closer inspection there appears to be a roll pin in the hole that you see on the side views. It looks like it goes through the pin that the jaw rotates about. I'll try knocking it out later and see how it turns out.

Yup, the pin is the key to it. I drifted the pin out and the jaw lifted off. The stud with the nut on it centered the jaw and the pin keeps it from falling out I guess. I've got pics if anyone is interested.

 

[bgott]

Good score! that is the first Wilton bullit I've seen that has a rotating jaw like that.

 

[DavidB]

What are folks thoughts on fixing the welded jaw? I cannot weld myself. On one hand its quite ugly the way it is but I don't want to risk damaging the vise. I'm not even sure where to begin trying to fix it. I'm not sure how much grinding I could do since the weld is in a 90 degree corner.

 

[ZRX61]

It's Rust-Oleum Hammered Black.

okee doke, That's what will be going on my next vice resto....

 

[autopts71045]

That Wilton was made in the late 40's maybe early 50's. I've seen a number of old Wiltons but not like that one. Whoever welded that jaw on made a major mistake. Have a qualified machinist take it off, and if he's handy with a grinder, have him clean out that area. Chances are the two mounting screws are broken in it That shouldn't be a problem drilling and retapping those holes. The jaws off a new 1765 will mount 6 1/2"W X 3/4"H with mounting holes 2 3/8" C-C. They will over lap 1/4" or grind them down. Thats a beautiful and unusual functional piece of art you have there!

 

[selohssa]

I sure do like the style of those vises.

 

[DavidB]

That Wilton was made in the late 40's maybe early 50's. I've seen a number of old Wiltons but not like that one. Whoever welded that jaw on made a major mistake. Have a qualified machinist take it off, and if he's handy with a grinder, have him clean out that area. Chances are the two mounting screws are broken in it That shouldn't be a problem drilling and retapping those holes. The jaws off a new 1765 will mount 6 1/2"W X 3/4"H with mounting holes 2 3/8" C-C. They will over lap 1/4" or grind them down. Thats a beautiful and unusual functional piece of art you have there!

Thanks for the info. I was afraid I'd need a machinist. Unfortunately, I don't know any in the area. I'd hate to think what it would cost to send the jaw off to our resident machinist on the board.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

Oh man that thing is cool!! I didn't know Wilton made one like that. I would love to see the disassembled pictures you took. Absolutely fantastic score. You ****!

 

[DavidB]

Oh man that thing is cool!! I didn't know Wilton made one like that. I would love to see the disassembled pictures you took. Absolutely fantastic score. You ****!

No problem. More pics are never a problem!

I hit both surfaces with a wire wheel to remove some surface rust and then oiled both surfaces.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

That is great. I'd have bought that in a second if it had been around here. I don't have one with the swiveling rear jaw yet. Thanks for posting the extra picks. Great great score.

 

[impulse922]

what purpose does the swiveling jaw have?

Is it so you can use the vise to pull instead of push(press)?

 

[DavidB]

what purpose does the swiveling jaw have?

Is it so you can use the vise to pull instead of push(press)?

I believe it is used for gripping items with non-parallel sides. I'm sure others will chime in.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

what purpose does the swiveling jaw have?

Is it so you can use the vise to pull instead of push(press)?

DavidB had it right. When its assembled, you take the rear pin out and the whole piece will swivel back and forth on the large front pin. Basically you can clamp a wedge with it and it will grip both sides evenly.

I think Mitch found out that Prentiss was the first to make this design. It may also have been him or something else that I read it was designed for iron workers originally.

 

[Slip_Kid]

Is the swivel base missing or is it a fixed mount vise? Never seen one like this, nice score.

 

[DavidB]

I believe it is a fixed base since the base has one hole on each side. I'm not very familiar with older Wiltons though so it is possible someone has removed the swivel base. Anyone have a source for older Wilton info?

 

[spongerich]

I believe that the non-swivel models have 3 mounting points. I know that the swivels have 2, one on either side like yours. Mine is a '46 and the logo is the same. Are you sure there's no date stamped on the bottom of the slide?


Can you post a picture of the bottom of the base?

Even with a missing swivel, it's still pretty awesome... I imagine it would be plenty stable with 2 big carriage bolts. You'd have to beat on it pretty hard to break the base.

 

[DavidB]

Yeah, I can post a picture of the slide later tonight. I'm kinda not surprised to hear that it might be a swivel base because the base has a cylindrical protrusion from the bottom that is about 0.5" smaller in diameter than the base and about 1/8" in height. Do you have any pics of your Wilton? I've sure they're here somewhere but I haven't found them in my brief search.

Thanks

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

Yeah, I can post a picture of the slide later tonight. I'm kinda not surprised to hear that it might be a swivel base because the base has a cylindrical protrusion from the bottom that is about 0.5" smaller in diameter than the base and about 1/8" in height. Do you have any pics of your Wilton? I've sure they're here somewhere but I haven't found them in my brief search.

Thanks

Aah that's what I was going to ask. It's hard to describe without pictures, isn't it? Autopts is the real Wilton expert, but as far as I know, that machined cylinder on the bottom is the only difference between swivel and fixed base Wiltons.

 

[DavidB]

Ah ok. I'll grab some pics of the bottom of the slide and the base later on tonight.

 

[dan76]

nice acquisition.....

The CL ad on the Snappy boxes is tempting.....too bad I'm not heading to the seller's locale this week. Still thinking how I would explain the excess carry-on luggage to TSA.

 

[DavidB]

Well, I stand corrected. I thought the date code was on the bottom of the slide and instead it is on the key. Here is the picture of what is stamped on mine. It's not exactly a date like I'm used to seeing in the pics...

Here is the picture of the bottom. You can clearly see the raised portion but there isn't a hole in the center of the base like I've seen on some Wiltons.

David

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Looks like it was made in January of 1971.

 

[whelenfan]

That is in fantastic condition. Great score.

 

[aloysiuscarl]

Yes. wilton vises are among the best you can get. I have two 5" machinist vises, and two 6" machinist vises, and they have all performed great.

 

[fomocoforrester]

DavidB had it right. When its assembled, you take the rear pin out and the whole piece will swivel back and forth on the large front pin. Basically you can clamp a wedge with it and it will grip both sides evenly.

I still can't quite see it. Surely to allow the static jaw to swivel back and forth, you would have to take out the role pin,as well as the small pin, and in that case, the whole static jaw would tend to lift when you applied pressure with the dynamic jaw.

It looks to me more like it was designed to have some kind of alternative static jaw assembly.

 

[DavidB]

I still can't quite see it. Surely to allow the static jaw to swivel back and forth, you would have to take out the role pin,as well as the small pin, and in that case, the whole static jaw would tend to lift when you applied pressure with the dynamic jaw.

It looks to me more like it was designed to have some kind of alternative static jaw assembly.

I do agree it looks that way and I'd gladly test it to see but the pin in the back with the nut on it is stuck in there. I'm guessing it is slightly tapered (fatter on the bottom) and the nut kept it from falling down through the jaw? I'm soaking the pin in some penetrant overnight with hopes that it'll loosen up some and I can tap it out tomorrow.

Yes. wilton vises are among the best you can get. I have two 5" machinist vises, and two 6" machinist vises, and they have all performed great.

Very cool. Do you have any pictures of the vises? Some of us love vise pics!

 

[autopts71045]

Hi, I believe only 1st generation Wilton vises had "Wilton Vise Co. on one side and Wlton Tool Co. on the other and a 6" vise with those tiny jaws are, I believe pre 1950. They had left the date off 50 % of the keyways back then. I've had three having no date stamped. Anyone with an 1/8" number punch could have make up his own date however, by 1971 Witon was making their Schiller Park 600N and it has huge jaws bolted from behind. All Wiltons are made to take a swivel base, they never made a stationary 3 bolt design. Even today they have the "N" series. no swivel base, and the "S" series" with swivel. You could add a swivel base but they are almost impossible to find and much bucko's! I believe Wilton never even had this swivel in their catalog.

 

[DavidB]

Hi, I believe only 1st generation Wilton vises had "Wilton Vise Co. on one side and Wlton Tool Co. on the other and a 6" vise with those tiny jaws are, I believe pre 1950. They had left the date off 50 % of the keyways back then. I've had three having no date stamped. Anyone with an 1/8" number punch could have make up his own date however, by 1971 Witon was making their Schiller Park 600N and it has huge jaws bolted from behind. All Wiltons are made to take a swivel base, they never made a stationary 3 bolt design. Even today they have the "N" series. no swivel base, and the "S" series" with swivel. You could add a swivel base but they are almost impossible to find and much bucko's! I believe Wilton never even had this swivel in their catalog.

Thanks a ton for the info! I was thinking the script on the sides indicated an older Wilton. That makes me go back to my original thought that the date is on the bottom of the swivel jaw on this one. Thanks also for the info on the different bases. Thats just the kind of info I was looking for.

 

[Falcon67]

Nice vice. Price the new ones and your $90 gets real close to "theft"