Another Wilton Vise Resto

[DavidB]

I picked up another vise at the flea market and am in the process of cleaning it up. It's a Wilton No. 4, with 4" wide jaws, and weighs about 32 lbs.

Here's how I picked it up:

The first thing to do is to completely disassemble it. If you need instructions see my other thread: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93250

Clearly the paint has seen better days and needs to be removed. My method of choice is via electrolysis. It's cheap, easy, and loosens most of the paint making removal fairly easy. Here's the vise body taking a bath.

I let it soak overnight and then took it out this morning. I let it sit around all day while I was at work so a little flash rust has developed. Note how the paint has loosened over most of the body.

About 15 minutes of work with a hand held wire brush and a scraper ,for the stubborn paint, leaves me with this. Clearly, someone decided to weld on the back of the vise. I didn't see any cracks but they must have had some reason. Oh well, it doesn't affect how it works so I'm going to leave it as is.

After cleaning it up and wiping it down with paint thinner several times I hit it and several other parts with a coat of primer.

The dynamic jaw is currently in the electrolysis bath. I'll take it out in the morning, dry the slide, and spray the slide down with WD-40 to keep it from rusting during the day. Tomorrow night I'll post some updates.

I'm not sure about what color I want to paint it yet but I'm leaning back to red. Any recommendations?


UPDATE 3/1/11:

I got the dynamic jaw out this morning and sprayed the slide down with WD40 as planned. This is how it looked this evening. No flash rust on the slide.

I used the same method as before for getting the remaining paint off. Here it is masked off and ready to be primed.

Here's the dynamic jaw after being primed. It's always good to have another vise to lend a helping hand.

The swivel base is in the the electrolysis tank tonight.

 

[DavidB]

UPDATE: 3/2/11

At spongerich's prompting I apprehensively decided to try to clean up the weld on the back of the vise. I used a mix of an angle grinder and files. While no one will mistake it for the unmolested back of the vise, I think it turned out pretty well. Thanks! Here it is before and after priming.

I pulled the swivel base out of the tank this morning and sprayed the top of it with WD-40. I'll probably get to cleaning it up tomorrow since I worked on the back of the vise body tonight.

UPDATE 3/8/11
I finally found the free time to get back on the vise. I got the lead screw cleaned up and the end primed. No pic of that since I figure you'd know what it'd look like.

I've started painting the vise. I had a red around I'd used for touching up a tool box drawer so I figured I'd use it. Here are some of the parts still wet.

UPDATE 3-13-11

Finally got it put back together. I'm sure the highlighted writing will wear off soon but it looks good now.

 

[gilbo]

looking good, any color on a resto bullet is nice

 

[v7guy]

odd place to weld on it, nice to see another one get restored and used, look forward to updates!

 

[Rye425]

I've done a few of these with a pneumatic wire brush. The bath would have been so much easier.

 

[spongerich]

That looks like a nice early one. Does it say "patent pending" on the side?

Any date code stamped on the bottom of the slide?

 

[DavidB]

That looks like a nice early one. Does it say "patent pending" on the side?

Any date code stamped on the bottom of the slide?

I'm pretty sure it doesn't say "patent pending" but I'll check. No date code.

Edit: It does say Pat Pend. See below.

 

[jjarrell4]

Looking good. I love them bullets!

 

[autopts]

Thats a 1st generation Wilton 1941-1952. Its a little beat but still alive!

 

[whelenfan]

very nice vise, I can't wait to see the finish resto.

 

[DavidB]

I'm pretty sure it doesn't say "patent pending" but I'll check. No date code.

I was incorrect. It does say "Pat Pend" on the side. Still no date code.

UPDATE: I've added more to the first post with the current status.

 

[spongerich]

IMO, since you're already going through the trouble to restore this one, I'd spend 15 min with a grinder and smooth down that nasty weld on the jaw. It'll look SO much better when you're done.

Also, it'll give you a chance to better see if it's been repaired decently... if there's a big crack halfway through that welding, you want to know now, not when you go to clamp down on something heavy.

Just my $.02

 

[DavidB]

IMO, since you're already going through the trouble to restore this one, I'd spend 15 min with a grinder and smooth down that nasty weld on the jaw. It'll look SO much better when you're done.

Also, it'll give you a chance to better see if it's been repaired decently... if there's a big crack halfway through that welding, you want to know now, not when you go to clamp down on something heavy.

Just my $.02

Do you have any reccomendation on what to use to grind it down? I don't have any experience grinding welds.

 

[spongerich]

An angle grinder would be the easiest. A dremel would do the job too albeit a lot slower.
If you have a nice sharp file, that would also work just fine.

 

[DavidB]

Alright, I've got an angle grinder I just wasn't sure if there were any disks for it that would work better.

 

[pfbz]

Alright, I've got an angle grinder I just wasn't sure if there were any disks for it that would work better.

Flap disks work well for that sort of thing, a bit easier to control than hard grinding disks...

 

[gilbo]

question about the flash rust, does that occur when u put something through electrolysis ???

i have never tried electrolysis, was gonna try this weekend on my chas parker, i've only used vinegar with my other restore, and no flash rust occurred

 

[DavidB]

question about the flash rust, does that occur when u put something through electrolysis ???

i have never tried electrolysis, was gonna try this weekend on my chas parker, i've only used vinegar with my other restore, and no flash rust occurred

Mine only flash rusted because I pulled them out and left them for most of a day with no drying. Normally it's not an issue. It does clean off very easily though. I'd have the same issue with any damp bare metal. In fact it's probably worse down here with the salt air.

 

[gilbo]

Mine only flash rusted because I pulled them out and left them for most of a day with no drying. Normally it's not an issue. It does clean off very easily though. I'd have the same issue with any damp bare metal. In fact it's probably worse down here with the salt air.

k,thks

 

[DavidB]

Another update. See Post #2.

 

[spongerich]

question about the flash rust, does that occur when u put something through electrolysis ???

i have never tried electrolysis, was gonna try this weekend on my chas parker, i've only used vinegar with my other restore, and no flash rust occurred

It'll happen with any bare metal. Parts that go through the electrolysis seem especially vulnerable, but I suspect that's simply because they're really clean... the washing soda in the electrolyte is a pretty good degreaser, so they come out completely unprotected. I've done a few on a hot humid day and literally had them rust before my eyes. It comes right off, but it's impressively fast.

 

[ZRX61]

I'd have probably given the part where the weld was a quick skim with JB Weld & hit it with a DA sander to make it look nicer

 

[spongerich]

I'd have probably given the part where the weld was a quick skim with JB Weld & hit it with a DA sander to make it look nicer

Only a sick individual would do such a thing. It's a vise, not a vintage automobile.








I've used Bondo on a couple of them...

 

[DavidB]

I'd thought about it but realized it would lead to me filling every dent, ding, or divot on the vise since I'd keep telling myself "Well, while you're at it...."

 

[DavidB]

Another update posted to post #2.

 

[pfbz]

Any chance you would consider using that red just as a primer coat???


Rustoleum makes a pretty nice hammertone light green and light blue that looks great and much more original on Wiltons...

 

[ZRX61]

I'd thought about it but realized it would lead to me filling every dent, ding, or divot on the vise since I'd keep telling myself "Well, while you're at it...."

I just fill the backs of the jaw supports & then sand it down so the only remaining JBWeld is in the holes.

Like this: (altho this got a bit on the sides also)

& then sand it down to mostly bare metal before painting it...

 

[gilbo]

I just fill the backs of the jaw supports & then sand it down so the only remaining JBWeld is in the holes.

Like this: (altho this got a bit on the sides also)

& then sand it down to mostly bare metal before painting it...

nice idea on the filler

 

[kc-steve]

I am wondering how well that JB Weld or any filler material would hold up under heavy use. Anyone use any then keep and use the vise or test it out?

I know in a weldor's forum I frequent, I would be polite in saying they don't like JB Weld. Their words are much harsher.

An after thought, weldors also think it is bad form to hide welds, especially if it is intended for sale.

Steve

 

[pfbz]

I am wondering how well that JB Weld or any filler material would hold up under heavy use. Anyone use any then keep and use the vise or test it out?

I haven't used in on vises, but I've used plenty of JB-putty for on-the-trail repairs on dirt bikes. It holds up amazingly well! Often so well that I'll skip replacing/welding whatever trail fix I did once back home.

I'd venture to say that dirt bikes get knocked around as hard as most vises...

One note though... A good way to remove JB-weld is to overheat it with a propane torch. Much more likely to be torching on a vise than my dirt bikes

 

[spongerich]

I haven't used in on vises, but I've used plenty of JB-putty for on-the-trail repairs on dirt bikes

The engine case on my Honda quad is cracked and repaired with JB Weld.

(Almost all of them are since when the chain breaks or comes off it whacks the case).

Mine's been like that for about 3 years and doesn't leak a drop. Other than torching it, it'll last longer than the paint.

 

[DavidB]

Finally done. Pics in Post #2.

 

[Catalyze]

Great work David!!
The color is really nice and the lettering does stand
out nicely too. Thanks for posting the photos.
Craig

 

[gilbo]

grinding and filing the back of the vise, looked like the way to go, looked way better, nice job

 

[spongerich]

That's nice.

If you can, put it someplace warm for a week or so before you use it. I've found that letting the paint fully cure really helps it stay looking nice a lot longer. I made the mistake of using my Reed a day or so after I painted it and chipped it up quite a bit. A couple coats of furniture or car wax on the unpainted parts also goes a long way towards keeping them rust free.

 

[DavidB]

That's nice.

If you can, put it someplace warm for a week or so before you use it. I've found that letting the paint fully cure really helps it stay looking nice a lot longer. I made the mistake of using my Reed a day or so after I painted it and chipped it up quite a bit. A couple coats of furniture or car wax on the unpainted parts also goes a long way towards keeping them rust free.

Yeah, I was going to let it sit for a bit before I used it for that reason. I wonder if the wife would mind if I put it in the over. Anyone have ideas for a stand for it that doesn't involve welding?

 

[warmpancakes]

what grease did you assemble it with? searching didnt yeild any answers

 

[DavidB]

what grease did you assemble it with? searching didnt yeild any answers

Antisieze. I forget who mentioned it on the board but I tried it on my 6" vise and it seems to work pretty well.

 

[warmpancakes]

really? seems like a odd application just for the threaded rod? or everywhere that stuff doesnt come off

 

[gilbo]

this is the antiseize somebody had mentioned

permatex antiseize