Broken jaw support ledge….who cares

[Nmhuntr]

I worked a deal on a Wilton 500 with a broken jaw ledge. I am considering just keeping it for personal use so I had no real heart burn with the fact it is broken. As I think about it though a lot of vises have no ledge so how much does it matter if it is broken or not. I get appearance and resale value etc but as far as structural integrity does it matter?

Thanks for the feedback

 

[CoogarXR]

I picked up a big ol' free Charles Parker vise with a missing jaw support. I didn't even know it was supposed to have one (I'm not a big "vise person" like a lot of y'all) until I posted pics of it, and somebody pointed it out. I've been using it for 5 years or so with no problems.

 

[crguy]

Jaw ledges are there for good reason. When you see a vise with a broken ledge it means someone abused the vise to the point it was broken.

 

[Nmhuntr]

Got it
What is the good reason? Some vises have them and some don’t. I know it must help with structural integrity in some way. Without a doubt if it is broken then someone abused it for sure.

 

[Roberts210]

A broken ledge on a big Wilton like that generally means a gorilla with a big hammer was pounding on something gripped in the vise, and gave it one or three too many blows. The ledge is the weak link in such a scenario.

I have a gorgeous 4" Wilton from 1941 or '42 that has a broken casting at the bottom of the vise that you can't even see in normal use. I have no idea how it was broken like that, but I use it and I love it! The broken ledge on your vise won't matter in normal useage if the rest of the vise looks good. And the good part is a broken ledge should knock $250 or a little more off the normal price of that vise. So I say, GO FOR IT, if the price is right. I'm betting it doesn't have a swivel base--am I correct?

 

[Nmhuntr]

Correct no swivel base
Handle needs work and the broken ledge are really the only issues. I am considering keeping it for my own use so I was not too concerned anyway. I am just trying to see how structurely how it effect the specs. If you have no ledge and compare it to other vises with similar specs they don’t all have a ledge yet hold up well.

I think it will still do anything I need it to do

 

[Roberts210]

Generally when they get worked that hard, the swivel base gets destroyed too, then thrown out.

So what'll happen if you pound on it too hard with no ledge. Probably the bolts that secure the inserts on the dynamic jaw will start to bend a little and deform the screw threads in the dynamic jaw. Just be careful with it, and it should be fine.

 

[Davefr]

I worked a deal on a Wilton 500 with a broken jaw ledge. I am considering just keeping it for personal use so I had no real heart burn with the fact it is broken. As I think about it though a lot of vises have no ledge so how much does it matter if it is broken or not. I get appearance and resale value etc but as far as structural integrity does it matter?

Thanks for the feedback

Using it as a work holding device it doesn't matter. Using it as an anvil it does matter. I can understand tapping on work being held but beating the **** out of it makes no sense when there are better options. I would guess that over half of used Wiltons have broken off ledges.

It seems like vises and drill press tables are the most abused tools out there.

 

[JohnDeere]

I like the style of Columbian 504½ vise I have. The jaws are “T” shaped instead of a ledge.

 

[Nmhuntr]

I like those on my Columbian as well but I hate that they are held in with pins. My Rock Island is good because it is a U shape jaw and held on by screws

 

[JohnDeere]

I am pretty sure mine has screws.

 

[Nmhuntr]

I am pretty sure mine has screws.

Yeah, I should have said my Columbian 603. It has pins. I wouldn’t know about all Columbians.

 

[Milton Shaw]

What I saw breaking them was when pounding out control arm bushings on 70's cars. Jaws were not tightened on anything but used to support the control arm so that the bushing could be pounded out. If the jaws had been tightened on a socket so that the jaws were supported they would not have been broken. There may be other ways but I saw two Wilton's destroyed by doing that. One I took home welded up and still am using 40 years later.