Two Junkyard Vises

[Roberts210]

Went to Ye Olde Junke Yard this morning.
Found this 3" Wilton machinist's vise for $5. The horse shoe shaped retainer on the front of the dymanic jaw is missing. And there is no swivel base, but I didn't complain. I ran the screw all the way out and back in, and the threads looks in excellent condition.

They also had this Craftsman 391-5180. He charged me $10 for that one.
I didn't notice till I was carrying it to the truck that it had some brazing on the static jaw.

 

[Shelbylex]

This is a great deal, Roberts210! Congratulations on saving them!

 

[Roberts210]

Thanks Shelby. I've got the Wilton in the electrolysis tank right now. The jaw inserts on this vise look pristine.

 

[ducksface]

Those were a nice find.
You mentioned electrolisys so I'm goi g to hijack slightly(since you're someone with an active tank)

I've done electrolisys and I have a dedicated vinegar bath.

I haven't combined the two and put vinegar in an electrolisys tank.
What do you think?

 

[ChefRex]

Went to Ye Olde Junke Yard this morning.
Found this 3" Wilton machinist's vise for $5. The horse shoe shaped retainer on the front of the dymanic jaw is missing. And there is no swivel base, but I didn't complain. I ran the screw all the way out and back in, and the threads looks in excellent condition.

They also had this Craftsman 391-5180. He charged me $10 for that one.
I didn't notice till I was carrying it to the truck that it had some brazing on the static jaw.

Good deal, post up when they're cleaned up, the Craftsman brazed on both sides?

 

[Roberts210]

........I haven't combined the two and put vinegar in an electrolisys tank. What do you think?

Since you asked... I don't think it would work at all. But what do I know.

ChefRex, the Craftsman WAS brazed on both sides. I haven't really examined it yet. What do you make of the fact that it's brazed on both sides like that?

 

[Packard V8]

Went to Ye Olde Junke Yard this morning.
Found this 3" Wilton machinist's vise for $5. The horse shoe shaped retainer on the front of the dymanic jaw is missing. And there is no swivel base, but I didn't complain. I ran the screw all the way out and back in, and the threads looks in excellent condition.

A $5 Wilton is definitely a "You ****!" The good news is the vise will be more solid for most purposes without a swivel base and the front retainer is still available and is not that difficult to fabricate.

The real question is how all those Charles Parker and Wiltons lose their front retainers? I've used both brands for fifty years and never lost a front retainer.

jack vins

 

[ChefRex]

Since you asked... I don't think it would work at all. But what do I know.

ChefRex, the Craftsman WAS brazed on both sides. I haven't really examined it yet. What do you make of the fact that it's brazed on both sides like that?

Only wonder of the extent of the damage, only from what I have read here, it can be fixed if done properly but what do I know?

 

[ZRX61]

Those were a nice find.
You mentioned electrolisys so I'm goi g to hijack slightly(since you're someone with an active tank)

I've done electrolisys and I have a dedicated vinegar bath.

I haven't combined the two and put vinegar in an electrolisys tank.
What do you think?

My electrolysis tank had lye in it... Ya wouldn't want to get too close to it..

 

[Roberts210]

A $5 Wilton is definitely a "You ****!"

Thanks!

The real question is how all those Charles Parker and Wiltons lose their front retainers? I've used both brands for fifty years and never lost a front retainer. jack vins

No kiddin'! This Wilton was frozen up with rust and mud, and I suspect the p.o. made a weak attempt at trying to loosen it up. But then again, maybe he just needed a this U-shaped washer for something. This is farm country, and farmers do strange things sometimes. In the 1990's, I saw with my own eyes a 1940 Willys coupe that had come out of a farmer's barn. The car had no rust, and had been in the barn for decades. But at some point the farmer wanted some patch panels for his roof, so he cut 2 ft by 2 ft panels out of both front doors and the car's roof. Now a good body guy no doubt patched those, but still it was shocking to see.

 

[Roberts210]

Only wonder of the extent of the damage, only from what I have read here, it can be fixed if done properly but what do I know?

Thanks ChefRex, indeed!

 

[Rinspeed]

Great snag on the Wilton, post some pics after you get it cleaned up.

 

[PugetDude]

Congrats on the Wilton, nice score for $5...
Definitely earned a YOU **** on this one.

 

[Roberts210]

Hey, this vise is my first YOU ****. Makes me tear up a little bit. Sniff sniff.

 

[PugetDude]

Don’t let it go to your head...
after all the Craftsman vise might spilt in half at the weld when you go to use it- and you paid TWICE as much for it...

 

[Lassen Forge]

And a solid mount Bullet as well? (I have a soft spot for those, more so that the swivels) - Yeah, you earned a "You ****" on that one. (If it were one of the elusive brass jawed ones, you'd have a doublesuck... but as it is, yeah. FIVE bucks??? Bah Humbug!)

 

[larry_g]

Good score. If your Wilton is stuck you may find this video helpful,

. He has one of the better ways of forcing the jaws open. Just be careful and don't overdo it.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Roberts210]

Thanks guys.

I'ts been in the electrolysis tank for several days, and I'll pull it out later this afternoon. It may be unstuck by then. If not, I'll use his method with the blocks and bolts--looks like a good video.

 

[toolmiser]

Even if the craftsman is junk, you will only have $15.00 total into the other vice. Worse case you can sell parts off the craftsman. Sometimes you have to take a chance, and sometimes you don't win, but you will never win if you don't try.

 

[BFBOB]

I've done electrolisys and I have a dedicated vinegar bath.
I haven't combined the two and put vinegar in an electrolisys tank.
What do you think?

Should work - the only function of the washing soda is to make the water electrically conductive. Pretty much anything that will dissolve in water will do that. It's just that Sodium Carbonate (or its close cousin Sodium Bicarbonate - baking soda) is cheap and otherwise benign. The worst it might do is give you dry skin on your hands by washing the natural oils off. A dab of Jergens takes care of that.

Oh, and don't add vinegar to your washing soda brew. Acid + base = salt.

 

[Roberts210]

Whew. I pulled the Wilton's dynamic jaw tonight, using the blocks and bolts the guy in the video uses, and the Wilton put up one hell of a fight. But I did separate them. This vise had to have lain outside for a year or more--maybe a couple of years. There was that much rusty goo inside it.

 

[Halbert]

Great finds. Do you have to OWN the salvage yard to get finds like this? If not, do you mind sharing your move?

 

[Roberts210]

It depends greatly on the yard. The one I go to is actually a recycling yard, and they have two main areas where people can go. One is a large pile of scrap steel, where they add stuff people have brought in every day--anything from this pile you buy by the pound--I think it's 25 cents a pound. The other is a separate area where they drag stuff that they sell outright. I've seen everything from old riding mowers, truck doors, chains, cast iron skillets, wrenches, vises... anything and everything they think might sell for more than 25 cents a pound will end up in that area. It is amazing what people throw away.

 

[Halbert]

Thanks

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Given you only paid $5 for the 3" Wilton bullet vise you can afford to splurge and get a horseshoe washer for that collar. I bought one for a 3.5" two weeks ago. $15 for the washer, $10 to ship it. JPW Industries. By the way...you ****! Great find!

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Good score. If your Wilton is stuck you may find this video helpful,

. He has one of the better ways of forcing the jaws open. Just be careful and don't overdo it.

lg
no neat sig line

That was an interesting restoration video. I'd like to see other methods & ideas to separate front and back jaws for those of us without metalworking capabilities.

 

[Roberts210]

Given you only paid $5 for the 3" Wilton bullet vise you can afford to splurge and get a horseshoe washer for that collar. I bought one for a 3.5" two weeks ago. $15 for the washer, $10 to ship it. JPW Industries. By the way...you ****! Great find!

Thanks. I'll try 'em. The only one I could find was $54, and I don't need a pretty-boy horseshoe washer.

 

[Roberts210]

I got the Wliton 3" machinist vise de-rusted, cleaned up, lubed and ready for paint. I made my own horse shoe washer.

In the background you can see the template I made out of 1/4" plywood.

 

[Roberts210]

I made the washer out of 1/4 inch steel, then after trying to fit it, realized I needed 3/16ths thick steel. So I used my Delta 6X48 and sanded the 1/4" down to around 3/16ths or .188. Actual measurements using my Starrett dial caliper showed thickness varying between .185 to .190., as measured in 7 places. NOT BAD for holding it against the 6X48 with my hands.

 

[ALLFAST]

Great job,and.the Farmer CNC will never let you down.!!

 

[Roberts210]

Farmer CNC!

 

[Farmer J.]

Farmer CNC!

That's what I use! The stuff it turns out mostly works OK sometimes it's just a bit wobbly, that's all. It's no problem as I don't have a starett caliper or fiddly stuff like that.
Well done, making your own parts is great.