Who Does This to a Wilton Vise?

[Al Borland]

I've got a big Wilton out in my garage someone welded the jaws shut on.
This is much less evil, as it had a purpose.

 

[nickelmore]

In heavy industry and machining you'd be surprised at the abuse something like a vise takes. And you don't even want to think about oil field work. I've seen pipes welded to handles, swivel bases welded in place modified jaws that make these in the pic look pretty etc. Don't assume that some "dumb redneck" made these modifications for a stupid reason. Personally seen situations where a mod like this to a $600 vise could save many thousands of dollars. Not saying that's the case here but it very well could have been.

+2 Pretty easy choice, have a crew standing around and wait for the purchasing guy to get approval to order a new vice or get the job done.

Heck this guy may have saved it from the scrap yard.

I guess I wont post a picture of the 2 1/2 inch crows foot with 3/4 drive I made......

 

[zendriver]

Maybe someone who actually wanted to use one instead of worshiping it as a deity.

Could've been set up for some type of production fabrication, Where they wanted to reduce marring the material.


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[speed bump]

Seems like a decent conversion if you needed something to handle soft pipe without marring or crushing it.

As far as the vise polishers. It's just a production tool that they still make thousands of per year. If you feel so bad about this one buy a new one and put it in your closet for your grandkids. Chances are pretty good that in 20 years you won't have a collector's item.

 

[zendriver]

The truck garage, where I drive out of , has an ancient Wilton vise. I don't know what number it is, but it looks big enough that it about needs a crane to lift it.

I thought about the perfectionists here, where the spindle handle, which looks to be about three quarter-inch has a real sharp bend in it, from some humongous cheater pipe from long ago.

It's covered in battle scars from the thousands of times it was probably used.


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[ilovevocs]

I agree with the comments about modifying a tool to save money. With current labor rates for skilled trades hacking up a $1,000.00 can lead to huge savings over the coarse of a project. It's something that you need right now, dont care about looks, just has to work and quickly... Use what you have on site and bang it out. Those who have been their understand.


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[JUNK-MAN]

Unless I'm seeing it wrong it looks like it is only welded on the removable jaws, there might be light at the end of the tunnel for this old vise if somebody who can fix it gets their hands on it.