Wilton 600N restoration

[grimreaperc4]

So she was built in July of 1999. I found her in a barn that was falling in. It was moved out of the barn to the grass and was moved via a tractor with a front bucket and was dumped out of it, i believe this is what bent the handle....i believe. So its missing an end cap and has a bent handle.......oh and someone added a few extra bolts. During disasembly it was found out the bolts were holding the center female acme thread in place as it appeared at one time they sheared off the normal pins but the normal pins still are retaining the centralizing piece. Oh by the way thats a pic of the jaw sitting on a 3.5" wilton just for size reference, it is a Big Mother F-ing Vise. I have cut the ends off of the handle and will be using a new 3/4" bar when i replace it as straightening would require more work then replacing, also i am going to try and machine a nice end cap for it if i can get it functioning again. So the big issue, the slide is siezed to the body. I am soaking it with PB blaster but i am soaking it from the rear to the front as it stands like that and not the other way around. Any help or suggestions that have worked for you all in the past. The clearances are tight and i really dont want to put any heat on it unless i have to and i have tried all other options.

 

[autopts]

Wilton went with the unibody fuselage after 1998 discontinuing the back cap housing. Looking at the anvil, it looks very nice. That vise might have been seized up and someone took the back cap off to maybe knock it out from the other side. Were the screws on the front collar sheared off? There are guys on GJ still have their bullets socking after a year or two. That's probably why the handle was destroyed. Good luck and keep us posted

 

[grimreaperc4]

The screws for the front collar were not sheared, they were in good shape and it appeared that they had not been removed although there was only 2 of the 3 of them there.

Thinking of taking it to the ready strip guy and letting him soak it for a few days.... that should eat up what ever rust is between them. Especially since the back end of the vise still had a grease in it.

 

[5mall5nail5]

If you need another handle made I did one for a friend recently:


Vise Handle by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

 

[bluebolt]

Wilton went with the unibody fuselage after 1998 discontinuing the back cap housing. Looking at the anvil, it looks very nice. That vise might have been seized up and someone took the back cap off to maybe knock it out from the other side. Were the screws on the front collar sheared off? There are guys on GJ still have their bullets socking after a year or two. That's probably why the handle was destroyed. Good luck and keep us posted

Hey now don't be picking on me LOL. After finding the 6" Reed 204 getting the 6" bullet unstuck got stuck in a corner so I could get more important projects done.

 

[marineengineer]

there is a thread about a man who had a stuck vise and all his information was documented with pictures


http://www.cutterod.com/vise_saga_1.htm

 

[Rory Bellows]

there is a thread about a man who had a stuck vise and all his information was documented with pictures


http://www.cutterod.com/vise_saga_1.htm

He also won $5000 from wilton in merchandise in their vise contest.

 

[grimreaperc4]

So I put the inter pack on it tonight. Did not move any will check tomorrow. I talked to the ready strip guy said he would do it and if he could not get if free in a week or so of stripping he would not charge. So it is going to him, hopefully tomorrow. Cutter's story did not get me excited at all, a year in diesel and bottle jack. Sounds like a long road ahead. Can anyone else help with suggestion? Has anyone else freed up a seized wilton machinist vise?

 

[bigcaddy]

So I put the inter pack on it tonight. Did not move any will check tomorrow. I talked to the ready strip guy said he would do it and if he could not get if free in a week or so of stripping he would not charge. So it is going to him, hopefully tomorrow. Cutter's story did not get me excited at all, a year in diesel and bottle jack. Sounds like a long road ahead. Can anyone else help with suggestion? Has anyone else freed up a seized wilton machinist vise?

I have but it was a much smaller 350S. As long as you are able to get the rear tapered cover off the vise, you are in great shape. I got the dust cap off, the threaded nut and then the cast piece that both of those fit into.

At that point all you have is a pair of tubes that fit inside of each other. I was able to secure the stationary jaw in a larger vise and tap out the dynamic jaw. It will take some thinking on how to secure it properly but let gravity work against the jaw and use heat, penetrant and a good sized hammer

That should get it undone

 

[Packard V8]

When separating a Wilton which doesn't yield to soaking, then lots of heat is the next step. A rosebud torch on the stationary casting with the movable casting shielded by a wet towel has always done the trick on the tough ones.

jack vines

 

[KMScott]

I second the rose bud idea but not to the point that the casting is red. You will be surprised what a little heat does. Taking your time heating, all along the stationary casting. This will do the trick. Good idea Jack

Kevin

 

[grimreaperc4]

I am hopefull on the ready strip as he said he would let it soak in the tank for a week, hopefully i can talk him into a few weeks.

If it is not free i will get my rosebud out and pack the dynamic jaw with Ice or dry Ice and maybe borrow another interpack and a big sledge.

I appreciate the suggestions as i want to get this big vise going again. Especially because the outside of the vise is in great shape. I will keep you all posted on my progress.

 

[EDGAR]

If you want to secure the stationary (static?) jaw so as to be able to remove the dynamic jaw, just bolt the vise body to a solid surface (bench top?) and then use the sledge hammer tap out the dynamic jaw. This way you don't need another vise to hold the stationary jaw. Just don't hit the parts directly with the hammer, try to use something slightly softer in between to protect the vise.

 

[grimreaperc4]

UPDATE:

Not good news. Got it back from the strippers and it is still stuck. He only had it in the tank for a week but it is not moving at all.

I am thinking about making a cage around the base mount and static jaw that will secure a bottle jack at the back like Cutter did. Also make it stand vertical so i can soak it and the dynamic portion will be up. While soaking it thinking of packing the ID of the vise with dry ice and putting a rosebud torch on the outside of the static portion. Might try and leave the area between the static and dynamic portion open so i can put a couple of power packs on it too.

I really what this vise to come apart.

 

[5mall5nail5]

Do this - load it up in a press/bottle jack config but leave an area that you can tap with a hammer - you need to load it and shock it.

 

[mtnkrake]

Could you wrap a bearing splitter around the shaft of the movable jaw and press it out with a hydraulic press.

 

[grimreaperc4]

Ya I was thinking about a hydraulic press but I don't have one or know anyone who does right now. But I can get a cheap 6 ton bottle jack $10 worth of scrap angle iron and built a frame so the jack can press on the back of the dyanamic shaft and I can still tap the dynamic jaw up front

 

[ADSR]

Do this - load it up in a press/bottle jack config but leave an area that you can tap with a hammer - you need to load it and shock it.

I've had to do this before. Works well.

 

[grimreaperc4]

So i was in the process of building a frame for a bottle jack when it was suggested to me to tie it off to a fork lift and pick up on it with a over head hoist. Well it lifted the fork lift off the ground. This happened twice then the power pack went in and it came free. looks like about 3 inches of it were the trouble part. Then i needed a back cap, tried a square cap that i found but it was not the right fit. Then I realized that the cap for a cutting torch bottle fit the bill so it was turned down and it looks very nice. I have a few more thing to do before it gets a coat of paint but it is getting very close.

If anyone has a leed on any more vices that are seized up let me know i would be interested in them. Also i am looking for a swivel for this vise if anyone has one just laying around in there shop.

Oh the last photo is a picture of (left to right) 3.5" wilton bullet, 6" wilton bullet and a 2.5" wilton bullet.

 

[oldldh]

Magnifique!!!

When all else fails, brute force is the preferred method...

 

[sharkytm]

I've got the same vise, same problem... no forklift, either.

 

[grimreaperc4]

Well I borrowed the fork lift and the hoist. If it had been stuck even an inch more I do not believe this method would have worked. After it picked the fork lift off the ground the second time I had a really bad feeling that it was going to go to the scrap yard but I did get lucky that it was only a few inches that was rusted up.