Wilton Bullet Restoration: Help Wanted

[CortneyJay]

I was going to reach out to Wilton directly on this, but I wanted to get integrated into the community here, so hopefully I have the proper expectations. Let me know if I’m in the wrong place or need to adjust my forum expectations.


I was gifted this awesome vice by my father in law. He said he got it from a friend who said he took it from a John Deere factory when he retired from working there decades ago. The jaws are 6”. The thing is an absolute beast. I tore it apart and cleaned it up to assess the “damage”. I can’t tell you how much grease was caked on here. A full hour in the parts washer!



My main background is more a motorcycle mechanic and don’t know a lot about industrial level/quality tools but sure want to! The in law also has 9 old Porsches (speedster/356/911 🥹) that he’s finally relented to receiving help with and even letting me buy 2-3 to restore myself. So stoked!

But from what I can tell, the only thing from keeping this thing functioning at all is the retaining pin(s?) at the back. One side is welded though. I can feel the pin broken/sheered off on the one side where the weld is. The other side’s hole is free and clear. Not sure if it’s one pin or two that is supposed to be in there.

So a few questions:
- best way to drill out that weld on the housing? Probably come from the opposite side and use the other hole as the pilot?
- I’m assuming that pin is hardened... Any tips there?
- the handle is bent to where it’s basically stuck on one side. Can that be straightened? Or would I need to take it to a smith to cut it and install a new one? Seems expensive doing that or buying a whole new handle/bolt mechanism.
- would you recommend powder coat or cerakote?

I’ll get some more close up pics of the weld, the handle and there’s also a broken spot on the end cap. Not sure if it’s worth having it welded and then grinding it back down? Probably if I’m going through all the work.

Thanks all!

 

[Shiftless]

Welcome to GJ

That has the potential to be a great addition to your workshop. It is overqualified to do just about anything a home mechanic will ask it to do.

To get started, where did these two little threaded pieces come out of? Are they from the place where the pipe jaws should have been? Is that a C3 model Wilton? Looks like it to me. As far as I know, those older style pipe jaws are no longer available from Wilton.

I see you have removed the main nut, so the retraining pins must be out. If there are remnants of the old pins still in the body, one possible fix is to just clear them out and re-drill new holes and insert new pins. Some guys use screws instead to enable future disassembly. Wilton originally used two 1/4 inch steel pins driven in through the body and into the main nut.

 

[JradM]

- best way to drill out that weld on the housing? Probably come from the opposite side and use the other hole as the pilot?
- I’m assuming that pin is hardened... Any tips there?

I would probably grind that weld off on the outside, finishing up with a file as I got close to the vise surface. Assuming the pin is still in there (and they welded it to the vise body for some reason), you would only need to drill the portion of the pin where the weld penetrated - then tap it out.

That should help you line up your drill with the middle of that pin too. Coming all the way from the other side... well that might work, but it's a far-enough span that I don't I would trust my drill bit to line up with its intended target. Too easy for it to deflect and you would end up drilling the gap between the pin and the hole.

EDIT: BTW, if after grinding off the weld and filing you end up with a smooth spot and want the original "texture" back on that spot, you can do that with a needle scaler. I suppose you could just bang it into a pile of gravel too - but if you want to treat it with respect, a needle scaler.

 

[paulsomlo]

Regarding drilling, you may be able to use the other hole as a pilot, but make sure the holes are directly across from each other; they may have been drilled separately. In that case, grind/file down that weld, center punch and drill directly.

I don't think the original pins were hardened, but if replaced with a roll pin, you might have an issue.

The handle can be straightened with a hydraulic press, if you can access the bent part. A "smith"? Just take a hacksaw, cut off the handle, order some steel rod from McMaster Carr and add some end caps - the easiest way out is to use shaft collars.

Power coat/Cerakote? Just strip the paint and rub it down with some oil, put it to use.

 

[JradM]

To straighten the handle without removing it from the screw is going to be hard. I think a press might be the best solution.

You might heat it with an oxyacetylene torch and try to bend it back with a cheater pipe. Any coating it had will be removed though. Maybe you could nickel-plate it, one half at a time to avoid sticking it to the screw?

If you can support it across something that keeps the ends from touching the surface, you might just smash it with a big hammer - but that's going to leave a mark.

Powder coating is probably too brittle - assuming you might bang on things in this vise with a hammer after. I'd probably paint it with Hammerite.

 

[RoninB4]

-I worked for Wilton (Schiller Park) for a couple of months in the 80's as a second job. Just wanted to see how this goes, it's a nice model that should serve you well if it hasn't been compromised. Agree that powder coating isn't a very durable choice for a working vice. The handle being bent tells me that someone used a pipe on the handle and exceeded the design limitations. I'd suggest checking/inspecting the nut and the screw for wear and/or stretching of the thread form before concerning yourself with what finish to apply. The leadscrew and the nut can likely be replaced if the budget allows but the pipe bending the handle would also make me check the entire body for stress cracks and/or welding repairs. If the pins were welded in (idiot) then what else might be welded? Hope this works out for you.