Wilton Bullet Vise

[schor]

I got this vise recently and am wondering what the actual model number is.

It has 101157 on the main body and 101158 on the movable jaws. There is also a N 2 on it. The key had 02 78 stamped on it.

Here's a picture of it as found under the bench at my late father-in-laws.

I have since started cleaning it up.

 

[exmaxima1]

400n

 

[schor]

Thanks for the info.

I'm not happy with a few parts on the vise, one being the end piece and the cap, I was thinking of making new ones, anyone tried that before?

Next is the handle which is very pittet, I was thinking of cutting this one off and making a new one like I did for another vise.

The bottom is also not very nice and I was thinking of putting it on the mill to clean it up like I did the anvil.

A bit of hand filing, sanding and polishing and you really don't want to uyse it for anything other than a mirror.

 

[drivesitfar]

Schor: some of us use brass or aluminum freeze plugs that cost $1-2 at the auto parts store. they are flat so you'd have to round them if you wanted more of a OEM look. BTW yours looks pretty decent and a lot better than most i've seen and some are missing.

you certainly have the skills it looks like to maybe you can take a look or PM Bcom a member that is machining some and selling those for $28 to get his specs if he wants to share them.

as far as handle that is your choice, but yours looks again like it's in pretty decent shape so get out the tools and shine it up and then decide.

good luck and nice work on the ANVIL!!

 

[Bcom]

I have new end caps for the older 3" and 3-1/2" wilton bullets but not the 4" ones. We havent made anything bigger than for the 3" and 3-1/2" bullets yet. Those caps measure around 1-11/16" in diameter. We made a mold and press blanks into the mold to form caps. They are twice as strong as oem and thicker to prevent dents but sorry we dont have anything for the 4" bullets yet. Thanks drivesitfar for the shout out.If you ever need one for a smaller bullet, here's my link--
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=336267




upload gif

 

[schor]

Nice job on the end caps Bcom.

I think I might just turn one on the lathe, maybe make it brass or bronze. I really also hate the finish of the end casting so I am thinking I will make that too or some type of sleve that will cover the gaps.. Probably out of steel. Maybe stainless?

Before and afters of my cap. Well the before is after removing the paint. with a wire wheel.

 

[schor]

A little bit more about this vise I found under the bench at my FIL's.

It was frozen, not moving, I had no idea how long this had been under the bench.

I bagged it in a gallon of evaporust and then tried to pound it out using a large brass punch bit it was not moving. I move it maybe 1/16". Tried a bigger mallet and bolting it to the bench after hitting it with releaseall for days.

It was not moving with a 2lb mallet. In the vise 101 thread someone told me to try and pull it out so I did, used 1/2" allthread and setup some blocks to pull it out. The 123 block is threaded.

Still didn't work. So I rigged up a jig to hold some steel so I could bash it out with the sledge hammer. There is a piece of aluminium between the steel and the vise.

Finally after some huge wallops I got it out. In the end it seems someone had tried to get this out before and mushroomed the ens of the key which made it extremely difficult to move. I remove the key and there was no interference at all really and very little rusting on the shaft.

Very little corrosion, it was the key that was stopping it from moving.

 

[wrenchguy]

what about the clinton engine under there?

 

[schor]

what about the clinton engine under there?

Already gone to someone, I do not like rebuilding old motors, I like machining and woodwork better.

 

[schor]

I did a bit of cleanup on the movable jaw post, it really wasn't bad, small area of corrosion.

Here it is all wire brushed and cleaned up.

I don't like all the casting seams so I hit them with hand files.

 

[schor]

Schor: some of us use brass or aluminum freeze plugs that cost $1-2 at the auto parts store. they are flat so you'd have to round them if you wanted more of a OEM look. BTW yours looks pretty decent and a lot better than most i've seen and some are missing.

you certainly have the skills it looks like to maybe you can take a look or PM Bcom a member that is machining some and selling those for $28 to get his specs if he wants to share them.

as far as handle that is your choice, but yours looks again like it's in pretty decent shape so get out the tools and shine it up and then decide.

good luck and nice work on the ANVIL!!

I'll try to clean up the handle. Seems a bit short to me for such a sturdy vise.

 

[drivesitfar]

SCHOR: those handles were actually designed to be a certain length and hardness so the user couldn't break the vise. yes i know some guys put pipes on the end of their handles to get them tightened up more and a good method to break a vise.

i know you have the talent to probably make a handle and just wanted you to consider saving yours since i like original even on my users. a few nicks give it a little character.

good luck with the progress and keep posting pictures and or asking questions if you need any help. also if you have time to post up the milling of the anvil and any other pictures over on the Vise Repair 101 thread that gets more views please do.

thanks

 

[Roberts210]

Nice job on that Wilton! It looks really spectacular now considering what it looked like when you found it.

 

[schor]

Started cleaning up the screw and handle, so far just wire brushed and a bit of flap wheel sanding. I will see how good I can get this, it's pitted quite deep and to get it where I want I might need to take too much metal off.

This first step is just to see how much I actually need to go, next is some file work again to get the material off and make things smooth.

We will see and I'll just make a new one if I have to out of stainless.

Still lots to goo before I can paint though.

 

[amorrow]

Nice work, looking great!

 

[drivesitfar]

Schor: funny you see flaws and i see CHARACTER and a great handle. did you wire wheel the crud off your vise or did you end up putting it in an E BATH? i can't recall you saying, but maybe you did say. in any case it looks AWESOME NOW!!

 

[schor]

Schor: funny you see flaws and i see CHARACTER and a great handle. did you wire wheel the crud off your vise or did you end up putting it in an E BATH? i can't recall you saying, but maybe you did say. in any case it looks AWESOME NOW!!

Wire wheeled most of everything. But I did have the main body soaking in evaporust when I was trying to pull it apart. 1 gallon in a plastic bag, drop the vise in and try to close the bag up as much as possible.

 

[Bcom]

Wow! What a nice cleanup. Its hard to believe there was a nice vise hiding under all those smurfy skin flakes.

 

[schor]

Here's another smurfy tool I got one time.

I used my standard duplicolor graphite wheel paint, maybe I should just stick with that colour for the vise.

 

[Bcom]

The hammered verde green rustoleum seems to be the most popular color since its the closest to factory color but i always like seeing something different in colors. The verde green is getting a bit boring to me IMO.

 

[G20-Budo]

Schor,

GREAT work! The vise is looking so nice. I can't wait to see how it looks once you decide on a color.

As for the other tool above.. um, what is it?

 

[Bcom]

Schor,

GREAT work! The vise is looking so nice. I can't wait to see how it looks once you decide on a color.

As for the other tool above.. um, what is it?

its a sheet metal shear

 

[G20-Budo]

its a sheet metal shear

Thanks Bcom!

 

[schor]

Schor,

GREAT work! The vise is looking so nice. I can't wait to see how it looks once you decide on a color.

As for the other tool above.. um, what is it?

It's a Beverly B-2 throatless shear. You can cut straight or curved, with this model you can cut up to 10 gauge steel or 14 gauge stainless.

 

[schor]

I decided to not put copper jaws on it and am calling it done. Not sure when I will actually use it, but I will one day.

 

[G-ManBart]

I decided to not put copper jaws on it and am calling it done. Not sure when I will actually use it, but I will one day.

It seems you put the jaws in upside down to have the fresh side facing up, but that's a bad idea. You can see this because of the slight angle on the corners of the jaws, and the fact the jaws don't rest on the jaw support ledge. Many people think Wilton jaws are reversible, but they aren't. The corner with the angle goes on the bottom.

Worst case, you use the vise and break one of the bolt holes because any force applied to the jaw is taken up by the bolt, not the jaw support ledge.

 

[schor]

It seems you put the jaws in upside down to have the fresh side facing up, but that's a bad idea. You can see this because of the slight angle on the corners of the jaws, and the fact the jaws don't rest on the jaw support ledge. Many people think Wilton jaws are reversible, but they aren't. The corner with the angle goes on the bottom.

Worst case, you use the vise and break one of the bolt holes because any force applied to the jaw is taken up by the bolt, not the jaw support ledge.

Thanks very much for that info. Yes I did flip them and will flip them back.

 

[48548]

That looks great. You really did a great job...

 

[G-ManBart]

Thanks very much for that info. Yes I did flip them and will flip them back.

With that nice a job on the paint and polish I'd be hard pressed not to put a set of Kevin's jaws on it!

Actually, I think Autopts has some NOS Wilton jaws he got really reasonably...might be worth sending him a note. They aren't as pretty as Kevin's but are still nice.

 

[schor]

With that nice a job on the paint and polish I'd be hard pressed not to put a set of Kevin's jaws on it!

Actually, I think Autopts has some NOS Wilton jaws he got really reasonably...might be worth sending him a note. They aren't as pretty as Kevin's but are still nice.

Got a link to Kevins stuff?

I think I will go with copper jaws in the end, just need to get around to it. My use of a vise is generally holding some piece I am restoring or I have just finished on the lathe or mill and hard jaws are not what I need.