Wilton Dawn 150 OS Vise

[cody220501]

I'm new to this forum stuff so somone let me know if I'm doing something wrong.

I recently acquired a Wilton 150 OS Vise and started trying to learn more about it. Ive emailed Dawn with no response. Also emailed Wilton (WHM Tool Group) and they have no record of this vise and therefore couldn't tell me anything about it, thought that was odd. It's briefly mention in another post on here and this is what I know so far:
It was made by Dawn in Australia
The partnership went sour
No serial number that I can find

What I don' know:
When these were made for Wilton
How many were made
Material of construction or strength
Approximate value

If anyone can help answer some of these questions it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Roberts210]

Can you post a picture of your vise?

 

[cody220501]

 

[Roberts210]

It appears to be in excellent shape. Interesting the way the jaws are held on.

 

[jimreed2160]

Welcome to the forum. That's a nice vise you have. Offsets are not that common. At one time, Wilton and Dawn had a business relationship and Mr Google says that your vise disappeared from the catalog in 2004. It is generally mounted on the right hand corner of a bench with the offset overhanging. When a workpiece is clamped in the jaws upright, it can extend to the floor and allow 270 degree access.

Your vise appears to be in great condition and should appeal to a variety of users and collectors. These offset vises are not common and the only thing I could find was a cheap looking knockoff for several hundred dollars.

 

[cody220501]

Hey thanks for the info.

 

[2oolhound]

There have been a number of postings of similar off set Australian made vises on this site. I don't remember the branding on them, perhaps they were Dawn, not sure.

 

[Scrounga]

I'm new to this forum stuff so somone let me know if I'm doing something wrong.

I recently acquired a Wilton 150 OS Vise and started trying to learn more about it. Ive emailed Dawn with no response. Also emailed Wilton (WHM Tool Group) and they have no record of this vise and therefore couldn't tell me anything about it, thought that was odd. It's briefly mention in another post on here and this is what I know so far:
It was made by Dawn in Australia
The partnership went sour
No serial number that I can find

What I don' know:
When these were made for Wilton
How many were made
Material of construction or strength
Approximate value

If anyone can help answer some of these questions it would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Cody, I don’t know if you ever found out any more about your vice but I’ll put what I know for you any anyone one else that finds this thread. The vice you have is made by Dawn Australia and in fact are very common over here. The markings on the vice are 150 OS.
This means it has 150mm or 6” wide jaws, the “O” means it’s off set and the “S” means it’s standard or cast iron. I have a 150 OSG which means the same but the SG stands for super grade and are made from ductile iron which Dawn calls semi steel. These are marketed as “Unbreakable” by Dawn. Even though yours is cast iron they are still immensely strong weighing in at over 120 pounds while a 6” standard vice weighs around 70 pounds. I have seen a lot of broken standard vices but it’s pretty rare to see a broken offset vice. The other major difference to identifying the material used is that cast iron vices are dark red/ maroon and the SG vices are hammertite green. If you go to Dawntools.com.au you will find a lot of information but I have found they are absolutely useless at answering emails. What surprised me was that Wilton was importing Australian vices and that the offset vice was unusual. In Australia just about every government workshop, school, college and most private workshops have a couple of Dawn vices. They are literally everywhere here. Dawn sells all the parts for nearly every vice made from 1917 including the main nut which, unlike many brands, is replaceable. This is the nut that the screw winds into. Hope this helps. Cheers Stuart. Australia.
PS I’ll swap my Dawn SG for a Wilton bullet vice any day.