Wilton ID and Value Help
- Thread starter Bogash
- Start date
ganymede
Well-known member
A decent light duty vise but not worth the asking price.
Maybe 40 bucks tops, and that's pushing it.
Maybe 40 bucks tops, and that's pushing it.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Surprisingly those Wiltons in GREAT shape get over a benjamin. since it's FAR FROM GREAT SHAPE i agree with Gany about $40ish tops. cleaned up it might be a good solid user, but i'd pull out the dynamic all the way if not rusted shut and see what the insides look like.
Doesn't look in too bad of shape to me. If screw turns and jaws slide smoothly I'd say its worth more than $40. A little elbow grease with a wire brush and some new paint and that should clean up nicely. I'll be working on a similar vise tomorrow.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
CG: it's probably fixable and a decent price, but OUR TIME and tools and skills are worth something and even if it's only a couple hours work should the person selling a rusty tool get full value? granted i've paid top dollar for more than a few tools and things in poor condition mostly because they were rare, but there might be thousands of these floating around.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
CG: if the anvil wasn't pitted and there weren't any other issues from neglect, misuse or dropping it then yes that vise does have value.
i personally like Wilton vises (C series best, then bullets, then tradesman, then machinist then this style which i don't own one), but i like Reed and Rock Island and a few others better and i might own 20 Wiltons.
i personally like Wilton vises (C series best, then bullets, then tradesman, then machinist then this style which i don't own one), but i like Reed and Rock Island and a few others better and i might own 20 Wiltons.
No way, although compared to this I suppose it is priced right. 
https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/tls/5710224797.html
https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/tls/5710224797.html
thehorse13
Well-known member
I would leave it where you found it and find something older and better for 75-100 bucks.
There is no good deal here.
There is no good deal here.
This started out this morning in slightly better shape than pictured above. Still drying, will put it together tomorrow. Anvil was all dinged up, got it flattened out and polished to just below mirror finish with a file and some sandpaper (60 - 2000). Jaws had a few drill bit holes and were dinged up a bit... just turned them around and filed them flat. Everything else was done with a wire wheel. I hit a few parts with the sandblaster too. Have about 3 hrs into it not counting dry time. Hopefully will get it assembled tomorrow.
New life into an old Wilton...
New life into an old Wilton...
The jaws look to be in real good condition, other than rust. I wouldn't pay more than $30-40 for, but thats just me. Would definitely be fun to restore.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
CG: at worse case the paint on the slide will just wear off, but those vises usually aren't quite as tight of tolerances as some so it might not. nice job spiffing it up overall. if you set it up as a user you might throw a cloth over the slide when you are working on stuff in it's jaws to keep the debris and crud out of the slide area as much as possible to help preserve the paint and also keep you from having to clean and re grease as often.
Bass Man
Active member
cg....you did an excellent job. Looks band new.
OP.... I don't know much about vices, so sorry, can't help ya.
OP.... I don't know much about vices, so sorry, can't help ya.
Mark in Indiana
Well-known member
Bogash,
I've bought, restored and sold 5 of those Wilton mechanic's Vises. They can be cleaned up to handle everything needed in an average garage. Some have a "Y" jaw and a "T" jaw.
For the one in your picture, the seller is waaaaay off! I wouldn't give more than 20$, assuming that there was no more than cleaning, painting & polishing.
The last one I bought was for 30$. It had no jaw faces. The guy wanted 20$, but I kicked in some extra to help him out. That vise was so sprung, that I had to mill a 30° angle in the new jaw faces + hand file them so they would meet correctly. It was a fun challenge. However, if I was restoring vises as a living, I would have lost my a**. Just carefully check out what ever you buy.
I've bought, restored and sold 5 of those Wilton mechanic's Vises. They can be cleaned up to handle everything needed in an average garage. Some have a "Y" jaw and a "T" jaw.
For the one in your picture, the seller is waaaaay off! I wouldn't give more than 20$, assuming that there was no more than cleaning, painting & polishing.
The last one I bought was for 30$. It had no jaw faces. The guy wanted 20$, but I kicked in some extra to help him out. That vise was so sprung, that I had to mill a 30° angle in the new jaw faces + hand file them so they would meet correctly. It was a fun challenge. However, if I was restoring vises as a living, I would have lost my a**. Just carefully check out what ever you buy.