Wilton jaw question: flip them over = gap?

[Brad54]

Somehow, I've got too many Wilton vises. Yeah, I know: First-World problems, right?

Anyway, the top surface of the jaw inserts on two of them, look pretty rough. Rather than buy new ones, I just flipped these over.

But after flipping them, there's a small gap between the bottom of the jaws, and the channel they reside in on the castings.

It's not big... a 1/16, maybe. Probably less.

Should this bother me? I mean, the jaws clamp SQUARELY, so there shouldn't be any down-force on the the jaw inserts that would make anything move or crack.

Originally, the inserts were flush with the top of the jaw castings, and now they stand proud by a little--but originally they have a bevel on the underside where it fits into the milled recess the inserts reside in--that bevel makes the transition from jaw casting to insert, very cleanly. It looks like it was supposed to be that way originally (but wasn't).

I think I could probably drill the holes in the inserts just a little bigger, to give the inserts enough play on the fasteners to let it set down onto the recess in the jaws, but not sure it's necessary.

Thoughts?

-Brad

 

[Provincial]

I suspect that the tops of your jaw inserts were ground flush with the top of the vise jaws AFTER they had been assembled. The gap you have when the jaw inserts are flipped over indicates how much material was removed from the inserts during this process.

With the inserts flipped over, the gap leaves the bottom of the inserts unsupported, so all down pressure will be carried by the screws and dowel pin. This greatly increases the likelyhood of damage to the jaw towers. If the gap is uniform, one could make shims to fill this gap, but there is no good way to retain the shims.

You will have to live with the existing damage to the top jaw surfaces or purchase new jaws if you want the vise to last. If you are willing to butcher the vise even more, you could grind the top of the jaws and inserts even more to remove the current cosmetic damage.

 

[MikeF2316]

I'd be worried about pounding on something, then the only thing holding the jaws up would be the screws. So you're going to need to make shims to support the jaws, or live with the marks on the other side. Personally, I like my stuff to look like I use it.

 

[Tomthumb717]

I agree with the mike and provincial and would leave them in their original orientation

 

[drivesitfar]

BRAD: i've never liked the look of flipping the jaws on a Wilton for exactly what you pointed out. also like has been said the gap could cause some issues even if one doesn't pound on their vise which i would never recommend and use a piece of RR track or some other tool for that job.

one thing you might do is to just buy or make some jaw covers. one member who restores guns made a pair of copper jaws out of a small piece of 1 or 2 inch pipe i think and he posted it on the vise repair 101 thread maybe the beginning of December or November. i use Wilton copper jaw covers and love the way they look and work. i also have several other types of jaw covers some with magnets and a few plastic ones that look pretty decent.

here's pictures of the homemade copper jaws made out of pipe with one of the member's guns in the jaws.

 

[Brad54]

Yeah, you guys are right, of course. It was one of those "I know the answer, but I'm gonna ask it anyway and hopefully someone will tell me what I want to hear!"

One vise is getting sold, the other is a C2 and I'm keeping that one. The rest of that one is good, but the top of one of the inserts was hit with a cut-off wheel for about three inches.. and not just nicked, but they cut into it. I might try welding it and hitting it on my belt grinder. Otherwise, I'll invest in a new set of jaws for that one.

-Brad

 

[Todd.Brock]

I will be the dissenting opinion. Here is my thread from a few years ago where I bought a vise and flipped the jaws. It's still like that to this day. I suppose the theory is correct if you were using s 13lb sledge on the thing all day, but normal DIY garage use - it's fine.
Is this a Wilton?? http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50280

 

[G-ManBart]

Flipping the jaws and leaving a gap means any pressure upwards or downwards will be directed at the bolts and bolt holes. Breaking a bolt would be bad, breaking a bolt hole creates a new set of bookends or doorstops for the owner.

The Tradesman line comes with jaws that have a flattened corner that is supposed to be touching the jaw supports. They leave a worse gap than when you flip the jaws on a machinist vise.

You can get a nice set of tool steel jaws for a Tradesman from Autopts for a very reasonable price, and KMScott's amazing jaws are very reasonably priced for the quality you get.

 

[Brad54]

I will be the dissenting opinion. Here is my thread from a few years ago where I bought a vise and flipped the jaws. It's still like that to this day. I suppose the theory is correct if you were using s 13lb sledge on the thing all day, but normal DIY garage use - it's fine.
Is this a Wilton?? http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50280

Yes, they're Wiltons.

-Brad

 

[Todd.Brock]

Brad- the name of the post was "Is this a Wilton"...

I was just offering first hand experience. Granted my vise isn't used every day and for super heavy work, but it works fine.

 

[KMScott]

Wilton Bullet jaws are built with their screw holes centered in the jaw height. If flipping the jaws and if they do not touch means they could have been altered unless it is a Mechanics vise. The Mechanic and Utility vises mostly are centered but the ones made in Asia are not and are more then a 1/16th and more like a 1/8 inch off center.