Wilton non-marring jaw covers

[FJF]

I'm sure this was discussed many times. I've read several threads after searching and didn't come across the thing I'm wondering about, hence the thread.

I'm a new owner of a 1755. To say that I'm thrilled is a gross understatement. I'm debating between Wilton's copper jaw covers and Wilton's rubber insert covers. The difference in price isn't a real factor here, but performance and ease of use are. Not having any experience with either set of covers, I would sincerely appreciate some input. BTW, I also noticed that Yost offers a 5.5" rubberized jaw cover. I'd kinda like to stay with a factory piece, but if the Yost product excels I'd definitely consider it.

Thank you,
Felix

 

[davethorik]

What do you plan to use the vise for? Seems to me the rubber would wear out faster than copper, that would be a deciding factor for me.

 

[FJF]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I'm a mild DIY'er. The vise will mostly be used for smaller object to go along with my electronics projects. It'll also be used for fixing things around the house and as the centerpiece of my shop. Don't envision much heavy-duty work.

 

[General Geoff]

Get both, use both. Copper is for holding harder metals without marring the finish, and rubber would be for holding even softer materials. A lot of folks prefer leather jaw inserts, and nylon inserts are also very popular.

 

[mbshop]

Not for that vise but I have a magnetic jaw cover made of aluminum that work well. Go to youtube to see what is made and how you can make them. Even wood works well for light soft stuff.

 

[dumper]

youtube will give you all the info you need. I use a piece of galv steel- the kind used on roofing valleys, bent to fit the jaws. Its free, on any building site these days! It works great. Old bicycle inner tubes work great to hold odd shaped or delicate items.

 

[FJF]

Thanks a lot guys. Much appreciated. I'll likely get both.

 

[Ben Buck]

I made a set of soft jaws out of an old plastic cutting board.

Works great when needed and smells like onions to boot !!

( just my 2 cents )

 

[exmaxima1]

Linen/cloth based phenolic makes great soft jaws. Slip less than any plastics, non-marring, and last a surprisingly long time

 

[notlob]

I have a pair of these - they are great for stuff you don't want to mar. I keep them and an aluminum set in a drawer directly under my main vise. The magnets are pretty strong, but can be upgraded with rare earth magnets if you want the soft jaw to stay on more securely.

https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-21111-2-Inch-Multi-Grip-Vise/dp/B00004XPVT/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1516383586&sr=8-10&keywords=wilton+jaw

 

[LXCam]

I made my own slip over out of ~.050 5052 aluminum. They're fine for 90% of what I need them for.

 

[FJF]

I have a pair of these - they are great for stuff you don't want to mar. I keep them and an aluminum set in a drawer directly under my main vise. The magnets are pretty strong, but can be upgraded with rare earth magnets if you want the soft jaw to stay on more securely.

https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-21111-2-Inch-Multi-Grip-Vise/dp/B00004XPVT/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1516383586&sr=8-10&keywords=wilton+jaw

I've been kinda eyeing these. Your post pushed me over the edge - ordered. Thank you.

Before buying the Wilton, and since, if I'm honest, I've watched way too may YT vise videos. Is it just me or can other folks spot GJ members almost immediately? Some killer ideas, and vises out there, along with the complete opposite. Entertaining, certainly. I plan on taking a shot at making my own jaws. Unlike some, I'm not lucky enough to have a mill or anything resembling one - though I'd sure like to make a friend - but it seems like a lot can be done with more common tools.

My closest friend has his dad's old Craftsman that he's like me to get going for him. It'll be my first vise restoration (not sure the term is appropriate yet). Pretty excited.

I got my first vise as a gift for my 8th birthday. Bugged my parents - first for a soldering iron and then a vise. Still have the old vise made in the USSR. Now, at the tender age of 54, I finally have my first Wilton.

Felix

 

[EOC_Jason]

I've used copper jaws on a vise with serrated teeth to keep from marring things. My current vise has smooth jaws so it's not as much of an issue. For really soft things I usually wrap it in a towel.

The wilton copper jaws you can usually find on ebay now and then for a good price.

 

[dr_clyde]

I just make the jaws out of copper. Saves all the hassle of dealing with the stupid jaw covers.

Here's a thread I did on making a set.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=300907

 

[FJF]

I just make the jaws out of copper. Saves all the hassle of dealing with the stupid jaw covers.

Here's a thread I did on making a set.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=300907

Whoa! Nothing short of beautiful. I'm envious.

 

[FJF]

I have those yellow jaws. The magnet could be a bit stronger but I have no other complaints.

Something to think about:
Jaws inserts on vises aren't so you can easily replace jaw inserts when you Mangle them.
The inserts that come from the factory are a compromise. The inserts are there so you can customize the vise to your particular need,.not so that you have to put up with a flat and toothed, part dinging and scratching factory jaw insert.

Make the vise do the job it was designed to do:
Accommodate YOU.

Thank you for this.

 

[Lelandwelds]

I just make the jaws out of copper. Saves all the hassle of dealing with the stupid jaw covers.

Here's a thread I did on making a set.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=300907

Wow! Copper overkill much?


I have made some out of scrap yard mystery aluminum and micarta. My vise wasn't exactly a Wilton though.

 

[HanShotFirst]

There's any number of materials you can make soft jaws out of. I actually built myself a soft jaw mold to make my own lead or copper soft jaws. I'm a gunsmith, so those are absolutely necessary.

I also have some Delrin jaws that I made to swap out with my steel jaws. They work pretty good but they do wear...not a bid deal, they're super easy to make.

Thick leather works well, rubber of varying hardness.

What I love about lead jaws; it grips like crazy.

 

[Fretters]

Wow! Copper overkill much?

Not really. I find copper preferable to aluminium.

 

[HanShotFirst]

I just make the jaws out of copper. Saves all the hassle of dealing with the stupid jaw covers.

Here's a thread I did on making a set.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=300907

Very nice. Vise jaws are super easy to make, and you're always doing yourself a favor to have a good 3-4 different options.

I have Delrin, lead, copper, and rubber.

 

[dr_clyde]

Wow! Copper overkill much?


I have made some out of scrap yard mystery aluminum and micarta. My vise wasn't exactly a Wilton though.

I don't think it's overkill at all. I have 5+ years into the set on my tradesman. Still working great. Touched them up with a file once or twice. Copper isn't all that expensive, so why not?

 

[6PTsocket]

I've used copper jaws on a vise with serrated teeth to keep from marring things. My current vise has smooth jaws so it's not as much of an issue. For really soft things I usually wrap it in a towel.

The wilton copper jaws you can usually find on ebay now and then for a good price.

I found the 6" Wiltons way below the MSRP from somebody selling on Amazon. He was a dealer that dealt mostly in minature tools but happened to get some of these 6" copper jaws. They look pretty much like the form-to-fit brass jaws made by Reed. We had the Reed ones on a Reed 4 1/2 at work. I have a 6" unbranded vice that I believe is Polish, that I bought a very long time sgo. The Wilton jaws bent to fit quite well. I like the brass better becuse it is more resistant to getting dinged up but is still soft enough to not mar steel parts. For the big price difference I am happy with the copper jaws.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Fretters]

Both the rubber and aluminum have small rare earth magnets to hold them in place. Very nice feature. Only downside is the small magnets that hold the jaws to the vice tend to come loose, and needed to be re-epoxied.

Main reason I avoid using magnetic covers is due to them slightly magnetising the inserts. I prefer not to have filings etc. sticking to the jaw inserts. If using covers, I tend to fold the metal around the jaws, or shape them so that they're a snug slip fit.

 

[larry_g]

At work we had both copper and the rubber/canvas ones. I was constantly finding the rubber ones tore up by ham fisted co-workers. So I come to the conclusion that the rubber are useful in a limited range. They will not do well on small parts that require forced work. For large flat pieces the rubber was fine so you have to tailor the work to the jaw. In my experience you need a few choices at hand, its not one or the other.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[FJF]

Based on the discussion, I ordered the Wilton factory rubber/aluminum covers, Wilton's multi-grip, Yost 6" covers, and a 5.5 set from an ebay seller. The two latter sets were too inexpensive not to try. As I'm essentially starting out, this seems like a good way to get a point of reference for future projects.

Still want the Wilton copper covers. Noticed that Yost offers a similar product in aluminum. I'm going to take a shot at making my own, and then most likely buy the factory set. I feel like I'll need a lot of practice to arrive at a similar product. Not an issue, though. Figure, it'll take more that a few attempts to make my own, but there's a lot of fun and learning to be had via the process.

 

[FJF]

As an addendum, just a few minutes ago, while looking at vise accessories, I bought another new vise. My wife did not say a single word.

I guess now I'm also looking for 3.5" covers. Figure, I'll test out the ones for the Wilton and see which I prefer, and then go from there.

 

[6PTsocket]

Based on the discussion, I ordered the Wilton factory rubber/aluminum covers, Wilton's multi-grip, Yost 6" covers, and a 5.5 set from an ebay seller. The two latter sets were too inexpensive not to try. As I'm essentially starting out, this seems like a good way to get a point of reference for future projects.

Still want the Wilton copper covers. Noticed that Yost offers a similar product in aluminum. I'm going to take a shot at making my own, and then most likely buy the factory set. I feel like I'll need a lot of practice to arrive at a similar product. Not an issue, though. Figure, it'll take more that a few attempts to make my own, but there's a lot of fun and learning to be had via the process.

I'm sure what you can make will be fine but it is interesting to note, on Wilton form-to-fit jaw covers the faces are a lot thicker than the rest of the cover. I guess you could solder together 2 layers to duplicate the thicker face or try and form the whole thing from a very thick piece. The Reeds are made the same way. That could explain their high cost. I am sure you can get a usable cover without going that far but buying a thick piece of copper or brass in small quntities can be so expensive that the preformed, 2 thickness jaw covers start to look like a better deal.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[FJF]

I'm sure what you can make will be fine but it is interesting to note, on Wilton form-to-fit jaw covers the faces are a lot thicker than the rest of the cover. I guess you could solder together 2 layers to duplicate the thicker face or try and form the whole thing from a very thick piece. The Reeds are made the same way. That could explain their high cost. I am sure you can get a usable cover without going that far but buying a thick piece of copper or brass in small quntities can be so expensive that the preformed, 2 thickness jaw covers start to look like a better deal.

Took a good look at the covers and I see your point. The faces do look quite thick. I was actually planning on ordering them today, and then a C. Parker and a 8300N fell into my lap. When it rains, it pours.

 

[FJF]

Wanted to update this thread in case someone searches for a similar topic in the future.

1.Yost 6" (orange) non-marring jaw covers - Well made, the magnets are strong, good fit over 1755's factory jaws. Had no trouble cutting down the 6" cover to 5.5" - straight cut with minimal burring. An excellent value at ~$11.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015KP2JJ4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

2. Soft Jaws. We see these synthetic rubber, multi-groove covers sold in a multitude of colors. I took a shot at the 5.5" blue ones - ~$13. In a word, mediocre. The material isn't horrible, but does not feel like quality as with Yost's offering. The magnets are relatively weak, and the covers do not fit the Wilton's jaws as well as Yost's covers. It's noticeable every time. They're certainly usable and do what they claim. Still, better options out there.

3. Wilton Rubber Magnefix Jaw Caps. Not inexpensive; I paid a hair under $50. Perfect fit. The magnets are strong and hold the covers in place with no sense of insecurity. Their grip is strong with no marring. The build quality is what one would expect from Wilton. Love them! Worth every cent.

 

[MikeF2316]

I even made a set of jaws out of angle iron. You need to use a grinder with a sharp edge to remove the inside radius. They have a nice sharp outside edge which helps when you're bending something, and when you don't need a softer jaw they're durable and don't leave the jaw marks on what you're holding.

 

[Bcom]

I also own a 1755 wilton. I just got it a month ago I also got the 6" yellow rubberish jaw covers in the pics above me. Make sure to get the 6" long ones because they are actually only 5.5" long. They work and feel great. They are worth the money. Bessey makes an identical set for less money. Remember get the 6" set

 

[Bcom]

Look up Bessey part no bv-nvj. I guess one size fits 3-6 inch vises. These yellow caps are only 5.5 inches long though and perfect for the 1755 wilton