Wilton vise Craigslist find

[marslawn]

I went to go purchase a torch setup on Craigslist that I thought was a pretty good deal. I got there and we settled on a price for the torch. I asked if he was selling anything else and he said yes, he mentioned a couple things. Nothing I needed so I said OK and started to leave the garage. He said " you dont need a vise do you". He pulled back a towel and there sat this vise. I have always wanted one of these and now I have one.

Any way to tell the date of this?

The last photo is a vise my mechanic has that he broke. I thought I would include that picture for grins. He is trying to get parts for it???

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[BJ42LX]

Very nice. Good score.

By "parts" your mechanic means, "whole new vise," right?

 

[whelenfan]

Looks like your mechanic now has a "parts" vise! I can only imagine how that happened. That really *****. I don't have a wilton, but I have seen on here that you should be able to find the build date when it is apart. I think that the date code is on the key?!? Do a search for wilton date codes on the site. Nice vise by the way, how much did it set you back?

 

[georgiadave]

The swivel base and jaws are worth at least $25 each.

 

[spongerich]

Nice!

Most Wilton Bullet style vises have a date code stamped on the key on the bottom of the slide. Just unscrew it all the way (being careful not to drop the jaw, otherwise yours will be the parts donor for your mechanic's). There's usually a date code stamped on there.

There's some confusion about whether that's the DOM, or the end of the 5yr warranty date.

 

[PT Doc]

Ouch.

 

[Catalyze]

I think that I have figured out a couple of things about Wilton dating.
Oldest Wiltons: Chicago USA cast into the vise
Next: Schiller Park, Ill USA cast into vise (Wilton moved there in 1955-1957)
Newer: Schiller Park, Ill 60176 The reason for this is because Zip Codes didn't exist until 1963
That's all that I can figure out.....and a Very Nice find to the original poster!
Craig

 

[mjozefow]

I always think it is funny that those massive jaws are hollow. I understand the concept of cross sectional strength, but it still seems like an excessive reduction in iron. I was a bit taken aback when I pulled the pipe jaws out of my C2 and my 1780.

 

[autopts]

That a very nice find! If it has 3 1/2" jaws its a C-0, 4" jaws, its a C-1. I'm guessing about 25-30 years old. Nice!

 

[DavidB]

Congrats on the find! Looks like a nice vise. The location of that roll pin seems to have played a role in the vise breaking like it did. I guess the pin held some pipe jaws in? Either way that doesn't seem like the best place to put a hole in a vise.

 

[marslawn]

Thanks everyone. I forgot to mention the price. $30.00

 

[old salvage]

I always think it is funny that those massive jaws are hollow. I understand the concept of cross sectional strength, but it still seems like an excessive reduction in iron. I was a bit taken aback when I pulled the pipe jaws out of my C2 and my 1780.

Yup.
I also don't understand why the pipe jaws have to be so thick. If they made them smaller then maybe they could make the neck of the vise a little thicker.

 

[mjozefow]

Great deal at $30. Nice Score!

 

[csmitty]

Yea, I would have needed that vise to.

 

[Dbl.R]

Marslawn,

Any chance your mechanic want's to sell the base on that broken unit?

 

[bigcaddy]

That is one good looking vise!! I was hunting for a large Wilton C1 for many months before i had the chance to scoop one up for $100 so $30 was a great price.

It looks like it has very little use on it and will look great cleaned up. I did mine in Rustoleum Light Blue Hammertone paint. Its about as close as you can get to the original Wilton blue and it looks great.

Take your time getting it prepped and you will come out with a vise that looks great and last you for many, many years. If i get a chance, ill post a pic of my C1 after i finished it

 

[bad_idea]

Nice vise. Amazing price. If it works smoothly I say use it, if not then grease the screw and use it. No need to make it look like new, that patina is priceless. Its hard to tell the size of it without something for a size reference in the picture. Mine has 6" jaws and weighs in at 147 lbs.

 

[Lost Road]

wow, excellent vise score. I sold my wilton, and I wish I still had it. I never used it, but it was very, very cool.