To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Wilton vise Craigslist find

marslawn

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
275
Location
Gorst WA
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???

<a href="http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww332/marslawn/?action=view&current=5ce8f451.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww332/marslawn/5ce8f451.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww332/marslawn/?action=view&current=1c298796.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww332/marslawn/1c298796.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww332/marslawn/?action=view&current=2a68457b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww332/marslawn/2a68457b.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww332/marslawn/?action=view&current=fbfa0714.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww332/marslawn/fbfa0714.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

BJ42LX

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
2,811
Location
WNY
Very nice. Good score.

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

:thumbup:
 

whelenfan

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
528
Location
Central NJ
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?
 

spongerich

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2010
Messages
2,339
Location
Monroe, NY
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.
 

Catalyze

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 7, 2011
Messages
1,369
Location
New Mexico
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
 
Last edited:

mjozefow

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
Messages
2,111
Location
Lafayette, IN
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

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 4, 2009
Messages
2,268
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!
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

DavidB

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 6, 2010
Messages
734
Location
Navarre, FL
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.
 

old salvage

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
1,464
Location
Rhode Island
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. :headscrat
 

bigcaddy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
2,418
Location
Orange County/ San Fernando Valley
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

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 11, 2011
Messages
4,335
Location
Pasquotank, NC
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.

IMG_0011-1.jpg
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom