Wilton vise parts

[SCHUUTSTR8]

Hello,
i am a brand new member of the garage journal.
I currently own 10 vintage wilton vises, and would like to reach out to kevin scott. I have tried his previous web address wiltonviseparts.net but it is no longer active. I have a need for several different vise jaws and swivel nut/handles and would appreciate greatly any help in establishing contact. Thank you for your time.
Joe

 

[1982fxr]

He's retired and teaching the new owner the ropes. I think she's up and running though, no clue on the website...

 

[thehorse13]

He is still active on this site. He answered a few parts questions the other day on another thread where a guy is in need of an end cap. You could try messaging him here via PM. KMScott is his username.

 

[Roberts210]

Ok. Post some pictures of those beauties.

 

[Stearman456]

I’m a new member with a Pat Pend No 4 Wilton bullet but I need a new base plate. Unfortunately my base plate only has three of its four feet but I know not everyone likes using them and I’m hoping to find a replacement - even a similarly broken one as I’d have a go at welding a new foot on. Also, for you historians out there; am I correct in assuming that this was a wartime made vise that would have been sold to the US Gov’t Initially? Dan [email protected]

 

[Roberts210]

Welcome to Garage Journal Dan. The swivel bases do show up on ebay a lot. Although your vise will work perfectly fine without the swivel base. My main vise is a 4.5 Schiller Park Wilton and I've NEVER used the swivel base on that vise, and its been mounted on my bench for 35 years.

Post a picture of your vise. Look at the bottom of the slide for a stamped date. If a date is found, the vise is not a WW2 vise. Wilton started stamping dates in early 1945. While most WW2 vises were sold to either the military or wartime industries, some were also sold to private individuals.

 

[Stearman456]

Thank you. I haven’t actually seen it yet as I just scored it off of eBay yesterday, but in the pics it does have a damaged base. I picked it up because despite the base and its “patina” the vise itself doesn’t look like it’s been beaten on much. I also managed to find an end cap there (the dust cap) for my 1961 Chicago 4” bullet. Interesting that that one has a 1961 release date on it’s key but “Chicago” on the casting so I figure it must have been in one of the last batches cast at the foundry before the company moved to Schiller Park in ‘57. I will post pictures of them both once I get back home (just away with work for another week). I likely won’t use the swivel function much either, I just want that one complete so I can restore it and have a proper wartime model vise (I restore antique airplanes for fun and love old tools, so my desire for the base is motivated by being a bit of a purist sometimes). This is an interesting place - I’ve been a lurker for awhile and the depth of knowledge here is amazing.

 

[Roberts210]

I hear ya! The 4.5 was my first Wilton machinist vise but not my last. Wilton had a BUNCH of vise bodies cast in the 1940's, and used the castings sometimes years later to build a vise.

 

[Stearman456]

Was the little “Baby Bullet” a wartime vise or did that come later? They’re cute - I think I need one! Lol

 

[Stearman456]

Well, you were right about eBay - I just found one, and exactly the right one. And in a moment of weakness I also found a 2” Baby Bullet with the Pow-R-Arm. Apparently I have a new hobby! Lol

 

[Roberts210]

Glad you found one so quickly. Post some pictures when you get it all together.
According to Garage Journal Wilton vise expert, Fierljeppen, the #20, 2" jaw Wilton first appeared in 1943.

 

[Stearman456]

I‘ll do that. I’ll post some before and after photos. I have one other question though, and I posted this on a different thread, but according to the Wilton website, the first Bullet was a 4” 40S model. How does that differ from a No 4 “fishook” vise with low mounted pins on the rear end?

 

[Roberts210]

The first Wilton machinist vise bodies, cast in 1941 and '42, did have the fish hooks and the low mounted pins.
Wilton website's history page has some errors that they don't bother to correct, IF they even know their own history.

Here is a GJ Thread about Wilton vises. Starting on page 30, it goes into dating of the vises. This part was meticulously put together some years back by member Fierljeppen, from Wilton advertisements taken from 1940's magazines, and also Wilton brochures from the same time period. Before Fierljeppen, there was a ton of speculation and guesses about Wilton dating and much of it was just that--guesses. Fierljeppen lays it out:

Wilton Dating and History

 

[bkanonk]

I also need a part for my vise. I have a 1954 Wilton 9400, and im missing the center pin on the swivel base. (i can provide a pic if needed). If you or anyone you know might have one, please let me know. Thx in advance.

 

[bkanonk]

UPDATE: I was able to get the part from another member, autopts. Thx!