Wilton vise question

[Mikie O.]

I bought an old Wilton vise and was happy that I had a rehab project, but when I took it apart to clean, I saw a slight gouge in the acme screw. It looks like it has been there for 40 years. The actual metal that was gouged out was still there and it was very small. This was just something cosmetic because the bur didn't effect the threads and wasn't cracked.

What I am worried about is what is underneath the gouge near the spindle collar. At first I thought it was a weld but upon closer inspection, it looks like solder. It's a smooth ring that goes around the entire circumference.



I feel like I was duped by the Ebay seller. He said in description there were no repairs and didn't bother to mention the gouge or the solder. He said he took apart and oiled it and that this was there was "strange". You can see by the metal discoloration that the screw was heated. I contacted him but I have to pay for shipping for return which is 40 bucks. Not reasonable.

Would heating it to melt off the solder and see what's underneath. Would that hurt anything?

 

[Provincial]

It looks to me like is was broken and welded back together. The "gouge" is where the weld did not flow together fully. The confirmation is that the area is discolored from heat.

Play hardball with the seller. Ebay/Paypal should get your money back.

 

[3xpendable]

Looks brazed

 

[Mikie O.]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[bigcaddy]

Thanks for the replies guys.

How true is the operating shaft? Before you go out and start making a stink with the seller, check it out with some precision tools.

I've seen some pretty nasty gouges/scars/cuts on Wiltons before and they were factory boxed. Our resident vise expert, Autopts, would be the one to ask.

I don't see the gold/bronze color of braise repair so it might be how it came and just got scarred when it was being threaded

 

[zkling]

Can you get some better pics? It is knida hard to see what is going on there.

To really find out, you could slighly polish to uniform color, etch and FPI. That would show non homogenous secions as well as cracks vs scuffs. You could quick check it with a tiny magnet to look for non ferrous fillers. It wouldn't be super accurate, but would give you a ballpark idea of what was done.

Did you pay top dollar for this vise or get a good deal? If the former I'd definitely look into it, especially if it was not indicated before sale.

 

[rusty65]

How true is the operating shaft? Before you go out and start making a stink with the seller, check it out with some precision tools.

I've seen some pretty nasty gouges/scars/cuts on Wiltons before and they were factory boxed. Our resident vise expert, Autopts, would be the one to ask.

I don't see the gold/bronze color of braise repair so it might be how it came and just got scarred when it was being threaded

I agree Wilton did let some funny stuff go by

Sent directly from the Snap On Kool Aid factory.