Wilton - what's it worth?

[4x4crewcab]

Local estate sale...what do all of you vice experts say it is worth?

 

[Galaxie-Ed]

$150- $250

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[jude.hebert]

Local estate sale...what do all of you vice experts say it is worth?

$1 a pound unless it says Chicago and is of rare variety. Which that does not appear to be. The 2 in vice claim highest dollars, for their collectibility.


Jude Hebert
Louisiana

 

[drivesitfar]

4x4: it's pretty beat up and the back end of the vise looks odd. any more pictures? i wouldn't pay more than $100 for it, but as you might know i don't NEED a vise and if the back is missing or the other feet for the swivel are missing or broken like the one i can see it would maybe be a lot less and used as a parts vise.

 

[AngryBeaver]

well its a 9450 with a swivel base. worth 2-300 cleaned up and painted. 150-200 as an excellent user size.

the tail looks like it has an air attachment on it.

take a look at a new 450S for price comparisons... good jaws are about 60bucks. a wire brush, some paint and a few hours can make it look new again.

Be careful, you are in Gman's area picking. lol

 

[exmaxima1]

$1 a pound unless it says Chicago and is of rare variety.....

In that condition, I totally agree. So around $75 should be the goal. Once you add new jaws ($60), paint ($10), and hours of elbow grease (at the traditional 15 cents/hr) you will have a nice vise that would fetch $150 in the Chicago area.

Nick (Autopts), your thoughts??

 

[Davefr]

I see big chunks/divits on the dynamic jaw. It also looks like the jaw ledge is broken below the static jaw. You need to inspect both ledges because it looks like the jaws were beat on.

What's that wedge on the tail? Is that a weld splatter pool on the anvil portion?

That's a very rough vise. I say that $100 is max.

What's in the image looks repairable, but there could be much more damage like cracks and welds. She's had a very tough life.

 

[red94chev]

50 absolute max for me. I don't see peoples reasoning for crazy vise prices and that thing looks really rough.

 

[Teenager with old tools]

well its a 9450 with a swivel base. worth 2-300 cleaned up and painted. 150-200 as an excellent user size.

the tail looks like it has an air attachment on it.

take a look at a new 450S for price comparisons... good jaws are about 60bucks. a wire brush, some paint and a few hours can make it look new again.

Be careful, you are in Gman's area picking. lol

The back of that doesn't appear to look like the back of mine with the air attachment. I don't have any better pics right now. I was supposed to get a video of the operation with a foot pedal couple weeks ago but got busy.

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[thehorse13]

Someone does not know the difference between an anvil and a vise. For sure the static jaw lip is chipped off in the one corner. Possibly elsewhere out of view. Broken swivel mount, heavily beat up, bent acorn nut bars...who knows what else.

50 bucks for a parts vise in my book. Others may disagree but I'm not in the need for anymore Wiltons unless it's an early 40s variant.

 

[autopts]

In that condition, I totally agree. So around $75 should be the goal. Once you add new jaws ($60), paint ($10), and hours of elbow grease (at the traditional 15 cents/hr) you will have a nice vise that would fetch $150 in the Chicago area.

Nick (Autopts), your thoughts??

Totally agree 100% and that might be on the generous side.

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: if it might have the hydraulic option attached like the one Teen posted then it might be worth a bit more (if it works and has the foot pedal), but agree with others that that poor Wilton has had a tough life so no telling what the insides are like.

cheers

 

[Shiftless]

I'll chime in too on this one...

Another vote for $75, maybe $100 max if you enjoy projects and have a well equipped shop. I was ready to say I'd take the base if you part it out but then I noticed that part of the mounting ear seems to have cracked off. The others might be worse than that.
We can't see the handle ends...might be heavily damaged there too.

Most all of us seem to be advising a pass unless it is a giveaway price.

 

[Galaxie-Ed]

$1 a pound unless it says Chicago and is of rare variety. Which that does not appear to be. The 2 in vice claim highest dollars, for their collectibility.


Jude Hebert
Louisiana

Really? Mine says Chicago and has a rear swivel jaw. Giant beast all of 70lbs.

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[Galaxie-Ed]

No 60

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[damnesia]

I wouldn't pay it but that vise would go for a lot more than 100$ because of the hydraulic option. I've seen a few for sale recently-ish and they were about in the same condition. On Craigslist they were sold within hours of the ad being posted. Prices ranged between 400$ and 800$. I personally won't pay more than 100$ or 150$ for it, but I'm a cheap ******* and don't really need a hydraulic vise ( but would like to have one ).

 

[Teenager with old tools]

I wouldn't pay it but that vise would go for a lot more than 100$ because of the hydraulic option. I've seen a few for sale recently-ish and they were about in the same condition. On Craigslist they were sold within hours of the ad being posted. Prices ranged between 400$ and 800$. I personally won't pay more than 100$ or 150$ for it, but I'm a cheap ******* and don't really need a hydraulic vise ( but would like to have one ).

Its pretty cool. Mines only pneumatic cuz I don't have the hydraulic booster so not a ton of clamping force by air alone but good if you need both hands to hold an assembly and then tighten after.

I'd pay $40-60 for the vise pictured

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[4x4crewcab]

Sorry guys, I wasn't getting notified that I had replies. Thanks to all that did.

So I took a couple more pictures. It is not hydraulic or pneumatic.

It was a widow trying to clean out late husbands stuff. I gave $100.

 

[thehorse13]

With chipped/broken jaw shelve(s) I would have left it there for that price.

 

[drivesitfar]

4x4: your jaw shelves might be chipped as Horse says, but that is a hefty Wilton and maybe one of their most popular models. i like those older style jaws better than the new ones too. if the jaw supports are cracked or broken off the vise can still be used and ask for help if you might need some for a fix or partial repair on the vise repair 101 thread or maybe it's just a chip which is only cosmetic and only an issue if you might be selling it.

you did ok with the price and especially since you helped out a friend's widow who really didn't know what it was worth or who to sell it to. plus she might have needed the money too.

also not sure the dust cover is there, but if it's missing and you might want a cheap fix the auto parts stores have freeze plugs that should fit either in brass or aluminum for about $1 or $2.

good luck and ask if you might need help cleaning it up cause some of the guys on here can take those apart in their sleep.

cheers

 

[AngryBeaver]

I think you did good despite what the vise snobs say. You can't buy a decent wilton for under 200 bucks around this (your) area. I gave 120 for a 9400 and half the shelf missing under the static jaw. I fixed it and redid it for my welding table. No regrets.

 

[Davefr]

Sorry guys, I wasn't getting notified that I had replies. Thanks to all that did.

So I took a couple more pictures. It is not hydraulic or pneumatic.

It was a widow trying to clean out late husbands stuff. I gave $100.

What I saw in the first image was a big warning sign but repairable. As long as you didn't find additional cracks, welds and if it operates smoothly then you did OK. Your final images shows that the jaws meet each other squarely which is good news.

Chipped jaw ledges are cosmetic and very common. Totally broken off jaw ledges are bad but don't render the vise unusable. Never beat on a vise's jaws.

If you restore it, post some before and after pictures.

 

[4x4crewcab]

Thanks for all of the comments, guys!

I am going to clean it up and mount it on my re-done Snap On boxes with a bowling alley lane top. I will post pictures when I have it all together.

 

[evintho]

I think $100 is a fair deal. It's an older, quality Wilton. They don't make 'em like that anymore! Clean it up and use the heck outta it!
I initially thought I paid too much for mine at $65 but once I realized they don't make this kind of quality anymore, I got over it! Then, to find out it was manufactured the same year I was born (1956), that sealed the deal. Tore it down, cleaned it up and have been using it as my smaller 'go to' vise for several years now.

 

[AngryBeaver]

I think $100 is a fair deal. It's an older, quality Wilton. They don't make 'em like that anymore! Clean it up and use the heck outta it!
I initially thought I paid too much for mine at $65 but once I realized they don't make this kind of quality anymore, I got over it! Then, to find out it was manufactured the same year I was born (1956), that sealed the deal. Tore it down, cleaned it up and have been using it as my smaller 'go to' vise for several years now.

the newer wiltons are way stronger and beefier fyi

 

[tomsatx]

100 sounds good. I don't see wilton vise under $100 here near San Antonio. Picked up a very good craftsman /columbian for $85 but wiltons are double that.

There is a c-0 here in SA on offerup and I offered $80 for one that is in pretty good shape, but seller didn't even answer me back. It's paired with an Athol and is asking $500. What's a good price for a c-0?


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[G-ManBart]

$1 a pound unless it says Chicago and is of rare variety. Which that does not appear to be. The 2 in vice claim highest dollars, for their collectibility.


Jude Hebert
Louisiana

I don't know where people come up with these numbers, or why they keep repeating them for years after they are no longer remotely accurate.

A common 4" Wilton machinist model weighs around 55lbs and finding one in reasonable shape for $55 is going to take a LOT of luck. I've managed it a couple of times, but that's after buying almost 100 Wiltons so far.

 

[exmaxima1]

I think $100 is a fair deal. It's an older, quality Wilton. They don't make 'em like that anymore! Clean it up and use the heck outta it!
I initially thought I paid too much for mine at $65 but once I realized they don't make this kind of quality anymore, I got over it! Then, to find out it was manufactured the same year I was born (1956), that sealed the deal. Tore it down, cleaned it up and have been using it as my smaller 'go to' vise for several years now.
QUOTE]

If you were able to use the original jaws and keep your investment at $65 (plus paint), you did real well. New jaws for Wiltons often cost as much as the price paid on a beat up vise. I recall buying new jaws AND pipe jaws for a beat 1760, and they more than doubled what I paid for the vise.

BTW, the current Wiltons are BETTER than any vintage Machinist or Combo models. My recent C-2 is machined perfectly and has tighter fitting parts than any other Wilton I've ever owned.

 

[drivesitfar]

EX: just curious with all the great vises you own why you'd buy a new Wilton C2 that retails for about $1200? what can it do better than a 1970's or earlier C2? BETTER IN LOOKS TOO??

Toms: Wilton C series vises are their top of the line so unless that C0 is BEAT i'm not surprised your seller didn't call you back. to get close to that price i'd probably have to buy 10 vises from a guy. i've paid close to 2 benjamins for the couple i've had and when i found a GJ member that needed one and was willing to pay a little more they were very happy cause those are usually not easily found or cheap either. the Athol would be a great second vise for the other end of your bench and it might be better to negotiate a 2 vise deal if they are still available. just know that the Wilton C0 is fairly small with 3.5 inch wide jaws, but it's very well built if not cracked or welded.

GMan: i heard the $1 or price per pound talk a lot when i first joined and for some guys vises were treated like scrap hence me getting a few fairly cheaply. that mentality still exists hence you buying a few for less than value, but try pricing the sales as you know on Ebay or even Craigslist by per pound on vises and anvils and BIG SURPRISE especially on the little, unique or HUGE ones. good post and not sure how long your Wilton magnet is going to work so you might want to adjust it for other brands.

Angry: are you really calling members VISE SNOBS?? this is the same guy that asks us for help?

ALL: as many have said a vise is worth what somebody is willing to pay for it, but some do have fatal flaws or are ridiculously priced or even welded. if the jaw support on 4x4's new vise is more than a crack or chip on the jaw support(s) it will take a lot of work to fix or not be as usable i think so some of us would just pass on it cause we don't need a vise?

have any of you bought an expensive vise and got home to find a crack in the cast or a weld? it's really hard to tell or guess from a couple pictures, but some of us try our best. also asking guys for value that buy them and own several might not always be value and as it is asking guys that sell one a day that have a following and market established if you are not in their area or have time to search or sell them. it's sort of like asking how much is my home worth if you get my drift.

is a new vise BETTER? depends if you NEED one or it has a special use and you don't care about the look. in my opinion I LOVE THE OLD VISES and i probably wouldn't even use a new vise if it was given to me.