Wilton No 4 Vise Restoration

[@thebicyclesafaris]

Thanks for making this video, very helpful! Looking forward to restoring one I just picked up.

[@patrickfegan4039]

Got the very same vice from my Dad a number of years ago. Came out of a heavy equipment shop from Birmingham Alabama back in the mid 60's.

[@meFatuations]

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing

[@ffone1]

Now THAT'S what I call a sturdy vise! Great job on the restoration, sir!

[@ronwalsh]

Great job on the Wilton. I have been searching for one of those at all our local auction/pawn/tool stores, and have yet to come up with one of those vises. One day I will have to move my old Morgan coach builders vise to someone else, and continue my search for a Wilton. Thanks for posting the little tricks on taking one of these apart.

[@fmueller1]

Fantastic restoration job and an awesome video. I enjoyed watching it! Glad to hear the vice is going back into use, where it should be, but it could just as well sit in a living room for decoration, that's how nice it looks!

[@oldschoolcopshop2194]

I have restored a few of these myself. I have never found any official documentation on the meaning of the letters under the fixed jaw on the main body of the vice. However, I met a man that had worked for Wilton back before I Retired from being a Chicago Police Officer, and he told me that the First Letter should be from A - L and the Second Letter should be from A - D. The First Letter is the Month of Manufacture, A=1 B=2 etc through L=12 and the Second Letter is the Week of Manufacture of that Month. This was done for the Warranty. With all that said your vice should have been Manufactured in the 3rd week of October in 1942.

[@UTUBESTEVED]

Old School Cop Shop I have a model a0450 bullet vice I need a swivel base any idea where can I find one

[@ChrisB257]

A bullet vise would pique anyone's interest!! What a super find. (Envy ++) That was just shouting to be restored and boy, did you ever give that some major TLC! You must be super pleased with the result of your efforts Lee - nice job ... useful ref video if I am ever lucky enough to find one. Just noticed your nice change gear board - very organized, plus your bench space looks very useful.

[@meFatuations]

I believe that the two holes that are further apart are mounted at the edge of the work bench. That way the jaws can overhang the end of the bench allowing for long objects to be grasp between the jaws and extend to the floor without hitting the work bench.

[@kb0zyh]

Nice job, Lee. Glad to see that you came across such a great vise.

[@vajake1]

Very nicely done Lee! Congratulations on a very nice restoration! Bob from Virginia.

[@andywyatt2799]

That's a nice vise. I have one just like it. Makes me want to tear it apart and paint it. Good job on the restoration.

[@bayareasparky9180]

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@bg147]

That is a beautiful vise. Great shape.... the vise, that is.

[@flashgordon6238]

Glad to see you saved the Wilton! I'm a Lefty as well! I have several models of these but only cleaned them up, replaced parts and put them back into working condition - no painting, just preservation. Interesting to see the jaws on your vise are not crosshatched...I prefer the jaw face design you have. The rear cap pins have striations on one end to seat into the casting. They were driven IN so the preferred way to remove them is to drive them OUT. There is a video using an Allen wrench to accomplish this. I'm surprised you were able to drive them inwards without too much trouble... Be sure to lubricate both sides of the retaining horseshoe collar as it tends to wear while it rides on the spindle. Those dents in the end cap can be tapped back into shape just like a wheel bearing grease cap. I also add thick rubber bumpers to the handle to prevent it from slamming against the spindle as well as pinching your hand. The two wider feet on the base do allow for the vise to mounted as far forward on the bench as possible. Most vises have only three mounting tabs - I like Wilton's design. You should still upload that tear down/clean up video. I would watch it muted!

[@kristopherangel2307]

You probably dont care but does any of you know a way to log back into an Instagram account?? I was dumb forgot my account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me.

[@rohancrew1988]

@Kristopher Angel Instablaster ;)

[@kristopherangel2307]

@Rohan Crew i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and Im trying it out atm. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@kristopherangel2307]

@Rohan Crew It worked and I actually got access to my account again. I am so happy! Thanks so much, you really help me out :D

[@rohancrew1988]

@Kristopher Angel Happy to help xD

[@RicosBettaWorld]

Awesome vise and excellent restoration.

[@williamjohnson2896]

I think the wide spaced base holes go to the edge of the bench to allow the fixed jaw to have clearance for clamping vertical long pieces. Love to see really good tools restored to great condition. Thanks

[@MrPragmaticLee]

Thanks

[@USNretired]

That is what I was thinking as well. The wider holes on the base would allow that side to be mounted closer to the edge of the work bench.

[@johnwarkentinnikiskialaska8364]

Very nice job 👍

[@0ollcabrerallo0]

I have one like that,found in a barn and keep it ,but at that time i don't have idea of the brand ( information about what year was made ) Until now...thanks Lee

[@jasonfoley4677]

Great job. I like what you did with it. The color looks like what we had in our machine shop in the Navy on the ship. I just picked up an old Wilton just like yours. Think it’s a No4 but the casting is to hard to read. Mine also has the J-C casting under the main jaw.

[@tosborn56]

Great video. The vise turned out very nice.

[@ratoneJR]

My Father bought a Wilton 101028 (Shiller Park, Il.) new in 1973. Now I have it. Has a broken locking ring in the base, but it is still very good. Someday I will do restore. Now I will just use it as is.

[@andypk4991]

Great video! 👍 I have a modern Wilton Tradesman 1755 and the template that came with it shows that the wider holes in the base go toward the jaws of the vise... just letting you know. I’m sure it doesn’t really matter either way.

[@oldschoolcopshop2194]

Woops, I meant that the date was the Date the Casting Was Manufactured. NOT THE VICE..... The vice would probably have been completed shortly thereafter.

[@mrreggaeambassador2609]

Extremely enjoyable video , good job sir .

[@BundyBearsShed]

Boy that come up nice, very satisfying I would think.

[@markenna5955]

This is an Excellent video, very helpful Thanks.

[@mikelopez760]

According to this article,,,, mivise.com/wilton-vise-date-stamping/ There was no date stamp on the slide between 1941 and 1944. And they say that they didn't start putting that "warranty expiration" date on until 1954. Plus the Wilton logo on there would indicate a little newer than 1942. I think you really do have a 1946 vice.

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

Nice vise. Every time someone puts out a video on these vises the prices seems to go up on ebay.

[@riversvic]

Thats funny! Glad mine was Free!

[@andrewwillard2313]

Nice vise! The jaw surface can help you date the vise also. They used to straight-line surface on the early vises. Up until 1952 (I think) when they went to a diamond pattern.

[@joerhea5785]

very nice job!!!

[@TheAngryman20]

It has a futuristic look to it.

[@ScottandTera]

great looking vise

[@PopPop017]

Nice job 👍

[@VeradonaRestoration]

Good job, Thanks !

[@tomsdreamshopworx]

Great job on the restoration! I restored one to that the date code was worn away from use, but I think it was the middle 70s. It was fun doing the restoration on it. I have a short picture based video of it on my channel, if you want to take a look.

[@shadowdog500]

That looks too nice to use!!! Chris

[@sharkrivermachine]

Looking Good!

[@1musicsearcher]

That’s a beauty. The date stamps on the key were applied during assembly for production documentation. I’ve also heard the stamps were for the “end of warranty” but that is complete nonsense.

[@timetable620]

They didn’t date stamp there vises from 41 to 44...also the vises from that time said “Wilton Tool Corp” on them and the ones that were made 4 years prior to the date code would say “GUAR EXP” before the date stamp. You also know that it requires friction for the swivel base to not slip and rotate.

[@mr.noneyabidness]

Thank you!

[@Hunter7-s1o]

Great job! How much did you pay for it?

[@petermundy3339]

Nice save Lee

[@1889michaelcraig]

I to have a #4 but it is 4 inch jaws and is 16 1/2 long and the date code is 9-46. HD stamped on the left side. Along with Chicago USA Wilton both sides.

[@antonioreyes5266]

is very interesting how is made a wilton vise, thank you.

[@eido1on]

Not entirely correct on the dating; the original warranty expiration for Wilton was 5 years, and was being baked into the date stamp closer to 1950's. The warranty dating will have an alpha stamp in addition to the date stating GAR EXP (e.g. "GAR EXP 9-55" would make the vise manufacturing date of September 1950). Up until then, the date stamped was the date of manufacture, e.g. 2-46 means manufactured February 1946. The very early post-1942 vises (1942 is the year of patent issue) up until about 1945 will have no date code at all, and would typically have horizontally scored jaws. The absolute first Wiltons, in addition to not having a date code, would have PAT PND embossed on them (very common on a "fishhook" models, which sport the very first original Wilton logo. Great job on the video!

[@jerrythecoo3295]

Look Awesome Lee!!!.........👍🇨🇦

[@jimtygart5320]

very nice lee

[@JamesPeeBIRD3rd]

Where is ChiCARgo? Is that in ILLERnois? Just giving you a hard time! Awesome video, thanks for the info! I always enjoy your vids!

[@UTUBESTEVED]

Did you find when reassembling the rear pins in the back that it wasn’t the same fit as before removing them or perhaps the rear cap is a little looser?

[@dixy2k]

Outstanding Sir.

[@johnwarkentinnikiskialaska8364]

I have a Wilton bullet vice it is 3 or 4 times bigger I’m trying to restore it.it is very heavy

[@robertkutz]

lee nice work.

[@Donnybrook10]

well done Sir.

[@stevesrt8]

Great video. Great job! Did you ever find out any history on it?

[@felixf5211]

Which oil did you use? Very nice job!

[@thermion7869]

Good video, thank you!

[@AdamAus85]

What a beauty. Shame Wilton couldn't stick with that logo. Their current day logo is not a handsome looking one.

[@UTUBESTEVED]

Are you willing to sell me the swivel base

[@gulomzhonshirov2973]

👍😉

[@Lasurge1982]

Sounds like Hank Hill

[@bigted1953]

you could take the clean up video use the video and just put a voice over on it

[@darenbry]

Chicargo, don't you mean Chicago?

[@oliveirajc6790]

👍👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@MidwestRidazmotorizedbikes]

jaw clamp

[@buckbuck9225]

Why?? Its like "restoring a damm cold chisel.

[@francescopaololaghezza7665]

A video so boring and so talked about, I could not see it all