- Joined
- Nov 28, 2016
- Messages
- 2,344
I bought an old 4 inch Wilton Bullet vise from a seller on ebay... it was pretty rough...
It obviously spent some time on a welding bench, it was covered in spatter and the jaw insert on the moveable jaw had been welded to the jaw...
Mechanically, it is tight and works very well.
I used an abrasive wheel on an angle grinder to cut the welded jaw insert off, then bolted the vise to my mill table and milled off the remaining weld. While I had it indicated on the mill, I skimmed the jaw faces where the jaw inserts seat just enough to clean them up and ensure they were parallel.
Next, I disassembled the vise, degreased it, and lightly sandblasted the body and moveable jaw. I then used a sanding disk on an air motor to lightly go over it to remove the remaining spatter and high metal from around the dents...
I mixed up some JB Weld and used it as filler to fill the dents, dings, and other damage...
After blending the excess JB Weld off...
...I had a fairly smooth surface. I went ahead and painted the moveable jaw using a rattle can...
It is drying now...
This vise was made in 1951... my other Wilton Bullet was made in 1978 or 79... both have 4 inch jaws, but the later vise is much bigger...
I did the work on the moveable jaw yesterday, and the vise body today... the JB on the body will be cured enough to sand out tomorrow, so maybe I'll get it painted then.
I have also ordered a piece of O-1 bar to make new jaw inserts out of. I'll have to see if I can figure out how to harden them at home once I get them machined.
-Bear
It obviously spent some time on a welding bench, it was covered in spatter and the jaw insert on the moveable jaw had been welded to the jaw...
Mechanically, it is tight and works very well.
I used an abrasive wheel on an angle grinder to cut the welded jaw insert off, then bolted the vise to my mill table and milled off the remaining weld. While I had it indicated on the mill, I skimmed the jaw faces where the jaw inserts seat just enough to clean them up and ensure they were parallel.
Next, I disassembled the vise, degreased it, and lightly sandblasted the body and moveable jaw. I then used a sanding disk on an air motor to lightly go over it to remove the remaining spatter and high metal from around the dents...
I mixed up some JB Weld and used it as filler to fill the dents, dings, and other damage...
After blending the excess JB Weld off...
...I had a fairly smooth surface. I went ahead and painted the moveable jaw using a rattle can...
It is drying now...
This vise was made in 1951... my other Wilton Bullet was made in 1978 or 79... both have 4 inch jaws, but the later vise is much bigger...
I did the work on the moveable jaw yesterday, and the vise body today... the JB on the body will be cured enough to sand out tomorrow, so maybe I'll get it painted then.
I have also ordered a piece of O-1 bar to make new jaw inserts out of. I'll have to see if I can figure out how to harden them at home once I get them machined.
-Bear
