Most expensive hand tool I own....

[Mark42]

While setting up my work shop in its new location in the basement, I decided to clean up and paint a few old tools and fixtures to go with the fresh painted walls and new cabinets. <br /><br />One particularly ugly object is my bench vise. The "center piece" of any good work bench. Got it from a retired machinist when I bought his house in '85. Never thought much of it, other than it is the heaviest vise I ever owned (50 lbs). It is covered in various colors of dripped paint, glue globs, grease, metal filings, etc. So I sanded it with a disk sander down to bare metal. I noticed the name cast into it was "WILTON. SCHILLERVILLE, ILL. USA So I look them up on the web and find that they make big vises. What I have turns out to be a 4" jaw Machinist Vice: <br />

<br /><br />

Wilton vise meets all government specifications. 60,000 PSI tensile ductile iron body parts for mass and strength. Precision thrust bearing on Wilton vise creates greater clamping pressure and increased longevity. Extra deep throat-Wilton's design gives you more working room where it counts. Locking swivel base - 360 degree rotation is enhanced by serrated swivel base with double lockdowns for non-slip holding and four mounting points. Enclosed design keeps contaminants out, lifetime lubrication for smooth design. Large anvil on Wilton vise. Hardened steel jaw, replaceable inserts are machine serrated for safe, sure grip under maximum torque.<br /><br />Wilton vise jaw width: 4", Jaw opening: 6-1/2", Throat depth: 3-1/2<br />

That vise currently sells for $350.00! Holy Moly! I was taken back that I had such a nice precision vise and didn't know it. So I decided to treat it right and dissassembled it, sanded it clean, used Rust-olium Hammered Metal in green metalic, then reassembled lubing all moving parts and bearing surfaces. Even polished up the brass jaw caps on the wire wheel. Looks like new. And those brass jaw caps are shining like a crown atop the vise. <br /><br />Kind of neat when you find out something you have is kind of special when you thought it was just old or common.<br /> <br />Well, that is the most expensive hand tool I own, and probably ever will.

 

[ndemge]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

That's really cool.<br /><br />...and your wife was probably completely confused why you were polishing up that "squeezer thing"

 

[Mark42]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

She has been nervously watching me move all my junk into the new shop room. She is afraid that I will just make a mess and pile stuff all over. I noticed she didn't complain when I bought some new utility wall cabinets to put the power tools in. Or that I built a new cabinet to mount the nuts/bolts parts bins in (rather than taking up space on the work bench). She did wonder what that big sheet of peg board was I came home with last night. I showed her where its goin on the wall. I think she is impressed that the shop will be organized and look neat. Not that it will be a show place, but it won't be a sh*t hole either.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

You Lucky Dog,....... <br />I've always Wanted a Wilton......

 

[Barlow]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

cool beans Mark! .. nothing like finding a diamond in the rough.

 

[RPJS]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Hi<br />On the down side, knowing that the vise is a good quality one may have an adverse effect on your work. Think of the times you've had to used the BIG hammer on bits held in said vice. I bet you think twice now

 

[Realgun]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Why can' I find stuff like that? If I look at the flea market I am sure I can if I ever get a weekend off.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Nice tool, but things must be slow (or cold) when you're in the basement polishing a vise.

 

[DJ]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Cool.<br /><br />One of the essential tools a man needs.<br /><br />1. A big ole hunk of metal.<br /><br />2. A big ole hammer.<br /><br />3. Fire. (ie, torch)<br /><br />What else is there? Aaargh, Aaargh.

 

[jimr]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

We had a BIG old vise at work and one of the guys broke it about 4 months ago and we still don't have a new one We used it all the time. We still have 2 smaller ones but when we have to rebuild a hydraulic cylinder we need the big one. We have one ordered but still haven't seen it. its probally junk. We got prices from 300-1500 for vices. knowing my boss we are probally getting the $300 one

 

[Realgun]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Jimr hes still looking for an old 1 at the flea market me thinks. But you know boss is always right even when wrong.<br /><br />Boatbuoy your right its too cold there he won't or can't show us his new steering wheel.

 

[jimr]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

nah real gun I work for a City and they don't buy used no matter how good of a deal it is. I agree the new ones are not as good

 

[roscoe]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Most expensive hand tool....<br />Wouldn't that be your wedding ring?

 

[Link]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Originally posted by roscoe:<br /> Most expensive hand tool....<br />Wouldn't that be your wedding ring?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Originally posted by roscoe:<br /> Most expensive hand tool....<br />Wouldn't that be your wedding ring?

Is that considered a Tool,.......<br />Or,...<br />Restraining Devise......................

 

[jtexas]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Originally posted by DJ:<br /> Cool.<br /><br />One of the essential tools a man needs.<br /><br />1. A big ole hunk of metal.<br /><br />2. A big ole hammer.<br /><br />3. Fire. (ie, torch)<br /><br />What else is there? Aaargh, Aaargh.

a beer?<br /><br />a w****? [censored for political correctness. also to protect the sensitive bits.]

 

[brother chris]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Originally posted by jtexas:<br />

Originally posted by DJ:<br /> Cool.<br /><br />One of the essential tools a man needs.<br /><br />1. A big ole hunk of metal.<br /><br />2. A big ole hammer.<br /><br />3. Fire. (ie, torch)<br /><br />What else is there? Aaargh, Aaargh.

a beer?<br /><br />a w****? [censored for political correctness. also to protect the sensitive bits.]

A beautiful woman!

 

[muskyone]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

thats cool the guy across the street from me knew i was a blacksmith and gave me a leg vice even after i told him the things cost around 7 or 800 bucks vices aint cheap

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

Wilton's are wonderful vices. But the most expensive hand tool I own, more accurately the most valuable handtools I own are my HANDS. I am starting to treat them that way too. And that's expensive. Has anyone bought a pair of mechanics gloves lately?

 

[muskyone]

Re: Most expensive hand tool I own....

i climed poles for years without gloves till mec gloves came out now i wear them all day at work