03-05-2016, 10:18 AM
I've been meaning to do this for some time now. Here is a pic and explanation of the bench vice I made while I was building my Weekender. I find myself using this vice almost to the complete exclusion of all my others because it is so versatile. I made it out of a 2X6 piece of birch because that is what I had laying around, but maybe maple or oak would work a little better.Â
From the pic you can see that it is made with a stout pipe clamp that I also had laying around and is an integral part of the bench itself. I think this is very important. Whatever it is mounted to must be as stable as possible. My vice will not hold things so strongly that it will tear things apart like a steel vice will, and that is part of its beauty, but I do knock the bench around sometimes when using it.
You can see a 2X6 block standing as the fulcrum at the bottom of the vice. This is a demonstration of how to open the vice up to hold really large objects. By extending the fulcrum out beyond the width of the work piece, you can make the vice pinch the piece instead of gripping it flatly like regular bench vices always do. Sometimes that can come in handy. And vice versa, if you shorten up the fulcrum, you can squeeze an object from the bottom.Â
Because it is made out of wood, you don't have to worry about your blades on hand planes or saws. They will garf up the vice, but that is not a big deal. Also, if you keep the mating surfaces clean, you will not mar whatever you are holding in the vice.Â
This has been a huge success for me, so much so that I can't imagine being without one now. It is simple to make, versatile, and cheap. What more could a guy ask for?
Al
From the pic you can see that it is made with a stout pipe clamp that I also had laying around and is an integral part of the bench itself. I think this is very important. Whatever it is mounted to must be as stable as possible. My vice will not hold things so strongly that it will tear things apart like a steel vice will, and that is part of its beauty, but I do knock the bench around sometimes when using it.
You can see a 2X6 block standing as the fulcrum at the bottom of the vice. This is a demonstration of how to open the vice up to hold really large objects. By extending the fulcrum out beyond the width of the work piece, you can make the vice pinch the piece instead of gripping it flatly like regular bench vices always do. Sometimes that can come in handy. And vice versa, if you shorten up the fulcrum, you can squeeze an object from the bottom.Â
Because it is made out of wood, you don't have to worry about your blades on hand planes or saws. They will garf up the vice, but that is not a big deal. Also, if you keep the mating surfaces clean, you will not mar whatever you are holding in the vice.Â
This has been a huge success for me, so much so that I can't imagine being without one now. It is simple to make, versatile, and cheap. What more could a guy ask for?
Al