Basic face vise

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This thread is a follow-on to

https://ncwoodworker.net/forums/index.php?threads/thoughts-on-a-basic-face-vise.77054/

This project of mine is to develop a wooden face vise design for workbenches that only costs a few tens of dollars. Primary target audience is for woodworkers without a vise and those maybe without a lot of money for a vise.

The first prototype exposed a few problems. This thread picks up at the point of making a revised nut block. The nut block position is adjustable to set the screw perpendicularity and my next post will show how I milled the nut block.

 

[smallboat]

Looking forward to seeing where this design is headed

 

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The primary improvement from the first prototype is an improved nut block that supports the screw that the chop hangs from. First, the SYP that the first nut block was made from may have been abused in the kiln since it was quite brittle. Despite pre-drilling, it broke when screwed into. I replaced that portion with a maple piece.

Next was to make a recess for the spinner nut. Started by drilling the through hole for the screw and hogging out the bulk of the waste.

After tracing the outline of the nut, two holes for nut lobes.

A little more drilling and chiseling gave a recess for the nut and its thrust washer. Note that the nut is a sloppy fit in its recess so that it can self-align with the screw.

The nut fits on its recess like this slightly below the surface of the nut block.

Lastly, the rear plastic bearing plate gets screwed on. The hole in the bearing plate has a 1/16" roundover on both sides for smoothness.

 

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The back of this basic face vise looks like this showing the nut block and the adjustable lower bearing block.

One other change in this second prototype is the lower screw joint in the chop is rigid. It was floppy in the first prototype.

The mechanics of this design is what makes this inexpensive vise work. As mentioned, the plastic bearing plate in front of the leg and the one in the back of the nut block shown above support the screw and allow it to rotate smoothly. There is no vertical force on the nut save for its own weight.

The chop hangs from the screw riding on a plastic bearing plate behind the handwheel. The chop is kept from tipping by the adjustable bearing plate at the lower back of the leg assembly (see first photo).

The plastic plate at the front bottom of the leg assembly (see above) has a clearance hole for the lower screw and only serves as a stop for the lower nut that sets the camber for various thickness work pieces.

This view shows the brass garter pin that pulls the chop along when the screw is opened.

 

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Time to mount this vise to the end my workbench looking from underneath. I used hanger bolts but lags would work also. Note that the nut block has to be removed temporarily for access to the nuts.

Here is the leg assembly mounted.

After reinstalling the nut block, it needs to be adjusted vertically until the upper screw is perpendicular to the face of the leg.

Next is to adjust the lower bearing plate (if needed) so the the vise opens and closes smoothly.

Here is the vise holding work between dogs.

And holding work in the jaws for edge planing.

I believe I am ready for the next phase which is to draw up some "cartoons" some that y'all can make your own basic face vise.

 

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First task for the vise was to hold the plastic nut on my string trimmer which I could not loosen with my hand. Been told that one loses their grip with age.

 

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Another check is will this vise hold my tall vise securely and it does.

BTW, holding my tall vise in another vise at the end of my bench is my preference over using clamps.

 

[Rwe2156]

Interesting. This is actually a leg vice, not a face vise that was a bit confusing. So the bottom screw doesn’t turn, right? If so why not use a smooth rod? The link you posted doesn’t work.

Leg vises are usually used in conjunction with a sliding dead man to support a long board when addressing the edge. But I keep thinking the screw limits the width clamped full across thenfence, so a wide board is clamped in half the vise, which means racking. Maybe I‘ve got something wrong there?

 

[Dee2]

To me, it looks like the nut on the bottom screw controls racking. Am I missing something?

 

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]To me, it looks like the nut on the bottom screw controls racking. Am I missing something?

The bottom nut is to control racking as Gene said

I have built vises using a smooth rod for racking control and they are a lot more expensive than this design. Also, they have to be built pretty precisely to avoid binding during opening.

Fixed the link. Thanks for pointing it out.

I did not call this a leg vise since a bench leg is not involved. My research indicated that face vise was not perfect but most appropriate.

 

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Bits of slippery plastic are integral to this design. I buy a cutting board at Walmart and look for one that is at least 3/8” thick. The slippery plastic cutting boards are clad with a non-slip coating which needs to be removed. A jack plane makes rapid work of removing. I don’t worry about the scallops from the cambered blade.

p

I have a straight blade DeWalt lunchbox planer and it is ill suited for this task. A planer with a segmented head might work?

 

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Progress on this project has been slowed by some necessary yard work.

The drawings are nearing completion and I am checking the drawings (and making small changes) by building a vise as I go along. Next, a member will build a vise from the drawings as a final check before I post them to the Resources section.

I do plan on bringing this vise to the picnic for y’all to have some hands on.

 

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Look for this on a bench at the picnic.

 

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In the two tall vise workshops, we used a 14" CAP barbell screw which was powder coated. Seems like these are only available on eBay now. On Amazon, I did find a nicer chrome plated set for not too much more money.

Amazon.com

The 14" were out of stock until late June so I got these 15.75" long ones for about $5 more. Wherever you purchase them, the thread needs to be continuous under the rubber grip.

Here is these chrome plated screws installed in a basic face vise that I just made.

 

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The vise that I just made with the chrome plated screws is the smoothest working one to date. I decided it was time for an Alpha tester. I asked Joe Carr (@JNCarr) if he would be willing to test this vise and he accepted. He has been making his wondrous wooden clocks sans a vise. Here is the place that he has for a vise in his shop. Placing a conventional vise there is problematic since the left cabinet is mobile.

After some head scratching, I decided to reuse the pseudo-benchtop that I made for the picnic. It is placed atop the space between the cabinet tops and secured with carriage bolts and wing nuts through two dog holes into clamping bars below. No wood molecules in the cabinets were harmed.

 

[creasman]

Love the grain pattern on that crank!

 

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Love the grain pattern on that crank!

View attachment 219477

Butcher block glue-up of end-grain SYP. Inexpensive to make and good breakage resistance.
Also, there is no end grain on the periphery.

Here is a blank for another one:

The knob is some of the mahogany that @Phil S salvaged from an office reno.

 

[JNCarr]

Initial reaction to the vice is fantastic. Cranks in and out like a breeze and the lower spinner makes a parallel grip flawless.
A lot more testing to do, but so far so good.

 

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There is a bit of "draftsman's license" in this drawing but the intent is to illustrate the innards of the basic face vise.

 

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I have proven without any doubt that I do not understand squat about the barbell supply chain. The CAP barbells are now back in stock at Walmart. However, I recently bought these two 14" chrome-plated barbells at my local Walmart for $11.97 each. They are the same price online. Athletic Works 14 Inch Spinlock Dumbbell Handle, Fit 1" Standard Weight Bar, 3lb Weight - Walmart.com and these are superior to the black powder-coated ones that flake fairly easily.

These definitely operate more smoothly than the black powder-coated ones and won't flake. I retrofitted the vise from the picnic with the newly purchased screws .