◦ Here is a status report on my third (and probably last) portable vise design experiment using the $6.87 Gold’s Gym dumbbell vise screw sold at Walmart.
◦ This vise is 16” tall with a 7 ¼” throat opening. The chop is guided by a unique ball-bearing St. Peter’s cross mechanism. Clamping force is generated by a 5-lobed handwheel which also provides a rapid action function. Woods used were ambrosia maple, walnut, and wenge. Jaws are padded with ⅛” “crubber” which is sheet automotive gasket material

There is a video in Media showing the vise’s operation. I struggled for a long time and was not successful adding it inline. So far, I’m generally happy with this vise’s ergonomics. I find the handwheel more convenient than a tommy bar.
The cross mechanism was made from 1/8” x 1-1/2” mild steel roughed out with a cutoff wheel mounted on an angle grinder. R4A bearings have a 1/4” ID, a 3/4” OD, and a 9/32” width. Pivots are 1/4” brass rod tapped for 10-24 pan head screws.

These cross bearings ride on 1/16” Al strips at the bottom of 7/8” wide mortises in the chop and leg.

The nut assembly has two dumbbell screw nuts in counterbores. One nut is epoxied and the second nut is triple screwed after phasing the nut for smooth rotation with minimum looseness. I tried four lobes at first but like the feel of five lobes better.

The screw slides smoothly on a Schedule 40 PVC pipe (not shown) bushing in a 1-1/4” diameter hole. A 3/16” longitudinal cut in the pipe enables it to squeeze enough to fit in hole.
The chop and leg are topped with replaceable caps. Note that one has a saw nick already.

If anyone is interested in building this vise for themselves, I’ll work with “Sketchup Dave” to make plans available.7
◦ This vise is 16” tall with a 7 ¼” throat opening. The chop is guided by a unique ball-bearing St. Peter’s cross mechanism. Clamping force is generated by a 5-lobed handwheel which also provides a rapid action function. Woods used were ambrosia maple, walnut, and wenge. Jaws are padded with ⅛” “crubber” which is sheet automotive gasket material

There is a video in Media showing the vise’s operation. I struggled for a long time and was not successful adding it inline. So far, I’m generally happy with this vise’s ergonomics. I find the handwheel more convenient than a tommy bar.
The cross mechanism was made from 1/8” x 1-1/2” mild steel roughed out with a cutoff wheel mounted on an angle grinder. R4A bearings have a 1/4” ID, a 3/4” OD, and a 9/32” width. Pivots are 1/4” brass rod tapped for 10-24 pan head screws.

These cross bearings ride on 1/16” Al strips at the bottom of 7/8” wide mortises in the chop and leg.

The nut assembly has two dumbbell screw nuts in counterbores. One nut is epoxied and the second nut is triple screwed after phasing the nut for smooth rotation with minimum looseness. I tried four lobes at first but like the feel of five lobes better.

The screw slides smoothly on a Schedule 40 PVC pipe (not shown) bushing in a 1-1/4” diameter hole. A 3/16” longitudinal cut in the pipe enables it to squeeze enough to fit in hole.
The chop and leg are topped with replaceable caps. Note that one has a saw nick already.

If anyone is interested in building this vise for themselves, I’ll work with “Sketchup Dave” to make plans available.7
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