My Moxon dovetail vise

[Derek Cohen]

Joseph Moxon's twin-screw vise has been on my To Do/Must Have list ever since Chris Schwarz published his model and demonstrated its value as a dovetail vise in his column.

Chris' Moxon vise ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/1a.jpg

Link: http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/Declaring+Victory+With+The+Doublescrew+Vise.aspx

It kept getting put aside, partly because it required making wooden screws, which I had not done before. I went so far as ordering a kit to make 1 1/2" diameter screws, and then it languished in a drawer for several months. Incidentally, I bought this from my local Carba-tec store. It looks the generic Chinese tap and die set.

It is not as though I could not use a vise such as this. In fact I needed this weeks ago when I began building a couple of military chests with many dovetails (carcases and drawers).

Inspiration came a few days ago I received an email from LN (Australia) asking me to be a co-presenter at their first workshop in Perth. This will involve dovetailing, so I decided to get off my butt and make a Moxon dovetail vise. At least I would have flash equipment ... :)

My thanks to Chris for his recent (December) article in Pop Wood.

What I have come up with has a little variation, not much, but enough to make this an exceptionally useful tool.

I built the screws out of some nondescript hardwood that I have no name for (but looks like a gum). It was all I had that was thick enough. Fortunately it all went well - it turned well, and did not chip when making the threads.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/1.jpg

The screws are set 520mm (20 1/2") apart, but the total base is 840mm (33") long and 105mm (4 1/8") deep. The face is 110mm (4 1/4") high.

What's different?

The first item is that I have added "ears" to the sides of the base.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/2.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/3.jpg

These make it easier to clamp to the bench top (than attaching it at the upper side of the vise, per se).

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/4.jpg

There is also a 75mm (3") wide rear support, which could be used with a holddown.

Of course the vise is simply to hold a board at a comfortable height for sawing. It does this very well. I was surprised how well the bare wooden faces hold the board. I was planning to add chamois leather, but this does not appear necessary.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/5.jpg

Now in the background you can see what looks like a wooden "I-beam". It is ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/6.jpg

This was also just scrap, but turned out 370mm (14 1/2") long and 90mm (3 1/2") deep. It is sized to be 1/2" taller than the vise.

320 grit beltsander belt is attached on both sides. This provides anti-slip.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/7.jpg

Stop using that handplan to rest the boards when transferring tails to pins! Use this rest instead ...

Raise the Pin Board 1/2" higher that the edge of the vise.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/8.jpg

... and add the Tail Board.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/9.jpg


But wait ... there is more!

[Derek Cohen]

I need to transfer the tails on a board that is too long to fit across my bench, and the bench is too narrow to clamp the board at the end (without resorting, as I usually need, to some Heath Robinson creation).

The Moxon vise has the length and the rigidity to provide a stable and secure hold on the boards while you transfer marks.

Clamped at one end ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/10.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/11.jpg

... and clamped at the front ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/12.jpg

You can also see the rest clamped to the edge of the bench, in line with the vise.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/13.jpg

Now place the Tail Board on top ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/14.jpg

I was again surprised at the stability of the Tail Board which was only held down by its own weight. However, I recommend that one add clamps at each end.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/15.jpg

Now you can tap it into perfect alignment, ready for knifing the lines.

Another view ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Moxon%20dovetail%20vise/16.jpg

Now back to dovetailing ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Don Dorn]

Fantastic - a friend and I have been wanting to make a pair of these for awhile now since we saw the same article. Highland was out of the tap and die but we are going to have to get more creative in finding one after seeing this. I love the "ears" and had planned the same, but the ones you made look very nice - I'll shamelessley steal that method. Thank you for posting Derek.

[Roy Lindberry]

That's really nice, Derek.

I'm always impressed and inspired by shop made solutions to the limitations of space/tools that most of us have.

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks Derek,

That is a great inspiration.

I will have to find some scrap around here. There is a 1" tap & die out in the shop. Have to give it a try and see if that will work. My thought about the I-beam when it was seen in one of the earlier images was that it was a tool rack. Of course, if it was full of tools it would be difficult to use for balance a board.

Have fun at the show.

jtk

[john brenton]

Derek,
Are you happy with your existing bench setup with the moxon as a jig, or would you rather have a continental shoulder vise or twin screw vise built in?

[Johnny Kleso]

Very Sweet.....

That jack stand is very helpful I bet..
When I was trying to layout dovetails in chest of drawers without one it was a nightmare for me..

[Derek Cohen]

Derek,
Are you happy with your existing bench setup with the moxon as a jig, or would you rather have a continental shoulder vise or twin screw vise built in?

Hi John

The Moxon vise adds height, which a shoulder vise lacks. The idea is to reduce the degree of stooping that sawing at a bench vise demands.

I have now added the article to my website.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/MoxonDovetailVise.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Andrew Yang]

Mine isn't nearly as pretty. The addition of the wings is a nice idea. My thread box wasn't as cooperative. I know this is Neanderthal Haven, so I'll refrain from recounting how I ended up cutting my threads.


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ykyFge_sHPI/TUzHaFlS-MI/AAAAAAAAAfg/ZT8iaeLQZZY/s400/_U0I2170-2.jpg (http://newcanuckworkshop.blogspot.com/2011/02/rockin-moxon.html)

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Derek,

That is a huge improvement that you have made and I love the I-beam. You really should send this link to Chris Swartz. I bet you will get a write up in PW on the improvements.