Spraying water on wood for grip

[Simon MacGowen]

I just saw a video "Masterclass" by an Australian Steve Hay. He sprays water on the vise's wooden jaws before he clamps a board in it. He does the same when he uses the holdfast, spraying a mist on the wood and the bench top.

Do you have such a practice to raise the grain for a better grip or know someone who does like him?

Simon

[Jim Koepke]

My practice is to not even put a coffee cup or other beverage on my bench for fear of getting unwanted liquid on the surface.

My vise, holdfasts and other devices hold well enough without spraying water on things.

My issue is trying to keep moisture out of the shop when there is a rainforest less than 200 miles north of me.

jtk

[David Eisenhauer]

I use thin suede leather glued to my vise chops and the gripping surface of my holdfasts and have no slipping problems. Seems easier to do the work of fitting the leather one time than having to mist water every time. Not saying it won't work, just not for me.

[glenn bradley]

Another leather on the vise chop here. I have seen videos where people spray water on a board and then just set it on the bench to work. We do have a wide variety of reasonable work holding doo-jobbers available but, whatever floats yer boat.

[Peter Christensen]

I do what my dad did before grabbing something slippery or heavy for grip. Spit on my hands. Does that count?

[David Eisenhauer]

Of course. This is the Neanderthal Forum and the old ways rule in all aspects. Expect in the case of chainsaw vs felling axe.

[Mike Brady]

The water is an idea, but I flatten my bench top with a toothed blade in a 5-1/2, and just leave it that way, for a bit of texture. Personally I would not want the water around my planes.

[Hasin Haroon]

I use leather, or cork to line vises. For holdfasts, I use a piece of friction tape on the pads.
The water seems to be an odd solution to an easy problem, not to mention an action that you would have to do repeatedly rather than just setting and forgetting.

[Joe Rogers]

I’m considering adding leather to my tail vice jaw and possibly the bench face it mates with. Any suggestions on adhesives that would be reversable or easily removable when the leather requires renewal?
Joe

[Simon MacGowen]

I’m considering adding leather to my tail vice jaw and possibly the bench face it mates with. Any suggestions on adhesives that would be reversable or easily removable when the leather requires renewal?
Joe

3M spray adhesive or the like (I don't like the contact cement stuff).

Simon

[David Eisenhauer]

I tried some 3M spray adhesive on a face vise, but the leather did not stay after some use. I readily admit that are various 3M products and I did not research to see what might be best for the application. I went back to a new little bottle of the old time contact cement (the kind used for Formica glueing years ago) but the leather has held perfectly on all my vises and the bottoms of my holdfast "feet".

[Simon MacGowen]

I tried some 3M spray adhesive on a face vise, but the leather did not stay after some use. I readily admit that are various 3M products and I did not research to see what might be best for the application. I went back to a new little bottle of the old time contact cement (the kind used for Formica glueing years ago) but the leather has held perfectly on all my vises and the bottoms of my holdfast "feet".

I just used the regular 3M stuff, and it was sprayed on the smooth sides, not the rough sides. The temperature and humidity swings in my shop have not caused the leather to come apart...it must have been 6 or 7 years since the jaws were leather-padded.

Simon

[David Eisenhauer]

And way faster/easier/cleaner than using the contact cement I use I bet. I tried to go that way but probably got the wrong 3M product.

[Brian W Walker]

I used liquid hide glue for mine. It worked well, and somehow seems appropriate.

[Bill McDermott]

I have used water to help hold sandpaper flat and in place on the bench when I want to bring a small piece to the paper. So I understand and appreciate the idea. Never needed it when using a vise, clamp or holdfast. Maybe he works with slippery woods on a slippery bench??

[Steve Kaminska]

I've been having trouble this summer with my face vise holding, it hasn't been a problem before. I saw this video, and thought it was worth a try. A couple squirts of Windex from the same spray bottle I use for sharpening, and there is a noticable improvement in the vise's holding power. I haven't noticed any grain being raised, or other degredation of the vise chops.

[Jason Martin Winnipeg]

I use adhesive backed cork contact paper, after reading this article from Christopher Schwarz:

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/improve-the-grip-of-all-your-vises-10/

It works very well. I haven't had to replace the cork yet, but it doesn't seem like it would be a very difficult job.

[Simon MacGowen]

I use adhesive backed cork contact paper, after reading this article from Christopher Schwarz:

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/improve-the-grip-of-all-your-vises-10/

It works very well. I haven't had to replace the cork yet, but it doesn't seem like it would be a very difficult job.

The self-adhesive kind of cork will disintegrate over time, when you use the vise for clamping pieces horizontally and vertically BECAUSE the material is thin. If you use your vise mainly on wide boards for edge planing, that would be less an issue. However, if you do narrow pieces (end grain work) or sawing a lot, the cork sheet won't hold up for more than 6 months, depending on how much you use the vise.

Th cork sheet works, but you just need to replace it from time to time (which is not difficult), unlike the leather stuff which is a more permanent fix.

Simon

[Simon MacGowen]

I've been having trouble this summer with my face vise holding, it hasn't been a problem before. I saw this video, and thought it was worth a try. A couple squirts of Windex from the same spray bottle I use for sharpening, and there is a noticable improvement in the vise's holding power. I haven't noticed any grain being raised, or other degredation of the vise chops.

Interesting. Any noticeable issues with rust on the vise or tools?

Simon

[Tom Bender]

Had hardwood jaws for a couple years but it took so much force and still was not always good. Added thick suede leather to both jaws and never looked back. The leather accommodates a little taper in the part too.

[Steve Kaminska]

Interesting. Any noticeable issues with rust on the vise or tools?

Simon

Good question. I fight rust constantly, as I live about a mile from the ocean, any ferrous metals around my house MUST be waxed, oiled or painted, or there will be visible surface rust in less than a week. I use a "rag in a can" to oil my planes and chisels after every woodworking session, so I haven't noticed these tools rusting with any greater frequency.

However, my vise screw required a lot more maintenance; it seemed to rust faster/more often than normal. This summer was more humid than usual, and I was also using the vise more than I have in the past... So I can't say if the vise rusted at a normal rate, but I was paying closer attention, or it rusted faster because of humidity, or it rusted faster because I was spraying the vise.