An improved Moxon vise

[Derek Cohen]

I am about to begin my next build, and it has 8 drawers. As many of you know, I like making drawers ... complex drawers. And these ones are no exception.

It got me thinking about the improvements I'd like to make to my Moxon vise. I have plans to make a new Moxon vise, using steel screws and iron wheels ala BenchCrafted, and all the parts are waiting in my workshop. But they will wait until this build is completed. And so I decided to modify the Moxon vise I have been using for the past 8 years.

The Moxon vise is not simply about holding a board to saw dovetails. It is also about holding two boards together to transfer the tails to the pin board.

In regard to the holding-to-transfer, David Barron designed a useful jig, a dovetail alignment board ...

https://i.postimg.cc/76fQRKrw/IMAGE-1.jpg

The issue I have with this is that I do not want another appliance to add to the ones I already have. But I like the idea, and wanted to incorporate it.

To cut to the chase, here is my modified Moxon vise ....

https://i.postimg.cc/MZCDYWss/1.jpg

The first item is the ledge at the rear, which is covered in non-slip. The non-slip is for stair treads. The ledge is an idea taken from Joel Moskowitz (Tools for Working Wood), and is intended to use with a clamp when the tail board may need to be clamped. I have used clamps in the past, and so I know it is a good idea.

Where this ledge differs is that it has a raised, hinged section, that places the tail board 16mm above the chop. This was also present on my previous version (http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/ModsfortheMoxon.html) ...

https://i.postimg.cc/L6jVCrwm/3.jpg

This allows the higher section to be folded out of the way when sawing ...

https://i.postimg.cc/XvYcvXJv/4.jpg

The reason for this is that a coplanar top surface will lead to the chop being marked up by the knife when transferring the tails. This is the reason I recommend that the Moxon vise does not receive a table at the rear. It is why I prefer instead to raise the work piece up higher than the chop, out of harms way. The rear of the board is supported by the "I-beam" (which can be seen in the photos.

https://i.postimg.cc/G3yPtWcv/11.jpg

The inside of the chop and the vise face are now covered by a material made from a composite of cork and rubber. BenchCrafted sell this as "crubber". I researched it on the 'Net and purchased a large piece on eBay.

https://i.postimg.cc/50HBwG8d/5.jpg

Note above that there are dados in the chop and the face. The dado in the face has a recessed rare earth magnet.

I had an idea to make an integral, but removable alignment fence. This is a steel angle faced with hardwood ...

https://i.postimg.cc/Z5Zx1wzp/6.jpg

It slots into the dado, and is held firmly ...

https://i.postimg.cc/JhY3HmD5/7.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/g2DHd3G5/8.jpg

And then is used in the same manner as an alignment board ...

https://i.postimg.cc/4drzw51K/9.jpg

I hope this can be used by others.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[James Pallas]

Very innovative Derek. Will be interesting to see how it works out. It seems that there will be a lot of in and out of the vise. Could be I haven't figured it out correctly.
Jim

[David Eisenhauer]

I like the removable angle iron stop. I tried David's guide but also found it to be larger than I wanted and tended to not use it after some initial trial runs. I have been using a small square for the same purpose but may look to incorporate the dados for quicker setup. Thanks.

[Edwin Santos]

Very nice!
Would you mind sharing your method of adhering the crubber to the vise jaws?

[Bruce Haugen]

That looks like a good one, something I need, especially with the vise face.

BTW, how is it that I can see your pics? Are they hosted on your website?

[Pete Taran]

Bruce,

They are indeed hosted on Derek's end somewhere. A clever work around for the no member pictures thing. I guess you can only expect so much from 20 year old forum software. :)

[David Eisenhauer]

Edwin - I used a (back-in-the-day) popular laminate glue called Weldwood to glue my Benchcrafted brand crubber to my leg vise. It is hanging in there just fine.

[Ray Newman]

Derek: very interesting and useful modifications to the Moxon.

[Derek Cohen]

Very nice!
Would you mind sharing your method of adhering the crubber to the vise jaws?

Hi Edwin

Just a decent contact glue. Spray on the "crubber" and paint on the wood.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

That looks like a good one, something I need, especially with the vise face.

BTW, how is it that I can see your pics? Are they hosted on your website?

Hi Bruce

As Pete notes, I have an external site. Actually two: one is my website (http://www.inthewoodshop.com/index.html), and the other is a photo site, Postimage.org

The reason I link to these is that it allows for better flow of a post-with-photos - no need to stop reading, maximise a picture, and then continue reading.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Edwin Santos]

Edwin - I used a (back-in-the-day) popular laminate glue called Weldwood to glue my Benchcrafted brand crubber to my leg vise. It is hanging in there just fine.


Hi Edwin

Just a decent contact glue. Spray on the "crubber" and paint on the wood.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks gents. The crubber on my leg vise has delaminated with twice now, but I'll try contact glue next. Weldwood is readily available.

[Stewie Simpson]

Bruce,

They are indeed hosted on Derek's end somewhere. A clever work around for the no member pictures thing. I guess you can only expect so much from 20 year old forum software. :)

Pete; are you trying to undermine the changes that Keith has recently enacted on this forum site. !!!

Stewie;

[Bill Carey]

"The reason for this is that a coplanar top surface will lead to the chop being marked up by the knife when transferring the tails. This is the reason I recommend that the Moxon vise does not receive a table at the rear. It is why I prefer instead to raise the work piece up higher than the chop, out of harms way. The rear of the board is supported by the "I-beam" (which can be seen in the photos."

Hey Derek - thx for posting. Your idea of raising the work piece is a good one. It would be more efficient to have the pin board at 3" or so above the jaws when transferring the tails so that one could just start cutting with out repositioning the pin board. Also reduces the cuts in the front jaw. (the "chop"? - I learned a new term) As you can see, in the prototype I added the hold downs. I like them and will have to come up with a way to keep them in the new design that raises the board ready for cutting. I also lowered the front jaw - the chop - so I could use a square to line things up, but I like the idea of the rabbits and a magnet. I'll be stealing that idea. The metal screws work great, but overall mine is too narrow and will surely get wider in the final version. Thx as well for the crubber idea. Another steal.
409894 409895

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Bill

There are a number of ways you can secure the tail board to prevent it moving when transferring marks. I have created the opportunity for clamps with the ledge when holding very long or heavy boards, however I find that the non-slip is all that is generally needed for standard/typical sizes.

I would want to raise the rear of the vise higher than you have it. In the course of 8 years with this vise, I have marked several hundred dovetails. The chop is relatively unscathed. It would have been chewed up if it was similar to yours. Perhaps I am just heavy-handed. :o

One consideration was to build the rear section 16mm higher than the chop. However, I do not like raising the work piece higher than necessary when sawing as it loses support, and thinner boards will vibrate. Hence the flip back rear section. I can keep the work piece lower and supported equally on both sides.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jerry Lowetz]

Fantastic stuff!
I printed out your Moxon vice from your webpage for reference (stealing) then realized this is the Old version. How's the new one coming? (awaiting it for more despicable thievery)

[Derek Cohen]

Steal away all you wish, Jerry :)

I have started a furniture build (will post something when there is something substantial to see), and shop accessories take a back seat ... a reason why the new Moxon vise will wait until later.

Regards from Perth

Derek