Moxon vise - distance between the jaws

[Mark Gibney]

I have a 36" acme threaded rod to use for the two sides of a Moxon vise I'm making.

What is a good maximum opening distance between the jaws?
If the vise will just be used for dovetails I suppose a few inches opening would be fine. Are there other uses you guys find for your Moxon vises?

Thank you.

[Marinus Loewensteijn]

Sometimes a panel needs clamping or the side of a chest needs dovetailing and this is not covered by a few inches. It all depends on what work needs doing (which may be different from what I am doing). On the other hand, if it is too wide it becomes unwieldy. Personally I am finding no vise more flexible with using holdfasts (and dowels).

[Derek Cohen]

Mark, see my recent Moxon build: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/TheLastMoxon.html

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/TheLastMoxon_html_7dc7c35.jpg

This has 17 3/4" (450mm) between the screws. That is enough for any case I build. It has about 2 1/2" opening depth (although I can increase this several inches from the rear), but this is enough for any drawer front or case. Anything more and the screws may interfere with the sawing comfort.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[J. Greg Jones]

Mine open to a little over 2-1/2 inches, which would allow me to gang cut dovetails on 5/4 stock if needed. I cannot imagine when I might ever need more than that, as I’ve never used my Moxon for anything other than end grain work. As Derek mentioned, you could make the screws as long as you like and adjust them on the back side so that there was not too much threads sticking out when working with thinner stock.

[Mark Gibney]

Thanks guys, I'll keep them to the opening distance you recommend.

Derek, time to do a licensing deal with Benchcrafted?

[Bill Carey]

I used 16" rods for mine, and they are fixed to the chop so the excess sticks out the back. I would really dislike having the rods sticking out the front. I have about 14" between the rods, and it opens about 10 inches. I've used it primarily for dove tails and cleaning up tenons, but also have clamped some assemblies in it. Yesterday I used it to clamp a new piece of leather to my dead blow hammer.

[Mark Gibney]

Thanks for your input Bill. I cut them today, and have 3" max opening between the jaws.
Looking forward to dovetails by the dozen.

[Jay W McNally]

I am somewhat new to this and am building my first bench in baby steps beginning with a portable moxon vise with a workspace on too. My big bench will eventually be in my garage, which is too cold to work in December to April.

Question: what is the proper design to fix the threaded rods to the chop so the excess goes out the back, as you describe?

[Bill Carey]

I am somewhat new to this and am building my first bench in baby steps beginning with a portable moxon vise with a workspace on too. My big bench will eventually be in my garage, which is too cold to work in December to April.

Question: what is the proper design to fix the threaded rods to the chop so the excess goes out the back, as you describe?


Jay - I used Yost 18" vise screws from Amazon.
423405

And installed it like this:
423406 423407

I would really dislike the screws coming out the front. I used plastic pipe to run the screws thru so they wouldn't chew up the wood. Wasn't sure that would work but it's been fine. The sleeves are epoxied in place. One of these days I'll build the moxon I want - this is just a prototype (that has lasted a couple of years) that I threw together with scraps and particle board. But this one works so well I can't bring myself to start another.

[J. Greg Jones]

I am somewhat new to this and am building my first bench in baby steps beginning with a portable moxon vise with a workspace on too. My big bench will eventually be in my garage, which is too cold to work in December to April.

Question: what is the proper design to fix the threaded rods to the chop so the excess goes out the back, as you describe?
You can view the instructions for building one on the Benchcrafted site, which will illustrate the use of their hardware.

https://www.benchcrafted.com/download-files/Moxon_Vise_Instructions-BC0317.pdf

[David Eisenhauer]

You can also buy (McMaster I believe) cast handwheels that have a set screw in the hub of the wheel that bite down on the front end of the Acme screw which causes the thread to run out of the back of the Moxon rather than the front like Derek's does. I use regular Acme nuts bedded down into the outer face of the rear Moxon chop to capture the Acme threads after running through both chops. Turn the handwheel, the Acme thread moves back and forth through the rear Acme nut and stays fixed at the hand wheel.