Moxon vise: rackable or not?

[Eric Danstrom]

I searched many threads but I wasn't able to determine if people are making their Moxon vise with one of the front chop holes oval (rackable)? I wanted to use some bronze bushings in the front chop but if it needs an oval hole bushing might not a good idea.

[Ralph Boumenot]

It will still work with an oval hole. My moxon has this feature and the only thing I have to do is make sure it doesn't hang up. I used sleeve bearings instead of bushings.

[Derek Cohen]

With steel screws, I added bronze bushings to reduce wear. The bushings needed to be reamed out as the tight tolerance caused them to bind when the chop was moved. A loose fit is necessary and desirable.

I have since added springs to mine. I will post about this modification at some point.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[justin sherriff]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpg2XiVdYGc
In this vise he used a washer that lets it move a bit https://www.mcmaster.com/91131a090

[Eric Danstrom]

What I'm understanding is that the oblong hole is required. I'd be interested to see how others have incorporated a bushing with the oblong hole. And springs? I'm lost.

Thanks for all your thoughtful responses. I'm making my first version using a $10 plank of pine and I think I'll forego the "bronze bush bearing" (proper term) which are also called "sleeve bushings" or just "bushings". I want to make some dovetail joints with this vise and understand what features I what/need before I make my "final version".

[Mike Brady]

I think you will encounter binding of the chop on the screws if you do not utilize oval holes in the chop. Even Benchcrafted shows them as standard in their hardware instructions. I built my vice under the supervision of Derek Jones, and he also insisted they are necessary. The other helpful feature is to have the chop about 3/16 " taller than the fixed part of the vise; except that that margin is at the bottom and aligns the vise to the bench top when you are installing it. A nice little feature.

[Edward Anderson]

I see this is an old thread...so here goes.
I'm in the process of building a version of the Moon vise using a Weider Barbel. The threads are pretty course, so they should allow for fast clamping. I found the barbell easy to cut off the threaded ends using a 4 1/2 inch grinder.
I'm wondering if anyone has used copper tube as a bushing in the chop end??? My threaded bar is 1 inch diameter, the copper tube has an inside diameter of 1 1/8 inch. Is this too tight or to loose?
I plan on securing the threaded rod to the stationary part of the vise with a small rod/pin.
I'm trying to make the vise with things I have around the house.
Any input would be appreciated....
Ed

[Assaf Oppenheimer]

Derek' I'd be very interested in the update. when I finally finish the bench I plan on shamelessly copying your Moxon build... ;)

[Derek Cohen]

Assaff, I shamelessly copied David Barron, who posted the springs mod several years ago. He built his vise (i.e. not a Moxon) into a bench ...

https://i.postimg.cc/2yPFkDkg/Moxon-spring1.jpg

Moxon closed ..

https://i.postimg.cc/RVHLPNGm/Moxon-spring2.jpg

Turn a wheel, and it opens ...

https://i.postimg.cc/Nj87cSW-P/Moxon-spring3.jpg

A look inside ...

https://i.postimg.cc/dVcmgwSy/Moxon-spring4.jpg

Note that these are triangular springs. David used parallel springs. The difference is that the triangular springs will collapse on themselves. David needed to mortice his chop to fit the springs.

https://i.postimg.cc/VsTFBjq4/Moxon-spring5.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/4y0z55Gg/Spring1.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/QCCQ1zRm/Spring2.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/LsHk6vS4/Moxon-spring6.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek