Simple Moxon Vise

[Luke Dupont]

This is another one of those quick, simple builds that are probably crude by most people's standards.

I love nice tools, and it may seem odd to share such simple and unimpressive work, but I thought it good to share because whenever I look up how to make something, I only find complicated designs. Sometimes those designs are complicated in a good and beneficial or pleasing way, and sometimes they're complicated in a completely unnecessary or highly net-negative cost/benefit way. But either way, I think people sometimes overlook the straightforward and simple method which will result in a very functional, if not so elegant, tool. And overlooking such simple options can mean that you keep putting off building a simple tool that you need or would benefit from.

This was the case with me and the Moxon vise. Getting the right hardware, in particular, can be expensive. So I finally broke down and said "Okay, I'm going to just go to the hardware store and find the coarsest threaded rod in the same diameter as the largest wing nuts I can find, and use some leftover 2x4 stock I have to make a simple Moxon because I need one."

That's what I did, and I'm hugely impressed at its functionality. I love it:

475576
475577

There's nothing complicated about this thing. The threaded rods are 1/2" in diameter (matching the largest wing nuts I could find) and have coarse threads. They are simply threaded directly into a 3/8" hole drilled into the rear jaw. No need to attach or secure them in any more complicated manner, at least not for my purposes here. They hold just find.

This whole thing took me less than two hours and under $10 / 1000yen to make.

Maybe one day I'll make a fancy one. I do quite like some of the really nice Moxon builds that grace this forum. But hey, if you're in need of one, and don't have the time or money to put towards building one (/prioritizing other projects), by all means, knock up something simple like this and it will serve you well!

I'm impressed at how firmly it holds the work, and reduces or eliminates almost all vibrations when sawing -- something particularly beneficial for an apartment woodworker.

Note: Mine is rather narrow at only 13" between the screws, because I don't build big things / furniture. If you often work with large panels 2 feet in width and such, be sure to make your vise to fit that rather than copy my little one here. A moxon loses pretty much all of its value if you can't clamp the full width of the piece between the screws...

[James Pallas]

Luke, Great project. What you need at the time. Useful, inexpensive, satisfied the need. When you need bigger or better you will know. I have fixtures or jigs that were built from what I had at hand years ago. Always intended to build better someday, that day hasn’t come yet. Still using the first interation.
Jim

[steven c newman]

A thought, just a thought. When I have a large panel that needed clamped to the side of my bench....sometimes just 2 long F style clamps will do...Reach from the outside face of the panel or board, across the top of the bench, and hook the end of the clamp to that edge of the bench....Sometimes, one end of the board/door/panel will go into the leg vise....
475578
Sometimes this does come in handy..
475579

475580
Can a Moxxon do this?

[mike stenson]

You could use a moxon to hold a piece to run a groove. Generally it's easier to just use a clamp.. unless the moxon is on the bench already.

[Jim Koepke]

Good solution Luke, if you ever need a longer one you just need a couple longer pieces of 2X4.

jtk

[Daniel Culotta]

Nice work Luke. I tend to take a very utilitarian approach to shop implements so I can spend more time on projects. My moxon is almost the same as yours, except I use a couple of 1/2” pipe clamps that I already owned instead of threaded rod. I can pop them out if I need them for a glue up, and slide them back in if I need the moxon. I also have both a wider and narrower set of jaws (which are just 2x6s) so I can load the clamps in the set that’s most appropriate for the work. Works like a charm.

[Phil Cyr]

A thought, just a thought. When I have a large panel that needed clamped to the side of my bench....sometimes just 2 long F style clamps will do...Reach from the outside face of the panel or board, across the top of the bench, and hook the end of the clamp to that edge of the bench....Sometimes, one end of the board/door/panel will go into the leg vise....
475578


I'll have to get some longer F clamps. I like how it lays flat in your photo. I make do with a pair of shorter ones. One holds a block to the bench and the other holds the work to the block.