Need some help with vises

[Joe D'Attilio]

I'm looking to add wooden screws and make my own vises for my first workbench

ANyone experienced making wooden screws or fabricating their own vices?

If so; I'd like to "commission your services" for some wood screws.

Feel free to repost or PM with details and price - or if someone is looking to get of an old vise through replacement or upgrade - I'm all ears!

[Ken Werner]

Joe, I have made my own vises. The first was with a 1 1/2" diam wooden screw I bought at an auction. It tended to rack alot, and was overall unsatisfactory. The second was made from a steel screw from an old leg vise I found in a barn. That has worked very well. FWW had an article many - 15+ or so years ago about making a vise using pipe and pipe flanges. I can post pictures later, if you like.

But as for my best advice, don't use a wooden screw. I know they worked well for generations, but I suspect that's only because steel wasn't readily available.

Ken

[jack richington]

Have you considered Beall threader?

[Robert Rozaieski]

You can make them much cheaper than you can buy them if you can get some nice straight grained dowel stock. The grain should be as straight as you can get it. Then just use one of these to thread it (and make the nuts):

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=792

[Chuck Nickerson]

the gentleman at sfee13@verizon.net has some available. I have no affiliation, I'm just a potential customer.

[Jim Koepke]

Joe, I have made my own vises. The first was with a 1 1/2" diam wooden screw I bought at an auction. It tended to rack alot, and was overall unsatisfactory. The second was made from a steel screw from an old leg vise I found in a barn. That has worked very well. FWW had an article many - 15+ or so years ago about making a vise using pipe and pipe flanges. I can post pictures later, if you like.

But as for my best advice, don't use a wooden screw. I know they worked well for generations, but I suspect that's only because steel wasn't readily available.

Ken

I would be interested. If things ever get settled where we can move and the shop gets bigger, my plans will be to build at least a couple more benches.

jim

[Alex Yeilding]

You can make them much cheaper than you can buy them if you can get some nice straight grained dowel stock. The grain should be as straight as you can get it. Then just use one of these to thread it (and make the nuts):

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=792

That's what I used, and am very pleased with the result. I found getting the straight dowel stock in large diameter (I think my set is 1.25") pretty difficult. The threaded rod and hole were too tight a fit striaght off the tap and die. But that was better than too loose. Oiled the screw and sprinkled on some abrasive grit and forced the screw through and it's now a great fit.

Ken recommended against a wood screw based vise. I think it's a matter of personal preference. It is not as powerful as an iron one, and would work poorly in a vise designed like a traditional iron vise screw and two guide bars, which force you to hold vertical pieces off-center, where a wooden vise would rack unacceptably. You have to design the vise so that the screw is not taking any side loads -- mine are in a wagon wheel vise and in a traditional shoulder vise. Great for holding boards while planing or cutting joinery. But I have an iron vise on another bench when I want to squeeze something with a huge amount of pressure.

[Joe D'Attilio]

I had something like this in mind for the wooden vise - referencing the front vise - Correct me If I am wrong but isnt the front vise all wood?

Would I have a problem with racking, in this set up? Considering I plan to use measured jigs for clamping on the edge or I can just use the tail vise.

http://www.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/content/binary/Holtzapffel4-21.jpg

PS does anyone have the formal print/electronic plans for this bench?

[Robert Rozaieski]

I had something like this in mind for the wooden vise - referencing the front vise - Correct me If I am wrong but isnt the front vise all wood?
Yes, the front vise is all wood.



Would I have a problem with racking, in this set up? Considering I plan to use measured jigs for clamping on the edge or I can just use the tail vise.

Not sure I understand this question. Yes it will rack, regardless of the position of the vise (front or tail) but this can be remedied with spacer blocks in the side of the vise where the work is not (if you are clamping off center). However, slight racking can be an asset when you are working on pieces that are not square. Tapered legs come to mind. These types of vises are great for clamping tapered pieces BECAUSE they will rack. A rigid cast iron vise (like the quick release one Chris uses on the bench pictured) are practically useless for holding anything but square pieces unless you get creative with clamping blocks, wedges, etc.



PS does anyone have the formal print/electronic plans for this bench?
The plans are in Chris's new book on workbenches:

http://www.amazon.com/Workbenches-Design-Theory-Construction-Use/dp/1558708405

[Robert Rozaieski]

P.S. Another wonderful asset of the wooden screw vises is that they can be removed easily when you need access to the entire front edge of the bench for tasks like sticking long moldings. Just unscrew them. You can't do this with iron vises.

[Michael Lutz]

Actually the bench you show is the Holtzhoffel Bench. It is described in Woodworking Magazine Issue 8.

I had inherited a cabinetmakers bench with wood screws, but they bound up so badly that I could not move the vises. So I chopped them out and replaced them with metal screws, which work much better.

Mike

[Travis Gauger]

One of my vises that I made has a wood screw. 1" in diameter and it works fine. I made the screw with a wood threading kit I got from woodcraft. Under $50 for the kit. Used maple dowel for the the threaded shaft. An ACME nut captured in the end of the workbench accepts the rod. Works great for just holding something, but I turn to the one I made with a steel screw for really putting the pressure on. I also went and got one for 1/2" dowel and use it for all sorts of things now. I actually took and fixed a few broken clamps by making my own threaded rods and clamp ends.

[Eric Hartunian]

I am thinking of making my own screw. I'm having a tough time finding maple that is thick enough. What about ash? I was thinking the stock used for baseball bat blanks. Any thoughts?

Eric

[Wilbur Pan]

If you're having a hard time finding thick enough maple, I'm sure you could just laminate a few pieces together to get you the thickness that you need.

I think that the main reason that maple seems to be the go to wood for wooden screws is because of the fineness of the grain, and not so much how hard it is. Otherwise, I'm sure we would have seen more wooden threads made from oak or ash. Remember, the screw and the nut are going to have threads, and the little peaks and valleys are going to be more prone to splintering if you use a more coarse grained wood like oak or ash.

[Eric Hartunian]

[QUOTE=Wilbur Pan;789029]If you're having a hard time finding thick enough maple, I'm sure you could just laminate a few pieces together to get you the thickness that you need.

Thanks Wilbur,
I thought about that, but do you think that would be a good long term solution? I assume the glue will hold, as long as the thru hole for the handle was drilled perpendicular to the glue line. Otherwise, every time you tighten the vise, the handle may cause a prying force on the joint.

Eric

[Wilbur Pan]

Two thoughts came to mind:

Rational answer: There's the old adage about how the glue is stronger than the joint, so it's probably not something to worry about. I'll check on the wooden screw I have at home waiting to be part of a workbench, but I'm sure that the cap that holds the handle is designed to be glued onto the screw anyway.

Irrational answer: If you are really worried, you could reinforce the part of the screw that holds the handle by wrapping a piece of copper or brass sheet metal around the screw where the handle passes through, much like the band of metal around a barrel, or a ferrule for a turning tool. Now this may be overkill (see Rational answer, above) for strength purposes, but your workbench vise sure will look cool, which is really what this is all about, no? ;)

Bottom line, no I don't think there should be any issues with the handle and laminating maple together to make a wooden screw.