Other bench considerations

[Tom Bussey]

I always used a shoulder vise to cut dovetails. But I once read on this forum that a person didn't like the vise because it mad him stand to far back from his work. Taking it to heart made and I tried a clamp on Moxon vise. I disliked the clamp on. Had to store a heavy vise and the clamps got in the way of access to the drawers on my bench and I didn't like the height my work needed to be at. So I decided to incorporate the vise into my next bench build.


The first picture is my finished bench with the vise on. The height is perfect for my elbow swing, and I can get up close and personal with the work. And although I still have to store the vactual vise it is made with 4/4 materia instead of 6/4s and the holes for the treads can be deep enough so that the actual threads can be screwed in so the hand wheels don't stick out as far.

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I liked the built in so much I decided to do it again on the roubo I am building now.The rest of the pictures are from the new build.


I wasn't thinking ahead and drilled the holes for the threads for clearance for the screws So I had to wrap tape around the thread to help keep it centered in the hole. The last couple of boards that make up the bench were doweled on so I could remove them to do some of the actual work. The rest of the pictures should be self explanatory at least to me
because I have already done it so if you have questions just respond in the post.


I did paint the nuts because steel in contact with wood tends to rust but even without it the nuts will outlast several lifetimes.

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I hope this, outside of the box thinking, gives some others ideas to what is possible.

[Tom Bussey]

Some more R@D pictures of building my first vise build.

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[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks for sharing Tom. I look forward to more bench build photos as you move along. I also built my Moxon so that the screws extend out the back rather than out the front as some do. Question: Are the vertical strips inserted between the chops of your new vise right angle guides? Another question: I have seen some "sort of" or "edge shots" of your deadman device shown to the far right of your older bench before and have always wanted to see it up close. It looks very interesting from what little I can make out. Can you please feature that gizmo in a full-on photo?

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks Tom, Bench build images are an inspiration for me to get out and work on my own bench.

My firewood cutting is just about done. Then other things can be pursued.

jtk

[Tom Bussey]

After you have been sawing for a while you will find out that one can see square that is line up the saw square with the workpiece. One can also line up the saw vertical by eye. I have found out that all of this is easier if the board being sawn is vertical to start with. If the board is not vertical then it just makes it that much harder to get the cuts you want. So yes I have some vertical keys in the vise. And that is why I show the level. That way your eyes have something as perfect as possible to line up off from. It is just a key to help make life easier.

Usually the boards clamped up are less than 12 inches wide. That is why I have 3 nuts. It has to do with less clamping distortion with narrower boards. But the screw can be moved to accommodate wider boards.

I think these pictures are what you are looking for. If not let me know.

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Wrong picture.

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And the last picture is just another way of built in clamping.

[Timothy Thorpe Allen]

I have seen the "gizmo" David asks about, and which Tom pictures in images 3 & 4 above, referred to as a "Bench Slave" -- fwiw

[Stew Denton]

Tom,

The picture of the sliding deadman, and the bench slave were of considerable interest. Any photos of the way you built the sliding deadman would be of great interest.

Good post.

Thanks and regards,

Stew

[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks Tom for the deadman gizmo photos and agreed on it is easier sawing something that is dead-on vertical from the git go. I may add in some vertical guides to my Moxon.

[Halgeir Wold]

Very nice build... it combines some of my own thoughts....I think I'll "steal" some ideas..