Things I would like Lee Valley (or someone) to make.

[Marv Werner]

Tom,

Here's a good example of a DIY wooden vise... Money wise, this might be the way to go for you.

I haven't test this link, so don't know if it will work. Let me know if it doesn't and i'll try something else.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z...aw_After_2.jpg

[Rick Markham]

Last time I responded to an identical thread to this Rob Lee made me buy a basically new Record Compass plane at a great price... I'm gonna bite my tongue on this one... I'm trying to save for a lathe

A Lee Valley lathe to compete with Oneway and Robust... Ugh... I better not ask

[David Martino]

Marv, That's a nice looking design for a wood vise. The cam clamps look very slick, do you find they hold tight enough or do you have to fuss with it?

[Pedder Petersen]

Tom,

What do you consider "reasonable"?

Have you checked out TFWW? They have a pretty good one for $120 plus shipping cost. They came out with it last year. People I've talked to who bought one really like it. It has 14" jaws so you only have to move your saw blade once per pass. If I didn't already have a good vise, I think I'd get one, then paint it John Deere green.

Marv

Hi Marv,

I have one and is really worth the 120$. The only thing it could be painted (black) to reduce reflections.

Cheers
Pedder

[Marv Werner]

Hi David,

I didn't make the vice, Dominic Greco made it. I emailed him and told him I had posted a picture of his vise here. Was hoping he might drop in and talk about it. Not to criticize his design in any way, but I think I would give some thought to a single clamping lever mechanism using a small wheel or ball bearing with cam action.

The cam locks he used can be adjusted by screwing them in and out for more or less clamping force. That's a very handy feature to compensate for wear and movement of the wood, should that occur.

I use a large, all metal vise with 28" jaws that has a single lever with a bearing that applies pressure against an adjustable steel pad. Some of these design techniques could be incorporated into the design of a wooden vise.

Marv

[Dominic Greco]

Marv, That's a nice looking design for a wood vise. The cam clamps look very slick, do you find they hold tight enough or do you have to fuss with it?

They actually work pretty well. I've been using it quite a bit since I built it a year ago. The cam clamps exert a lot of force for their size. I recently added leather to the jaw faces to help them grip the saw plate better. An added benefit is that they reduce (not eliminate!) the noise by cutting back on the vibrations from filing.



If you want some more details that saw vise is featured in an article I wrote which is hosted at Wood Central
Shop Built Saw Vise

At the end of the article is a PDF that details the design of the saw vise.

[Marv Werner]

Thanks Dominic for dropping by. That is a very good tutorial you did over on WoodCentral. Couldn't ask for anything better. If that doesn't encourage people to build their own saw vise, nothing will. Even though I have a good vise, I'm even inspired to make a wooden one. In place of a piano hinge at the bottom, I think I'd use a piece of thin spring steel that would act as a hinge and also open the jaws when the clamps are released.

Thanks again,

Marv

[Tony Zaffuto]

To anyone is the PA area, if you have time to spare tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday, Rob Lee is usually at the Brown/Fine Tool Journal tool sale and auction in Harrisburg. Speak to the man personally about what you want him to make (personally, I'm going to ask him what happed to the Sens the other night when they played the Penquins!!!).

To Dom: when you going into saw re-toothing/sharpening business?

[Brian Vaughn]

Dominic,

That's a great and timely article, as I'm getting ready to start on my first saw sharpening, and didn't want to spend the money on a vise just yet. I had contemplated how to make a similar vise, and I confess, I was just going to attach some runners to a pair of bar clamps and have a go like that. This is a much more elegant solution, and I'm looking forward to having a new toy to play with

[David Martino]

Dominic, thanks that's a great tutorial, I'm sure I'll steal plenty from it whenever I get around to the Saw Sharpening Slope.

Marv, that's some serious toolage, never seen one like it. And made by the company that used to give Wiley Coyote so much trouble...! Thanks for posting,

Dave

[David Weaver]

things i'd like lee valley to make:

A nice forged/hardened 100 pound anvil with a lapped top for $1 a pound.

[Marv Werner]

Pedder...

What? You don't like John Deere green?

Marv

PS....sure do like your backsaw handles!

[Tony Zaffuto]

things i'd like lee valley to make:

A nice forged/hardened 100 pound anvil with a lapped top for $1 a pound.

I would go for 88 pounds, as long as either Canadian or American country of origin! I would also pay up to $2 to $2.50/lb.

[David Weaver]

they didn't up the flat rate boxes to 88 pounds did they?

I would go for that, too. I think I'd even pay $2 a pound.

Last I looked, a new cast steel anvil was $600 for one around 80 pounds.

I see them go by from time to time on craigslist, but I haven't been looking too hard just yet.

They appear to be cost-prohibitive on ebay, even without shipping.

[harry strasil]

David, you would have to get in line behind about 5,000 blacksmiths, to get an old time forged anvil for $1 a #, newer ones are all cast steel because of the expense of the forging and finding and paying a few smiths that are still capable of forging an anvil. FWIW