What tool is this? Need ideas

[Brian Sommers]

I paid $5 for this thing, some kind of rasp/file?? you can tighten it up by turning the turnbuckle (?) on top.

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Now my semi-roubo bench. I want to add better "clampage" to it. I can't hold my work down solid enough. I would like to turn it into a Nicholson but not sure how.. Any advice would be great. It's 18" w x 8' long and I have about 9" to either side of the legs. It's smooth/flat underneath so maybe mounting an under table vise on the front end by the leg? Then I could drill dog holes in another vertical board and mount that in-between somewhere? or ??
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I hate the little clamp I have on there now, just not much to work with and it feels tinny. I want to take that off and start all over. I'm just practicing some straight cuts and following lines.

[Bill Houghton]

It's an autobody worker's file, used to smooth Bondo-type autobody filler (and, historically, lead, although the lead was easier to work with heat). The turnbuckle allows you to flex the file both ways, like a compass plane, to fit the fender you're working on.

As to the bench, you say hold the work "down," but your questions then have to do with vertical work. I'm tempted to go get some popcorn, because you're going to get a whole bunch of ideas, from the traditionalists who will say, "drill holes in the legs for holdfasts," through the intermediate folks who will say, "mount a leg vise," to the modernists who will say, "get a better face vise because you've got a cheap little thing there." All these approaches will work; there's generally a money/time tradeoff: spend more money, spend less time, or vice versa.

[steven c newman]

File is a Vixen

Mainly for body work ( think curved fenders) Turnbuckle to deform the thin file into the curves needed.

Take that vise out to the end of the bench, and use it and some bench dogs. Might be able to add a leg vise? Maybe add a Crochet at the other end? You can also size a few holes (dog holes) to accept a pipe clamp. The slding part goes under the bench's top, the crank part above the top. You can then adjust the slider to allow for how thick a piece you need to clamp down.

[Brian Sommers]

I stand behind it, that doesn't say to much.. the side I took the photo from. I'm right handed so I would like to mount something flush to the right side, perhaps underneath the table so I can clamp it down and saw. What I really want to do is be able to clamp and cantilever my working piece to the right side of the workbench and then clamp a straight edge and be able to cross cut it straight.

[Brent Cutshall]

I think I heard it called a "handy file" and I know Craftsman sold one like that for wood rasping. I've noticed something, every time somebody asks "what is this" we all just jump on it, scurry around trying to find out if we don't know, and race to answer the question. AND I CAME IN FOURTH! Dern it!

[george wilson]

that vixen is really for filing lead in body work. But,lead went out many years ago,and the lead vixen will not file wood very well. It chatters like crazy. Nicholson made "super shear" files somewhat similar,but they had off center curved teeth,and notches in the teeth so as to not chatter as easily. I still have some,and by changing angles frequently,I can make them really eat away wood. The new Japanese curved tooth files are much smaller than the Nicholsons,but are a very effective alternative to rasps. They cost about $50.00 each,but are very nice fast cutting files for wood and soft metals.

[Glen Canaday]

I should start another thread about the Vixen(s) that I have found. One of them is a foot long and as thick as a file of the same size. It dun bend, nope nope. I also found one of those Nicholsons with the notches cut into the curved teeth. I have not tried them, but they look like they can remove a whole lot of wood in a whole lot of hurry.

I built a nicholson with a face laminated top. I am still not entirely sure I'm using it right. But if you'd like to try the nicholson route without building a new bench, perhaps give a sliding deadman a try?

[Bruce Haugen]

I have a vixen that I occasionally use to trim tenon faces. It works pretty well, especially in hard wood. It does not work at all on the corners of those tenons.

[Bill McDermott]

Brian,

At the risk of being too obvious, I'll go tried and true here...

F-style clamps work great to hold work to the surface of the bench. If the work piece still moves, use two.

Sometimes the piece is awkward to hold due to an irregular shape or small size. In those cases you can use one of these hand screws to grab the piece, then the clamp to hold the wooden hand screw to the bench.


If you get it firmly held to that beast of a bench, you'll really be able to lean into it!