Retrofitting bench with anti-wracking nut

[Tomas Caballero]

Greetings, long time lurker. First time poster. I have a nice bench that I want to retrofit with an anti-wracking nut / screw thingy that is on Diefenbach ultimate american front vice. I have a pretty good idea how to do it. But I can't find a knurled nut that has an o.d. that is wide enough and an i.d. that is narrow enough. I would like it to be brass if possible and thin. Any ideas? I plan on recessing the nut into the face of the vise so something along the lines of 1 to 2 inches o.d. would be right. Or other ideas? Thanks. Tom

[Johnny Kleso]

Welcome to the Forum...

Have to tried www.mscdirect.com for steel thumbscrews?

If you can't find one anywhere I can make you one but you need to send me a sketch so I have an idea what you want..

[Henk Marais]

Hi Tom

Whenever I have these ideas that is not "over the counter" I ask some of the model engineers at the local club to manufacture it for me. It usualy dont cost more than a beer, at the next get together.

[John Schreiber]

I've been planning one of those too.

I'm thinking in terms of starting with a disk of 1/4" steel about 3" in diameter, drill a hole in the middle, then either tap threads in it or weld a nut onto it. Then I'll probably round it properly using my drill press like a lathe. Next, I'll knurl or scallop the edges. I'm not quite sure how though.

If there's a product out there which I can buy, I'd look into it, but I haven't seen anything. I might also have a machine shop make one, but that would probably cost real money.

I'm figuring the rod which it rotates on will be 1/2"