Local lumber shop had only a few of the English-made Record bench vises (9 1/2″) left for sale, and I saved up and ended up getting the very last one. Finally got it installed, and the jaws are about 1/16 out of square (left side closes first when seen from above).
Is there any way to fix this, other than trying to get a taper on the wooden jaws that matches the problem?
Replies
I bought an old vise that closed out of square like yours. When I actually clamped something, it didn't seem to make any difference. And, yes, you could taper the wood face to make it match.
Thanks, Carl-- only problem is that when I clamp something across the width of the vise, unless I torque it harder than I think I should need to, the right side of whetever is in there will dip under pressure (from a plane, for instance).
I'm thinking the tapering is at least a work-around
ljwahl,
Many of us incorporate the fixed jaw(inside jaw) in the bench apron.
How about lining the jaws with cork? That's what I did to mine and they grip much better.
mike
I purchased a vice with 14 inch wide by 6 inch deep jaws that opens a full 12 inches. I got it because it wouldn't close square, the ones that did close square were being sold for over $250, way out of my price range. I got mine for less than $100.
The way I handled it was to install one half inch thick hard maple jaw liners that I planed so that the closing was square, then I glued on one quarter inch cork lines to the maple, used a release type glue so that when the cork get didnged up badly I just scrap it off and apply new.
Thanks for the tip, and those above as well. From the looks of it, fixing this in wood is my only option as I can't see, and no one else has suggested, any way to tweak the metal.
If you close the vise sans the bench, does it close squarely?
If so, then it would seem to me that you have mounted it out of square to your bench. As BG suggests, is the rear jaw your apron? If so, then the vise needs to be squared to the apron, in both axes. Otherwise you'll be fussing with the jaws forever.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Without the wooden jaws, metal to metal is still out of square. That was my first idea after I added the wooden jaws, so I pulled them off and checked (and double-checked). Without the jaws, whether the vise is bolted to a bench or not doesn't matter, right?
Someday I will add an apron to my bench, but right now it's just a big ol' slab of maple, 1 3/4 thick.
Thanks just the same for your reply.
Crooked vices?
I have many vices, but I gave up the crooked ones after high school.
Oh wait, you said vises
Edited 6/15/2007 5:32 am by JMadson
HA!
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled