I am building a woodworking bench and designing/building my own vices. For the end-vice (designed around Veritas idea) I am using acme threaded rods (salvaged from scissors jacks) for compression action. Since these screws are only 1/2″ dia, I will use a single rod/pipe underneath the screw for stability. Since the rods/pipes will keep the moving jaw parallel with the fixed jaw, I need to know what to use for the rods/pipes?
My first thought is to use black pipe (1/2, 3/4, 1″) even though it is rough and won’t slide as well through the wooden alignment holes. I could smooth them out, but I was wondering if the rigidity would be enough. Obviously there are probably better solutions. I figured I would ask the experts….
Replies
If by end vise and copying Veritas, do you mean the twin screw end vise? I lusted after one for years, and when I built my new bench, I put one in. I never use it. It's stiffer than you think, and I wind up using the set of wondeer dogs Lee Valley sells. Now those are really handy.
I do regret not getting the Tucker Vise though, since I wnet with the Taiwanese patternmaker knockoff. It's ok, but not in the Tucker league. Of course, it;s also about 1/4 the price.
By the time you go through all of that, just buy some real bench screws and you do not need the bars. Check out any of Tauntons Wookbench books, they have lots of great vice building advice.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled