Replies

1. 
   Stretch | Dec 30, 2004 09:21pm | #1

   There is a book - The Workbench Book - published by Taunton.  I am sure it has some plans on the sort of vise you are working on. I am at home and the book is in my shop.  I will bring it home and check out what it has and let you know.

    

1. 
   mikemehrer | Jan 02, 2005 09:17pm | #2

   Thanks
   I don't have the book. But I have been flipping through my old issues of FW and haven't found a leg vise design yet other than the one I built, which I don't like.
   Mike

1. 
   Stretch | Jan 03, 2005 04:46pm | #3

   Mike,

   I did check out the book while in my shop.  I should have gotten back to you sooner.

   There were several designs in the book, most of them commercial and made in steel.  I doubt they are on the market today.

   The design for do it yourself had the low horizontal passing through a slot in the leg of the bench (think of a sliding tenon in a mortise).  There were holes drilled through the horizontal at suitable gaps and staggered top and bottom so not to have them too close together and thereby lose the strength of the materail.  A dowel (pin) was passed throuogh one of the holes at the back of the leg.  This restrains the lower part of the leg when you crank the upper part toward the bench. 

   Is this clear enough? If not I could mail you a copy out of the book.  If you live near a decent book store you could see if they have the book.  It is called "The Workbench Book"  I have seen it in bookstores.

    

1. 
   mikemehrer | Jan 07, 2005 12:53am | #8

   That's clear. The staggered holes make a lot of sense. I'll use that. Thanks

2. 
   Stretch | Jan 03, 2005 04:55pm | #4

   Mike,

   I just read your original message again.  It seem you used the method I described.  So it seems I was of no help.  I think you are dealing with a short coming of a leg vise.  The horizontal strap can't have a hole spaced for all the different sizes you put in the vise.  Perhaps you can use spacers for the material you wish to clamp.

3. 
   gnarlyone | Jan 05, 2005 03:41am | #5

   Hello Mike. I am trying to send you the file on the leg vise detail you asked for. Am not able to send email as your adress does not recognize me. Please send an adress where I can send a reply.
   Sorry Mike just realized I can attach and upload files here so am sending it along. Hope it works. You will see from the detail that the leg vise can be adjusted for different sizes of wood. hopes this helps.
   Bill

   
1. 
   mikemehrer | Jan 07, 2005 01:01am | #9

   Thanks for the design. I do pick up all the messages from earthlink even though they block them. It's a great system to keep spam away. With the improvements of staggered holes (thanks to Bruce) and the steel pin in your drawing, plus the dogs, which I had not been using I think the problem will be solved. This is a very helpful forum.

4. 
   Peter36 | Jan 05, 2005 10:46pm | #6

   What if you made it that the bottom adjusting system was on the vice end as well as the  bench end. Presently I think you can only adjust the bench end of the bottom of the vice, at some fixed points, but if you alltered it so it was a double adjusting system, you could offset each system by say 1/4" or whatever you liked. Another idea would be to make the entire unit like a wooden handscrew. Screw at the top and the bottom.

1. 
   mikemehrer | Jan 07, 2005 12:50am | #7

   I do have a double adjusting system at the bottom but I just have a few holes drilled and dowls to pin them. I think you have the right idea. If I change out the dowels with lag bolts or a smooth pin and make closely spaced holes throughout the entire slide rod I can proabably solve the problem. I also am using a softwood for the slide rod. I'll go to a polished hardwood and it might make the system work more easily. Thanks