I’m curious to hear of others’ experience using their Moxon vise. There are a bajillion articles and You Tube videos on building the beast (all of which enthusiastically sing its praise), but none I can find on actually using it. I very much enjoyed building mine, anticipating it would come out on a regular basis when I’m cutting my dovetails, but as nice as it is, it sits on the shelf beneath my Roubo bench gathering dust. I can’t recall it being used by any of the Fine Woodworking gurus in their articles or videos.
What’s your experience?
Thanks
Replies
I love it for dovetailing, both for handling the width and for raising the work up to a more comfortable height. My back really appreciates it.
Mine is mounted on my bench top bench (Jeff Millers' design). It brings the work up even higher. When I'm dovetailing or working on small projects, it brings everthing up to a comfortable level.
I built a benchtop version kind of after Jeff Miller's and Steve Latta's "Benchtop Bench". I did this to avoid having to bend over much, since I have a bad back.
My bench has a shoulder vise, so the infrequent times I'm dovetailing, its usually a drawer. In the case of a wide carcase, I just clamp it across my bench rather than dragging out the Moxon.
It's a behemoth and I can't lug it around, so it sits on my other bench gathering dust.
I built one with Woodcraft's hardware using Ash and cork liner for the jaws. Used the pdf provided for design and sizing...works great. Only thing you need to consider is the distance between the two screws...the instructions suggest 14 inches, but you might want it wider or narrower, according to your planned use. Clamps quickly to the bench with hold downs....rock solid. Store it on a shelf under the bench.
I built mine by glueing up 3/4" Birch Plywood for 2-1/4" jaws.
I purchased Acme Lead Screws, Acme Nuts, Bronze Bushings, and Hand Wheels from McMaster Carr. Buy the Hand Wheels with the handles.
I would recommend drilling and aligning your holes before cutting the jaws to the final dimensions.
Check out Mike Farrington's recent article in FWW 299. He also has some
videos on using a moxon to cut dovetails. I built one quite similar to his and
find it quite useful. Saved some $ by using acme-threaded wing nuts from
McMaster-Carr.
Thanks, jpe52.
Though his FWW article was just another "how to build", Mike Farrington's You Tube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RViaveKDd48) is indeed well done and addresses my question about the actual utility of a Moxon vise in cutting dovetails.
I use mine all the time, there's video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f_lhHIdAu0