My bench has been neglected, so I have cleaned it up a bit, and treated it to racking adjusters, I hope some of you find the idea worthwhile.
You need two scrap adjuster legs from a cabinet and fitting bolts, see pictures which are self explanatory. The rubber washers on the outside just make twiddling the ends easier.
The beauty of this is that they can be fitted to metal vices, just fit them into the threads provided for fastening jaws and epoxy the jaw in place or if the threads do not fit, make a thick jaw to accomodate the fittings I use.
Replies
Mufti,
Very clever! I'll have to remember that for when I built myself a new bench.
Chris @ flairwoodworks
Great idea!
Mufti,
What is that screw in the middle of your vice. Mine is one of the earlier models. It has the two anti racking bars, but not screw. I just attach two Bessey K clamps across from the outer jaw of the vise to the other end of the table. It works pretty good. :-)
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel, the bench is a carvers bench which I decided was all I could fit in my shed once the tools were in. The big stuff is still in the garage.
I have shown you mine so show me yours!
Edited 10/29/2007 1:01 pm ET by mufti
Mufti,
You want to see my bench. I am so embarrassed. It is only for the last year and a half that I have been starting to use hand tools. So all work was done on the machines. I only used my bench as a platform for applying a finish or things like that. It is about 30 years old and came from Sears for about $99. It has a pressed board top and a bunch of cheap metal drawers. I don't plan to post a photo of that. Lately, I have been using the nice benches with good vices at the local Woodcraft, where I work part time. In the next year, I will have to make or acquire a real bench with real vices. I could do dovetails with a "portable" vice that I clamp on to my workbench, but for planing or for holding wood for carving, my current bench is worthless. You said that yours is a carver's bench. I carve a lot. For low relief carving, I made a bench which I clamp to my bench which raises the working level to elbow height. That works fine.BUT my current project is to use an adze to make a bowl out of a 7" x 12" by 4" piece of green oak from a tree that was felled two weeks ago. Because I found that swinging an adze is really hard on the 64 year old arm, I also bought a Pfeil gouge which matches the cutting profile of the adze (60mm, #7 sweep). When my arm gets tired from swinging the adze, I pick up the heavy mallet and the BIG gouge and I am good for another hour. This may be my first and last attempt to be a super-Neanderthal and make a long bowl out of a chuck of wet hardwood. But it has been a learning experience. I have gotten a lot of advice from others with no experience doing it. So in a month, I may be one of the four people in the universe who has done such a thing. If I live, I will post a photo of the bowl, not for its beauty, but as proof of my Neanderthalness. My bench is not a great place to do such heavy carving. Actually all that is needed is a stump. (Occasionally I miss with the adze. I don't want to hurt a nice bench or a nice wood vice. I am actually very careful. When I miss, I know where the stroke is going, and I am not in the way. I didn't realize how much skill is needed to use an adze. That can only be learned by using one.Have fun.
Thanks for writing.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
I shoundn't worry what folk may think, Mel, you have contributed so much already that your reputation for fair comment is respected and that is what counts. Besides, a bench is just a support, nothing more or less, a wife is also a source of flattery and funds, and they perhaps do not always look as good as they should.
But what did you think of my tip for making jacks to stop racking Mel? And why the old age garbage you whippersnapper?
Mufti,
I think your idea for an anti racking mechanism is quite creative, and inexpensive. Why not send it to FWW? Maybe you will win a nice toot. or an FWW T-shirt. Indeed your idea is so good, yet so simple, I can't imagine why a vice maker wouldn't pick it up quickly. Have fun.
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
I thought racking went out about the same time they eliminated drawing and quartering.
So I can expect a visit from the vice squad?
The trouble Mel is I am full of good ideas and intentions whilst you are adoing, but I am determined (that intent again) to finish the kitchen block by Christmas.
Keep me posted on the bowl and steer clear of bloodletting!
All the best, David
Don't knock that Sears bench, I've also had one for years. After moving to Alabama, the top started "growing" so I recently replaced it with a wooden top. Only regret is I should have made the top a foot longer so I could attach a vise.
Ray,
I am not knocking that Sears workbench. I have gotten more than my moneys worth out of it. I have always been able to cluge up some way of clamping things to it. I am thinking of doing what you did - putting a wood top on it. I might take your advice and put a longer one on so I can use a nice vice.
Have fun.
Thanks for writing.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Hi Mel,
You're right, I've had my Sears workbench for nearly 25 years, got a lot of miles out of it. Had to turn the top over after rebuilding a couple of chainsaws :-) but it was really dumb of me not to consider adding a vise when I made the new top. I'm in the throes of building a big workbench now so it will be an auxillary table/bench in it's retirement. I also covered the back with a piece of pegboard several years ago for hanging tools.
Ray
What is that screw in the middle of your vice. Mine is one of the earlier models. It has the two anti racking bars, but not screw.Sorry.... I missed that one.. Good belly laugh!
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