a

18/10/2005 5:26 PM

Buy a vise or build my own?

I had a BUNCH of leftover 4x8 stock and used it to build a workbench in
the one room the wife let me have for a shop. You can see it here:

http://www.astutesolutions.net/images/workbench.jpg

Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp. I can adjust the length of the pipe by
using the quick release on the other side of the outriggers. I'd have
a 4x4 that would be tightened down on whatever I'm clamping. Sideview
would be like:

top outrigger
--------+--------+ +---+
===#| 4x8 |======|4x4|#-L <----- pipe clamp
+--------+ +---+

Has anyone else used a pipe clamp in this sort of fashion?

Thanks.
Jeff


This topic has 15 replies

a

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

18/10/2005 7:20 PM

Yeah, I thought about that and use 3/4" around the house now, but I was
concerned about making too large a hole in the 3.5 inch thick
sideboards. The 3/4" pipe would require at least a 1 inch hole.

Thanks.
Jeff

b

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

18/10/2005 8:07 PM


that looks like a good situation for a leg vise. or two leg vises. do a
google search for leg vise....

a

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

19/10/2005 5:13 AM

Thanks. Yeah, before I had a bench I was always looking for a way to
clamp or support stock where I cut cut. I figured since I had the wood
to spare, why not extend the ends. A buddy at worked asked me where
the straps went. He thought it was a "rack".

Also, by luck, my portable table saw will hang on between by the table.
I haven't tried that yet though. I'd be worried that the weight
(hanging from the table) would affect the performance. I need to get a
better TS anyway though.

a

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

19/10/2005 5:17 AM

Cool. I hadn't thought of that. I'll check it out.

a

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

19/10/2005 9:34 AM

Those are interesting. Here's a homemade one that someone built:

http://www.buchanan1.net/leg_vise.shtml

My grandfather helped me with this bench and he said it looked like a
blacksmith bench. The leg vise would be appropriate!

a

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

19/10/2005 10:51 AM

Thanks. I may play with it and see how it goes. I imagine I'll get a
normal clamp eventually. I figure I can put bench dogs in the 4x4 and
sideboards to clamp wide boards for sanding etc.

LJ

Larry Jaques

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

18/10/2005 7:26 PM

On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 01:20:13 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, Lew
Hodgett <[email protected]> quickly quoth:

>[email protected] wrote:
>
>>
>> Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
>> 2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
>> pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp.
>
>Think 3/4" blk pipe.
>
>1/2" is for small boys.

Hell, Lew, he's not trying to bend a 24x36" oak keel or nothin'.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If God approved of nudity, we all would have been born naked.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
http://www.diversify.com Your Wild & Woody Website Wonk

RH

Roger Haar

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

19/10/2005 9:08 AM

Hi,
Nice workbench.

I have a slightly simpler version on my
workbench. About every foot I have a hole in the
side big enough for a 3/4" pipe clamp. The clamps
come and go as needed. Single clamp. A pair
close or far apart. It works and is flexible, but
is a bit clunky. You plan is slightly more
elegent with the 4X4.
All that said, a store-bought vise will be easier
to use most of the time. The pipe clamp system
would serve you well enough for a while and it
would give you some flexibility if you by a vise
later.

Thanks
Roger Haar

***********************************************************************
[email protected] wrote:
>
> I had a BUNCH of leftover 4x8 stock and used it to build a workbench in
> the one room the wife let me have for a shop. You can see it here:
>
> http://www.astutesolutions.net/images/workbench.jpg
>
> Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
> 2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
> pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp. I can adjust the length of the pipe by
> using the quick release on the other side of the outriggers. I'd have
> a 4x4 that would be tightened down on whatever I'm clamping. Sideview
> would be like:
>
> top outrigger
> --------+--------+ +---+
> ===#| 4x8 |======|4x4|#-L <----- pipe clamp
> +--------+ +---+
>
> Has anyone else used a pipe clamp in this sort of fashion?
>
> Thanks.
> Jeff

Bi

"Buster"

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

19/10/2005 5:15 AM

That a pretty unique bench. It deserves some sort of unique vise, I'd give
it a try.


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I had a BUNCH of leftover 4x8 stock and used it to build a workbench in
> the one room the wife let me have for a shop. You can see it here:
>
> http://www.astutesolutions.net/images/workbench.jpg
>
> Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
> 2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
> pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp. I can adjust the length of the pipe by
> using the quick release on the other side of the outriggers. I'd have
> a 4x4 that would be tightened down on whatever I'm clamping. Sideview
> would be like:
>
> top outrigger
> --------+--------+ +---+
> ===#| 4x8 |======|4x4|#-L <----- pipe clamp
> +--------+ +---+
>
> Has anyone else used a pipe clamp in this sort of fashion?
>
> Thanks.
> Jeff
>

LH

Lew Hodgett

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

19/10/2005 2:52 AM

[email protected] wrote:
> Yeah, I thought about that and use 3/4" around the house now, but I was
> concerned about making too large a hole in the 3.5 inch thick
> sideboards. The 3/4" pipe would require at least a 1 inch hole.


Don't sweat a it.

Think section modulus

Z=I/c where I=(b*h^3)/12 and c= 1/2 thickness.

Lew

Bb

"BillyBob"

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

20/10/2005 7:48 PM


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Thanks. I may play with it and see how it goes. I imagine I'll get a
> normal clamp eventually. I figure I can put bench dogs in the 4x4 and
> sideboards to clamp wide boards for sanding etc.
>

Speaking of bench dogs, don't get caught up thinking you can get by with
just using them and something like a wonder dog. To really take advantage
of a bench dog system, you need both ends of the clamping to sit lower than
3/4" above the bench top. A wonder dog won't do it. If I had known that
originally, I would have gone straight to a decent vise to marry with the
bench dogs. I have a new Veritas twin screw vise awaiting my installation.

Bob

Bb

"BillyBob"

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

19/10/2005 4:58 AM


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I had a BUNCH of leftover 4x8 stock and used it to build a workbench in
> the one room the wife let me have for a shop. You can see it here:
>
> http://www.astutesolutions.net/images/workbench.jpg
>
> Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
> 2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
> pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp.

I think you'll spend about the same or less money and be much happier by
using vise hardware with your own wooden jaws. Lee Valley has a wide range
of options. Look at their shoulder vise and front vise hardware, $30-$75. A
pipe clamp sounds really cumbersome to me for a vise application.

Bob

LJ

Larry Jaques

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

18/10/2005 7:25 PM

On 18 Oct 2005 17:26:27 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm,
[email protected] quickly quoth:

>I had a BUNCH of leftover 4x8 stock and used it to build a workbench in
>the one room the wife let me have for a shop. You can see it here:
>
>http://www.astutesolutions.net/images/workbench.jpg

Whoooooeeeeeee!, it gonna be hell to plane those top boards to length,
cher? <heh heh heh>


>Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
>2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
>pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp. I can adjust the length of the pipe by
>using the quick release on the other side of the outriggers. I'd have
>a 4x4 that would be tightened down on whatever I'm clamping. Sideview
>would be like:
>
>top outrigger
>--------+--------+ +---+
> ===#| 4x8 |======|4x4|#-L <----- pipe clamp
> +--------+ +---+
>
>Has anyone else used a pipe clamp in this sort of fashion?

I made one like that for the front of my old Homey Despot MDF
Bench of Champions a decade ago. Faced with 1x4s and using 3/4" pipe
clamps, it worked well enough for planing things of little importance.
Either go for it, or buy, or make screws yourself.

www.leevalley.com

http://www.tools-for-woodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3768

or get a copy of Our Lord Roy's book and make your own:

The Woodwright's Workbook
Further Explorations in Traditional Woodcraft
by Roy Underhill
259 pp., 81/2 x 11, 239 illus.
$18.95 paper ISBN 0-8078-4157-9

Table of Contents for The Woodwright's Workbook

Annotated Text of The Debate of the Carpenter's Tools
Making Workbenches
*Making Screwboxes and Taps for Wood Threading*
--snip--


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If God approved of nudity, we all would have been born naked.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
http://www.diversify.com Your Wild & Woody Website Wonk

SM

"Stephen M"

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

19/10/2005 7:37 AM


"Buster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:6Ek5f.235245$tl2.85982@pd7tw3no...
> That a pretty unique bench. It deserves some sort of unique vise, I'd
give
> it a try.


Isn't it though? In Landis' Workbench Book he spends a chapter on the
Ruboux? (something French) bench which was relatively shallow, yet very
functional (basically one big honk'n timber). The outriggers kind of suggest
a double-pontoon version of the same. I can't help but think that it would
lend itself to some interesting clamping opportunities.

To the OP:

I think a leg vise would look really cool on that bench.

-Steve

LH

Lew Hodgett

in reply to [email protected] on 18/10/2005 5:26 PM

19/10/2005 1:20 AM

[email protected] wrote:

>
> Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
> 2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
> pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp.

Think 3/4" blk pipe.

1/2" is for small boys.

Lew


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