Popular Post gee-dub Posted July 2, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted July 2, 2017 A few recent threads talking about end vises and tail vises got me inspired. I finished this bench a couple of years ago and never really missed the end vise I had planned for it. I guess I wasn't fully convinced that the twin screw vise was the way to go as the twin screw front vise on this bench was my first one. At any rate I decided to move this along. A lot of posts about folks having trouble mounting these vises led me to follow all their recommendations for success. Basically the secret is to read the directions, read them again and then follow them carefully. My front twin screw went in without issue so, my thanks to all those who made posts back then. I use strips of tape to make my layout lines easier to see and easier to clean up. To get the jaw thickness I want I have to laminate some hard maple. The front vise chop was a glue-up and I have had no issues with it. A couple of curved cauls made out of some pecan scrap will do the trick. I mill the faces parallel after face jointing. I mill the edges perpendicular at the jointer and used the planer to get my final dimensions. Then I cut the new chop to length. The instruction ask for a 2 degree taper for the chop. I did this on the front vise chop and it was way overkill. I changed it to about a half a degree and this has worked out well. To do this I tape a 1/16" strip onto the chop and run it through the planer. This gets me about a half a degree of taper. I should have drilled these holes before applying the taper. Fortunately my DP table tilts forward. The instructions recommend clamping the front and rear portions together to drill. My bench was already assembled so I used some guides to keep me true and used this. I'll pick this up again tomorrow after I get done with some off-hours work I have to do. The large rounded dowels are what get driven up from the bottom to retain the top. I made provisions to mechanically attach it as well but, have never needed to, it just sets there. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted July 2, 2017 Report Share Posted July 2, 2017 Looking Good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted July 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2017 Every now and then something comes along with the sole purpose of freaking me out. Before opening the chain that came with the smaller twin screw vise I checked the leftover parts from the large twin screw already installed. The leftover chain from the large vise install fits the new vise like this . . . The ends were even correct. I just slipped the spare connecting link (also from the previous vise) in and snapped it shut. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gee-dub Posted July 2, 2017 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted July 2, 2017 I put a 3/16" radius roundover on the chop to match the existing vise. Add some leather for a better grip. I don't like the round head zinc finish screws Lee Valley supplies for the handles. I countersink the caps and use a brass plate flat head screw. I add a couple of o-rings at each cap as a sort of bumper and I end up with this. So now I have an end vise to match the front vise. I'll need to plan and add more dog holes at the end vise position. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 Nice install. I have that vice, but installed on the end of the bench. I'd like to have one on the front as well, but that would involve removing the top. The instructions suggest angling the face of the chop a couple of degrees or so. I did that, but I think it was too much. Makes it look goofy & I don't think there's much benefit. I also lined it with suede, which makes it nice & grippy. Those round head screws they supply are also too short to hold in the end grain. First time I let the handle drop it popped the cap right off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 Great install and nice journal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gee-dub Posted July 3, 2017 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 Thanks All. I hope this can help someone who is looking at this type of vise or is getting ready to install. Having done it both ways I can say that installing the hardware with the bench top upside down is a lot easier. Something I didn't mention is the use of what I believe are referred to as rub plates. This type of vise hardware does not benefit from guide rods and the supporting frame like a vise (versus vise hardware) might have. This means the full weight and leverage of the front chop and hardware are only supported by the rear nuts. You can see one of the two nuts in the left hand area of the first pic in this thread. Example of a vise with supporting rods and frame: I saw this done in a book or article somewhere and thought it made sense. The addition is certainly a minimal effort after installing the vise. I am showing the pics from the front vise install here since I had the top upside down and it is so much easier to show. This being the first vise of this type I had experience with I went a bit overboard and used some scrap UHMW plastic and some wooden spacers. The screw heads are set well below the surface. These only come into play when the vise is opened quite a bit and gravity makes itself known. They help keep the front chop from sagging due to the leverage on the rear nuts. This keeps things better aligned but, more important to me, it keeps the torque on the screws to a minimum and makes winding the jaw in and out easier when it is well extended. On the end vise I just used hardwood scraps (no UHMW laying around) with the attaching screws well counterbored below the surface. Also . . . a gratuitous overall shot: 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logos Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 Great Journal! Decided on the twin screw. Thanks for the inspiration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted July 4, 2017 Report Share Posted July 4, 2017 12 hours ago, gee-dub said: This being the first vise of this type I had experience with I went a bit overboard and used some scrap UHMW plastic and some wooden spacers. I used a piece of maple with some graphite cloth glued to it, which help a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gee-dub Posted July 4, 2017 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted July 4, 2017 1 hour ago, drzaius said: I used a piece of maple with some graphite cloth glued to it, which help a lot. Excellent idea! I have a piece of MDF that I have used as a dog hole template for a few things. I was looking for a piece of scrap to make a new template but, realized there was room for some more holes in this one . The idea is that you manage to make the first couple holes right and then dogs position the template for the next set. I "mark" the positions with a Forstner (I drill about an 1/8" down) which makes positioning the router easy enough. I use a router to keep the holes perpendicular with the bench top. I've used augers, speed-bits and 3/4" twist drills before and my inability to drill a straight hole (even with a wood block for a guide) haunted my old bench. I take a piece of plywood and make a router plate that is large enough to clamp to the table from the various dog positions. I drop in a 2-1/4HP motor with variable speed for this job. The HSS router bit needs a reduced speed for this job. For the front chop I want to be able to use the Lee Valley Prairie Dogs that I already have. These require a hole of a certain depth so I just use the existing holes in the front vise to set the depth. In the past I found using the router's vac attachment for this operation along with the plywood router base awkward. I just lay a hose nearby and hold it in position with a sock full of marbles. And there you go. Now I just continue the pattern for the number of rows I want. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logos Posted August 8, 2017 Report Share Posted August 8, 2017 Thank's for the help. 90% done 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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