Buy a vise or build my own?

[astutesolutions]

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:

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

[astutesolutions]

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:

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

[Lew Hodgett]

Think 3/4" blk pipe.

1/2" is for small boys.

Lew

[Lobby Dosser]

There was an article in FWW in the past few years (0-4) on the construction of a bench based on a pipe clamp vise. Might search their web site, or perhaps someone else remembers the issue.

[astutesolutions]

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

[Larry Jaques]

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

cher?

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.

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--

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[Larry Jaques]

On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 01:20:13 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, Lew Hodgett quickly quoth:

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. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Your Wild & Woody Website Wonk

[Lew Hodgett]

Think section modulus

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

Lew

[bridgerfafc]

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

[BillyBob]

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

[Buster]

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

[Stephen M]

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

[astutesolutions]

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.

[astutesolutions]

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

[Roger Haar]

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

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[astutesolutions]

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

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

[astutesolutions]

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.

[BillyBob]

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