cahudson42
Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2010
- Messages
- 15
I do a fair amount of hand planing using my in-line MFT 1080s. Originally I used a vise arrangement like Dan Clark's - except from Dimensional 2 x 6 stock (FaceVise.jpg). While it works OK, I found I needed three hands and a knee to clamp something up - especially horizontal where an offsetting shim is needed below the f-clamps.
My new arrangement uses two inexpensive 'Wilton Light Duty Woodworkers Vises' - available from Woodcraft and others. Mine were $17.50 each at the time, but now Woodcraft seems to have them back to full price - $35. ( http://www.woodcraft.com/Catalog/ProductPage.aspx?prodid=29953 ). EdgePlaningShelf shows the arrangement in use. Two vises - mirrored Left and Right.
The design for it was based on a recent adaptation by PopularWoodworking for their LVLBench - PWLVLBench_End_Vise, and the VeritasTwinScrew.
Here is a closeup of the RightVise. The Mounting Plates/Back Faces are 2 x 6 dimensional SPF. A nice clear piece - jointed and planed square. These mount to the 1080 rail with f-clamps and a couple T-bolts (if you don't have T-bolts, use 'Toilet to Floor Bolts' from Home Center). The f-clamp is the primary clamping force - distributing it along the rail. The recessed T-bolts hold parallel, and are snugged up but not 'wrenched down' so as to deform the 1080 channel.
The SPF faces are about 22" x 4". The Maple Front Faces are about 16" x 4", and the replaceable inside front face is about 9" x 4" (1/2" ply).
The complementary LeftVise shows the SPF top is cut flush to the 1080 top.
In use you can clamp any width vertically or length horizontally, as the spacing between the two vises is arbitrary.
These are cheap vises - the screws are rolled - not cut - and the vise screw hole threading is a bit sloppy. So they do rack. But the two opposing vises seem to hold stock quite well. Even a single vise seems to hold well.
If the racking bothers you, and you don't mind a fixed distance between the screws, you could make it more like the Veritas with a single front Maple Face connecting the left and right vises. I was thinking of trying that, but the current independent faces work OK for me.
Suggestions, improvements let us know...
Chris
9/9 5:00 PM While Woodcraft link above shows $35 for the vise, when you add it to your Cart - it comes up as $8.75! Plus free shipping over $25. Buy 2, add in a couple on-sale DMT diamond stones to get $25. Vise can't be beat for $8.75. I bought an extra pair
9/13 FWIW - FWW has a nice short article on using vise spacers to counter vise racking. If you are an "FWW Member' you can see the article/video at: http://www.finewoodworking.com/subscription/workshop/workshoparticle.aspx?id=5305
'Spacers for a Workbench Vise - Prolong the life of your bench vise with these easy-to-make jigs
with Christian Becksvoort'. Probably a very good idea for these cheap vises. Couple shots from the article added below.
9/13 After some days in use, I can see that it was a mistake to not make the inside front replaceable ply faces the full length of the outside maple faces. So I added additional ply strips to reduce racking.
OrigShortInsideFace shows the short inside faces. When a workpiece was clamped that extended the length of the vise(s), there was no support on the outside ends of each vise, exacerbating racking.
AddedInsideFaceExtensions corrected that. (1, 2) (In 2 you can see the temporary shims I used earlier to correct this. While it did, they sometimes got in the way - and I could see no reason not to make the shims 'permanent')
EdgePlaning2x10 shows the reduced racking with the workpiece now clamped securely over the length of both vises.
My new arrangement uses two inexpensive 'Wilton Light Duty Woodworkers Vises' - available from Woodcraft and others. Mine were $17.50 each at the time, but now Woodcraft seems to have them back to full price - $35. ( http://www.woodcraft.com/Catalog/ProductPage.aspx?prodid=29953 ). EdgePlaningShelf shows the arrangement in use. Two vises - mirrored Left and Right.
The design for it was based on a recent adaptation by PopularWoodworking for their LVLBench - PWLVLBench_End_Vise, and the VeritasTwinScrew.
Here is a closeup of the RightVise. The Mounting Plates/Back Faces are 2 x 6 dimensional SPF. A nice clear piece - jointed and planed square. These mount to the 1080 rail with f-clamps and a couple T-bolts (if you don't have T-bolts, use 'Toilet to Floor Bolts' from Home Center). The f-clamp is the primary clamping force - distributing it along the rail. The recessed T-bolts hold parallel, and are snugged up but not 'wrenched down' so as to deform the 1080 channel.
The SPF faces are about 22" x 4". The Maple Front Faces are about 16" x 4", and the replaceable inside front face is about 9" x 4" (1/2" ply).
The complementary LeftVise shows the SPF top is cut flush to the 1080 top.
In use you can clamp any width vertically or length horizontally, as the spacing between the two vises is arbitrary.
These are cheap vises - the screws are rolled - not cut - and the vise screw hole threading is a bit sloppy. So they do rack. But the two opposing vises seem to hold stock quite well. Even a single vise seems to hold well.
If the racking bothers you, and you don't mind a fixed distance between the screws, you could make it more like the Veritas with a single front Maple Face connecting the left and right vises. I was thinking of trying that, but the current independent faces work OK for me.
Suggestions, improvements let us know...
Chris
9/9 5:00 PM While Woodcraft link above shows $35 for the vise, when you add it to your Cart - it comes up as $8.75! Plus free shipping over $25. Buy 2, add in a couple on-sale DMT diamond stones to get $25. Vise can't be beat for $8.75. I bought an extra pair
9/13 FWIW - FWW has a nice short article on using vise spacers to counter vise racking. If you are an "FWW Member' you can see the article/video at: http://www.finewoodworking.com/subscription/workshop/workshoparticle.aspx?id=5305
'Spacers for a Workbench Vise - Prolong the life of your bench vise with these easy-to-make jigs
with Christian Becksvoort'. Probably a very good idea for these cheap vises. Couple shots from the article added below.
9/13 After some days in use, I can see that it was a mistake to not make the inside front replaceable ply faces the full length of the outside maple faces. So I added additional ply strips to reduce racking.
OrigShortInsideFace shows the short inside faces. When a workpiece was clamped that extended the length of the vise(s), there was no support on the outside ends of each vise, exacerbating racking.
AddedInsideFaceExtensions corrected that. (1, 2) (In 2 you can see the temporary shims I used earlier to correct this. While it did, they sometimes got in the way - and I could see no reason not to make the shims 'permanent')
EdgePlaning2x10 shows the reduced racking with the workpiece now clamped securely over the length of both vises.
