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Saturday, March 9, 2013

Moxon vise - On the cheap

The Moxon vise seems to be pretty popular amongst the traditional hand tool types, and I got the opportunity to use one  last month.   I liked it, and decided to make one...not much reason to pay $200+ ..... Gee whiz, what kind of traditional hand tool craftsman can't make his own vise?  ;o)

The nice feature of this tool is its portability.  Clamp it to the bench when using it for cutting dovetails, etc, and remove it when done.   It affords you a better height for sawing and a larger clamping surface for wide boards.


I was disappointed to find the cost of acme all-thread and nuts about 60 to 100 dollars!  So I looked around for something I could use....In my clamp dolly, I have a pair of 8 inch C clamps with 3/4 in. Acme threaded screws... just what the doctor ordered.   My trusty hack saw freed them and I'll get a buddy to weld washers on to ride against the movable jaw.




3/14 I dropped off the screws today to be welded.  I also bought nylon washers to put between the vice and metal washer -- smoother running and less damage to wood.

cost incurred so far, $4.


 washers welded in place - Thanks Ben!


Spent another six dollars on lumber (managed to find some nice rift sawn 2x4) and folks, we have a vise!   It is ready for holding boards or panels up to 24 inches wide, and at a comfortable height for sawing dovetails.


"Nut" epoxied into recess






Nylon washer in front of steel washer













2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Who would have ever thought of using a C clamp for that. Great idea and nice vise.

Anonymous said...

Love what you did now I can do it for myself very happy 👍