Thread: Hand tools and jaw balls

Originally Posted by underfoot

Yeah..well you think of another title

How about Hand tools and ball jaws? That's a neat gadget by the way.

Wow, you do have big jaw balls Undie, great idea, when I get 5 min I'll knock one up (hmm 5min???) Thanks for the plan.

Its great, so is the ball. Did you baton screw the handle to the ball?

Originally Posted by movay_2008

Did you baton screw the handle to the ball?

I trenched a section of the ball to take the 100mm wide bit of wood, then countersunk a couple of 6 inch coach screws into the ball....the ball has some sort of rubbery stuff underneath the hard skin that you screw into... and it deadens the mallet impact as well..(so you don't get as many chatter marks in the chisel cut)

Just look out for a bowling ball now. Quite a few choices on ebay:


bowling ball | eBay

Just look out for a bowling ball now I suppose. Quite a few choices on ebay:


bowling ball | eBay

Underfoot: That looks like a brilliant solution to a puzzle that I don't quite have yet!
1. Do you suppose there's any merit in making a smaller one (smaller ball?)
2. What's the jaw gripping material? Wood? Rubber?
3. As you work around the carving, moving it from vertical to horizontal and rolling it over, are there any uncomfortable times where the working height or direction is awkward?

Canadians play the 10-pin game and a 5-pin game with a smaller ball, possibly 20cm diameter or a bit less. Normally the balls are supplied at the venue so I might pay them a visit the next time I go to the city. Never hurts to ask.

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

1. Do you suppose there's any merit in making a smaller one (smaller ball?)
2. What's the jaw gripping material? Wood? Rubber?
3. As you work around the carving, moving it from vertical to horizontal and rolling it over, are there any uncomfortable times where the working height or direction is awkward?

1..The advantages of the big ball is that it has a much larger surface contact..less vibrations from mallet impact..also I can tighten it just enough to still move by hand (so I don't have to unlock jaws all the time) very handy when surface texturing.

2...the jaws are out of 6 inch steel pipe, with a leather strip glued on where it makes contact..(I posted up some sketches of how to make it ages ago..but not sure how to post link)

3...No..I alternate between standing and sitting a lot and can always seem to move the area I'm working on to the right position

That was quick! Thanks for all the information, much appreciated.
From your experience, I can now understand how mass matters.
I keep some carpenter's chisels for bashing through the occasional knot of 1-3cm
diameter, that would be about as hard and as often as I'd swing a 30oz mallet.
In western red cedar, the knots are as hard as bone, if not worse.
Rather short grocery list of things to find, that's even better.

That is ingenious. Where did you come up with the concept?

Originally Posted by Jack W Burgess

Where did you come up with the concept?

From seeing those small ball vices....and wanting to carve bigger things

Coolio. Simple design, which are always best and it is definitely big enough to impress visitors !

Originally Posted by underfoot

The torso blank is about 700mm high and weighs about 12kgs .

Just thought I'd add the finished torso...I decided to leave it half chiseled..then I'll put it out in the weather for a while to silver..
BTW..this piece is a copy of an Eduard Lanteri male study..(he was Rodins teacher)

ANother great work undie, I love putting them back outside and letting nature finish them off.