Thread: Looking for saw vice plans

If you type 'saw vise plans' or 'saw vice plans' into Google, you get an embarrassment of riches.

This one seems to be a combination of the traditional carpenters' vise (e.g., second one down on this page) & the clam type for small saws. I started out with a simplified version of this one, which was very easy to make. If you make something like it, make sure the ply for the sides is adequately stiff. I made one with about 3/8" ply, & it never worked properly because it flexed when tightened in the vise opening the tops of the jaws slightly, which is the last thing you want to happen.

What size saws do you wish to sharpen? Most of us seem to end up with at least two, one for backsaws & one for hand saws. There's no particular reason why one won't do, of course, other than small backsaws don't fit in the 'traditional' style of saw vice used universally by chippies before the Skilsaw era, without some modification.

My advise would be decide which type suits your needs & available tools. Dimensions are not critical, build it to suit you & the type of material you have on hand (in my father's day, they were quickly cobbled together from scrap on-site). The traditional vise can be made from scrap 4 x 2 (preferably hardwood, but sound Pine would probably work ok). Mine is recycled hardwood. Things to note are: Slightly 'spring' the jaws (i.e. take a couple of light plane shavings from each end of the jaws after you get them dead straight), so they hold firmly all along the blade when tapped into the bird-mouths, and cutting the matching grooves that engage the bird-mouths. The grooves in jaws & bird-mouths don't seem to be all that critical; the somewhat arbitrary angles I chose worked perfectly first try: handsaw vise end.jpg

I did have to extend the bottom of the bird-mouth to fit the deep end of the saw. My wood was rather splitty, and I ended up having to put a of bolt below each bird-mouth to prevent splitting when the jaws were tapped in. You can build them to be self standing, or to attach to a bench. The important thing is that they stand firmly when you file. As you can see, mine fits in the front vise, which holds it very well, & it's easy to spin it around to file the other side: handsaw vise.jpg

My small vise for backsaws was inspired by a picture of an antique, on ebay. I used a wooden screw, simply because I can, a metal screw would work just as well. It has thick wooden jaw inserts to allow the jaws to clear the spine on very small saws. Again, I sprung the jaw inserts lightly to ensure even, firm clamping of the blade (but the shavings are taken from the centre of the jaws, this time: backsaw vise.jpg

I really have to get around to a saw vice. I get by with 2 jaws that clamp in my bench vice and although it holds a saw fine is not at a good height for working on the saw. My back is moving me in that direction.
Regards
John

Good to hear from you Ian I really like the last one in the list.

Originally Posted by section1

Good to hear from you Ian I really like the last one in the list.

Well, that makes it easy for you, 'cause it's even simpler to make than the larger vise.

Now you have no excuse but to get to it........

Cheers,

I have an order to complete as soon as that's out of the road I will make one I'm just dying to get started in sharpening. You wouldn't have the plans for that do you.

The reason I'm asking for the plans I'm not sure what angle the top part has to be to grip the saw or doesn't it matter

Originally Posted by section1

The reason I'm asking for the plans I'm not sure what angle the top part has to be to grip the saw or doesn't it matter

Sorry, no plans - I saw the picture & just copied the general principle. I can measure mine tomorrow & give you the dimensions if you wish, but they really are pretty arbitrary. There is no exact angle for the jaws, it will vary slightly according to the length of the arms. In any case, the easiest way to sort that out is to plane them to fit during assembly. I planed mine until the jaws made contact along the top, but were just a teeny smidgin shy at the bottom. That way, it will grip the sawplate most firmly where it's needed, close to the tooth line. Just about every dimension is non-critical, but you do need to shape the ends of the jaws so thay slide over the handle as far as possible (without making them too pointy & weak). The shaping on each end of mine allows the jaws to grip the whole tooth line on my larger backsaws, but I have to remove the handles to sharpen the very narrow saws.

Cheers,

ok cheers

Originally Posted by section1

If anyone can direct me or even post some nice saw vice plans that would be greatly appreciated

I built this version and it works great

Neil
http://norsewoodsmith.com/content/ja...ooden-saw-vise

Nice looking vices there Ian

here's another option, one made by Brit over on Lumberjocks

I use the split batten trick, works for me, I sit on a stool so I'm lower to the work as it does not lift it like the flash models.

Originally Posted by code4pay

I use the split batten trick......

Not sure what this is, c4p - can you expand on that a bit, please?

Ta,

Originally Posted by IanW

Not sure what this is, c4p - can you expand on that a bit, please?

Ta,

Hope that explains it, I manage to sharpen my large hand saws in it as well just have to turn them around half way through.

Bloody hell! look at the state of my bench top (

Originally Posted by code4pay

.......
Hope that explains it, I manage to sharpen my large hand saws in it as well just have to turn them around half way through......

Yep, thanks, all clear now. I hadn't seen that 'trick' before. One more method to add to the list...

Originally Posted by code4pay

.......Bloody hell! look at the state of my bench top (

What's wrong with it? Just a few minor battle scars.....

Cheers,