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  1. #1
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    Default Moxon Vice Build

    As I mentioned in this thread I picked up some threaded rod and nuts in order to fabricate this.

    The rod and nuts cost under $20 but I have a ton of scrap steel. I started by cutting out the plates nad squaring them up. Since the size was not critical I simply eyeballed them. I then drilled four holes in each plate. I cut the 1.2m rod in half and chamfered the cut end for the weld. I then welded the rod to the steel making sure that the rod was square to the steel plates.

    I then cut four short lengths of 12mm mild steel rod at about 65mm, again I just eyeballed the length but cut them all equal length. I rounded over one end and then ground the other end to about 45 deg. I then welded the rod to the nuts to make wing nuts. I finished by grinding the welds on teh nusts so that the leading face was flush and the welds looked relatively neat.

    Next to make the jaws. I will make the rear jaw wider for clamping as per CS blog here.

    Moxon 1.jpgMoxon 2.jpg

    Thanks to the other forum vice builders for the inspiration.

    I will post more updates as I progress.

    John

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  3. #2
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    Thumbs up

    Watching!!!

  4. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by artme View Post
    Watching!!!

    me too!
    regards
    Nick
    veni, vidi,
    tornavi
    Without wood it's just ...

  5. #4
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    Default

    Watching with interest as I bought 3/4 threaded rod and nuts from Bunnies yesterday to build a Moxom vice after the chat on this thread.
    I'll follow your steps so if something goes wrong, I'll be in the know before I reach that step

  6. #5
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    Well Lappa, nothing went wrong as it transpired.

    Befrore moving onto the jaws I cleaned up the welds on the threaded rod with a 4" angle grinder so that they would fit into a 30mmx10mm recess.

    I needed the wood for the jaws and I am sure anything from 600mm to 1.4 long and about 400 wide would sufficeI found a couple of pieces about 600 long and 800 wide.

    One was the jarrah I keep boasing about there was a board that were the correct WxL but a little thick so I resawed it to 40mm and one pass through my Dewalt thicknesser had it the right thickness.

    There was a piece of hardwood (not sure of the species) of about the correct dimensions for the rear jaw. I cut the pieces to W and L, making sure that the rear jaw was about 120mm longer for the cutouts for the clamps.

    I spaced the holes for the screws centered across the width but eyeballed the distance in based on the wing nut size so that the wing was just inside the front jaw. I drilled a 30mmx10mm countersink on the back of the rear jaw for the weld on the plate using a forstner bit. I then clamped the pieces of wood for the jaws together making sure that they were perfectly flush. I then drilled the holes for the rod with a 20mm forstner bit using the center the 30mm bit left behind to center the 20mm bit. I did not go all of the way through so that I could come back through the other side to reduce tearout.

    I secured the screws into position using 1/4" coach screws. I first indicated the plate orientation using numbers on the plates and on the corresponding positions on the rear jaws. I used an awl to marh the positions of the screws and then removed the plates and drilled the pilot holes making sure not to go all of the way through the jaw. I placed the screws and plates back into position then used a 10mm socket on a drill and a paste wax to lubricate the screws screwed the plates into position.

    I then did a test fit and found that the jaw moved easily back and forth. I wanted a chamfer on teh front jaw so using a marking gauge I marked the top and front and marked guide lines in from the sides. Again I simply eyeballed it. I then used a combination of spoke shaves to shape the 45 deg bevel on the front and to shape it out to the edge.

    I then clamped the vise to the bench and did a final test fit. There was a smidgen of a mm between the jaws so I used a smoothing vice to align the tops of the jaws. I finished it off with a liberal coat of my home brew paste wax.

    Moxon 3.jpgMoxon 4.jpgMoxon 5.jpgMoxon 6.jpgMoxon 7.jpgMoxon 8.jpgMoxon 9.jpgMoxon 10.jpg

    All in all I am really pleased with it and it holds really securely.

    John

  7. #6
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    Excellent work Hope I can emulate it

  8. #7
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    Hmmm, I don't wish to pour cold water on your excellent bit of work there, Yanis, but it seems to me you've gone about this in an unusual way. Those fixed metal screws sticking out like that would make me feel very nervous!

    You possibly intend to shorten the rods, since it's unlikely you would need to clamp anything much thicker than 30mm in this type of vise, but I'm curious as to why you decided to do it this way? Instead of having the screws fixed to the stationary jaw, I would have welded the nuts to the plates, & either welded a short piece of thick-walled tube onto one end of the threaded rod to make a boss, or embedded that end in a turned wooden boss, with a suitable-sized hole for a loose handle. It would make the vise a bit more user-friendly, because no matter where the jaw is clamped up, the only bit sticking out will be the bosses, which you can keep pretty compact & tidied-up so they don't catch clothing (or skin!)....
    Cheers,
    IW

  9. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by IanW View Post
    Hmmm, I don't wish to pour cold water on your excellent bit of work there, Yanis, but it seems to me you've gone about this in an unusual way. Those fixed metal screws sticking out like that would make me feel very nervous!

    You possibly intend to shorten the rods, since it's unlikely you would need to clamp anything much thicker than 30mm in this type of vise, but I'm curious as to why you decided to do it this way? Instead of having the screws fixed to the stationary jaw, I would have welded the nuts to the plates, & either welded a short piece of thick-walled tube onto one end of the threaded rod to make a boss, or embedded that end in a turned wooden boss, with a suitable-sized hole for a loose handle. It would make the vise a bit more user-friendly, because no matter where the jaw is clamped up, the only bit sticking out will be the bosses, which you can keep pretty compact & tidied-up so they don't catch clothing (or skin!)....
    Cheers,
    The design is based on this kit as I said in my original post. I simply cut the thread in half so they are somewhat long. I could easily shorten them. You should be able to hold a drawer in the vice so maybe up to about 150, making the rod just under 300mm as opposed to 600 as it is.

    I agree that I could have put a hole in the plate and welded the nuts but that is more complex and requires a 20mm drill bit. I probably have one but my aim was simplicity. Using that method I would have drilled the plates, welded nuts over the holes, welded the wing nuts and a washer to the business end, placing a space of about 5 mm between the nut and welded washer.

    I may cut the rod in two and make a second vice along those lines but with 600mm jaws for larger work. Maybe use bunnings pine as an experiment.

    John

  10. #9
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    Yep, I'm an advocate for keeping things simple, too, and as I said, I didn't want to sound hyper-critical. I encourage anyone to get in and have a go at making their own benches & vises! I guess my comments were directed more towards others contemplating rolling their own vises using all-thread, and putting a case for fixing the nuts rather than the screws. I'm at the age where my skin is turning into wet tissue paper, so I'm probably a bit over-sensitive about things that might bite me!

    I don't see that it's necessarily more complicated to fix the nuts - you don't need to drill a hole through a piece of plate That's a nice neat way, of course, but a couple of short lugs stuck on either side of the nut with holes big enough for a couple of coach screws will serve just as well (or clamp the straps down with coach-screws & heavy washers if you aren't able to make holes in steel).

    If you don't have access to welding gear, it's not a game-stopper, either. The nut only needs to be held in place so it can't turn, or fall out when you lean on the screws, the wood of the inner jaw takes all the strain. I've seen successful vises on which the nuts were simply fitted into a recess in the wood & epoxied in place. The boss was also epoxied on. So virtually anyone can make their own Moxon vise. Once you have one, you'll wonder why it took you so long to get around to making it, & how you lived without one (well, I did.. ).

    As I said earlier, wooden screws are the simplest, & to me the most satisfying way to make one of these gadgets, but it's not an economic proposition to buy wood threading gear just to make a couple of screws and nuts. If anyone living round my way wants to go that route, and can turn up a couple of screw blanks, I'd be happy to run the threads for them. Tapping the holes in your stationary jaw takes all of about 5 minutes......

    Cheers,
    IW

  11. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by IanW View Post
    If you don't have access to welding gear, it's not a game-stopper, either. The nut only needs to be held in place so it can't turn, or fall out when you lean on the screws, the wood of the inner jaw takes all the strain. I've seen successful vises on which the nuts were simply fitted into a recess in the wood & epoxied in place.

    Cheers,
    Yes, I have seen that design and it appears to be perfectly serviceable. A good solution where you don't have access to a welder.

    John

  12. #11
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    Another idea for the nut is to drill an undersized recess at the back of the rear jaw, force it in with a vice or clamp, then screw a wood retainer over the nut to prevent it falling out. The wood retainer can be any shape but would have a clearance hole to fit over the screw. The retainer may be hard wood or say 6mm-12mm ply. Cut a clearance hole, screw in the threaded rod, place the retainer over the rod and drill and screw in place. This would hold the nut securely and ensure that it does not fall out in use.

    John

  13. #12
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    The other alternative for the screw is this. https://mcjing.com.au/categorybrowse...categoryid=461

    John

  14. #13
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    I went the McJing path too. I counted these as a 'tactical' solution until I made my own wood screws. I was paying attention to IanW's woodscrew artificing at the Brisbane wood show this last weekend...




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  15. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by scottz View Post
    I went the McJing path too. I counted these as a 'tactical' solution until I made my own wood screws. I was paying attention to IanW's woodscrew artificing at the Brisbane wood show this last weekend...
    ...
    A perfectly workable solution, Scott, but now you have no excuses for not making a couple of wood screws....

    Cheers,
    IW

  16. #15
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    Very neat and simple, Scott. What washers did you use on the front where the screw passes through? Looks like timber
    regards,

    Dengy

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