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Thread: Tail vice build

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    Adelaide - outer south
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    Default Tail vice build

    In keeping with my "make it up as you go" bench I've built a tail vice to fit using mostly on hand materials. Information for how to make it work came from a Popular Woodworking article and Ian W's post on the topic.

    The screw hardware was bought on special a while back and is larger than expected so making it fit the existing bench was a challenge. Part of this required chopping the mounting lugs off the stationary part and drilling new screw holes to mount it with.

    Before and after

    IMG_20200425_111143~2 [800x600].jpg IMG_20200425_121149~2 [800x600].jpg

    The length of the through tenons on the bench legs was also a problem and in the end the mounting structure has just a few mm clearance from the nearest tenon.

    P1100793 [800x600].JPG

    A new end cap for the bench, the front jaw block and the rear jaw were made by laminating 20mm thick meranti from old pelmets.
    P1100797 [800x600].JPG

    Most of the rest was meranti with a bit of tas oak and some hardwood from an old wardrobe frame. I did have to buy 1 length of tas oak to add a strip along the edge of the bench top. The corner cut out from the bench top was cut and reused as part of the mounting structure.

    The joinery isn't neat and the blocks used underneath to help provide rigidity are plain ugly. Operation is quite stiff at present and the moving jaw is slightly higher than the benchtop. Having had time to think it over I reckon both of these issues will be fixed by shaving the top of the block that travels along the underside of the bench. May also need to beef up the support rail but will see how it goes first.

    P1100795 [800x600].JPG
    Still need to apply BLO and possibly some wax. Might also give the exterior a run over with the ROS before BLO application. The organic handle is a bit too long and definitely needs sanding. I'm not sure if it will stay or be replaced with a "proper" one.

    Despite the flaws it is usable and looks the part from a distance.
    P1100789 [800x600].JPG
    Cheers, Bob the labrat

    Measure once and.... the phone rings!

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Adelaide - outer south
    Age
    67
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    935

    Default

    Decided to make a better handle so dragged out some elm and pear prunings that had been around for a year or two. Obtaining a piece of suitable thickness and length turned out to be more difficult than expected so I ended up with 3 shafts, 2 being undersize. They will be handy for something later.

    The successful one was from an elm branch. The timber is fairly hard and dense but mostly nice to work except around knots where some tear out occurred. Since I don't have a lathe it was a long slow process. Made up a little sled and did the initial shaft cuts on the bandsaw to get a square section but then it was all plane, scraper and chisel work. The end knobs were drilled out but otherwise cut and shaped with hand tools.

    IMG_20200516_155442 [800x600].jpg IMG_20200516_165612 [800x600].jpg

    You can feel that it is not round but it looks OK and works fine.


    IMG_20200516_223516 [800x600].jpg

    Gave it a coat of BLO and added some leather circles to protect the ends.

    IMG_20200517_153938 [800x600].jpg
    Cheers, Bob the labrat

    Measure once and.... the phone rings!

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