Moxon Vice build

[PortersWood]

Having seen various articles on the subject I decided that one of these would be far better than putting my bench on blocks for dovetail work.

I made use of two screws robbed from the useless vices that came with my bench originally.

 

[marcros]

Make sure that you do a WIP.

I am planning to make one over winter, although it is not quite next job yet. My wife have me an IOU for the hardware for Christmas, so just need to source a bit of timber now.

 

[Dalboy]

Looked at making one myself. So I will be following if you do a W.I.P.

 

[PortersWood]

Have tried to get some photos up (but files too big) will try and take some lower quality ones and re-post.

In all the job took a couple of hours and most of that was spent prepping the rough sawn timber id bought from B&Q (Yuk).

From a number of online videos, it was pointed out that Benchcrafted have some measured instructions on their website for those who buy their Ironmongery only kits. My vice is based on their dimensions with a few modifications to suit to recycled vice screws I was using.

 

[mouppe]

I built my Moxon vice a few years ago, but a few months ago, radically altered it. I built it according to the Benchcrafted plans using their hardware, but I found it too heavy to be practical. For its intended purpose as a portable vice, the jaws could be much thinner than specified, and the gap between centres too. I also heavily chamfered the outside faces of the jaws so that I did not saw into them when cutting half-blind dovetails and to lighten the whole vice. Also it helps when I am sharpening saws which the Moxon vice excels at.

If i was to build it again I would make it from pine, rather than hard maple.

Now I use it much more than before. I'll see if I can snap and post some pictures later.

 

[PortersWood]

I too used pine. I went full the full width as I'm not sure yet exactly how large a work piece I will want to work with though suspect I will trim it down a bit in the future.

 

[marcros]

My plan is to make it as a top to my vintage workmate, so that in the summer I can work outside, and I have a taller worksurface. I want to make it a moxon bench rather than a straight vice, possibly incorporating a wagon vice, bench dogs and a few other bits and bobs.

 

[PortersWood]

Sounds good marcros, look forward to the finished photos

 

[marcros]

I am making a thickness sander at present. The moxon project is next- I will do a WIP.

 

[mouppe]

I took a couple of photos today as promised so here they are.

I have had the vice mounted permanently to a separate workbench for a while now. I like to use it for small pieces and sawing especially. The jaw size is far too thick really for its purpose but it's not worth redoing. You can see the chamfers in the profile photo which help with angled saw cuts and rasp work.

The rear jaw should be flush with the benchtop edge so you can drop workpieces thorough.

 

[John15]

Many thanks to all the above contributors. I'm now seriously thinking of getting one. Is there a UK distributor or can it be purchased directly from The States?
John

 

[marcros]

For cast iron, you can go for the benchcrafted- which I think is distributed by Richard McGuire. The IOU I got from my wife is from http://www.independentwoodworking.co.uk ... s/page-02/. I don't know if they are directly comparable but it looks good enough for me.

You could buy a threaded rod, a tap and some plain handwheels but unless you were making a few and had some metalworking equipment it wouldn't be worth it, or you could use a wooden screw. Again for a one off, I think that link is about the cheapest option that I could find, and I do like the handwheel idea.

 

[John15]

Many thanks Marcross

John

 

[SimonT]

If you can do without the fancy handles any threaded rod will do. I just bought a 3 foot length of 1/2 inch m16 threaded rod for £2 and a pack of 16 nuts and was £2.50 , i bought them after being inspired by this thread. I plan on building a moxon vise (or roubu type wagon vise with bench doggs).

 

[marcros]

What do you plan to do for handles Simon- presumably embed the nut in something? The M16 should work well, what is the 1/2" dimension?

 

[John15]

Derek Cohen has this home made Moxon vice which looks interesting. http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTo ... lVise.html

John

 

[James C]

All of Benchcrafteds hardware can be purchased from Classic Hand Tools

http://www.classichandtools.com/acatalog/Hardware-by-BenchCrafted.html

Hope that helps.

 

[SimonT]

Sorry I meant the m16 rod is approx 1/2 thick roughly (diameter) so would be suitable for purpose . I intend turning a similar handle on my lathe (circle) with a free turning handle out of possibly ebony if i have some off cuts. I plan on doing exactly as you said and embed the the nut into the handle, ive done this previously on bar clamps and its surprisingly strong. I intend to use some mahogany for the circular handle.

 

[marcros]

I can't wait to see the pics when it is done.

 

[SimonT]

Will do, although at the minute im restoring a mango wood table, so wont be for a week or too, ive wanted one for a while now but haven't got round to it. I read your post and decided to buy some threaded rod and leave it on the work bench as a prompt.