TobyB
Established Member
I have a Hofmann & Hammer bench with an LGA single-screw side-vice .. got a good deal on it ... and building your own is a great idea, but if you don't have a bench to build it from, only a rickety Workmate, how good is your build going to be?
Anyhow ... been very happy with it generally ... but in the last few years the side vice I mainly use has been progressively drifting out of true ... when the right-hand edge just touches, the centre is now gaping about 3 mm and the left hand edge about 7 mm. For some wide bits of work it all tightens up eventually ... but not an even hold even then. Narrower work more difficult - often need to put a bit smalle block of waste in on the right if the work piece is being held to protrude on the left where I can work on it. I suspect the fact that the drive screw doesn't lie up centrally, but is probably 1/3rd-2/3rd's to the right is a cause.
What do I do about this? I know I could spend a lot of time and money rebuilding with an expensive double-screw-and-chain Veritas model, or reconditioning a quality old model off e-bay ... but looking for something simpler/cheaper if it's a workable solution. Do I strip/service/modify the vice metalwork? Do I replace (or just wedge/shim/re-shape) the external (both) vice jaw faces? Anything I can do too prevent further drift ... or is this just a cheap/bad design?
Anyhow ... been very happy with it generally ... but in the last few years the side vice I mainly use has been progressively drifting out of true ... when the right-hand edge just touches, the centre is now gaping about 3 mm and the left hand edge about 7 mm. For some wide bits of work it all tightens up eventually ... but not an even hold even then. Narrower work more difficult - often need to put a bit smalle block of waste in on the right if the work piece is being held to protrude on the left where I can work on it. I suspect the fact that the drive screw doesn't lie up centrally, but is probably 1/3rd-2/3rd's to the right is a cause.
What do I do about this? I know I could spend a lot of time and money rebuilding with an expensive double-screw-and-chain Veritas model, or reconditioning a quality old model off e-bay ... but looking for something simpler/cheaper if it's a workable solution. Do I strip/service/modify the vice metalwork? Do I replace (or just wedge/shim/re-shape) the external (both) vice jaw faces? Anything I can do too prevent further drift ... or is this just a cheap/bad design?