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Needed to find a place for a vise


steven newman

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That I picked up at the tractor fest.   A bright red Craftsman 7" wood worker's vise.

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But, about the only spot on my bench would have been the end of the bench.    Grabbed the vise, and a pencil, juggled things around until I had marked a spot out for it.     The "End cap" on my bench is just a 2 x4.    Needed to notch it in such a way, that i could add two lag screws.   needed it to be lower than the bench's top, too.    Finally, juggled a bit more, and marked a spot.    It sat between the bolts for the bench's legs.   Had to miss them.    Sabresaw to do the vertical cuts......horizontals weren't working.   Got out the circular saw...one pass and done.   Big chisel to finish the notch.   Had to notch a bit into a leg, though.

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This is seen from below.  More about that pine stuff in a bit.    had a Hammerhead driver set up

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Got some big screws, and got the vise installed...

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But, I wasn't quite done with this thing.   needed some "jaws" made.   had some 1x4 pine.    Cut it to length, saved the cut-off.    More juggling with a pencil.     Needed to mark a mortise of sorts.  needed the top of the pine to be just a hair higher than the bench's top.   Needed to remove enough wood to cover the metal part screwed to my bench.   Once a few lines were marked out, time for a BIG clamp, and a chisel or two

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And start to chop away what didn't need to be there.   At one point, the chisel hopped up and bit my hand!    Not a slice, just a bounce off.   made a mess.  that Aldi chisel is quite sharp!..  This was more like a mortise for a hinge.  About 1/2" deep, little over 3" front to back, and 7" wide....Whew.    Took a break, to get a bandaid, and a fan.....hot down there.   Got pretty close, and pared to the lines..

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Something like this.    Laid out for some countersunk screw holes, and drilled them.    Including the pilot holes.   Slapped the pine face into place, Hammerhead to drive more screws

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About like this.  The extra was just sitting there.  Then I closed the vise up,set the moving face into it's spot, and added more screws.    Ran the vise in and out a few times.....needed oil on the metal parts that move.  Closed it back up

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Grabbed a jack plane, and planed everything flush with the bench's top.    Block plane to add a champfer arounf a few edges. and a coat of BLO to the outside.   Opened it back up, to check for any droop

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I think this $10 vise is finally installed.  Lots of cussing, and a cut hand.   had to go to the store to get a couple lag screws and washers....put them in place tomorrow, I am tuckered out. 

 

BTW: that Aldi's chisel?   It was part of a 4 pc set @ $7.    The one I was using? was about 7/8" wide, and so is the cut on my hand.   I sharpened it went I got them, haven't had to since.

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Been  informed that I need to make the moving part of the jaws thicker, so it can hold a "dog"  otherwise, so I've been told, it won't work as an end vise????

 

Well,,,,I have the lags and washers, now.    I can scrounge around and find a thicker block to put on the moving jaw.  Drill a 3/4" diameter dog hole, inline with the ones in the bench's top.  

 

Maybe I use a Sharpie, and write BenchKrafted on it? 

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Well,having to lay down on the shop floor to install them lags wasn't my idea of fun....Pilot hole and lags installed.....Breaktime!

 

Found a chunk of 5/4" stock.   It was a little bit too big, but the circular saw soon had it down to a decent size.    Clamped it up in the vise.    Remove the screws holding the movable face in place, one at a time.  More pilot holes.   LONGER #8 screws to replace the short ones.   New face is now attached to the vise.   Why the new one, and onto the old one?    had to build it up a bit. 

 

Laid out where a dog hole would go..

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Ok, what we have here:  That black thing is one of the dogs.  Drill bits?  Needed to fit the right size. You can see the added on face of the vise.   5/4" + 3/4"= 2"??  Was aiming for the center of the thicker half.  Got out a cordless drill, and chucked a bit up in it..

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PEXTO 12" sweep brace.  Took a couple tries to get to the right depth..

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That be a Samson chuck on the drill.   Installed the dogs..

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And gave this a test drive.

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Seemed to work...decided to add a couple more.  So, laid out two more holes, and got busy with the cordless drill, again..

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after all, I do have 4 of them dogs I can use.   Ok, note the four screws in the red part of the vise.  Those go through the thinner board, and into the thicker one.  I added four others out on the ends.  Once the holes were drilled, I could come back and jack plane the top flush with the bench's top, again.   Gave this set up a test drive, again

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Four dogs hold this inplace.  Might just workout.

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Gave the edges a champfer with a block plane.   I think I can call this done.   Price?  Counting hardware I had to buy......$12.08 counting tax.   I think I can live with that?

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