Ok, between Projects at the moment....took a long look at the vise that has seen so much use...and abuse the last 3 years...or so..

Uummmm, yeah.  Managed to dig a "dog" out of the bench..

Had to pound it down out of the bench, in fact.   May work on ti as well..

Methinks this needs a new set of jaws...may replace the chewed up end of the bench, while I am at it..

Fingers keep getting little slivers up under fingernails...easy enough to remove...

May be a couple more under the jaws.   Depending on the next trip to Menard's...about when some 2x  cut-offs can be brought home. 

Metal part of this vise came from a vendor @ Tractor Fest 2015...$10.....

Then added a few boards to..

Added a thicker jaw to allow for bench dogs...

 

Grandson wants a Coffee Table, too...wonder IF I can get this vise fixed up, first?

 

We'll see..

Maybe some poly, lacquer, something on all that before you reassemble.  Bit of protection ya know?

Ready for the next "Boss" project!

Spent a bit of cash, and a bit of time, today....Lumber supply was $10  

Long board was 10' 1 x 6...there is a pair of 1 x 6 x 6' behind it...and a 2 x 4 x 8'...all out of Ash...

Even got a few scraps..

Soooo, after the Coffee Table Project gets done...the rest of the 2 x 4  will get used to rebuild the vise..

Pretty good price on that lumber...cheapest I've seen ash around here anywhere is from $1.25-$1.50 bd ft

Today, I went to crosscut the 2 x 4 down for jaw parts...Craftsman 7-1/4" saw was deep enough to make the cuts...problem? Seems the saw had fallen onto the floor..not only bent the guard, it broke it...Was able to free the blade up, enough to make a few cuts...stacked those up, out of the way...

Middle two will be the jaws...other two are...undecided..yet.   Looks like I'll have to "retire" the old saw Will be on the "look out" come spring sales...

Both seem about the right size...fitting the non-moving end will be a bear ( anyone want to help)

Leg is in the way, otherwise, I could center the vise..

We'll see....may route out a recess for both metal jaws to sit into...need enough room for dog holes, too..

 

Stay tuned..

14 minutes ago, steven newman said:

Looks like I'll have to "retire" the old saw Will be on the "look out" come spring sales...

Sorry about the saw...hate it when an old friend passes on...check your local Pawn Shops...you often can snag a good one quite reasonable. Ours usually are overloaded with 7-1/4" saws.

See them in the flea markets around here too...

1 hour ago, steven newman said:

Looks like I'll have to "retire" the old saw Will be on the "look out" come spring sales...

Pity we don't live closer.  Just traded away a Craftsman that someone gave me.  They thought it was junk.  Turns out it needed a new cord.  $5 fix. Already had two and no room in the drawer for anything.  

Still have that 6" SKIL Home Shop saw......works like new....just doesn't cut as deep as the Craftsman did.....and, I don't feel like running the Craftsman without the guard...

Planed the one jaw smooth,  may get to the other one, later...Not sure IF I want to route out a recess for the metal jaws to sit in...

After a glue up, today...had to flatten one face of a jaw..

Decided to go ahead and install this in the vise...which meant removing this  "thing"

Clamped the new jaw  in place, and marked where the LONG FAT screws needed to go..

Had to drill pilot holes...wax the threads , to drive 4 screws...#12 straight slotted flathead screws...

I set the new jaw slightly proud...

Once I can get the rest of the rebuild done..I can plane both jaws to match each other...I did lay out for the dog holes...

Have the right drill bit.   Going to wait until the vise is done...recheck the lines, adjust if need be, then drill.  12" brace?

For now..I'll see how this works...stay tuned

50 minutes ago, steven newman said:

Have the right drill bit.  

That bit looks pristine...quite shiny in fact.

22 hours ago, steven newman said:

Not sure IF I want to route out a recess for the metal jaws to sit in...

 

Other than the obvious of having more open space between the vice faces what advantages would that have?

Maybe hide the metal edge under the wood edges?   Planes hate it, when they try to cut metal....

 

Will now more when I tear the old stuff out...then see what space I need....

 

Bit is a Craftsman..#13, I think....have a few like that...all yard sale bits.

2 minutes ago, steven newman said:

Maybe hide the metal edge under the wood edges?   Planes hate it, when they try to cut metal....

 

Had not thought about that one.  I tried using a plane when I came home from Iraq.  The pins in my wrist and arm did NOT appreciate my effort. 

 

Doctor told me "don't do that again."

 

LOL

Ok...Time for part 2....had some digging to do.. 

First thing was to remove this thing from..

This mess...Chisel is because many of the screwheads holding the wood in place were too buggered up...I split the wood off the screws, and visegrips to crank the screws out..and right into the trashcan.  Two screws were to be saved...

2 lag screw, with washers...what was left?

Once again...chisel to split the chunks off, visegrips to crank the screws out...even had two coming up through the tool well...

Lots of notches to do...tool well, back of bench, shelf for the vise...rebate for the jaw to sit in...test fit?

Close enough.  May add a veneer to this face, anyway...for now, need to install this jaw

 Predrill for the lags..twice first was too small....then find a breaker bar to drive the lags in tight...

 

More drilling, and countersinking to attach it to the bench...3"  screws into the legs..

Then add more from the sides.   Had to add one screw, check the height of the jaw, add another....trying to get this level with the top of the bench...sand the face flush and smooth.

Time to try to assemble things..a few times..

Idea was to install this, check for fit....pull it back out ( this thing ain't light, either) fine tune the fits...

Also got tired of the leg vise "chop" always in the way, no longer too tall...Had to sand and plane the top edges, until they matched.  Gave all the "new" wood a coat of that smelly BLO..

Laid out for at least one dog hole..

Drilled one hole.

.

Got this one about deep enough...decided to do the others later...

Brace is a PEXTO #8012,  12" sweep, Samson Chuck.   Bit is a Craftsman #13

 

Sweep the floor, move things out of the way...will need to make a few round dogs...need to take the bit along and buy a dowel.

For some reason, I am a bit tired....letting the smelly BLO cure out a few days (weeks?) and see how the "new" vise works out.

May decide to dress up that corner...stay tuned...

 

Sweet...almost too nice to use now.

Knew you couldn't stay out of the Dungeon very long.

Well, just to be sure you do, give it a couple more coats of BLO...outta' keep you out until the end of the month...maybe?

Now with the nice vice you will have to refresh the rest of the bench

Well, the only way a new top would happen....would be to build new bench....not in the budget, right now...

 

Drilled another dog hole in the vise, centered on the middle row of dog holes...whew...takes a while to get things to the right depth...

 

I did have a dowel on hand....was a tad too fat,,,got it "slimmed" down....and made two sets of dogs...

2 longer dogs..with a notch...can be used with the notch or not...and..

A pair of these short dogs...A strip of plywood keeps racking away...notch in use...

And, notch not in use....board was a hair too short..that plane?

Stanley No. 3c....3 patent dates.   dogs held well enough for the plane to make a few Ash shavings...

 

Not sure IF any BLO  will get on the dogs...

Stay tuned