Anyone made a "Moxon" or twin screw vise?
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- This topic has 14 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 3 months ago by Derek Long.
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12 January 2015 at 10:26 am #123435
Hi guys,
Long story short, I’m at the final stage of completing my first dovetail box. Big fun and a great learning experience. The major difficulty was trying to work on what is essentially a very big heavy desk with only a machinists vise. This large “desk” has served well for many years for musical instrument repair but for woodwork, leaves much to be desired.
Until I get the space and time to build a full size workbench to go alongside my “desk” I’ve been researching the various options for a “moxon” vise and perhaps even a small “bench on a bench setup.
I have two square threaded veneer press screws and am wondering if 30 x 190 mm pine would be strong enough for the jaws?
I’ve research local (Sydney Australia) hardwood prices and I’d be up for around $40 a linear meter.
If anyone has made a similar vise, your advice and opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,Andrew
Brett, a Moxon vise has been on my “to-do” list since I saw the versatility of it on Roy Underhill’s show. The only reason I hadn’t built one was because of the expense of buying a screw box or buying large threaded wooden screws. I believe you may have solved that problem for me. Question: is the metal rod threaded for the entire length? If you don’t mind, I’d really like to see more close-up pictures of it, as well as a component list. Thanks! Great job! That should be a big help to Andrew.
14 January 2015 at 4:48 am #123497The club I belong to, the members have made them most have used 3/4 or 1″ all thread. A few used 1″ or 11/2 wood screws of all of them I think the metal thread units worked best most are made using 2×6 or 2×8 fur construction lumber, The few made with heavy oak lumber did not do any better, but cost a lot to make. If you use all thread keep the rods above the center line, if useing wood screws keep the screws on the center line, the other big thing learned was to add a board to the rear jaw to clamp the unit to your bench. Of the members that built a vise (16) only one did not like it. This was done as a club project, each member reporting on findings
Frankj14 January 2015 at 5:02 am #123498Tried to reply twice with no success. Maybe because I added a picture of a press screw from a veneer press vise that I got two of for $12 each plus delivery. 5/8 square thread about 9 7/8″ long. There plans made available in pdf format if you google Jeff Miller Mini Bench and go the the Web page.
I’ll try to add a pic separately.
Hope this helps.
Andrew
14 January 2015 at 7:42 pm #123534Hi Gary, Here are some more pics and details.
Top ledge and front are 4″ wide by 23″ long.
3/8″ all-thread rod and I epoxied a nut in the back side.
The 2 narrower boards are 2-1/4″: one is 23″, the other is 27″ to accommodate clamping to the bench.
The all-threads are on 20″ centers.
Since the front will flex when tightened on a smaller board, I chamfered the inside of the front slightly using hand planes.
This whole thing was made from a 2X8 48″long. Pretty cheap.And it works well.Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.18 January 2015 at 12:03 pm #123636Andrew, I haven’t noticed any. How would that manifest itself? or why would it be an issue.
18 January 2015 at 2:03 pm #123639I’m wondering if, when a workpiece doesn’t go all the way through the jaws, if the top racks out and the bottom racks in? (If that makes sense? Perhaps the placement of the screws relative to the centreline of the front jaw is important?
19 January 2015 at 12:06 pm #123653My hand screws are centered. (See pic from earlier post) I think the only time racking would become an issue is if I was working on a piece shorter than 2″. Haven’t run into that. If the front jaw was racking, you could add a shim under the short piece to support the bottom of the front jaw.
19 January 2015 at 12:15 pm #123654Brett, what did you use for your threaded inserts for the rod? I can’t tell from the pictures if you’re using a t-nut or what that is.
25 January 2015 at 3:55 am #123855Delong, I just epoxied a 3/8″ nut into the back side.
Of course you did. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the hardest to see.
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