Old Wooden Vise Question
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I have inherited an old wooden vise of my grandfathers. I attached a picture similar to the one I inherited. He was a machinst by trade but dabble in all kinds of things. I guess my question is what was the vise used for? It is about 36″ tall and would stick out very far for a leg vise. I have seen them off and on before. Mostly their descriptions have Amish vise in them. Being how he lived outside Philidelphia and love everything German and Amish, it would not suprise me it this one was. ANy info would be helpful. Thanks in advance.
Arbovale, WV
Proverbs 18:13
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.It’s definitely a leg vise. I imagine you could attach some wider boards to it to make it a bit more versatile, they are awfully skinny! The bottom uses a peg to keep it from slipping and it’s often used with a dead man (pegging system at the opposite end of the bench) to hold larger pieces.
Jay Bates has a great video on building one and you might pick up some tips that would help you in determining if you even want to use it in your own shop.
Cheers!
Although the device in the picture looks at first glance to be a leg vise, I don’t see any provision for attaching it to a bench. My guess is that it would better be defined as a clamp. I have no idea of its purpose.
Dave
Its certainly a vise. The threaded screw wood have a “nut” on the other side of the workbench leg or apron it was mounted, or the leg would actually have a threaded hole its self. I bet the vise is quite long and it would sit proud of the workbench since you mentioned he was a machinst.
I think it is also a clamp. It looks very much like a large version of a Tool Makers Clamp
Wigan, Lancs. England :
I’m not expert but its surely a bench vise. I’m making a wooden one. That’s why it has the long screw and the parallel guide at the bottom.I don’t think it’s for woodworking but more for other trades, hence the narrow dimension. I’ve seen metal versions like this but not a wooden before.
I was thinking it was some kind of wooden blacksmith vise. But then I thought to myself, the thin metal face plates would have not been much protection from red hot metal.
Arbovale, WV
Proverbs 18:13
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.Here are the pictures of the actual vise.
Arbovale, WV
Proverbs 18:13
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.And some more pictures. I replaced the metal face plates with some oak.
Arbovale, WV
Proverbs 18:13
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.Very interesting! Judging from the plugged holes, it looks to me like someone long ago dismantled a Paul Sellers size workbench, keeping the leg vise with its attached leg (with reshaped end) together to use as a stand-alone clamp.
I don’t know guys this does look more like a clamp than a leg vise. I’ve never seen a leg vise with two jaws. Normally the table or the leg would be the back jaw. I’d like to hear Paul weigh in on this one.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
Its a bench vice. Its 39″ tall. I don’t think even Pauls bench is that high. It stood higher then the bench top. Thats why it has 2 jaws and not one like a normal one that clamps to the apron. Tolpin has one just like it on the bench on the right of the screen. https://youtu.be/bBS5-AV81lg
I seen that video a long time ago and forgot all about it. That gives me an idea for mounting it and an excuse to make another bench. I thank you and my wife does not, lol.
Arbovale, WV
Proverbs 18:13
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.I forgot to post a follow up of what I found on this vise. From what I can tell it is actually a blacksmiths vise. Which would make sense since my grandfather was a machinist for all of his life.
Arbovale, WV
Proverbs 18:13
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
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