Early Access Video: A Leg Vise for the Joiner's Bench
Added 2020-02-15 12:01:00 +0000 UTCFriends:
The Joiner's Bench is complete!
I just finished adding a MASSIVE leg vise made from nothing but a cheap vise-screw and a few pine stair-treads from Lowes. This vise has solid hold, grabs almost any stock and needs no parallel guide. In fact, you don't ever need to bend down to use it.
How did I manage all this? It's all in the video.
Hope your weekend is off to a great start!
--Rex
Comments
I guess i just think the screw has been so successful for so long that it's a good option. And there are lots of ways to do it for cheap. I've seen some REALLY brilliant wedge designs, but I think screws are the best way. If YOU ever do a wedge vise, I'd love to see it.
Rex Krueger
2020-03-02 12:17:51 +0000 UTCWhy not use a wedge system instead of a vice screw? Can you show use a wedge sytem instead of the vice crew?
Dwayne
2020-03-01 06:44:38 +0000 UTCThe bench will either get nothing or a light oil-based finish mixed with mineral spirits. I finished the vise with 3 heavy coats of poly. It's going to lead a hard life and I want it protected.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-29 01:29:25 +0000 UTCRex, what are you doing for finish for the bench and vise?
Robert Storey
2020-02-29 00:47:00 +0000 UTCYou still can...
Rex Krueger
2020-02-22 00:13:26 +0000 UTCWait... I could’ve had emojis !!!???
Garrett C.
2020-02-19 17:10:59 +0000 UTCYep- I was able to edit it to 10$. Oh man... I need to start asking my 4 year old for help with tech.
Garrett C.
2020-02-19 17:08:13 +0000 UTCHmm 🤔... it wouldn’t let me- but probably on my end. I turn 40 tomorrow and I’m pretty sure that is when both technological prowess and the ability to see things close up both sharply decline. I will try again and report.
Garrett C.
2020-02-19 17:04:03 +0000 UTCI'm glad to hear that the recovery is fast as I'm having my left shoulder replaced the end of next month. It would be sooner but I'm still recovering from having my right knee replaced a little over 2 months ago.
Frank
2020-02-19 14:13:25 +0000 UTCThose are both good screws, but I found both a little light-duty for this build. Both would also require the fabricaiton of some hardware.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-19 11:47:13 +0000 UTCYup! I'm a vegetarian and I don't use things made from dead animals (except for safety gear when welding). If I didn't have this ethical objection, I would totally use hide glue. It's very strong and you can get it apart if you need to.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-19 11:44:11 +0000 UTCI've never liked them. I find the double screw to be less than efficient. Vices like this have been handling most woodworking tasks for centuries. They're flexible and very strong. The Moxon is GREAT for joinery, but it doesn't strike me as a good all-around vise. Maybe you've had a different experience.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-19 11:36:22 +0000 UTCIf it's any consolation, my Mom had that done last year and the recovery was fast. Here's wishing you a quick one!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-19 11:34:32 +0000 UTCI think you can pick a custom amount. Several of my patrons give $10.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-19 11:33:51 +0000 UTCRex I truly appreciate the content you create- your channel needs to be bigger than it is (subscriber wise) I wanted to give you a custom amount on patreon (10$/month) but There is no way to do so on your patreon page...
Garrett C.
2020-02-18 17:48:15 +0000 UTCProbubli
R.E. Moore
2020-02-18 09:22:53 +0000 UTCAnother great job, Rex! Unfortunately , this will be as close to woodworking as I will get for a while, just had my right (dominate hand) shoulder joint replaced Tuesday.
R.E. Moore
2020-02-18 09:22:16 +0000 UTCRex, this build doesn’t look impossible, but it does look hard. Why would you want to go to the trouble rather than to build a moxon vise, which is a much easier build?
Stephen Cannon
2020-02-17 23:10:16 +0000 UTCRex, This looks like a great vise. I do have a question regarding glue. I got to visit with and look over the shoulder of a gentleman doing bench build. He chose to use hide glue. Do you have any thoughts on the topic?
Mark L
2020-02-17 17:04:18 +0000 UTCThere is also this Shop Fox screw https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Fox-D3258-Bench-Screw/dp/B00012XCCA/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=vise+screw&qid=1581943118&sr=8-7 which is 1x20 like the Yost for 32.25 and this Pony https://www.amazon.com/Pony-Tools-6712-12inches-Heavy/dp/B007ID85KY which is shorter at 12" for 18.38.
Frank
2020-02-17 12:48:54 +0000 UTCNot really. All you're really doing is drilling a hole in the apron. It's not a big deal.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-17 11:24:02 +0000 UTCYeah, he's the man!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-17 11:22:50 +0000 UTCThey work really well!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-17 11:22:41 +0000 UTCCool video William, but I think I'll go buy some clamps instead :-) That looks like an awful lot of work.
Kevin Lundquist
2020-02-17 03:20:54 +0000 UTCI can't argue with generations of professionals. Thanks!
Kevin Lundquist
2020-02-17 03:15:53 +0000 UTCI actually run a few different ratios depending on what my desired result is. I'll make up a post with some links to Bob Flexner and other's work with my reasoning when I get a chance this week.
Nic Beurskens
2020-02-16 21:44:25 +0000 UTC1 part linseed oil, 1/2 part oil based varnish (pine for example), 1/2 part solvent (turpentine, mineral spirits).
William Allen
2020-02-16 18:12:38 +0000 UTCLol, I put my leg vise back on my bench yesterday. Just because :P
William Allen
2020-02-16 16:24:25 +0000 UTCYou can always use boards and screws to create clamping: like this https://youtu.be/LLQa_koALNA
William Allen
2020-02-16 16:18:16 +0000 UTCI think Jay is brilliant, too.
Mick King
2020-02-16 15:52:57 +0000 UTCI'm planning on starting the bench today. Likely I'll build the bench then add this leg vice at a later time. Do you have any recommendations that would make things easier when initially building this bench if we plan to add this addition?
Hassan Rogers
2020-02-16 14:00:19 +0000 UTCOne thing I didn't mention is that if you are concerned about dimpling on super soft wood I lay a strip of brown floor protection paper. I keep a roll in the shop for doing "to scale" layouts and bench top protection for painting and staining. I also keep wax paper as a barrier for glue coming out of the joint then the brown paper for cushioning.
Michael Nix
2020-02-16 13:31:42 +0000 UTCSounds like a great suggestion!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-16 12:45:12 +0000 UTCIf you saw me do math, you wouldn't even ask that!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-16 12:44:38 +0000 UTCI do my best!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-16 12:44:14 +0000 UTCAn outstanding suggestion. My welding buddies are always picking those up!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-16 12:44:04 +0000 UTCWe're going to need a post about this shop-made Danish oil!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-16 12:40:43 +0000 UTCI would totally do that if it were't February in Ohio!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-16 12:40:16 +0000 UTCI'm glad you like it! I had to do it four times. My back really hurts.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-16 12:37:17 +0000 UTCSome people add the crochet to the LEFT of the vise, then it's like a planing stop for boards held on the apron. I think it's kind of redundant, but you see it in old French benches those boys knew what they were doing. The chop really needs to be flush with the bench so that stock it gripped evenly. Otherwise, you'll get vibration and trouble with small parts that can't be held flush with the benchtop.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-16 12:35:09 +0000 UTCThanks so much! I honestly wish it could have been sooner.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-16 12:32:28 +0000 UTCI will be honest. Rex spured me to creating a patreon account. Only recipient. Excellent content.
N Kachur
2020-02-16 03:41:01 +0000 UTCI built a maple chop leg vice a few weeks ago using the same screw and wedge. lined the chop and jerry rigged contact surface (3/4 shop ply) on my wall mounted bench with leather and what a beast of a vise. Wish you would have sent this out a few weeks ago about the angled chop but hey if I don't like what I put together revamp and rebuild. This is a great project series that you have put together Rex. Keep them coming.
N Kachur
2020-02-16 03:38:00 +0000 UTCThe vise displaced the crochet. Would it be useful to attach the crochet to the right end of the bench, facing the vise? Or would it just get in the way? Edit: after thinking more about it, I think I would mount the crochet on the opposite side of the bench. That way you'd have the vise on one side and the crochet on the other. Also, I have about 2 1/2 clamps; any suggestions for gluing the stair treads together without a forest of clamps? And one more question. What is the advantage of having the top of the vise flush with the top of the bench? What if the top of the vise was a half inch below the top of the bench? Would that be a huge disadvantage>
Kevin Lundquist
2020-02-16 02:54:53 +0000 UTCIt's a similar story for me too. I watch many woodworkers but Rex is the first one I supported on Patreon.
Bernie Connors
2020-02-16 00:21:16 +0000 UTCI'm at about 9 months using shop-made danish oil. I love that it helps harden up my Doug fir bench just enough without making it slippery. If I need to flatten a spot or rough up the surface, a quick coat goes on when the project is done and it's protected from moisture again!
Nic Beurskens
2020-02-15 22:56:25 +0000 UTCWhat an amazing intro. Love it! ❤️😃
Jessica McIntosh
2020-02-15 20:01:15 +0000 UTCGlue: oh yes, so much cheaper to buy it a gallon bottle. Love the idea of using laminated wood for the Jaw (chop). I have a dirt floor, but the floor wedge worked perfectly all the same, I did get a tiny bit of racking because the floor is dirt, but if I add that dowel like you did, it will probably stop the rack completely. I used BLO to treat my entire bench, and I cured it in full sun for 3 days. I've not had to renew the finish yet after a whole year of daily use. I use mine as my shop bench on the farm. So that means engine repair, mechanical work, tool repair, you name it, it goes on my bench.
William Allen
2020-02-15 16:55:11 +0000 UTCGreetings from No. VT - great video and very practical design. One ultra cheap suggestion for gluing up larger pieces like you showed in this video, as well for joining/gluing up several pieces side by side. I took metal bed frame steel which are pretty hefty "L" configuration steel and cut them to various lengths to use as my "truing" piece for the clamps. It also protects the soft woods from the indention of the clamps and the vertical component makes the steel very bend resistant (at least for the levels of pressure you would use for wood joinery). The best thing is that if you check around at dumps, thrift store discard areas and other places where beds might be dumped or donated they are pretty common throw-aways. I cut off the bed frame lock ends and the other pins or other protuberances you might find with the metal cutoff wheel on my high speed grinder and what is left is fantastic. I also routinely put the steel along edges i am clamping to distribute the compression more uniformly from my bar clamps while at the same time protecting the edge from clamp damage. Just cup the wood on the inside of the "L". I picked up three sets of steel bed frames from a local thrift store who were discarding them for nothing and now have a variety of lengths from 15" to 48" for just about any situation I can come up with. To paraphrase your common comment - nothing is cheaper than free; and it works for both edge protection and preventing cupping when I am doing multiple board joins. Hope this is helpful. Keep up the good work.
Michael Nix
2020-02-15 15:31:22 +0000 UTCYeah, I'm the same way. I tripped over this tip. The tongue depressor ensemble has been working fine for me. It's been about two years now. I think one depressor broke off in that time. They're cheap to replace, and you can make a bunch of them for the price of a box of depressors and the bolts/nuts to secure them together.
Paul Bucalo
2020-02-15 15:15:35 +0000 UTCOMG, that's brilliant! I love simple and elegant solutions like that. That's why I love what Rex does.
Mike J
2020-02-15 15:10:25 +0000 UTCI love this project. It is not surprising though. "Rex" means "king" in latin... ;)
Csongor Halmai
2020-02-15 14:53:00 +0000 UTCAnother fantastic video! Rex, are you sure you don't have a mechanical engineering degree?
Kevin Lundquist
2020-02-15 14:37:32 +0000 UTCI already commented on the video about using 1/2 pipe instead of the hard wood dowel to secure the foot, so I won't repeat it here. This how I will make mine, I guess. As for a means to deal with racking, I found somewhere how to make a device that works for all thickness of wood to be used. You take a bunch of tongue depressors, drill one end of each with the diameter of the bolts to be used to hold them together, then fasten them using a nylon locknut. Like a feeler gauge, you use the number of depressors that comes close to the thickness you are putting into the vice, move the rest out of the way--often I let the difference lay on the benchtop--and clamp away. Works great.
Paul Bucalo
2020-02-15 14:23:36 +0000 UTCI hope you do!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-15 14:23:09 +0000 UTCAbsolutely! That's a much more elegant solution.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-15 14:23:01 +0000 UTCAnd I love, love, love having you here. Your enthusiasm is contagious!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-15 14:22:27 +0000 UTCIt's SO not hard. This is the first one I've even touched. I never used one one before making this one and it came out just fine.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-15 14:21:53 +0000 UTCI owe much of that value to Nate. He's a fine editor with a good eye.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-15 14:21:05 +0000 UTCA rack-stop is another simple and effective solution. Probably just as good as what I did.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-15 14:20:23 +0000 UTCThe vise will get a full poly treatment for max protection. I think the rest of the bench might get thinned spar varnish for a little resistance to glue and such. I'm not sure. It's already showing a lot of wear.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-15 14:19:42 +0000 UTCThat's a very high compliment! I really appreciate it.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-15 14:17:58 +0000 UTCNice explanation and well done! Going to have to make one!
Paul Morin
2020-02-15 14:08:38 +0000 UTCYou never seize to amaze Rex. I do have one remark, Mike Wiley already mentioned that piece of scrap you use against racking, but would it be an idea to take a longer, thicker peace of scrap and step down the thickness by, lets say, 1/4" or 1/8"? That way you may not need the screw, and you need only one insert for different thicknesses. Or you could use a piece of threaded rod with an endcap (scrapwood) behind the vice which you can turn in or out as needed.
Frans van Ballegooijen
2020-02-15 13:42:53 +0000 UTCI have been watching woodworking videos on YouTube for the last 5years or so and I can't believe that I just now discovered your channel. I absolutely love you videos and watched them all in about a day and a half. Of all the channels I am subscribed to, you are the only one I support on Patreon because I love, love, love what you do.
Wendell Lind
2020-02-15 13:30:43 +0000 UTCBrilliant! Love it! The slant is really innovative, I've never seen that before. I've been perusing Craigslist for end vises and not having any luck at the price point I'm looking for, not even in Sacramento! ;-) I thought I'd like one of these but it seemed a little too much for me to attempt, you really broke it down and illustrated just how simple it really is. Thanks!
Mike J
2020-02-15 13:26:44 +0000 UTCI agree with @jakecotumaccio above. The production value of your videos are improving from good to excellent. Love the multiple shots and transitions showing aspects that your describing on the video. Also the genuine excitement and interest in the topic show thru. Enthusiasm is contagious! The level of detail is superb (why some solutions were considered and not chosen) without dragging down the speed of the video or dissing those options or people who choose them. I am really looking forward to seeing it in action in the upcoming weeks!
Robert Bullock
2020-02-15 13:07:03 +0000 UTCFantastic! Open with dragging the bench over by the vise. What about a simple hardwood rack stop to shore up any racking vs the scrap piece.
Mike Willey
2020-02-15 12:40:52 +0000 UTCSo are you going to put some finish on that bench? BLO and paste wax?
Shanni Marmen
2020-02-15 12:35:28 +0000 UTCGonna be honest, it’s unfair to expect something ingenious in every video you post. Yet here we are, and you keep delivering. This was really, really well done- from concept to design to execution to troubleshooting and refinement.
Jake Cotumaccio
2020-02-15 12:24:45 +0000 UTC
