old wood vice

[condeesteso]

It's arrived Dean!! Have pm'd you but not certain they are getting through just now.
There was a bit of teamwork to this one - Jim found it on ebay, I won it for a tenner (no other bidders), then due to a confusion in the listing, DeanN kindly offered to collect for me and ship it.
here it is:

A nice old wooden screw leg vice. Mostly appears to be softwood, but not sure about the actual screw under the muck - the nut is certainly softwood.
Things I note are the quite thin leg stock, about 1", so it would flex a little in use. The boss on the screw is a nice turning and quite a small profile which is good, as they can tend to stick out quite a way.

The bar is a solid turning with knob one end and a hole drilled the other for a peg - I quite like that and may copy it in future. The guide is pine and a bit bent, tenoned into the leg and fixed with a peg the outer side - not intended to be a very precise fit. The vice face is designed to be disposable and very easily replaced.

I can't tell how the thread was cut - no signs of lathe centres but that doesn't mean it wasn't turned. Thread form is very good and no break-out at the top of threads.
I'll have a think how to use this - could be a sliding leg vice maybe. Could be useful in the kitchen...
Very big thanks to Dean for going to so much trouble (and almost as much bubble-wrap).

 

[DeanN]

I love bubble wrap as you can use acres of it and not be penalised in postage costs.

Glad it arrived safely, and I look forward to seeing what you do with it.

 

[No skills]

Interesting bit of kit, what on earth would you be using it in the kitchen for?

Hmm, maybe a butcher block kitchen table - a thin disguise for a kitchen based workbench with leg vise and sharpening station. Yes we have you sussed :wink:

 

[jimi43]

I'm glad you got it Douglas...I look forward to seeing it and this is just what I like about the good part of UKW...the friendship and kindness of people like Dean who are prepared to go out of their way to help a fellow member when a FleaBay seller is um...less than cooperative shall we say! :mrgreen:

Now I think that this piece of ancient history would go fine in the new loggia as part of a green woodworking setup....go on..imagine...shaving horse...pole lathe...small bench with old leg vise...

Job done! :wink:

Jim

 

[condeesteso]

Yes, I have been considering a shaving horse for quite a while now. Saw a plan somewhere of one that knocks down for storage, as they do take up quite a bit of space. I reckon they can be very useful for a lot of work, not just chairs and round things. Anyway, this vice will be carefully cleaned and made ready for future use - the important bits are the screw and nut. Had a closer look and suspect the screw may be beech... needs a subtle clean and a closer look. I do really like the turned shape of the boss - quite period and had care taken over it (followed some time later by paint).
It's obvious application is a leg vice, but that would need a bench to attach to.

 

[monkeybiter]

If I'd leaned something like that up against a nice clean wall and carpet, the last thing I'd do is photograph it and provide SWMBO with evidence of the deed :shock: :shock:
The least I'd get away with is an urgent need to decorate for the second time in ten years :roll: (homer)

Re. the vice, I can see the appeal of an historic tool, but for use wouldn't it be easier to make new than adapt? Or is that sacriledge? :wink:

 

[condeesteso]

That's right Mike - I'll keep the bits for interest sake, but it's just the screw and nut I wanted. the entire leg and vice face plus guide would be made new, hardwoods.
And yes, I did get a spot of bother for that 'still life' shot. But I took it in my half of the house :wink:

 

[AndyT]

Douglas

I reckon your nicely made beech bench screw would have been a commercial offering. I recently bought a 1953 Buck and Hickman catalogue which shows this one, looking somewhat similar to yours:

If they were still available for sale that recently, it must be quite possible for old ones to turn up when someone clears a shed.

 

[condeesteso]

I think that's right Andy - it looks manufactured rather than one-off shop made. Mine is overall 24", screw section about 17", screw dia is 2 1/4" - similar and probably about that vintage.
i think it's going to go on the newer small bench - a leg-vice rebuild to remove the old York screw and replace with this woodie, probably an oak leg this time too just because I have a few big bits.
Richard Maguire has advised I soak the whole lot in thinned linseed for quite a while so it absorbs quite a bit. I will do that as I suspect it will take up a little of the slack in the nut and make it run smoothly too - though it's quite good anyway. And I need to remove the paint splashes whilst not overcleaning the boss - I like it's aged look. If I use a heat gun with care would that be an idea??
That'll be a new leg vice on the 'to do' list then.

 

[AndyT]

And I need to remove the paint splashes whilst not overcleaning the boss - I like it's aged look. If I use a heat gun with care would that be an idea??

I'd treat those paint splashes as I have done for similar ones on wooden planes. Turpentine on an old green pan scourer and rub carefully. It generally softens the paint enough to flick thick splashes off, or rub through thin ones, and leaves the aged look intact. White spirit would probably do if you have no real turps but does not smell as nice.

 

[condeesteso]

thanks Andy, turps it is. And turns out the nut is beech... under the muck. Had a closer look today, the rebate for the garter is only 1" back from the boss bearing face, and I want a thicker leg so another internal garter required. If time was money I'd be skint.

 

[condeesteso]

Finally fitted the vice screw. Cleaned a load of old paint off first (AndyT method), then soaked in linseed thinned (Richard Maguire method).
I was considering a sliding leg vice but this bench isn't long enough to really make full use, and I have a deadman on it already. Anyway the main leg vice deserved it.
Boring the hole was awkward - total 6" thicknesses (vice leg 2" plus bench leg 4") and my biggest forstner was 54mm, hole needing 56mm. Doesn't sound much til you do it on a fully built bench weighing about 120Kg :shock:
The Liogier rasp came to the fore - my 11 grain was excellent and I found the very tip really fast at removing enough, then smooth the profile with the broader camber section.
The screw looks great, works nicely - functionally not really better than the metal York that was in, but pitch is about double so it is fast, with plenty enough grip.

The nut was fitted very simply - to back of leg with 2 big brass screws

It looks great - I know a bench is a functional tool, but it may as well look nice. Have replaced the pin with a hornbeam turned one now, more in keeping

And early in the morning the light is good

Credits to Jim (Finder), Dean (Haulier), AndyT (Restorer), Richard M (Tuner), Andrew M (hornbeam). MMXII

 

[marcros]

That finishes the bench nicely Douglas.

Do I hear subtle hints that you will be building another bench with a sliding leg vice on next?!

 

[condeesteso]

Nothing subtle Mark - just need to decide which pile of oak to invest in, no rush. Actually, what am I going to do with three benches... there is a hitch and I have it spotted.

 

[marcros]

Early days of using your wooden screw, I know, but would you invest the extra money to have another one over the cheap steel equivalent on a new bench? It certainly finishes the bench well asthetically.

 

[jimi43]

WOw....I see what you mean Douglas...very nice indeed!

I think that there are some real gems out there for little money but even I am surprised that it came up that well...nice one Richard!

I remember seeing that Dutch video of the tackle blocks being soaked in oil......did you see that?

I can't find it now.... #-o

Jim

 

[BelgianPhil]

I remember seeing that Dutch video of the tackle blocks being soaked in oil......did you see that?

I can't find it now.... #-o

Jim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iAcoIpPPGo&feature=relmfu

 

[jimi43]

Thanks Phil

Jim

 

[condeesteso]

thanks for the video link - very nice work... I would like the boat those blocks go onto.
Re wood screw Mark - as you know I got that one for a tenner (20 really with shipping). New ones will be around £150 I think and a York is about £20. I think the wood ones are lovely and I put 2 on the twin-vice (other bench), but technically you gain pitch rate (almost double at a guess), a very nice feel and look. I can't say you need one, but you might 'need' one. It is possible to cut your own I think, but the cutters will surely cost quite a bit and you really want the big thread minimum 2" (Richard Ms and Joe's are 2 1/2 I think). I think the problem we all have is we only want the odd one or two - decent tooling is too big an investment?

 

[DeanN]

Its come up a treat Douglas - really nice job, and it looks at home on the bench.