First post

[chamfer]

Hi All
I am a newbie woodworker based in the south of England with plenty of questions

Before i get to my questions i would like to thank everybody who has contribute to this site for the last year or so, as i have learnt so much from reading the posts on this site.

I have purchased a quick release vice from a local boot sale and i am considering what i should line the jaws of the vice with, my first thought was oak, but having given it more thought i am now thinking a softer timber might be better as oak could possibly mark the timber its clamping

Whats considered the norm, when lining vice jaws?

My seconded question is, when honing a secondary bevel on a bevel edged chisel after grinding a primary bevel, how far back from the front edge should the secondary bevel come?

Any help much appreciated

Chamfer

 

[DaveL]

Hi Chamfer,

Welcome to the forum.

I think one of the traditional woods for vice clams is beech, but I used ash off cuts that were over when I built my bench.

You only need a secondary bevel wide enough to see it right along the edge, I will only produce one of =< 1/16" on the first sharpening after regrinding the primary bevel. This allows me to retouch the secondary bevel a number of times to get the edge back with out removing very much metal. As the amount of metal removed is small it takes very little time so there is no excuse for struggling on with a dull edge.

 

[Smudger]

Beech is the traditional material for vice jaws, afaik.

Oh, and welcome!

 

[Racers]

Hi, Chamfer

Welcome to the forum.

I had oak jaws in my vice but I found them slippy, things really needed tightening up to hold them, them I put some thinner (10mm) beech jaws in and it seems to be more grippy. You will need to make sure they grip at the top first by plaining a slight taper on them.


Pete

 

[DaveL]

You will need to make sure they grip at the top first by plaining a slight taper on them.

My Record vices have jaws that meet at the top first so the taper is not required, check your vice first.

 

[paulm]

I used some oak on my two bench vices and works fine. Adjust the amount you tighten the vice handle if concerned about marking I guess.

Probably just worth using whatever half decent hardwood you can get your hands on most easily or cheaply, doesn't matter too much really.

Cheers, Paul.

 

[Slim]

Hi Chamfer, Welcome to the forum.

 

[Digit]

Softer jaws won't prevent marking, they will make it worse!
What happens is that being soft they are easily damaged so when tightening a smaller area makes contact with what is being gripped. A large flat area is less damging.

Roy.

 

[woodbloke]

Chamfer - welcome to the forum. Beech is the traditional material for lining vice jaws, but as Chisel has said, it don't really matter what you use. The important thing is to fit them correctly so that they are dead parallel. The top should grip just before the bottom of the jaws, the amount of tension can be gauged by gently gripping a bit of paper each side and trying to pull it out...you'll soon see from the tension which side is holding more firmly, then remove a shaving or two from the tight side until the tension on the paper is the same. Vice jaws can also be packed out with shims of paper to get the correct alignment.
There should be a of minimum of steel removed to hone the secondary bevel, just enough for a tiny wire edge to be formed on the back of the blade. Once the secondary honed edge is too wide it'll be time for re-grinding the primary bevel again - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi Chamfer,

Welcome to the forum.

As others have said, it doesn't really matter much what wood you use to line the vice jaws. In the past I've used beech. On my current Bench, I used some Mahogany-type wood which came from some shelving I took down

In practice, I don't find that I get problems with the workpiece getting marked by the vice jaws. However, if you had a particularly delicate piece which you wanted to protect, it would be easy enough to make up some lining pieces from some cork table mats or something similar.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

....be easy enough to make up some lining pieces from some cork table mats or something similar.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

...just don't tell SWIMBO where her best table mats have disappeared :lol: - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

:-$

 

[bugbear]

However, if you had a particularly delicate piece which you wanted to protect, it would be easy enough to make up some lining pieces from some cork table mats or something similar.

Be very cautious with soft jaws. The most "obvious" thing to do is use carpet, which is nice and soft.

But...

If the carpet picks up swarf, or nails, or assorted crap, is suddenly changes from being soft to being the next best thing to sandpaper.

So "soft-ish" is best. Cork, fibreboard, leather (pine).

BugBear

 

[woodbloke]

I use a couple of inserts that slot over the existing jaws and I've lined them with some of that Nairn cushion flooring so that the reverse side contacts the workpiece, works very well, but as BB says, leather or cork would do equally as well - Rob

 

[chamfer]

Hi all,

thanks for the welcome & the advice , i have a couple of off cuts of mahongany that will do just the job on lining the vice.


Going back to the question of when honing a secondary bevel on a bevel edged chisel after grinding a primary bevel.

Once you have and i am sorry i dont no how to quote replys i have had, but Woodbloke said "just enough for a tiny wire edge to be formed on the back of the blade". What do you then finish of with? or is that it

Cheers

Chamfer

 

[woodbloke]

Woodbloke said "just enough for a tiny wire edge to be formed on the back of the blade". What do you then finish of with? or is that it

Cheers

Chamfer

Once the wire edge has been made, turn the chisel over onto the back and keep it dead flat on the stone. Move back and forth until the wire edge has gone...if all has gone to plan, the edge should now be suitable for use. Practice do make perfect tho' :wink: - Rob

 

[chamfer]

Thanks for replying Woodbloke

Chamfer