stand-up hold-down.

[Paul Chapman]

Years ago I saw one of the triton ones demoed, it did seem fairly heavy duty. Hand sawing large pieces of wood, knocking in nails etc - there was a small amount of movement of the timber from what my fragile and unreliable memory tells me. I dont think youd break it easily but not sure how the mechanism would cope with odd shaped lumps of timber. I'd vision something with a nail or small point built into the jaw face to give a bit of a bite when the jaws clamped.

I have the Triton Superjaws which I use when chainsawing very large logs. Very strong and sturdy with a very strong grip. Also very stable as it has three legs, so doesn't wobble about. Would probably be good for holding large, odd-shaped pieces for carving. Has two types of interchangeable jaws depending on whether you want to hold straight pieces or odd shapes like logs. You could probably make other custom jaws for special jobs.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[barkwindjammer]

This ?
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h ... g&dur=5092

 

[GazPal]

Much of the time you can carve even the most complex items using simple hold-down devices. Adequately cradling a workpiece often negates a need for clamping, but an anchoring point set into/onto the base can provide a solid footing for carving and still allow you to rotate the piece.

Think carving clamps and improvise something along the lines of the ones shown in this link;

http://www.toolpost.co.uk/pages/Carving ... tml#Clamps

 

[matthewwh]

The last apprentice tried to leave, so I nailed his foot to this block of wood - like this!

 

[alan2001]

Maybe I'm missing something, Jacob, but this seems like the obvious thing to use for carving - that's probably the reason why carver's use them, isn't it?

http://www.toolpost.co.uk/pages/Carving_Tools/Sorby_Carving/sorby_carving.html#Clamps

I don't quite understand why you want something that'll clamp the piece from above - surely you want to be able to acess all four sides AND the top to do the carving? And why do you need to work it with a foot pedal - do you only have one arm or something?

Oh, and is your method going to need pressure from your foot the whole time, when clamping the piece? That sounds like far too much hard work. With the carver's clamps above, you only need to fit the piece once, during the whole process, right? :?:

I'm not being a ****; I just genuinely don't understand!

 

[Jacob]

Maybe I'm missing something, Jacob, but this seems like the obvious thing to use for carving - that's probably the reason why carver's use them, isn't it?

I'm not intending to do that sort of carving (not really making gnomes :roll: ) .
"Post vice" seems to be the solution - http://www.bodgers.org.uk/bb/phpBB2/vie ... =post+vice adapted to fit on bench end more or less what I had in mind in the first place.
Re foot pressure; you only press hard whist you hit the gouge - but you are standing up already so nothing lost by having a foot (feet?) on the pedal.
Re why foot pedal; obvious really, gives two hands free to hold mallet and gouge/chisel and stops the thing skipping about the bench, but also allows quick changes of position of workpiece

 

[alan2001]

I'm not intending to do that sort of carving (not really making gnomes :roll: )

huh? why are you being so secretive about what you're making? no wonder so many people don't understand!

"Post vice" seems to be the solution - http://www.bodgers.org.uk/bb/phpBB2/vie ... =post+vice adapted to fit on bench end more or less what I had in mind in the first place.

like this thing?

Re why foot pedal; obvious really, gives two hands free to hold mallet and gouge/chisel and stops the thing skipping about the bench, but also allows quick changes of position of workpiece

thanks mate, I do understand the concept of clamping and why it's necessary. I didn't have a clue what type of contraption you were talking about, but I get it now. It just seems a bit odd/difficult to have to keep something clamped with foot pressure the whole time you're working on it. You'll have one Popeye leg by the time you've finished making your secret gnome thing! :mrgreen:

 

[bugbear]

I'm not intending to do that sort of carving (not really making gnomes :roll: )

huh? why are you being so secretive about what you're making? no wonder so many people don't understand!

There may be a clue here:

post567048.html?hilit=carving#p567048

Bowl carving; given Jacob's offerings of "shabby chic" kitchen furniture to the gentry, I suspect reproduction dough bowls may be in the offing; proper antique ones sell for lots.

My last suggestion of this was met with reticence.

post585869.html?hilit=dough#p585869

Why it's secret I have no idea.

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

DFTT!
Have you made anything yourself recently BB?
er - ever!

 

[GazPal]

Defining the work involved would help determine more suitable advice regarding clamping :wink:

 

[alan2001]

DFTT!

DFTT typically stands for Do Feed The Troll.
Which I'm beginning to feel like we've all been doing - I've just been trying to understand what you mean, not annoy you or insult you.

Good luck with your top secret/hugely embarrassing project, which will require you to have both hands free at all times, while applying pressure on top with a foot operated pedal.

Sounds like something a James Bond baddie has commissioned from you. Remember the lasers!!! :twisted:

 

[Doug B]

Wouldn`t a piece of timber hinged on one side of the bench, crossing to the other side of the bench with a strap down to the floor, with a loop to put your foot in to exert pressure, be enough to hold the ............. i wont spoil BB guessing game by naming the item :lol:

Some sort of adjustable height hinge would allow the timber to exert pressure over the whole piece, that combined with a bench stop should work a treat.


Cheers.


Doug.

 

[Jacob]

....
Good luck with your top secret/hugely embarrassing project, which will require you to have both hands free at all times, while applying pressure on top with a foot operated pedal.....

There is a picture of a "post vice" above, and some pictures of carvers' clamp thingies, all of which leave both your hands free.
I guess you must be completely mystified by these as they are all empty!
No wood in sight at all! What an enigma!
Obviously designed for secret and/or embarrassing projects of some sort. :shock: What are they hiding? I think we should be told.

 

[Jacob]

Wouldn`t a piece of timber hinged on one side of the bench, crossing to the other side of the bench with a strap down to the floor, with a loop to put your foot in to exert pressure, be enough to hold the ............. i wont spoil BB guessing game by naming the item :lol:

Some sort of adjustable height hinge would allow the timber to exert pressure over the whole piece, that combined with a bench stop should work a treat.


Cheers.


Doug.

Well yes - like that post vice but adapted for a bench end. Quite interesting selection of alternatives presented, thanks all.

Re enigma - had to make a ten minute boat for a grandson. Picked up nearest suitable piece of wood which was a hollowed-out half log intended to become a carved bowl, a la Robin Wood.
Just had to cut the outsides with a bandsaw to make a hull, tidy up with axe and spokeshave, drill hole for mast (piece of bamboo), scraps nailed on for a rudder/tiller, and voila - boat in under ten minutes! He carried on to glue cloth to mast and bamboo boom, nail on a bowsprit, paint it plus his name on the side FRED. It looked surprisingly good and I wondered about making another one, or other similar sized toy/decorative thingies but rudely hacked from firewood with big gouges etc rather than finely modelled.

 

[GazPal]

Wouldn`t a piece of timber hinged on one side of the bench, crossing to the other side of the bench with a strap down to the floor, with a loop to put your foot in to exert pressure, be enough to hold the ............. i wont spoil BB guessing game by naming the item :lol:

Some sort of adjustable height hinge would allow the timber to exert pressure over the whole piece, that combined with a bench stop should work a treat.


Cheers.


Doug.

Well yes - like that post vice but adapted for a bench end. Quite interesting selection of alternatives presented, thanks all.

Re enigma - had to make a ten minute boat for a grandson. Picked up nearest suitable piece of wood which was a hollowed-out half log intended to become a carved bowl, a la Robin Wood.
Just had to cut the outsides with a bandsaw to make a hull, tidy up with axe and spokeshave, drill hole for mast (piece of bamboo), scraps nailed on for a rudder/tiller, and voila - boat in under ten minutes! He carried on to glue cloth to mast and bamboo boom, nail on a bowsprit, paint it plus his name on the side FRED. It looked surprisingly good and I wondered about making another one, or other similar sized toy/decorative thingies but rudely hacked from firewood with big gouges etc rather than finely modelled.

Fit a temporary "mast", then invert the piece, fit into a vise and carve merrily away

 

[alan2001]

There is a picture of a "post vice" above, and some pictures of carvers' clamp thingies, all of which leave both your hands free.
I guess you must be completely mystified by these as they are all empty!
No wood in sight at all! What an enigma!
Obviously designed for secret and/or embarrassing projects of some sort. :shock: What are they hiding? I think we should be told.

WHAT??? :mrgreen: I know, it was me that posted those photos there!

They're all empty because they're brand new. If they advertised them with half-completed projects attached to them, they would then have to include a tiresome disclaimer saying something like "Gnome not included, may include nuts".

Come on Jacob, let's see a photo of the boat in question please? I'd love to see what can be done in 10 minutes. Seriously. (Did grandson DEMAND it be done in 10 minutes, or was it just a little challenge?)

BTW you are definitely my most entertaining poster on here. =D>

 

[Jacob]

.....

Fit a temporary "mast", then invert the piece, fit into a vise and carve merrily away

Hmm. Smart thinking. :roll:

 

[alan2001]

also, not to labour the point, but it can hardly be classed as a '10 minute boat' if you only did half a job for 10 minutes and then gave it to him to finish off all the difficult bits. no offence.

come on, photo please?

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Doesn't sound so very different to a clog - could be worth looking up that old scandinavian film.
Ah - here's a thread - http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/archiv ... 37973.html from the fourth post:

Yes they are an excellent series. I made a copy of the clog makers horse/bench a month or two ago and use it for hewing bowls, simple but effective. I have some 17th c engravings of clogmakers with identical bench and tools.

Can't check the vids at the mo, but sounds just what you're after.

 

[Jacob]

Yes good innit. Seen it before. http://videos.americanwoodworker.com/vi ... log-making
Primitive form of production line manufacture i.e. same partial processes applied to several items in one session, rather than finishing them one by one.
Robin Wood turned it into his "Bowlmate"