hardware for a bench

MathsManiac

I know there's a sticky about tool suppliers, but this is a bit specific: I'm planning on finally making a half-decent bench, and I'm wondering if is there a supplier (in Ireland) for suitable fittings for an end-vice or tail-vice.

If necessary, I'll order off the web from abroad, but I'd rather support an Irish supplier if the price is reasonable, (and it'd be nice to have a look and feel before I buy). I want to get hold of the fittings before I finalise my drawings for the bench.

ennisa

i built a leg vice that used a tail vice screw but i got it from axminster in the UK. I don't know anywhere that sells vice hardware. I have seen places that sell vices like your standard record woodworking vice but not the screws themselves.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=22375&name=vice+screw&user_search=1&sfile=1&jump=0

delivery to ireland was about 10 pounds at the time.

Hope this helps.

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Alan
Ireland/Dublin

MathsManiac

Thanks for that, Alan.

By the way, does your leg vice have a separate support at the bottom, such as rail with pin holes, or does the end vice (turned sideways?) do the job on its own?

ennisa

mathsmaniac,
Esentially the end vice on it's own does the job as you say but you do need something to keep the top and the bottom almost parallel, you get the best grip when the bottom is slightly closer to the bench than the top, i never did put the parallel guide on the bottom i just never got around to it. It is just shy of the floor and i use a block that is cut to 3/4" X 7/8" x 1 1/2" (ish) in behind it for most work, i can turn it for the most common sizes that i use, if i need to clamp something bigger then i just find a piece of scrap around the shop that is just about the right size. I will get around to adding the parallel guide some day, if i ever need to flip the bench over i will do it then and kill both birds with one stone. The vice itself is just a piece of 2x6 pine that i planed flat on the inside so that it is parallel to the bench leg. It is the easist vice to make, and it has some serious holding power, plus you have 10-12 inches of clearance down to the vice screw, all it needs is two holes, one in the bench leg and one in whatever you decide to make the leg out of. I did have to put some extra bolts through the frame into the top in line with the leg as when i tightened the vice it was pushing the top off the base.

Most of the details for the leg vice I got from Christopher Schwarz's book about workbenches and also his blog.

Take care mathsmaniac, hope this helps. If you need any other info then let me know.

--
Alan
Ireland/Dublin

MathsManiac

Thanks again.

I'll let ye all know how I get on!

doozerie

I don't know of any sources of bench hardware in Ireland, but the following site in Germany is a great place to look for a variety of stuff, including bench hardware. Their delivery charges are very reasonable too (they are listed on the site):

http://www.fine-tools.com/spindel.htm

I've used them in the past when buying various tools and bits and pieces and found them to be very good to deal with.

MathsManiac

MathsManiac wrote: »

Thanks again.

I'll let ye all know how I get on!

So anyway, as I was saying there a few moments ago (ahem), I planned on putting a tail vice on my bench.

I did buy the hardware at the time, but it's been sitting gathering rust for the brief intervening period...until a few weeks ago. And now:

Ta-dah: TailVice.jpg

ennisa

MathsManiac wrote: »

So anyway, as I was saying there a few moments ago (ahem), I planned on putting a tail vice on my bench.

I did buy the hardware at the time, but it's been sitting gathering rust for the brief intervening period...until a few weeks ago. And now:

Ta-dah: TailVice.jpg

Well, I guess nothing dies on the internet. Well done on getting that vice on there. My workshop is lying idle these days. A cold winter in a block brick garage really put me off it for a couple of months and i never got back into it. That was 2-3 years ago. I miss it but I don't miss the cold.

Ah well, so many hobbies, so little money.
Take care.