My Leg Vise
My post vice lays, in pieces, on the garage floor. I've disassembled it, had it sand blasted, replaced a broken bolt and then reassembled it. Started out thinking I'd apply some sort of patina, but after trying two different colors I've given up that idea for a good coating of Rustoleum. Thought briefly crossed my mind to use something like safety yellow or neon orange, but (fortunately) I've pretty much settled on a flat green. Now I just need to disassemble it again, wait for the wind to stop, spray each piece (except the jaws), grease the screw, and then reassemble it. After that, I need to build a stand (back to welding again).
Well, it's back together, painted and mounted on a stand. The stand was made from a used dental chair base, some spare pipe, and some plate steel for the vise to attach to and for tool/part storage. A second steel plate, mounted above the first, provided additional working storage space.
Hand Vices
This is part of my collection of hand vices. I use them a lot for work on a grinder or wire wheel. They can also hold small items that you have to do some minor "tweaking" on.
Vice Spacers
Vice spacers allow you to hold items that are smaller than the jaws of your vice without putting uneven pressure on one side of whatever is being clamped.
Vice Stands
Below are a collection "different" vice stands. Provided because:
- I thought they were neat
- They may give you ideas on the possibilities of your own non-standard vice stands
 Mother Nature's best vice stand (found on Facebook - Leg Vise City. You'll probably have to build your shop around this vice as it'll be really tough to move. However, on the plus side you'll never find a sturdier stand! Within the spreading chesnut tree ... (apologies to Henry Longfellow) |
 A vise doing double duty as a hardy tool. On the other hand it makes a nice compact combination with the vise real near your anvil. |
 Has anybody seen my spare tire? |
 Vise on a really big stump. Plenty of room for dishing. |
 Really big stump with plenty of holders for hardy tools |
Foot Vises
Foot vices look like a handy thing to have around. I'm not sure how tight they would hold something or if you can use them to bang on. Once I locate one that is semi-reasonable and ships to my house, I'll try it out and see.
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 Interesting vise with a built-in hardy hole |
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 Roger LaBrash's Fisher Norris chain driven leg vise. The advantage of the chain and dual screws is that the jaws move in parallel. |
Foot Vise |
Character Carving Vise Tool (aka Wizard Wedge Vise Tool)
This is a holder for stock when doing the working/carving of animal heads. I first saw it at Frank Turley's Blacksmith School when I was there. I've since made my own because I ultimately want to be able to carve a variety of animal heads.
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Notice how the arm is offset from the center of the block. That's because the arm is positioned against one jaw of the vice and the stock being used to make the animal head is stuck between the arm and the opposing vice jaw to hold it securely. Centering the arm on the block would only lead to decreasing the size of the stock you can work with. The arm also serves a secondary purpose of giving you a handhold to occasionally dunk the tool in your quench tank as it will get hot working.
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Another version with better lateral support
Gee Mom, look what else I've found!
- Practical Machinist: leg/post vise mounting
- How To Make a Wizard Wedge Vise Tool
- Pinterest - Leg Vise Stands
| Wisdom of my father: "It takes more of a man to walk away from a fight than to stay and fight." |
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