Portable vise

[pop-pop]

Five years ago, I led a Triangle Woodworkers Association workshop where members made seven (IIRC) portable vises. One participant cancelled thus I had a leftover set of hardware.

@bobby g has had one of these vises for several years and asked me if I could make him another. Since I had the parts (and he is a great guy), I agreed and made this portable vise for him.

The chrome plated guide shaft slides on two graphited bronze bushings. The screw pushes the chop via a spherical ball bearing which also serves as the garter. In the leg, a radial ball bearing and a brass square nut suspend the chop and keep the guide shaft from binding. Woods used were hard maple and air-dried walnut.

 

[bobby g]

And we can’t wait to have it in the shop!!
Thanks Mike.
bobby g

 

[smallboat]

Is one end of the tommy bar glued in with a tenon?

 

[pop-pop]

Is one end of the tommy bar glued in with a tenon?

Both end caps are secured with a screw with an O-ring as a cushion.

j

 

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Both end caps are secured with a screw with an O-ring as a cushion.View attachment 216884j

The tee for the tommy bar starts as a 1/2 x 3/4 x 3/4 IPT ordinary cast iron plumbing reducer tee. The smaller threads are drilled out 3/4”. The larger threads are drilled out 7/8” then 1”. The white plastic bushing is DWV PVC pipe with a longitudinal saw kerf or three until it can be pressed into the tee.