I had a BUNCH of leftover 4x8 stock and used it to build a workbench in
the one room the wife let me have for a shop. You can see it he

http://www.astutesolutions.net/images/workbench.jpg

Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp. I can adjust the length of the pipe by
using the quick release on the other side of the outriggers. I'd have
a 4x4 that would be tightened down on whatever I'm clamping. Sideview
would be like:

top outrigger
--------+--------+ +---+
===#| 4x8 |======|4x4|#-L ----- pipe clamp
+--------+ +---+

Has anyone else used a pipe clamp in this sort of fashion?

Thanks.
Jeff

wrote:


Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp.

Think 3/4" blk pipe.

1/2" is for small boys.

Lew

Yeah, I thought about that and use 3/4" around the house now, but I was
concerned about making too large a hole in the 3.5 inch thick
sideboards. The 3/4" pipe would require at least a 1 inch hole.

Thanks.
Jeff

On 18 Oct 2005 17:26:27 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm,
quickly quoth:

I had a BUNCH of leftover 4x8 stock and used it to build a workbench in
the one room the wife let me have for a shop. You can see it he

http://www.astutesolutions.net/images/workbench.jpg

Whoooooeeeeeee!, it gonna be hell to plane those top boards to length,
cher? heh heh heh


Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp. I can adjust the length of the pipe by
using the quick release on the other side of the outriggers. I'd have
a 4x4 that would be tightened down on whatever I'm clamping. Sideview
would be like:

top outrigger
--------+--------+ +---+
===#| 4x8 |======|4x4|#-L ----- pipe clamp
+--------+ +---+

Has anyone else used a pipe clamp in this sort of fashion?

I made one like that for the front of my old Homey Despot MDF
Bench of Champions a decade ago. Faced with 1x4s and using 3/4" pipe
clamps, it worked well enough for planing things of little importance.
Either go for it, or buy, or make screws yourself.

www.leevalley.com

http://www.tools-for-woodworking.com...OD&ProdID=3768

or get a copy of Our Lord Roy's book and make your own:

The Woodwright's Workbook
Further Explorations in Traditional Woodcraft
by Roy Underhill
259 pp., 81/2 x 11, 239 illus.
$18.95 paper ISBN 0-8078-4157-9

Table of Contents for The Woodwright's Workbook

Annotated Text of The Debate of the Carpenter's Tools
Making Workbenches
*Making Screwboxes and Taps for Wood Threading*
--snip--


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If God approved of nudity, we all would have been born naked.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
http://www.diversify.com Your Wild & Woody Website Wonk

On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 01:20:13 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, Lew
Hodgett quickly quoth:

wrote:


Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp.

Think 3/4" blk pipe.

1/2" is for small boys.

Hell, Lew, he's not trying to bend a 24x36" oak keel or nothin'.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If God approved of nudity, we all would have been born naked.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
http://www.diversify.com Your Wild & Woody Website Wonk

wrote:
Yeah, I thought about that and use 3/4" around the house now, but I was
concerned about making too large a hole in the 3.5 inch thick
sideboards. The 3/4" pipe would require at least a 1 inch hole.


Don't sweat a it.

Think section modulus

Z=I/c where I=(b*h^3)/12 and c= 1/2 thickness.

Lew

that looks like a good situation for a leg vise. or two leg vises. do a
google search for leg vise....

wrote in message
ups.com...
I had a BUNCH of leftover 4x8 stock and used it to build a workbench in
the one room the wife let me have for a shop. You can see it he

http://www.astutesolutions.net/images/workbench.jpg

Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp.

I think you'll spend about the same or less money and be much happier by
using vise hardware with your own wooden jaws. Lee Valley has a wide range
of options. Look at their shoulder vise and front vise hardware, $30-$75. A
pipe clamp sounds really cumbersome to me for a vise application.

Bob

That a pretty unique bench. It deserves some sort of unique vise, I'd give
it a try.


wrote in message
ups.com...
I had a BUNCH of leftover 4x8 stock and used it to build a workbench in
the one room the wife let me have for a shop. You can see it he

http://www.astutesolutions.net/images/workbench.jpg

Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp. I can adjust the length of the pipe by
using the quick release on the other side of the outriggers. I'd have
a 4x4 that would be tightened down on whatever I'm clamping. Sideview
would be like:

top outrigger
--------+--------+ +---+
===#| 4x8 |======|4x4|#-L ----- pipe clamp
+--------+ +---+

Has anyone else used a pipe clamp in this sort of fashion?

Thanks.
Jeff

"Buster" wrote in message
news:6Ek5f.235245$tl2.85982@pd7tw3no...
That a pretty unique bench. It deserves some sort of unique vise, I'd
give
it a try.


Isn't it though? In Landis' Workbench Book he spends a chapter on the
Ruboux? (something French) bench which was relatively shallow, yet very
functional (basically one big honk'n timber). The outriggers kind of suggest
a double-pontoon version of the same. I can't help but think that it would
lend itself to some interesting clamping opportunities.

To the OP:

I think a leg vise would look really cool on that bench.

-Steve

Thanks. Yeah, before I had a bench I was always looking for a way to
clamp or support stock where I cut cut. I figured since I had the wood
to spare, why not extend the ends. A buddy at worked asked me where
the straps went. He thought it was a "rack".

Also, by luck, my portable table saw will hang on between by the table.
I haven't tried that yet though. I'd be worried that the weight
(hanging from the table) would affect the performance. I need to get a
better TS anyway though.

Cool. I hadn't thought of that. I'll check it out.

Hi,
Nice workbench.

I have a slightly simpler version on my
workbench. About every foot I have a hole in the
side big enough for a 3/4" pipe clamp. The clamps
come and go as needed. Single clamp. A pair
close or far apart. It works and is flexible, but
is a bit clunky. You plan is slightly more
elegent with the 4X4.
All that said, a store-bought vise will be easier
to use most of the time. The pipe clamp system
would serve you well enough for a while and it
would give you some flexibility if you by a vise
later.

Thanks
Roger Haar

************************************************** *********************
wrote:

I had a BUNCH of leftover 4x8 stock and used it to build a workbench in
the one room the wife let me have for a shop. You can see it he

http://www.astutesolutions.net/images/workbench.jpg

Anyway, I need a vise and I was thinking about building one by drilling
2 holes in the side of the "outriggers" and putting two half inch black
pipe with an Irwin pipe clamp. I can adjust the length of the pipe by
using the quick release on the other side of the outriggers. I'd have
a 4x4 that would be tightened down on whatever I'm clamping. Sideview
would be like:

top outrigger
--------+--------+ +---+
===#| 4x8 |======|4x4|#-L ----- pipe clamp
+--------+ +---+

Has anyone else used a pipe clamp in this sort of fashion?

Thanks.
Jeff

Those are interesting. Here's a homemade one that someone built:

http://www.buchanan1.net/leg_vise.shtml

My grandfather helped me with this bench and he said it looked like a
blacksmith bench. The leg vise would be appropriate!

Thanks. I may play with it and see how it goes. I imagine I'll get a
normal clamp eventually. I figure I can put bench dogs in the 4x4 and
sideboards to clamp wide boards for sanding etc.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks. I may play with it and see how it goes. I imagine I'll get a
normal clamp eventually. I figure I can put bench dogs in the 4x4 and
sideboards to clamp wide boards for sanding etc.


Speaking of bench dogs, don't get caught up thinking you can get by with
just using them and something like a wonder dog. To really take advantage
of a bench dog system, you need both ends of the clamping to sit lower than
3/4" above the bench top. A wonder dog won't do it. If I had known that
originally, I would have gone straight to a decent vise to marry with the
bench dogs. I have a new Veritas twin screw vise awaiting my installation.

Bob