| Project by rmac | posted 557 days ago | 1949 views | 26 times favorited | 20 comments | ![]() |
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If you want to hold a big panel or something in your vise, sometimes you have to clamp it off to one side of the vise because the vise hardware gets in the way. When you do that, it’s a good idea to put a spacer in the other side of the vise to keep the vise from racking. So you have to find something as thick as your workpiece to use as a spacer, then hold it with one hand while you hold the workpiece with your other hand and then somehow snug up the vise with your nose or your knee.
Growing a third arm would go a long way towards solving this problem, but I hear that takes a long time. Also, people who aren’t quite as tolerant as they should be towards biological diversity will point and laugh and look at you like you’re some sort of three-armed freak. So that’s no good.
Maybe you would be better off if you just built this little gizmo. It lets you make any size spacer you need by rotating the leaves in and out of the way. The 3/4” thick blocks on each end of the bolt keep the thing from falling through the vise while you position your workpiece with one hand and tighten the vise with the other.
—Russ
-- My table saw laughs at hot dogs. http://thesorteddetails.blogspot.com/
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20 comments so far
Neight
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116 posts in 565 days
#1 posted 557 days ago
Excellent idea! Thanks for sharing!
-- Work consists of whatever a body is OBLIGED to do, and Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. -Mark Twain
rance
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3856 posts in 1332 days
#2 posted 557 days ago
Now that’s a REAL clever tool. Thanks for posting.
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
Ken90712
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12676 posts in 1361 days
#3 posted 557 days ago
Simple yet so effective and cleaver. It makes perfect sense thanks for sharing!!!!!!
-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"
vipond33
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1311 posts in 670 days
#4 posted 557 days ago
A perfect answer to a common frustration. I usually hunt around for a block and hold it with a spring clamp but this is the best. Neat idea, patent it! (but give us building rights OK?).
-- gene@toronto.ontario.canada : dovetail free since '53, critiques always welcome.
Bertha
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13115 posts in 865 days
#5 posted 557 days ago
Not to steal Ken’s comment but it’s incredibly clever, like a grown up wooden spark plug gap tool!;)
-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog
Wolffarmer
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370 posts in 1410 days
#6 posted 557 days ago
That is a great idea. But if i build one I bet it will be hiding out with the pencils.
Randy
-- That was not wormy wood when I started working on it.
StumpyNubs
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5049 posts in 973 days
#7 posted 556 days ago
Not to steal Bertha’s comment, but it’s incredibly clever.
-- It's the best woodworking show since the invention of wood... New episodes Wednesdays at: http://www.stumpynubs.com
ChuckV
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1760 posts in 1699 days
#8 posted 556 days ago
Excellent idea! I have gotten pretty good with my knee, but this is far better.
Thanks for posting this.
-- I was walking down the street, something caught my eye, and dragged it 15 feet.
SeaWitch
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149 posts in 566 days
#9 posted 556 days ago
What a great idea!
-- When you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'Certainly I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it.” Theodore Roosevelt
Matt W5MIX
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28 posts in 557 days
#10 posted 556 days ago
Really nice idea!
-- Matt in Austin, TX
Viking
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858 posts in 1367 days
#11 posted 556 days ago
Excellent idea Russ!
-- Rick Gustafson - Lost Creek Ranch - Colorado County, Texas
rmac
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172 posts in 1232 days
#12 posted 556 days ago
Thanks everybody. This was one of those “wake up in the middle of the night with a brainstorm” things.
—Russ
-- My table saw laughs at hot dogs. http://thesorteddetails.blogspot.com/
Northwest29
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230 posts in 662 days
#13 posted 556 days ago
Great idea. I made one of these a few months ago and it has been very helpful. For those that may be interested rather than using a double nut on one end you can use a nut with a nylon insert and it works just fine. HTH
Ron
-- Ron, Eugene, OR, "Curiosity is a terrible thing to waste."
jumbojack
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682 posts in 796 days
#14 posted 556 days ago
That. Is. Awesome.
-- Made in America, with American made tools....Shopsmith
spunwood
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1160 posts in 1008 days
#15 posted 556 days ago
great idea man!
-- I came, I was conquered, I was born again. ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν
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