# Old wood leg vise



## unbob (Mar 10, 2013)

I found this old leg vise today + extra screw.
The wood needs to be replaced on the leg vise, a nut needs to be fabricated for the extra screw.
The fellow I bought this from said it was salvaged from an old planning mill company.
These parts are very old, the threads are square form rather then later Acme. Oddly, the diameter is 1 3/32" on both screws, with the pitch being 6tpi on the leg vise and 5tpi on the extra screw.
Some needed inspiration to build a better work bench for myself.
I have been looking at the cost of leg vise kits, and cost and time fabricating from scratch, I quickly gave $35 for what is there.
I have a piece of easy cutting bronze to make the nut for the extra screw, that will be used for the end vise. Internal square threads are always a challenge, I cant remember ever cutting one that coarse though.
Anyway, a few pieces of the old times there.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Well hell yea unbob. Thats a wonderful score! Looks like youre gonna have to build a bench around that vice now.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

Holy-crapoly! That's a great find!


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Wow. Really nice.


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## unbob (Mar 10, 2013)

Here is a closer shot of the handle/ screw. The yoke for the handle has a taper that fits into a taper on the round plate. The round plate also has an oval hole through it, arranged sideways. And.. the handle yoke is fit to the screw loosely, held with a pin.
It appears to me it was made this way to allow the vise to conform to tapered-or non even work pieces like the Prentiss cast iron Coach Makers vise below, that has a swivel back jaw.
The old leg vise has been repaired with nails and screws over the decades. Glad its still intact to use as a pattern.
That is real red lead paint over the oak, no sign of peeling.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Uh Oh!!! Real lead paint???? I'm gonna call the EPA. (NOT!)
Ya done good.
Bill


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## unbob (Mar 10, 2013)

I do work for a heavy equipment company. I am often sent out in the field in some remote areas to fix broke down machinery, and then finding local machine/welding shops to make repairs. This makes for great junk, and even wood finding while I wait for things to get done.
Yesterdays haul, along with the vice was 15- 1 1/4" X 12" X 15ft Long western maple rough sawn boards over 50yrs old. No knots in them, just perfect.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Sweet find!!


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Very nice!!!


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## unbob (Mar 10, 2013)

Thanks for the input, I will try to get on this soon. Looks like I can attach it to a cheap bench I have.
I need a little more bench time using this type of vise, to figure out what I need for a bench in the long run.


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