Buying adVISE?

[falsevacuum]

She's a beauty. How do you want to finish her? I painted my smaller vise but yours looks pretty nice as she stands. There aren't any rules really, it's your tool, your shop your choice.

Just don't forget pics.

Frosty The Lucky.

I was thinking I liked the black metal look, so I may just leave it as is. I just used a manual wire brush for most of it, so hopefully I didn't wear off too much of the protective oils and such. Any finishes that would preserve that look? I'll definitely upload more pictures! (though classes start next week so progress will likely be slow)

Actually that's OSB not plywood and it's poor for something like your base. Real 3/4" plywood would do better. I lucked out and managed to get a scrap piece of 5/8" steel plate to use like you used that OSB on the bottom. Nice thing is as you stand on the section in front of the vise, it helps hold the vise down. I do use a piece of 3/4" plywood similar to the way you are using that for my compact bender and I haven't had too many issues with the wood bending in use, though I do often park the truck on the back half of the plywood  like where your stand is for weight, when bending thicker stuff.

 

 

If you have any place around that refaces concrete forms, look and see if you can't get a scrap of 3/4" form ply. That stuff has more layers than standard plywood and uses water proof glues. the 1/2" form ply I have is about as stiff as standard 3/4" plywood is. The 3/4" stuff I have I can easily stand in the middle of a 4x8 sheet spanning 2 saw horses without it bending at all.

 

We used to get scraps from Symons Forms in the city, but now get it from the people we get all our concrete supplies from ( Vimco). You should be able to locate some place that does forms if you are near a good sized city. Most big construction companies rent forms and many times the heavy forms that use 3/4" get refaced after every job.

Oh, yeah. I thought I edited the post to say OSB but apparently not :/ I had been taught the stuff was supposed to be more structurally sound than Plywood, but I guess not.

I suppose I could go buy some Plywood if I had to. Plywood can get pricey though, if I can get it for cheap like you suggested. I should look for concrete suppliers, maybe? I'll look around and see about acquiring some. I suppose I could reinforce it with 2 pieces angle iron running on the long side, yeah?

For now, the 2 brake rotors are working pretty well, but I haven't tried opening it all the way. I'll try with all 4 brake rotors next time I forge. Who knows, maybe I won't need the plywood...

Great vise!!!  She will serve you well.

Thanks!

[DSW]

In some ways OSB is more structurally sound than plywood is. In other ways it's not. Plywood is directional. I found that out years ago when one of the new guys helping do a roof on a shed turned a piece of scrap to finish off a section. Turned so the plywood is 8' wide, 4' tall on the roof, it's fairly stiff, turned 90 deg and it's a lot weaker and I almost went thru the roof. OSB is non directional in that respect. In other ways OSB isn't as strong as say 1/2" plywood sheathing is. OSB breaks fairly easily, while plywood doesn't break as easily because of the ply going in different directions. It will often bend and crack, but doesn't break cleanly. I can't remember with is best as far as nail pull out. I want to say plywood is better, but I can't back that up this instant. Of course that assumes the nail gun is set right and isn't blowing the nails thru the surface like many have the guns set. I want to say in shear, OSB wins, but in torsion plywood wins,l say if the surface has to resist twisting.

 

[ThorsHammer82]

OSB is more susceptible to moisture too. and will swell like MDF.

[matto]

On the vise just spray it with polyurethane.  It will last for years and you can keep the natural steel look