rockstar.esq Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Not much to add beyond four suggestions. #1 Put a leather washer in between the ball ends of your handle for quieter operation. #2 Make a receptacle plate for the leg end to spread the forces so you don't hammer it through your deck! #3 Make a set of shims with through-rods such that the rods allow the shim to hang between the jaws on one side. That'll allow you to firmly hold long stock of equal size to the shim on the other side, bypassing the screw. Bonus points if you make them so they're on the vice stand without getting in the way of other work. #4 Find a way to securely hold a water vessel for ballast in that workmate. A five gallon bucket full of water will add about 50lbs of ballast, which helps a lot when you're trying to hot-twist stock. Make sure to find a metal cover for the bucket, as many high carbon steel projects have an insatiable desire to jump into slack tubs. Water is handy ballast because you can cheaply add whatever you need for the job at hand, then dump it when you're done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 5 gal of water is a bit over 41lbs. I was a tech in the soils lab too long to let that go by. Sorry. It's a good tip though. It's easier than keeping a couple guys around to stand on it when you need a less mobile vise. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 A pint's a pound the whole world 'round! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluerooster Posted July 3, 2021 Author Share Posted July 3, 2021 Workmate was just to hold it for the pic. Where it's installed, it's attached to a stump, buried about 18" in the ground, and a steel plate under the leg to carry the impact forces. I'm certian I'll come up with various mods for it as I go. I've yet to use it, but it's ready for use. And I may be able to get some forge time in on Mon. But this weekend is all booked up with the honey do list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 I’m not seeing a picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluerooster Posted July 30, 2021 Author Share Posted July 30, 2021 I used it to make the bottle opener laying on the anvil. It worked quite well. But the next vise will have different style jaws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caotropheus Posted August 1, 2021 Share Posted August 1, 2021 Very good, very good indeed. With the experience you accumulated during this first built, now you can make another blacksmith vice more massive...with cheeks like a German vice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluerooster Posted August 1, 2021 Author Share Posted August 1, 2021 I gained a lot of experience on that project, and may well tackle another one this fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hefty Posted September 12, 2023 Share Posted September 12, 2023 Blue Rooster, did you ever get around to making another vise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluerooster Posted December 9, 2023 Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 No I didn't. But it's still in the back of my mind. I burned a lot of coal upsetting the ends for the jaws. And I haven't had much forge time since Jan. anyway. Had to rebuild the exhaust hood due to rust, then had to move a bunch of stuff around, to accommodate the side draft hood, which required me to re-mount the vise which i haven't done yet, because I want to replace the stump with a better one. Then My tractor has a flat tire, (I need the tractor to move the new stump) I had to order new tires online, and just got them, but no tubes. So it will be next weekend before I can get the vise mounted again. I sure miss that little vise. I don't know how I got on without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander gibson forge Posted December 11, 2023 Share Posted December 11, 2023 looks good blue, I,personaly, ould bury the stump or log 3 ft in the ground and compact it 3 in. layers at a time for a non-mobile one, for stability Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 12, 2023 Share Posted December 12, 2023 Aren't you brand new to the craft Alexander? There are members here who mount their anvils in a similar manner but they prefer to do things the way they were done in the 19th century and are a small minority. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 12, 2023 Share Posted December 12, 2023 When I got my first main post vise, I mounted it on an oak stump buried several feet with a concrete slab poured around it. That was over 30 years ago. Several times I thought about moving it but it's still solid and I now have two more that I can use if I need room to work longer stock. The stump has shrunk and I had to make several wedges to snug it up. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander gibson forge Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 yes i am but i know how to buld a barn i like to make things over stable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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