Popular Woodworking 2009-04 № 175, страница 9

Tricks of the Trade

EDITED BY PAUL ANTHONY

THE WINNER:

Vise-clamping Odd Shapes

n my work, I often need to secure odd-shaped pieces in my standard bench vise. To do the job, I devised a pair of auxiliary cauls that attach via rods to thick wooden pads on my vise jaws. One of the auxiliary jaws is fixed, while the other one can swivel to accommodate pieces with non-parallel sides.

To outfit your vise, begin by makinga 1"-thick hardwood facing block for each jaw. Using the drill press, bore three equidistant ^l/2"-diameter holes through the width of each block to accept the rods. (Drilling the holes completely through prevents clogging from chips.) Then attach the blocks to your vise jaws with screws or bolts, aligning the top of each block with your workbench surface.

Make the cauls from stout hardwood that will resist flex in use. Mine are 18" long, 2V2" wide and 1" thick; make yours from any size that suits your work. Next, use dowel centers to transfer the ^"-diameter rod-hole locations to the underside of the cauls. The swiveling caul reeds only one hole in the center, while the mating caul is drilled to match only the two outer holes. Bore these holes at least V4" deep, again using the drill press. (This hole con figurat ion al lows interchanging t he ft xed and swiveling cauls on either vise jaw.) Glue ¹/2"-diameter steel rodsor wooden dowels into the cauls, leaving about 2" projecting to fit in the wooden blocks. Face the bearing surface of

each caul with rubber or cork to aid gripping, and ease sharp edges with sandpaper.

To hold curved and odd-shaped pieces, attach a suitably shaped piece to one or both of the cauls. For panels and other wide work,

the innermost caul can be mounted in holes drilled in the workbench top instead of the holes in the inner vise jaw.

— Sarah Dieterichs, Hellertown, Pennsylvania

Cash and prizes for your tricks and tips!

Each issue we publish useful woodworking tips from our readers. Next issue's winner receives a $250 gift certificate from Lee Valley Tools, good for any item in the catalog or on the web site (leevalley.com). (The tools pictured at right are for illustration only, and are not part of the prize.)

Runners-up each receive a check for $50 to $100. When submitting a trick (either by mail or e-mail) you must include your complete mailing address and a daytime phone number. If your trick is selected for publication, an editor will need to contact you. All entries become the property of Popular Woodworking. You can send your trick by e-mail to popwoodtricks@fvvmedia.com, or mail it to Tricks of the Trade, Popular Woodworking, 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236.

16 ■ Popular Woodworking April 2009

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