Shopsmith Forums

There is a youtube channel called the New Brit Workshop which has been catching my attention of late. One of the items he has made is a parf vice.

The video that explains what one of these is, is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7aE4nF4nyU

I've subscribed and have seen most of the videos. Even if you are not into this sort of reviews (festool to a large extent) and projects it still might be worth watching just to see how he tackles things.

I'm doing what he has suggested and taken this on as project that more fits my needs and adjusted to imperial measurements and gear that I will purchase or already have. Idea is the same but some of the implementation is not.

The clamps he is using could be purchased, I have order several things from axminster in the UK. You make out the order then submit, they quote you back shipping and if you like it you can paypal it at the current exchange rate. Shipping takes a while.

I'm planning on using a clamp that is pretty much the same thing from Festool. Like all of their stuff you will pay for it. However I'm already hooked on their stuff and can make use of the clamps for this or other projects.

https://www.amazon.com/Festool-491594-Q ... _i=desktop

You will need two of them. Some other clamps would work but you may/will have to modify your version for them.

I plan to use this on my MFT so the slot spacing is for that, if you have your own table or if you want to just screw/clamp it to a bench then figure that in your ideas.

Since this is only in the drawing stage things may change before, during and after the build. If you are interested in me doing this and documenting it here let me know. Don't need to take the time if no one is interested.

The clamp will remain unharmed and un-change the way I plan to do it. I'm looking at plain plywood or maybe some fancier plywood depending on how I feel when the cutting stage arrives.

At this stage if it is of interest and you want other features let me know and I'll see if they might work out for all of us........

Ed

I am always interested in things you do, but do not go the extra effort just for me.

Like!!

I'm about as done as I can get with the design. I have parts on order which should be here on Monday.

I can now tell you that it will most likely be able to hold objects about 5" across (between the jaws). For taller objects which need to go between the clamps towards the floor it looks like about 8". From the top of the bars to the top of the vice it will be about 4-1/2".

I could find no number for the clamping force of the festool clamps but I think we will find it at somewhere near 500 pounds, perhaps a bit more.

On some work-pieces you will have to add some scrap to keep the racking controlled. No way to prevent that.

So far the cost is $80 for the clamps but they can be used for other things, and the pair of parf dogs $14.95 also useful if you have a dog hole system that uses them. Then there are the knobs, $7.78 for the pair. Wood and stuff might be a few $ unless you have scrap that will work. Minimum cost if you need all the parts is just over $100. Just wanted to warn you this is not the cheapest way to go if you have none of these parts.

Ed

Count me in, Ed, that looks interesting.

I already have the DeWalt tracksaw clamps -- nice clamps that work with Makita and Festool tracks. But the action is just like an Irwin speed clamp, so using them upside down and backwards wouldn't be ideal. And the grips might get in the way for this application.

Making a Moxon vise is already on my bucket list. The function is pretty much the same as your project, so it will be interesting to see how the tracksaw-clamp version compares.

SSo the project went from drawing board to layout to cut out and assembly is going to happen maybe tomorrow. I did test the concept and it works but I wanted to add some glue to the joints before I get much farther.

I did take just a couple of picture. I didn't bother taking pictures of the cutting, it was done with a guided saw. What you see in the front on the left is the two jaws stacked. They were put together with double sided tape so the drilling would be just two hole and located at the same locations on both pieces. To the right is the base that attaches to the table. The triangles are braces, I'm planning on adding them with just glue or remaking them out of solid wood, not sure the plywood will like much attention in that smaller size.
I used a brad point drill to do the two 20mm holes. Used the drill press so they were square.
This last photo is of the slot being cut. I drill holes at each end of each slot then used the jig saw to connect the dots. I wanted to try some new blades in the jig saw but if I wanted it nicer I would have router them.....
The knobs are 8M so I went with a 5/16" slot. If my measurements are off by much I might have to go back and make the slots larger. I did use a metric rule to do the layout but still..... I need to check that before I glue and screw the face on, much easier to fix this way then when it attached.

Ed

8mm will not fit in a 5/16 slot.

JPG wrote:8mm will not fit in a 5/16 slot.

That would be true if the thread were 8mm but since no one ever has 100% threads the tables says the max it can be is 7.972mm or as small as 7.760mm.

Besides I like to have the hardware in hand so I can check it. As you can see it fits in the 5/16 drill guide. However if my measurements are off my much then center line to center line will not match up and there is very little slop in the slot so I might have to widen it enough to get it to fit.
The MFT is very accurate, the dogs that I will be using are very accurate, now if there is a problem it will be mine. A trial will tell and I will adjust as needed from that.

Ed

Got a really late start after other commitments and almost said to heck with it but I'm so glad I didn't. Our lilacs are in full bloom and the air was still so it was wonderful working out in the driveway.

I got the MFT out and did my test fit. In some spots the slot fit but not everywhere and sliding along it would jam. I was about 1 mm to narrow, and my jig sawing wasn't as straight as it could have been. I used a router bit to clean up the inside and then too every so small amount off the outside edge of one of the slots, that is all it took.

With that done I wanted to get my "E" blocks made. It's OK you don't know what they are at this point but we will get to them later. I had some scrap pieces of plastic left over, the cutting boards I buy at sams club. I double taped to pieces together and did the layout on green masking tape. I used the drill press to drill out the stop points of slots as seen here:
I then went to the bandsaw to cut into size and then cut the slots.
And now the results and you can guess why the name "E".
In this next picture the vice is sitting on the front face and the bottom that clamps to the MFT is vertical.
The "E" clip is what holds the clamp bar vertical. In this shot you can see them near the two screws that hold them in position. You can also see the glued up corner blocks in position. I first intended to glue those triangular blocks in place but then decide to just use screws in case it needs to come back apart. Those are going to be kreg screws.

The back face of the vice is off set from the bottom to allow it to hook into the edge of the MFT. I used a piece of 1/4 mdf for the space so if I ever want to use the vice flat on the surface of the table I can just slide a piece of mdf under it and it will be flat.
In addition to those triangular blocks the back face is screwed to the bottom as seen here...... might be over kill but if you are say planing or sawing it might be subjected to some forces which could cause it to fail.
I still didn't finish it but the back side is pretty much done. Here is a picture if it as it will be used. A piece of walnut clamped in it in this case.
The front side just has the bare clamps sticking out. I'm going to change plans from the drawings I've shown but not by a lot.
When I get the front finished I post a picture of that. I might do a short video on how you configure it as that might not be clear............ I don't know it really necessary as it really can go together only one way.

Ed

finished the vice today. As you might recall the front needed some attention, so while slightly different then the drawing the purpose is the same.

Again scraps of a cutting board was used. Over lapping drills made the stopped cut. One for each of the two clamps. Lots of ways to do this but this seem pretty simple.
Since the back jaw is pushed down so is the front. Actually the front is what needs this, it deals with the curve of the clamp in that area. It has to look like this to work correctly.
And here it is, done at last. It really wasn't much work, more having to work around other things that took the time.
Ed