Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Russ on May 28, 2019, 09:14:25 am
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so my question is, should I get a 6" vise or a 8" vise for staves? im thinking 6" because if a staves 8" i could just split it to get another stave.
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I personally like my shave horse. But if you go with a 6" make sure it's a little better one. I had a cheap one and it didnt last long.
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For a vise, I would go with a 4 inch, so you can grip just the handle section. Anything bigger and you will be into the fades.
That said, I agree with Jakesnyder, I prefer a shave horse of the sit or stand type. Especially for really rough work. When you get to yanking on a vise, that starts to beat up the bench you have it mounted to.
Buy the best you can afford. Better tools will work better and last longer.
Kyle
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I have a 4" Record that works great. I sometimes wish it swivelled but any swivelling vice I've ever seen was broken or close to it. Probably cheap ones.
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Try to find an older one that says Made in the USA on it. They are usually built sturdier than the newer models for sale. Same goes for draw knives.
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where can I go to find one Osage?
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im looking online and am finding 4" ones but they only open up 3"
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where can I go to find one Osage?
junk stores, flea markets, estate auctions, yard sales, etc.
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I’ll add FB marketplace in my area the USA made craftsmam,Columbian,Wilton(non bullet nose), and reed can be had for $80-$100. I’ve been checking it just about everyday and have bought one columbian.
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For a vise, I would go with a 4 inch, so you can grip just the handle section. Anything bigger and you will be into the fades.
That said, I agree with Jakesnyder, I prefer a shave horse of the sit or stand type. Especially for really rough work. When you get to yanking on a vise, that starts to beat up the bench you have it mounted to.
Buy the best you can afford. Better tools will work better and last longer.
Kyle
X2
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On wood, I use a woodworker's vice with a leather lining. Jawge
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I have a 5 1/2" colombian and a 4" multi position swivel, both work for staves but I prefer the colombian over any vise I have used so far. The bigger vice with let you put some serious clamping pressure on a stave to keep it in place.
The advice on going small to stay on the handle doesn't ring true. I may put my stave or bow in the vise anywhere from tip to tip. A shave horse has limited use compared to a good vise set-up.
A few pictures; My easily removable vice pads and my vise and support post combination. The first vise picture was an old one when I used magnetic rubber vice pads, I added a later pic of my easy removable pads.
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Something to remember about the jaw pads. They use up jaw travel so the vice that used to open 4" now only opens 3". And you will want them.
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Eric, what I meant about a 4 inch vise, was that you could clamp the handle section without the jaws contacting the fades. If you have a 5 1/2" vise, there is no way, without narrow, thick vise pads, that you can clamp the handle only, without getting out onto the fades.
I beg to differ about shavehorses being of "limited use" compared to a vise. I personally don't care for the parallel jaws on a vise, especially when trying to clamp pyramid limbs. I don't care that I have to work at a stationary bench that the vise is mounted to. I don't like chasing jaw pads around my work area.
But, that's the beauty of bow making, each person has their own preferences and styles, and tool kit that works for them.
Kyle
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I 've used an old 4" vise for most of my work ( I'm too cheap to purchase and too lazy to make a bowyer's bench). Early-on I glued a heavy strip of rawhide from the local saddle shop to the jaws; if additional padding is needed I fold a rag or wash clothe and slide between stave and jaws. Yeah, go American if you can.
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Why would you only want to clamp the handle? That doesn't make sense for shaping the handle and the fades . When I shape the fades I have the handle and opposite fade clamped and work the fade up into the handle for a very even transition. I do make a bulbous handle so the center of my handle and the fades are close to the same size.
If you make vise pads like I show in the picture they clamp irregular surfaces like a steel trap, no shifting no matter where on the limb you position the stave. No chasing them around the shop either, I can relate to that problem because my earlier magnetic clamps had a habit of shifting and falling off at just the wrong time.
I had a shave horse , it was OK for hoggin off wood but I need to be eyeball to eyeball over my vise to do very detailed tip overlay and handle work. With my current vise/post arrangement I can do much more precise work hogging off wood with a drawknife initially or working down a bow blank with my #49 nicholson. I also built my workbench specifically for bow making and made it 42" tall so I won't have to bend over to work on a stave.
The bottom line is what I like and works for me is not the only way to do things. Most folk stay with what they learned to use initially.
The guy in the picture is at least 6'3", Like I said I made my bench tall so I could work standing up, the bench probably weighs 500 lb loaded and isn't moving when I get serious about hogging off wood. The other pictures are the attention to detail I get from being eyeball to eyeball with my work as well as the way I work my fades.
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Plus 1 on Eric's posts about the vise. That's been my experience, the wood and leather or carpet pads for the jaws works great.
I have an old Harbor Freight (Chinese tool place) and the big swiveling 6 inch jaw vise is the one I have, bolted to work bench. It works for me.
I use a old (my Dad's) Craftsmen 5 inch vise bolted to my bow bench for somewhat handy movable to outside or to a bow building meet.
I had a shave horse and have used several slightly different designs but never felt as comfortable (for me that is) as working with a vise.