New Stick Vise

[Ron Davidson]

This is a new version of the vertical stick vise that I built recently. I mounted this one to one of the plates for my work positioner vise. It is 5"X15 made from 3/4 and 1/2" baltic birch plywood. It works pretty simple you open the jaws and place the stick in the V grooves and then close the jaws and using small clamps to hold the jaws closed. It holds the sticks surprisingly well tight enough so it will not slide or roll but you can roll it with just releaseing one clamp. I took it on it's maiden voyage to Xsailors last week along with my portable table for our weekly carvein and it worked great.

Ron

[RUssL.]

Ron,

That is great.
I love seeing this kind of shop jig; simple, elegant & ever-so practical.

I sometimes find that once I start down the road to making one kind of shop jig or another that it's hard to find my way back to the fun of actually carving.
There just isn't enough time in the day.

Again, that 's a great set up.

Russ

[Irishman]

That sure beats the basic vise I'm using now to hold hiking staffs. You're less apt to bruise the wood this way and the bark shouldn't tear as easily. I like the idea that you can vary the angles to allow you to work with your tools. I'll have to get my gifted brother-in-law the carpendar to design a jig like this. My version would be pretty pathetic as I am not a carpendar, but maybe a carver. Thanks for sharing Ron.

Patrick

[Ron Davidson]

I like to try and come up with new jigs and ideas Russ. If it is possible to make it safer and more comfortable I am for it. Thanks for looking.
Ron

[Claude]

Hi Ron!

Great idea!

Claude

[chuckt]

Hey Ron - nice looking jig. Do you use this vertically as well as horizontally (as shown in the photos)?

Do you find you prefer to work vertically or horizontally on sticks? I am still trying to decide on my approach and set up for stick carving. I want to get away totally from hand holding so I can use my full sized gouges for stick carving. I tend to use harder woods for carving (maple and birch) and want to do so safely - so I really want a clamping mechanism. Preferably portable, but it really needs to be secure. I can't imagine being comfortable working on a face from the side (horizontally clamped) so I have been trying to find a good vertical rig that isn't too cumbersome.

I like the way this looks. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Or from anyone else too. (Sorry if I am hijacking your thread.)

ChuckT

[Ron Davidson]

That is the great thing about this vise you can carve both ways. There are times when I want to carve horizontal and then others when I will carve vertical.

[cannuckcarver]

That's good thinking Ron, I have to find a way to secure my sticks while carving. I like your jig.
Thanks for sharring.

[Ron T]

Ron,

That's a real nice and functional stick holder.

Thanks.

[MelNM]

Hey Ron this is great, I definitely will make one simular to it for my vise.
Great idea, make sure to submit to WCI, maybe you can win something. This looks really functional and since you can attache to your woodcarving vise the possibilities are endless.
Mel