Comments on: Interesting Workbench at the Ta’ Kola Windmill

By: Nick Webb

Nick Webb — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 08:40:11 +0000

Brian,

I don’t think the vice can be used that way. To do so would require the screw to be used in the outward direction to apply pressure and I don’t think it is attached to the chop in the right way to do this.

By: brianwmartin

brianwmartin — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 19:29:49 +0000

Nick,

Thanks for the photos. Clearly from the length of the guide, this vise was meant to clamp some large objects, hence the need for the additional leverage afforded by the distance from the screw to the guide.

Brian

By: brianwmartin

brianwmartin — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 02:53:18 +0000

Hi Nick,

That vise and its’ ability to really clamp things down then makes sense. I suspect a lot of pounding of materials locked in that vise occurred.

A rough, tough, functional and beautiful bench, totally suited to its needs.

Could you email me the pictures. I’d love to look at them more closely. I am building a bench right now and am procrastinating on vises.

Thanks, and all the best
Brian
brianmartin@primus.ca

By: Niels

Niels — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:42:06 +0000

HAHAHAHAHA!

By: Nick Webb

Nick Webb — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 20:22:16 +0000

The workshop is a combined wood shop and smithy. The miller maintained (and possibly built at least parts of) the mill himself. He also acted and blacksmith to the village, shoeing horses amongst other things. I suspect thaat the bench was used for everything.

By: brianwmartin

brianwmartin — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 18:47:04 +0000

The work is clamped to the left of the guide, I believe. Given where the screw is, a tremendous mechanical advantage is achieved much more than a traditional leg vise. What was the bench used for?

Brian

By: Bill Lattanzio

Bill Lattanzio — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:56:03 +0000

I saw a drawing of a English workbench with a vice very similar except the guide was perpendicular to the bench top.

By: metalworkingdude

metalworkingdude — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 02:07:12 +0000

Badger – me too. I think I’ve got a sympathetic bruise forming just thinking about it.

By: Christopher Schwarz

Christopher Schwarz — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:51:37 +0000

Niels,

I have received an amateur vasectomy thanks to proturbances such as that. See: Moxon.

By: Nick Webb

Nick Webb — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 20:54:16 +0000

I also wonder why he fixed the guide to the bench top rather than taking it down the face of the leg. Or better still, through the leg and then attached to the underside of the top.