Desecration or upcycle: The handscrew moxon vise

[agerlach]

I recently found myself drooling over the wooden screws at Lake Erie Toolworks for a planned Moxon vise build. Unfortunately, they are out of my price range. I then remembered a vintage handscrew a friend gave me years ago that I never use. It has essentially served as a nice decoration in my shop until now. The screws are 1 3/8" diameter and 18" long. 

   

The faces of the handscrew jaws were all out of square and I had no good reference for the axis of the threads of the nuts so I spent quite a bit of time messing around to make sure the two screws wouldn't bind each other. In the end I don't think it really mattered because there is so much play in the nuts from years of usage. 

   

   

The jaws are made from Philippine Mahogany salvaged off a pallet used to ship a large press... at least thats what the guy I bought it from told me. I thought the salvaged look would play nice with the vintage screws. I had concern that the weight of a jaw combined with the looseness of the nuts would potentially cause issues with sagging when the vise it open, but it works just right. 

   

Size is based on the Benchcrafted plans. Finished with shellac. 

   

   

So, let me know what you think, did I descrate the handscrew or give it a higher purpose in life?

[Admiral]

Nice re-use in my book; a lone handscrew can't accomplish much, plus the metal screw handscrew clamps are much better. I say you done good.

[Bibliophile 13]

I love that! Good choice on the reclaimed wood for the chop, too. The wooden screws will probably hold up better in the Moxon vise than they would have in the handscrew anyway. Very well done.

[agerlach]

Thanks Admiral and Bibliophile. Its already gotten more use than the handscrew did in ~10 years that I've had it.

When I thought of doing this I was very surprised that I wasn't able to find other projects online that repurposed handscrew threads like this. Buying one of these for the screws is much cheaper than new screws.

[Admiral]

Buying one of these for the screws is much cheaper than new screws.

I've always had the same idea, but broke down and bought threaded rod and nuts from the home depot to make mine.  Problem was all the wooden handscrews I kept finding had broken threads and such and I had a puptent in my Wranglers for a Moxon......

[Bill Wilson]

That's pretty clever.  Nice execution.

I have a couple of those old wooden handscrews in my shop.  I'll have to look them over.  They probably have some broken threads, so not sure I could make the same use of them that you did, but it's a good idea.

[Stwood_]

I like the outcome.