Shamelessly copying bits from Eric's high vise, I decided to build something reasonably similar.
I'm planning on building 2, this mini one that sits in a face vise for small pieces and a full sized one after I've used it for a bit and worked out the kinks.
This one is not going to be pretty - it's being made out of whatever scraps I find lying around and being used more as a prototype to check the mechanism works OK.
So, starting with a very rough plan, a 2x3 construction lumber offcut, a chunk of willow, a birch screw I made earlier & an oak dowel I made earlier time to start - I'll add any other bits from scraps as I need them.
I'll start with the nuts, big one for the main screw, small one for the guide screw.
So, Split out a section of the willow - same method as making a plank but with a smaller axe, just rive down 2 parallel lines.
Square it up. And drill and tap the holes.
That's square enough for my liking, I do have a drill press, but it doesn't take square taper shanks, so I pretty much never use it.
Thread the oak dowel for the guide screw.
And drill the holes in the chops.
Cut out the mortise for the main nut.
And level out with a router.
Cut out the slot for the garter.
And use a scrap of walnut for the garter.
Take another chunk off the willow and drill and tap it for a handle.
Then just file the garter and screw so it will lock in place with a press fit.
So, putting the slot there made it great for showing how it would work, with the bit where the nut would go clearing the line of sight - the more keen eyed of you will notice that it's in the wrong bloody chop though. Time to call it a day.
"Shamelessly copying bits from Eric's high vise," - Not true, sharing knowledge is the purpose of this web site. As for your progress, looking good, nice work.
Not much help for you, but others that are interested in a diversified range of gauges, the Beall Wood threader kit (now sold by Lee Valley), can work out cheaper (at least here in Aussieland) than the equivalent set of the box threaders pictured. The down side is that you need a trimmer (which most have)... I have a Bosch trimmer with micro adjustment (which I think is most useful) dedicated to the jig.
Cheap and woodwortking in the same sentenc is an oxymoron!
