This is a jig I installed on my bench back in 2019, and brought it here for anyone who might need same.
I do a lot of hand planing on the front of my bench, mostly for sticking molding but also flattening, etc., using the row of dog holes running down the front edge. Having only an end vise and no tail vise, it was very annoying be always looking for scraps to place in the back side of this vise to prevent racking while trying to get a secure hold. My bench dog holes are 6" apart, not sufficiently enough to accommodate all the varied workpiece lengths, and Murphys Law always gave me lengths in between these.
This jig is simply a 3/4" dowel mounted to accommodate any length support needed to stop racking, within plus or minus 1/8th inch. Photo number 1 shows the dowel installed. The dowel moves in and out of the drilled hole in the bench cross member. I located the hole on the same plane as the vise guides & adjusting screw so as to prevent any interference while providing another work piece support. I also added an extension to my vise, the 3" piece of maple, to avoid bench components interference at the end of the jaw area. The next two photos show the components and mounting arrangement.
I used a 3/4" dowel, drilled with 1/4" holes about 5/16" apart, and every hole is 90° to the one before and after. This gives me exrensive adjustments plus or minus 1/8" to needed length. My adjusting stop is a quarter inch metal rod with a wooden top cap, and is tethered to the end of the bench for quick easy access.
My original setting stop was all wood, lathe turned, but eventually broke under heavy use. -- Photo 4.
One other modification installed is a magnet epoxyed in the jaw with a screw in the end of the dowel. This brings out the dowel when opened, but if not needed, a simple push puts it back.
That's about it, simple and easy. Hope this helps someone. Thanks for viewing.
Gentlemen, if one of you feel you want to submit this to one of the woodworking magazines, please do you have my permission. From my perspective, I'm happy if this helps anyone using this site. But, thanks for the suggestion, and thank you for viewing.
Wood magazine has always paid best, only around 100 bux, but you get published, and could buy yourself a tool, some wood. Small write up, and a few pics, possibly video of it in use as you crank her closed would win, simply because it's not something everyone has seen 1000 X already. I'd send it off to all of them, maybe start a bidding war. :-)
Lazyman & George, thanks for the comments and encouragement to submit, but I really have no desire to get published. My intentions for posting here were simply to help others if they should need it. Thanks for the comments.
