Rotary Vise...... One of the most important tools in my shop is my rotating vise... My Cousin ( Earl Issacs ) up in Anchorage Alaska made it for me in 1973 when I went up to Arkansas to help A.G Russell make the Morseth knife.... it clamps in your work bench vice ......it lays horizontal and swivals 360 degrees.......... for shaping ,guards , finger grooves and butt caps, it's unbeatable in my opinion...... My couisin was a welder on the Alaskian pipe line.If any of you are interested in having one of these , log in and if the interest is enough , I'll take some pictures of mine and give you all the plans to make yourself one.....

Lloyd,
I would love to see pictures of this vise, and get the plans to make one of these...sound like an indispensable tool!!!!

Lloyd:

Being a newbie knife maker, This would be a great asset for my shop. I would love to see some pictures and get my grubby hands on some plans.

And Thanks a tun for the offer.
Darren

Ad my vot to the "yes" column!

I have a Sharkey Tipps vise the will rotate but would like to see yours.

Thanks.:)

I'll take some pictures of it in varius postions....####, this means I have to clean up my work bench......won't be able to find anyting for a month.......

Lloyd,

Thanks in advance for the info on the vise. I love see what top notch makers use to make their creations. I still need to practice but great equipment can't hurt.

Bob Sigmon

A friend knifemaker made me one with square tubing.it has one fixed plate and one screw adjustable one inside. Man it is most wonderful vise to have!! Frank

I AM LIKE EVERYONE ELSE! I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
PICTURES AND PLANS. THIS SOUNDS VERY HANDY.
THANKS IN ADVANCE.

LYNN DRURY

Hi Lloyd,

I too, would love to see pictures and plans for your vise. Thank you for offering to share this with us!

:)

-Darren

Harbor Freight sells an excellent rotary vise for $49. Its probably chinese made, but it works great.

T. Massey

Lloyd, newbie here. I sure would like to see pics and plans for your rotary vice!! Thanks for the offer!!


Bill

Ok , Here's what I'll have to do, I'll get the pictures of the vice in use.... then I'll take it apart and take pictures of it layed out in pieces... I have a a friend here that will post them to the enternet and I'll post the url on this site so you can link on to it...
this is no toy ,it's very stable and strong .... I use it a lot.... give me few days to put this together.......

Thanks, Lloyd! I'll be looking forward to your pics.

If you need any help at all hosting or posting the pics, I'd be very happy to help out.

Bob Sigmon

Thanks Lloyd, for making this effort for us.

It is surly appreciated :smokin

thanks Lloyd:D

Thanks Lloyd, looking forward to it! :D

-Darren

I've put one pic up of the rotary vice. I'll put some more up in the next couple of days.

Thanks Lloyd! look forward to more....:D

Can't see your pictures. Geocities has a pop up add that covers it. Won't go away...Ken

I see it clear...... I have to rescan all my pictures to jpeg and we will add about 7 more when I can get the programmer back here..........I'm a total clutz on the computer and he's setting it up so I can show a few knives and stuff once in a while.....

Thanks Lloyd for posting that picture, I look forward to the others too! :) That does look like a handy vise, I especially like the fact that it can be unclamped from the main vice and put away when not in use...good for those of us with "spatially challenged" shops! :D

-Darren

http://www.EllisCustomKnifeworks.com

Hi,
I don't know what the deal is. Anytine I try to access ANY geocities page both Mr. Hale and several others, the web site appears, then about 2 seconds later I get slammed into a "privacy update" screen that wants to download something on to my machine. Fat chance I will allow that. I have been unable to use geocities sites for about a month now.
Thanks, Ken
PS: I know it is not the makers fault, just internet assh*&#s.

Thanks Lloyd. When you post those other pics., you'll include the bonus background pieces, won't you? Heh, heh, you'll see, you guys.
Looks like a very nice vise.

Sometimes those computers are not worth the effort, it seems....

Off to San Diego. is it ok to go there?

I got one like it from Riverside Machine. It is made well and I don't know what I would without it.

Here is the link http://www.riversidemachine.net/item15834.ctlg

He has two sizes so make sure you get the one you want.

Mike

I don't believe that looks or works anything like the vice I'm showing,......

Sorry Loyd but I don't see a difference. The blade is being held within the rotary vise and can be turn to access any part of the blade.

The one difference I see with yours is the part that is clamped into the bench vise. The one from Riverside is parallel with the knife, this allows the rotary vise to be tilted to access the bolsters or butt cap.

I would like to here your observations of the differences.

I'm not being contradictory I just don't see what you see.

Mike

Michael....the next pictures I post of the vice will be of it strpped down in pieces...What I would like for you to do is take yours apart and find one piece that even resembles my vice ...

unfortunately the one I bought from Riverside does not come apart.

I understand that the two do not resemble each other except for the round tube where the blade is being held by the vise, but I believe they are designed to do the exact same thing. I have a friend of mine (Roland aka navajas) who made a couple of them and when I asked him to make me one he found this one from Riverside and said it is primarily the same. I have used both his (based on the moran knife vise) and mine from Riverside and they both work well.

If I am missing something I am deeply sorry. I am not the type of person to dispute someone that has been in any related industry for as long as you have.

mike

Michael,

I love you but the point that your missing is that most of us know that there are knife vises out there. We are interested in seeing what one of premier knifemakers in the world put together. Then we can use or not use his ideas when making or deciding to buy a premade vise.

Let's just see what Lloyd has and we can use the knowledge to our best benefit.

Thanks,

Bob Sigmon

Bob you are entirely correct. If I have portrayed myself as knowing more than Loyd them I am completely sorry.

If Loyd has made a better mouse trap I am all for it. I was just saying that it apears to be basically the same, and believe that it when Loyd shows a blown up picture of his vise I will see what I am missing for this one picture.

I only have 2 cents worth, but I think I put myself in dept with this thread. :eek:

Mike:

Originally posted by simmonsk
Hi,
I don't know what the deal is. Anytine I try to access ANY geocities page both Mr. Hale and several others, the web site appears, then about 2 seconds later I get slammed into a "privacy update" screen that wants to download something on to my machine. Fat chance I will allow that. I have been unable to use geocities sites for about a month now.
Thanks, Ken
PS: I know it is not the makers fault, just internet assh*&#s.

Ken,
Go to these sites and get Adaware 6.0, and Spybot Search and Destroy. They are free downloads, WITHOUT SPYWARE. Run Adaware first. I think you will be surprised at the amount of spyware on your system. delete the stuff, and your computer will run a lot better.
I find that they compliment each other, each getting what the other doesn't.
It should take care of the geocities problem also.

Adaware
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

Spybot S&D
http://spybot.eon.net.au/

I tell you what guys, This geocities was a bad idea on my part... Anyone know a good person to set me up a web site and maintain it?? That will be better for all of us...lloydhale@surfmore.net...

Lloyd,

Maybe you should contact Alex at Atlanta Virtual (They host this site) He should be able to hook you up.

Atlanta Virtual (sales@atlantavirtual.com)

Bob Sigmon

Thanks Bob ...I'll do it......

Alex will not let you down. Wow! A Lloyd Hale web site. We will get to see some awesome work!! Can't wait! Announce it's opening here ASAP, OK?

Stave,

I totally agree! A showcase for some of Lloyd's work will be fantastic. A true inspiration for all of us!

Bob Sigmon

For those that are interested, here are a few links for rotary vises:

http://www.knivesonnet.com/products.php?&category=14&item=27

http://www.knifeandgun.com/catalog/knife_vise_1581762.htm

And here's a nice little howto:

http://www.mstarling.com/The_Craft/Tool_Plans/Knife_Vise/knife_vise.html

Thanks a million, Tod. Those pool balls look colorful and fun. Doll up the shop a bit, huh?

Thanks again, all great ideas, all a bit different. If one wanted to make his own vise, between these and Lloyd's pictures, he ought to be able to handle it.

I communicated with Alex Whetsell at Atlanta Virtual and We are going to set up an informative web site on my latest knives , how I do them, things I've learned over 30 + years of grinding steel into pointy shiny things that seem to turn collectors on....Now how lucky can a man be to have a profession like that...As soon as we have it set up We'll let you know.....Lloyd

Lloyd,

That is outstanding news. You will have a heavily visited site.

We will be waiting for the site roll out. I know that Alex will do a great job for you.

Bob Sigmon

YEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!

http://www.fototime.com/71EE515A7149251/standard.jpg
Vice2....working position


http://www.fototime.com/8FB5860BF479EA9/standard.jpg
Vice3 stripped down... I threw in an inlayed folder and hunter for fun..

http://www.fototime.com/2742D130C0F87F0/standard.jpg
Vice5 brass jaws ....These pictures are pretty self explainatory...

http://www.fototime.com/7AF2C59F6554ACB/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/E61B7E76F58D468/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/C2116E48AE2C049/standard.jpg

This Vice is very very strong and stable..... I'll answer any questions you guys have if you want to build one....

Lloyd

I'm surprised no one else has chimed in yet. Thanks for the pics. Do you have another set of inserts for holding the handle while working with the blade?

Oh by the way, thanks for the knife pics. They are a constant source of inspiration. Every time I start feeling like I'm getting good I see one of you knives and it keeps me from getting the "thats good enough" syndrome.:D

Hello Steve.......No , I will usually finish the blade completely before I attach the collar, guard and handle .... Most of my knives will dismantle if you know the combination ..so I've never had the need for two sets of jaws... You could make that vice with a larger throat if you wanted... Thanks for your kind words ,I've loved creating knives and I guess it shows....

Lloyd,
Thanks for answering my questions on the vice...I appreciate you taking the time to help me.....:D

Definitely, thank you Lloyd for having those pics posted! I'm in need of a more versatile knife vise than what I'm currently using and this looks to be a good design to build! :)

-Darren

Lloyd thanks for the great pics. I looked at the other vises noted above and have looked at these for a long time anyway, and I like this one a lot. The only improvement might be to be able to go throught the back for longer blades, but that's not an immediate limitation for me...

Now someone help me out here. I've let a lot of tools go unbuilt because I do not have a welder. So maybe it's time to remedy that.

My question is what would be the minimum welder to buy for a small shop? I'd like to be able to weld sufficiently to build this vise - so I guess 1/4" steel.

I'd like to buy a welder at HF if possible because I'm cheap and because I already have the world's greatest collection of HF tools - why break up a great collection? :D

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Dave

Hello Dave.....I'm an old timer and everything I've learned in the 30+ years ,I've learned by trial and error --Mostly error-- The main lesson I've learned in the shop is to get the best equipment you possibly can... I have a Mig welder and a standard Arc welder..The mig I use to lengthen a tang on a knife when needed or assemble a complicated guard arrangements...The Arc welder is used to repair bush hogs and other things around the place.. don't sell your shop short when it comes to making things to sell to the public... give yourself the best and you can give your customers your best ...it reflects in your work....

Thanks Lloyd, I'll consider myself spanked. :D So would you suggest I find a good Tig welder for this? Would it be sufficient to build heavy duty stuff like this as well as the more detailed work you mentioned? And would a 110V machine have to power to weld anything? I have 220 in my shop, just wondering what to look for.

Thanks again,
Dave

I have a 110 volt mig.... a tig is better and 220 is cheaper and more versatile ....at the time I bought my mig it seemed to suit my needs...

One of My New Years resolutions is going to be to keep my preachiness locked in a box where it should be....Sorry about that............Lloyd

I'm fine with that, just be sure you post your ideas/thughts here before you lock them up, OK? Please?

Lloyd, you've been doing such incredible work for so long that you could preach to me anytime you want...just include a few tips in there with it! :D Seriously though, I'm grateful that you're willing to share pictures of your awesome work as well as help with tips too...I save every word you write to be able to refer back to it later. Thanks Lloyd!

-Darren

if you have 220 use it you will get a more powerful welder out of it longer sycle times and deeper penatrashon than with 115 i know i kick my self every time i have to weld some thing big and have to use the oxy acetoling to do a good job i love my wire feed but i would love it more if it wernt so weak i still was able to bild a lot of stuff with it just had its limits and i think 220 stuff is a little cheeper to get but dont quote me on that








not lazzy just conserving energy at this time :D

http://knives.mylamb.com/images/vice.jpg

OK I'm a simpleton that can't weld. I changed the angle iron to something more stout since this photo, but it works. And I made it with stuff laying around the yard.

2" nipple
2" coupling
2" plug
3 5/16 bolts (two on top, one holding the plug)


Steve

American ingenuity and resourcefulness is alive and well...!! Good job Steve.....

Steve has made a lot of great tools!

any one ever try using one of thoes perallel wood clamps before thay are cheep and with a fu holes driled in the right places can hold a knife in at lest 4 difrent positions for sanding just a thought for thoes out there on a budget or with out a welder if any one wants ill post some pics

Originally posted by Lloyd Hale
One of My New Years resolutions is going to be to keep my preachiness locked in a box where it should be....Sorry about that............Lloyd

Lloyd, please don't start holding back now. You have probably forgotten more than most of us will learn and we all can benefit from what you have to say, wether we all agree with it or not.

Variety is what keeps things interesting.

Mike

Brandon,
post a pic of those clamps, if'n ya can. I'd like to see them.
Thanks,

Trenton

ok here you go

http://dragoncutlery.bravepages.com/vice.html

email or post if you or any one has questons its prity straight forward tho

i use it for sanding the handle i dont use it for my file work altho now that i think about it :rolleyes: i think i will have to try it next time

I'll second that! Let's see what you made Brandon. Thanks,