While looking into workbenches, I came across a suggestion that scaffolding screw jacks could be used to make a large vise, but also comments saying that since they’re designed for use on muddy construction sites, the threads have excessive clearance or slop. Is that a problem in practice? I can’t figure out why it would be, since I would think backlash just means you need an extra fraction of a turn when switching from tightening the vise to loosening it. What am I missing?

  • WoodScientist@sh.itjust.works
    1·
    2 months ago

    I’ve done it for a leg vice. And honestly it wasn’t worth the hassle. It’s not like scaffolding jack screws are free. Looking on Amazon, it looks like the scaffolding screws are around $20. Meanwhile, for $50, you could get an actual basic vise screw.. And I know you can maybe get scaffolding screws cheaper used, the same applies to vise screws. I swapped my scaffolding screw out for a vise screw I got at a yard sale. It works so much better and is just a lot less hassle. There’s a lot less slop in it, it moves cleaner. And it’s clearly designed to do the job it is doing. A scaffolding screw can be cobbled into a vise screw. But personally, it was not worth the hassle. $30 would have saved me a lot of hassle.

  • skip0110@lemm.ee
    1·
    3 months ago

    Check out ibuildit.ca

    He has made a vise from a screw jack, and has some videos of it in action.

    While I’ve not built his vise, I have roughly followed his instructions for other projects, and I think he really suggests things that actually work (not just “content”)