New product review- Leg Vise
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New product review- Leg Vise spaco 05-16-2007
Posted by spaco on May 16, 2007, 5:26 pm
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Propane Powered Leg Vise, A New-Product Review
by Pete Stanaitis

Imagine my surprise when I saw an ad for the PPLV in a popular Farrier’s
newsletter recently! I contacted the manufactures for information and
the marketing department immediately invited me to their Kansas City
research facility to see the machine being put through its paces. Here
are my observations. They would not let me take any pictures, so I will
do my best here to tell you what I saw.

Here is a brand new design for the Leg or Post Vise familiar to all
blacksmiths and farriers. The key feature is that this leg vise uses
propane to power the clamping action!
It looks a lot like the traditional post vise, having 6” wide jaws and
standing about 42” high overall. The jaws open to a full 4”. It is
heavier than normal in cross-section in the leg area, as will be
explained later. The model I saw weighed in at 92 pounds, but comes with
a 2 piece stand whose parts weigh another 172 pounds.

Features:
-Farriers can now use the same power source for their vise that they use
for their portable gas forge.

-Saves time and energy because clamping requires only light foot
pressure on the rocker-type foot control.

-Not only does the propane provide the clamping energy source, but
there’s an option to heat work that is clamped in it. You can heat the
work by heating through conduction from the jaws or you can engage the
adjustable gas jets to provide 2400 degree flames up to one inch above
the jaw surface.

Has three methods for Clamping:
-High-Force (HF) Clamping mode: Uses a small, safe, controlled explosion
to close and latch the jaws. They said that the explosive clamp system
is equal in power to applying a 150 pound weight to the end of the 24”
long clamp handle in “normal” mode. In “high pressure” mode, however,
it will latch with the power of 450 pounds on the end of that same handle!

-Low Force (LF) Clamping mode: Valves the gas pressure directly into a
modified air cylinder to gently lock the jaws. You have complete
control over which force and how much of it to use for a specific
application. The range of clamping pressure from this clamping method
is from 11 pounds on the end of the 24” handle to 74 pounds. A fun
feature of this clamping method is the dragon-mouth shaped base mounting
flange contains a little gas jet and piezo electric ignitor that
breathes a little shot of flame harmlessly out of the way when the
cylinder relaxes.

-The vise still has the traditional clamp screw so the vise can be used
in the traditional way if you run out of gas or batteries.

-It is portable by taking it off the 2-part stand whose base and riser
components weigh about 86 pounds each, or the vise can be bolted to a
36” high bench (or to the tailgate of a pickup truck of that height).

-Can use either a regular 20 or 40 pound propane cylinder (with a “Y”
adapter from your forge if needed), but has an option to use a 1 pound
propane cylinder such as the ones used in the popular Burnzomatic type
torch. This extra-cost option includes fittings to mount the canister
right into the back side of the leg.

-Ignition and control power comes from 4 C-cells that are mounted
inside the base. These same batteries can also be used to run an
optional pyrometer.

-Although only one 6 inch wide jaw-leg-vise model is available currently
from the manufacturer, they are contemplating a bench model once they
get on their feet financially. This model would use the same butane
cylinder that fits in some nail guns.

This revolutionary new blacksmith/farrier tool will soon be available,
rumor has it, from the same Last Chance Manufacturing Company that
produced the “Hop Rod”gasoline powered pogo stick back in the 1960’s.
It has not been priced yet, but they hinted that it will be in the
$1100 dollar range for the base model. They are looking for
non-flammable shops to test it in the field. I can’t wait to get mine!

Posted by Toolgypsy on May 16, 2007, 5:49 pm
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Excuse me
But has the world lost all touch with reality?What the f%^& is the
point here?Why not a propane powered ass wipe dispenser or maybe a nice
propane powered toothbrush.
Thank you for the rant
material but really get a life.
Paddy P the wannabe



Posted by Chilla on May 16, 2007, 7:39 pm
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Toolgypsy wrote:

> Excuse me
> But has the world lost all touch with reality?What the f%^& is the
> point here?Why not a propane powered ass wipe dispenser or maybe a nice
> propane powered toothbrush.
> Thank you for the rant
> material but really get a life.
> Paddy P the wannabe
>

The reply's a bit harsh, but I personally wouldn't buy it either.


Regards Charles


Posted by Mark Finn on May 16, 2007, 9:16 pm
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i saw a clamping device that a blacksmith made from a air brake off an
semi truck. it had a foot pedal, thus leaving both hands free.
mark


Posted by Mountain King on May 18, 2007, 4:08 pm
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The whole thing sounds pretty cool, I gotta say, but it also sounds
just a little unneccesary. Do you really have that much trouble
closing a nice 100 dollar (used) manual post vice?


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more post vise April 26, 2007, 8:01 am
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