# Tree Machine Filing Clamps



## Philbert (Jul 7, 2013)

Tree Machine sent me a pair of filing clamps to look at after I commented about them in the Chainmeister thread:

http://www.arboristsite.com/forestry-logging-forum/235996.htm

Since these clamps can work as a stand-along item, it made sense to post these comments in a separate thread.

_***Note: photos were deleted from this thread with the change in forum software - I am trying to restore them, but some may be slightly different from the originals posted, and photos from other members' posts may be missing***_

On first inspection, these clamps feel well made and well finished. The top opening is approximately 1/2 inch wide, and the vertical opening is approximately 2-1/4 inches, from the bottom of the yoke to the center of the clamping screw.

They are fairly substantial, weighing in at over a pound each. The clamping yoke is mortised and welded into the 3-1/4 x 2-3/4 inch base. One clamp received was powder-coated steel. The other clamp appears to be stainless steel.





There are several, common ways to hold a guide bar when filing a chain: clamping the bar in a large vise works in a shop; stump vises work in the field; a bore cut into a stump has been used more than once. I am sure that there are as many variations on each of these as there are individual filing preferences.

So what purpose might these clamps serve? They certainly could be bolted to a dedicated workstation to secure a bar when filing a chain mounted on a saw, or when used with a device like the companion Chainmeister product.

I don’t have a Chainmeister. And I don’t have the space to dedicate a workbench just for filing chains, although, others, at a saw shop or tree service company for example, might.

The appeal for someone like me is to use them like a stump vise on finished, horizontal surfaces: a workbench, a picnic table, trailer bed, tailgate, etc. For this use, attaching the filing clamps to a board, and attaching the board to the work surface with ‘C’-clamps, etc., creates a portable chain filing workstation.

As noted, this is not the only way to do this. Here is a link to a photo I posted in 2009 using scraps of 2X lumber and woodworking clamps:

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/107942-2.htm






Other guys here on A.S. have described brazing the backs of ‘C’-clamps to metal plates or threaded screws to clamp a guide bar to various bases. These clamps appear to be another option, especially if they become commercially available.

Once the guide bar is secured, the chain can be filed: free-hand, with any number of file guides, with a Granberg type jig; sharpened with a Dremel or Timberline, etc. Although some sharpening methods may benefit more from a more rigidly secured chain, that choice is really a discussion for other threads.

I have agreed to provide an objective review of these clamps and will post my comments in this thread.

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Jul 9, 2013)

*Bar clamps*

Thank you for opening a thread on these devices, Philbert. Also, thank you for coming at this with curiosity and objectivity. That will foster a lot of useful information in a short span of thread.


There are dozens of ways to clamp a bar firmly so you can sharpen a chain or dress the bar. The jaw vise is a common way of going about this.

View attachment 303903


The stump vise is the classic bar vise, goes way back in time, originated in forestry and logging I imagine, for use out in the bush. The design has not evolved, and that, I imagine is because if you whack one of these into a stump it works pretty well.
Personally, I am an arborist, I don't generally have a stump, and if I do have a stump it means I can sharpen a saw on my knees and out in the full sunlight. 

View attachment 303904


I have pounded a stump vise into a plank, but after not so long the points will wiggle out and you have to re-pound it in. They tend to loosen up even faster The bottom line is, the stump vise works, but has limitations. Working past these limitations was a 'hobby interest' of mine 15 years ago and since then has evolved into a lineup of different models that through time and testing has boiled down to a simple, multi-functional design.

Here is the picture of the 15 years ago model, the first one I ever toyed with. Angle brackets welded to a stump vise whose points had been cut off. Now I could screw the stump vise onto a solid surface. Pretty rough model, uglier than before, but functionally better, primarily because the device stays attached firmly to it's surface and does not work itself loose.


View attachment 303905


Over time, though, the gears in my head got whirring and I took another try at improving the improvement. At the time, I just got tired of looking at the hack job of of an effort and thought I could do better.


----------



## Philbert (Jul 10, 2013)

Well, that last one does look pretty ugly. Functional, but ugly.

Just as an aside: Tree Machine needs to make room in his mailbox.

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Jul 10, 2013)

I emptied out my personal messages. Sorry 'bout that!

More images coming. I have about ten variations on this clamp leading up to the current model.
I think you'll be interested in briefly seeing all the versions, it won't take long. 
Then I'll share how Philbert's models have a unique design and ability that stump vises can't give you, I mean beyond the fact that you can fasten it to a surface without having to pound it into something.


----------



## Philbert (Jul 10, 2013)

At first I expected to mount these clamps as a pair, as shown in the Chainmeister thread. This would allow me to use them with a spare bar and a Granberg filing guide. But, since I mostly planned on using the clamps individually, like a stump vise, I made 2 bases out of scrap 3/4 inch plywood, as shown in the photos below (note the inclusion of TM's original, florescent, 'ransom note' to prove that these are the authentic items received!). I mounted them with 'T'-nuts and hex head bolts.




One mounting base extends 2 inches from each side of the clamp base to allow clamping onto a table, bench, etc. If this ends up being too big, I can cut it down later. Shown here with an MS 046 on a picnic table. One TM filing clamp and one Vice-Grip QuickGrip hold the bar rigid enough to file the chain. Note that I blocked the power head up on a scrap of 2X6 to hold the bar approximately level, and to help keep the cutters on the bottom of the bar from hitting the filing clamp when rotating the chain.






The other mounting base has one inch of clearance on each side of the clamp base for stability, and a rotating cleat to let me to clamp it in a woodworking vise on one of my work benches. You can see in the photo how the rotating cleat (attached with another 'T'-nut and a longer bolt) allows the power head to remain on the bench.


----------



## Philbert (Jul 11, 2013)

*Summary*

My early impressions of these clamps are very good. They appear to be well made and look like they will hold up - not much to go wrong.

They hold the bar securely when used like a stump vise. The physical size of the clamps does not interfere with filing, or with the ability to clamp on common filing jigs.

The clamps make it pretty easy to set up a temporary filing station on most any flat surface, as shown in the photos above. The stainless steel model might offer an advantage for someone who expects to leave it outside for extended periods.

If used in the same place each time, the user might simply drill mounting holes in that surface and temporarily attach the filing clamps with longer bolts and wing nuts when needed. 

*A filing clamp with a single, threaded stem would be a nice design for periodic use on a table, toolbox, tailgate, trailer, etc. (drill a hole, drop it in place, secure with a wing nut, remove it when done!)*

*A hinged version would also be very cool addition for the top of a saw toolbox!*

Improvements? The non-rectangular bases make it a bit harder to line up the mounting holes accurately. This could be an issue when using the clamps in pairs and trying to clamp guide bars square to both faces. It might be easier to do this by clamping a guide bar in both clamps first, before marking the mounting holes.

If used in pairs, the spacing between the clamps will be important, and will vary with the length of the guide bar(s). I was estimating approximately 8 inches apart for a 16 inch guide bar, and about 16 inches apart for a 25 inch bar. Users with multiple length bars might want to drill a series of mounting holes in a board, or use ‘T’-track (used in many woodworking jigs) to let the spacing be infinitely variable.

As noted, these clamps are not the only way to secure a guide bar for filing chain, but could be a good option for a lot of guys.

Thanks Tree Machine!

Philbert


----------



## rmh3481 (Jul 11, 2013)

Good Job with the clamps. I dont think people realize how important good lighting is to getting the angles right for a sharp chain.


----------



## Philbert (Jul 12, 2013)

*Does Size Matter?*

Just for fun, a side-by-side comparison of TM's clamp and a STIHL stump vise.

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Jul 23, 2013)

I like these clamps. I sketched out a version of what I would like to see as a companion model.



As described, this would fit through a hole in a: table, workbench, tool chest, tailgate, bumper, etc., anywhere where it might be used on a regular, but not permanent basis.

Drop it through the hole, add a couple of large washers, and spin a large-eared wing nut up from below. No clamps to carry. Would store flat in a tool box. Could be used with a scrap block of wood to hold it in a bench vise, like the photo above).

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Jul 23, 2013)

*Philbert's Gen1 Vise*

Tree Machine posted a couple of photos of prototypes, which inspired me to do a little tinkering.
I don't have a lot of metal working capabilities, so I had to keep it simple.

Started with a cheap stump vise:



Cut the prongs off with a hack saw (could have used a Dremel).
(_Save these prongs !!! They will make great fangs on Halloween!_):



Drilled a couple of holes:



Add some angle iron and plywood from the scrap pile, a few fasteners. and _Volià_!!!





Result? I still had to buy a few things. It took some time. And it's still a cheap vise.
All things equal, I'd rather have the Tree Machine version sold through TreeStuff.com, but this could work.

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Jul 23, 2013)

*Another Side-by-Side Comparison:*




Note that I am still playing around with the best size/shape for the plywood bases:
large enough to securely clamp to a work surface, without being too big/bulky.

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Aug 5, 2013)

*Took it to the GTG*

Pine County Fairgrounds / Redneck Saw Racers Association meet.

Set it up on the saw trailer for others to try. Did not get any feedback, but anyone there can add comments.

Philbert
*

*


----------



## Philbert (Aug 13, 2013)

*Not everybody uses clamps or vises*

Grabbed this still frame from one of murphy4trees' videos on Tailgate Sharpening:
*

*

Reminded me of a guy at a recent GTG who held his bar down against the wooden bed of a trailer to steady it while filing.
These methods obviously work, but they only allow for one-hand control of the file.

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Aug 14, 2013)

* Hinged Filing Clamp?*

I thought that Tree Machine would be adding to this thread but he has not posted in a month (I hope that he is OK and just busy).

Tying up some thoughts I posted earlier, here is a sketch of a hinged version of the filing clamps that could be attached to a bench, or the top of a wooden case or tool box that a lot of guys carry for their saw stuff.

The hinge pivot might be some type of threaded fastener so that it could be adjusted for wear, slop, ease of movement, etc.

I don't have any investment in these clamps, just throwing the idea out for consideration.

Philbert


TOP VIEW


SIDE VIEWS


----------



## Philbert (Aug 25, 2013)

*Tailgate Set-up*

(improvised version at a recent RSRA event in Grantsburg, WI)
http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/231075-21.htm

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Aug 28, 2013)

*Philbert's Gen2 Vise*

I want to be clear: all things equal, I would prefer to have the TM filing vise. It is well made and reasonably priced.
However, I started having fun with modifying these cheap filing vises for table-top use. . . .

This version simplifies the the 'mod' I did in post #10, above. I started out thinking, '_Why not just bolt it to a 2X4_?'.
But then I got artsy and cut a kerf down the middle with the bandsaw (after drilling the holes) . Looks a little more finished.

Anyway, here is the 'unvarnished' result:

Philbert
*

*


----------



## Naked Arborist (Aug 30, 2013)

Don't cut off the spikes. Use a 4x4 with double drilled holes. It can then be used on a stump or in a clamp mounted base. The extra set of holes could also be used for end mounting on almost anything drilled to match.

Another option on your wood mount is to cut the slot mount off center and just let the spikes hang under off the end of that table. No cutting required there. Just drill the mounting holes.

I had an idea to use a two inch receiver hitch mount. The truck is always with me and the saws. One drawback is when hauling the trailer. My front frame makes a nice clamp mount. I tailgate or ground or table file one hand most of the time when needed on site. Found that it makes me a better filer to keep my selected angles correct. Two handed is just so easy now.


----------



## Philbert (Aug 30, 2013)

Naked Arborist said:


> I had an idea to use a two inch receiver hitch mount. The truck is always with me and the saws.



Grandpatractor has a mount like that. Really popular at midwest GTGs. So popular, in fact, that this photo shows it on someone else's Jeep while he was away in another state!
Holds the saws solid when secured/guyed with a strap. Allows for some vertical/height adjustment, if I recall.




It's just a whole lot bigger and heavier than the vises in this thread. And, as you noted, you need to have an open receiver.

Good to have lots of options.

Philbert


----------



## Naked Arborist (Aug 30, 2013)

That's nutz, it's huge.

I was talking about something to bolt on in place of the ball with a step up trailer mount insert.

That is a sweet hitch mount. Good real teaching tool.


----------



## Philbert (Aug 31, 2013)

*At MonkeyFest GTG . . .*

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Sep 1, 2013)

*Gen 2 In Use*

Note how this improved design still works, even with inverted bars and skippy tooth chain, due to advanced engineering! No adjustments or calibration required!

Philbert
*


*


----------



## Philbert (Sep 22, 2013)

*Tried Using the Filing Vise for Tuning Today*

Tried using the Tree Machine filing vice for tuning a saw today. Had a 70cc saw running at full revs, while holding a tach and manipulating a small screwdriver: figured that an extra hand would be helpful.

The vibrations on this saw (MS046) were enough that it caused the base (clamped to a table) to move a bit, so I had to double up on the clamps holding it down. It worked, but I kept looking at that small screw holding the bar, and thinking about what would happen if it slipped at full revs - the balance of this saw is such that the bar would drop down onto the vise and maybe 'launch' the saw?

My verdict is that I still like these vises for filing, but I want something more substantial for tuning a saw, especially a larger one.
(Good way to oil the vise though!)

Phibert
*

*


----------



## Philbert (Sep 23, 2013)

Interesting variation: double vise with ratchet strap to attach to log or table, without the use of prongs or clamps.
(Commercially made product out of Canada).

Philbert


----------



## Naked Arborist (Sep 23, 2013)

Add rubber pads on two strips of hardwood. That's your stable tuning vice. Suspend the power head, less vibes. Be careful.


----------



## Philbert (Jan 24, 2014)

Thread restored as best as I could.

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Jan 24, 2014)

Thank you for restoring the thread, Phlbert! Your effort is very much appreciated.

I would like to contribute more to this discussion, without coming off like a sales pitch, even though, at the core, I am hoping the readership will buy one (or two) of the clamps and enjoy the benefits of their use.

I personally made the effort to bring the bar clamp to market for the chainsaw using community, and as the developer I will stand before you, in a social manner, to share the intention, the 'whys and hows', and answer any questions directly. It has been a long road getting here, but I can spare you the non-essential details and just give you the good stuff!

Questions are wholeheartedly invited.



In 'reinventing' a device that has been around a long, long time (which was the pointy-base stump vise)
the goal was to produce something that would give the user more than what was currently being given.
Without improvements, new advantages, or usable features the mousetrap is no better.

The beginning (thoughts) started with offering a dual clamp. The above image was a 'first drawing' by the engineer, based on my pencil sketches.

Then the printed-out image was shown around to other chainsaw users, and e-mailed around for feedback.
Also during this time, the production firm is calculating a price for 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 units.

If I had my own shop, and didn't have a day job, I could produce them on-demand. But with a production facility and the scheduling logistics and materials purchasing, etc,. you have to make solid commitments, so the input and feedback from the arborist and logging and forestry communities has helped guide the design all along the way.

BTW, the dual design above was scrapped almost immediately.


----------



## Tree Machine (Jan 24, 2014)

The consensus was that you could get exactly the same performance out of two single clamps.

For many, a high-quality, long-lasting single clamp is all that is really needed. 
The design was then focussed on a single unit that could _optionally_ be paired with another single unit to offer the benefits of a dual unit.
The benefit of the dual shines most brightly when clamping longer bars, 24 inches and up.

Here is the very first model I tried, this was long before ever considering producing large numbers of them.
This was just for me, circa 1996 or 7. The goal was to overcome a couple problems with the stump vise, mainly, I didn't always have a stump.
Drilling pilot holes into my bench and pounding it in resulted in the points gradually working their way out in the midst of a sharpening session.

The thing needed to be fastened to the surface.


Cut off the points and weld on a couple pieces of angle. Crude, but effective.


----------



## Tree Machine (Jan 24, 2014)

Here is the updated version of 'old yellow'.




These are made from angle hardware for assembling bed frames. Since they come in pairs I went ahead and made two. 
The top side of the angle needed to be dadoed out to match the throat of the clamp.
This was around year 2000.

I used these for a long time, years. Many arborists saw them during that time and the positive vibe was always consistent.


----------



## Tree Machine (Jan 24, 2014)

Some years later, I met someone with a computerized plasma cutter. I asked if he could make me more compact base.
I cleaned up the former incarnation and gave him a couple stump vises.

I was in need of a couple professional-looking models to display the ChainMeister, an innovation I had been working on for some time.

He came up with the grey models.



This guy was a retired engineer, so instinctively he created a base where a number of them could be cut out of a single plate, with minimal waste, and whose assembly could be simplified as much as possible. This involved broaching a rectangular hole into the base plate, dropping the vise portion into that rectangular hole and welding it all together from the underside. This gave a nice, clean appearance to the device

It was around this time Treestuff took notice and began encouraging me to bring this device to market.
Based on the feedback from the chainsaw community, there seemed to be an interest in the device.

Still, there was a design flaw that as a sole person I could deal with, but if it were released to the public, the shortcoming should be eliminated altogether.

This design flaw was *the height of the throat*.


----------



## Tree Machine (Jan 24, 2014)

If a saw were to sit on a bench, the chain on the bottomside of the bar will sit at a certain height.
With the current versions of the clamp being used at that time, if you let the saw sit at it's natural level, the chain would be on top of the clamps throat.
This requires you to manually lift the bar up and then clamp it. The saw is then perched up and resting on a single point on it's rear handle, rather than having the weight distributed along the bottom of the saw body.

This directed the project from modifying an existing product to making a complete new one from the ground-up.

And if this were going to be the case, it begged that we also incorporate any other improvement into the design.

Any feedback?


----------



## Philbert (Jan 24, 2014)

Thanks for jumping back in this thread Jim. It is really interesting to see all the things you tried, and all the development work it takes to come up with a finished product. It looks easy, once it is done!

I like your current design, which feels solid, and is very flexible for a number of applications. As far as the throat height, you can see how I used a block of wood under some saws, but I also have the clamps mounted on a block of wood for portability, rather than mounted directly on a bench.

It is hard to see, but in my wood block design I 'incorporated' a hole, to bolt/wingnut bars with holes without the use of clamps. Not all bars have this, of course.

If you are still thinking about other changes, pleas consider the threaded screw / hole mount I sketched out in post #9.

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 3, 2014)

> It is really interesting to see all the things you tried, and all the development work it takes to come up with a finished product.
> 
> 
> > [
> ...


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 3, 2014)

I started by doing a lot of measuring, to get some definite dimensions to work with.

I did this first-draft with a pen, and a business card as a straight-edge. This is where it started.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 3, 2014)

Next I took a picture of it with the camera, uploaded it to the computer and put it into Photoshop.
There I clipped in a protruding stud on the left side, and on the right, I just winged it.
I added in the dimension lines. A digital mockup.




Then I printed it out on paper and got my pen and transcribed the dimensions on.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 3, 2014)

I gave a copy of this to my local welding shop.
Since a base was going to have to be welded on I thought why not weld on coupling bolts.
We revised the dimensions to _not include_ the two upper anvils.

The shop sent the picture out to a waterjet cutter, and when it came back,
we welded on the base and welded on the coupling bolts, thereby bypassing the effort of drilling holes and the tapping threads in the clamp anvils themselves.
Here is what it looked like.




By accident, the left coupling bolt was installed too short. It needed it to extend and protrude 1/2'' out.
Interesting thought, the coupling bolts welded to the top,
but it would require another try, because as cool as this looks in it's raw form, it can be better.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 3, 2014)

A complete doing-over, and this is what was eventually created.
I have to say, I was very psyched!


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 3, 2014)

I was so happy! This was it! 
I had two of them made, and I chose blue spray paint.

It was time for field-testing!




You guys, these performed AWESOME! They did everything to perfection that I needed them to do.
They were beautiful, hefty, solid….

I _really felt_ like I had achieved something for all of us.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 3, 2014)

There was one unforseen problem, though.

Cost. Granted, the two blue ones you see in these pictures, each cost $90, 
but that was material, cutting, drilling and tapping holes, and the black knob I got from Lowe's, and paint.
That's what you pay for research and development, $180 + travel and a day off work.

They're actually more like $400 apiece.

I was going to have to meet with the waterjet cutter guy again. Now that I knew that the structure and form of the bar clamp was what I wanted, it was time to get pricing and decide on how many to have fabricated. This is where it gets interesting.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 3, 2014)

The computer layout at the waterjet cutters's was really fascinating.
Here is the upright of the clamp:




Here is the base:




Because the waterjet cutting is so incredibly precise, they like to lay out the parts in a nested manner for minimal waste or loss.


----------



## zogger (Feb 3, 2014)

They look nice. What will be your estimated retail?


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 3, 2014)

Zogger said:


> They look nice. What will be your estimated retail?


Good time to ask that, Zogger.

So once the waterjet cutter had the design complete,
He entered the number of units he wanted cut, that told him how much metal needed to be bought.
The computer knew how much time it would take the cutting machine to cut out the parts,
This number, + that number, + the other numbers, all added together,
and divided by the number of units being cut, gives us a total per-unit cost of…..

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

Thirty one dollars per unit?
Thirty one and that does not include the drilling and thread tapping, nor welding together, nor protective finish, nor threaded knob.




All totalled, we were looking at a production cost of around $38 per single unit. Then treestuff would have to make a few dollars and the guy heading the project needs the _hope_ of not working for free. The Final Cost after figuring this all together, was way higher than I had ever thought. Holy Crap!

I knew right at that point that there was no way you guys were going to pay 50 or $60 for a single clamp. No way. To go ahead and produce these, it would be business suicide. No matter, even at a quantity production of up to a thousand units, still too high a starting price to even consider. I had to face the harsh reality. I had failed.

While field-testing these absolutely amazing new clamps and knowing that they were literally the very best I could come up with, at the same time knew they were not going to market. I spent a few weeks field-testing them, feeling downtrodden and dejected, looking for new inspiration, trying to come up with a solution.

There's more to the story, but I need to take a few moments before continuing. I'm remembering how disappointed I felt.

Maybe you should go make a sandwich, too. This next part involves some bull-headed persistence and stupid determination.
And it is the most interesting part of the journey.

Comments?


----------



## zogger (Feb 3, 2014)

Tree Machine said:


> Good time to ask that, Zogger.
> 
> So once the waterjet cutter had the design complete,
> He entered the number of units he wanted cut, that told him how much metal needed to be bought.
> ...



gotta go work, rain or not..

Long time ago I made a one off production bicycle, when I had a bike shop. It was spiffy. I wanted something real low geared, fat tires, to go offroad. At the time you had a choice, fat tires and one or two or three gears, or skinny wheels and tires and ten gears. I wanted big wheel fat tires and ten gears. Didn't exist at the time. (70s)

What I built worked well. Coulda sold that bike dozens of times. Eventually it was stolen when my rental locker got sold by the managers, even though I had paid..another story still fries my grits....

Never did a thing with it, because within months a bike manufacturer near me was selling similar. What a coinky dink... Now they are known as mountain bikes....

I did some research, two guys on the east coast and a handful on the west coast were all working with a similar niche design criteria at the same time. 

First to market with the best costs wins! And if you never market, well..you never market.

edit: also, this is why today most metal made gadgets come from you know where...


----------



## Philbert (Feb 3, 2014)

This version almost looks like you are working on a chain rivet spinner!

Philbert


----------



## zogger (Feb 3, 2014)

Philbert said:


> This version almost looks like you are working on a chain rivet spinner!
> 
> Philbert



Now *that* would be an interesting combination tool, and make it be worth more to acquire.

Right now I have neither chain holder device nor breaker spinner setup.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

So here is the sixty dollar version,
bare metal, knob from Lowe's.

I learned more from this failed effort than at any other part of the development.

See how the left-side top anvil is longer than the right-side anvil?
It is supposed to be like that, this is the way I though the clamp needed to look.

See the flange bolt coming out the long anvil?




That is to do this:



If you were going for a deliberate production setting
you would want to be set up like this. You can take the chain on and off the bar
without messing with the clamps.

Here is a video that goes along with that:
(watch it full-screen)

And before you watch it, first think to yourself
"How long does it take to remove a chain off of the bar of a chainsaw.?"

(i'm serious, how many seconds or minutes? Approximate.)









By now we had figured out that the flange bolt was not needed,
you just spin out the knob from the short side and use it.
Both anvils had to be drilled and threads tapped.

This ability to be able to BOTH clamp a bar from inside the jaws
and / or MOUNT a bar on the outside,
is what sets this clamp apart from anything else.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

It was ashame it was so expensive.
A guy would get laughed out of the marketplace.
A redesign was _definitely _in order.

What we learned at this time was a MAJOR realization.
Not only did we not need the flange bolt,
it became clear we did not need to extend the farside anvil at all,
_we could extend both sides' anvils, but use only one side to do both clamping duties_

This would cut the drilling and tapping duties in half,
and the clamp would be bilaterally symmetrical.


Check out what happened next. I've never gotten so much inspiration out of a dead end.
This was the crux of the project it all historically would hinge on this next design revision.
This is the solution I came up with:

*Back to the drawing board.*


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

This dimension was critical.
It determined the minimum stud length, + the knob would give overall knob-stud length.

Up til now we had been getting knobs at Lowe's, and hacksawing them to the correct length.
I had only needed four up til this point, but I needed a price for _hundreds_,
and the stud length needed to be ~35 mm


----------



## Philbert (Feb 6, 2014)

I did not appreciate the value of mounting the bar on the _outside_ of the clamps until I watched that video in post #45. It would save time for doing a bunch of chains that are the same size.

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

I connected with knobsource.com
to get a price on 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, etc

At this point I am really fearful of making a miscalculation.

When you are making one or two prototypes, a miscalculation is picked up and you don't make that error when doing a production run.
It struck me at this point that we were making decisions for a production run.

You guys will hopefully appreciate this next part.






I had the stud made metric, M8x1.25 because that is what a bar nut will spin on to.
As long as I was pricing a custom knob, I asked all the questions I could think of. I asked this one to the knob manufacturer on behalf of all of you.

It went like this:

"How much would it cost to have the threaded studs made of stainless steel?"
Bwat bwat bwat bwaa
"Oh really? Only that much more?"
Bwat bwaa
"Well, go ahead with that, then. Let's make these knobs out of stainless."

So, that was the official word, The threaded portion is stainless steel.
The added cost was minimal, quality added, maximal.

Now I had to go talk to the waterjet cutter, with the new design and get pricing. 
The second time doing _anything_ is usually easier.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

Here's what the waterjet cutter guy had to say;


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

This is how the computer lays it out
and it tells the cutter how to cut them out of 1/2' thick steel exactly as shown.




The problem is 1) that the waterjet cutter is a very expensive way to cut your parts
and 2) they would then have to send the parts on for drilling, tapping, assembly, welding and finish coat at another firm.

We crunched the numbers, based on 100 units.

_Dang! _ We would have to charge you $44 per finished clamp.
Even at 500 units, the price was around $40 to you.
I did not place the order. I had another call to make.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

I called a place with whom I'd worked before. 
They have laser cutters, robotic TIG welders, milling equipment,
everything except powder-coating, but they said they could send it out for that.

Here is the (rough) prototype. Simplified. You could mount a bar to the outside of it by removing the knob,
put the threaded stud through the (pre-drilled) holes in the bar and tighten down the knob.

It does everything. Time to field-test.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

Day one at work.
Just to test the clamping power, I mounted the clamps to the bar
with the full weight of the powerhead suspended.

I went ahead to price the order and everything, complete, beginning-to-end we were still in the upper thirties.
But that was for an order of 500.
For 1,000 your price was $37
For 2,000 it went down a little more

For 4,000…. now we are under thirty dollars per unit
And I am guessing this is where the price should be, reasonable for a tool
that should last a long, long time, maybe generations.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

I had one last idea I wanted to try before mortgaging my house,
a one-piece, minimal, low-budget try to get our price down yet again.

More field-testing. I learned don't clamp too hard on the bar tip.
You can squeeze the sprocket and the chain won't advance.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

Can you see the model made out of angle iron?
One extended side?
Let me find another picture.



There we are. Check these babies out:





These units work, they are fully functional, the price was a little lower, but still in the upper twenties for reasonable quantities.
I found to this model to be butt-ugly.
Well, it was worth giving it a try.




It is now time, after over two years of development, to make some decisions.
This is where the rubber hits the road, so to speak.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

This is the part where we have to say goodbye to the blue one.




Say goodbye to all of them.


----------



## Philbert (Feb 6, 2014)

(These will all go into the Tree Machine Museum some day)

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

Heh, heh.

Millions upon millions of people have invented or developed something.
Every product we touch was drummed up by somebody. The inventive spirit is all around us.

I feel fortunate to have gotten to enter the ranks and give it a try. It is something I think I have always wanted to do.
For anyone out there who thinks they can invent something, wants to develop something or even improve something that already exists,
I say go for it.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

> They look nice. What will be your estimated retail?



We are happy to have the black model under thirty dollars.
It is available here at Treestuff


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 6, 2014)

We are really, really happy with the design. We have infused further quality, let me tell you what I mean.

The black clamp parts come in crates, and the knobs come in boxes.
This is Joe's work station. He takes a knob, dips the tip of the threaded stud in light mineral oil,




then spins the knob in with an automated nifty device we created that runs off of a drill.



Then Joe *tapes* two one-inch long pan-headed Phillip's screws to the device
and it is wrapped in brown paper. We will get them over to Treestuff
a milk crate at a time for as long as you keep ordering them.

It is easy to stand behind something that will never fail.

Treestuff, and myself, are very pleased to be able to introduce this fine tool to you, right here, right now.


----------



## Philbert (Feb 6, 2014)

Very nice product. Very interesting story on how much work goes into making something like this.

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 7, 2014)

Oh, it's not quite over.

It gets better. See, I'm a Treeguy, making treeguy tools for other treeguys.
In field-testing, I get feedback from a lot of other treeguys.

We were asking ourselves, "After all this hard work and upgrade, is there any other way to make it BETTER?




Many of the viewers of this picture, I might expect, 
would like the raw beauty of the silver clamp.

The screw knob is already stainless, so in stepping up to bat for you guys,
I had several hundred units made in pure stainless steel.

Right here in front of all of you, and God
I personally attach to the stainless model, an unconditional lifetime guarantee

It is $37


----------



## Philbert (Feb 7, 2014)

TreeStuff is only showing the powder coated version.

I am assuming that the SS model (aside from appearance) is for guys that want to mount one on their work trucks or trailers and leave it on there?

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 7, 2014)

You could do that with the powder-coated one. I am running a stainless vs. a black one onboard my tree truck.

The stainless clamps would be for arborists who live along the coast, near a marine environment.
Or for the Arborist who wants to will this thing to his children and then on to his grandchildren.
I expect these clamps to last awhile.

I feel like they should have a name. Clamps. Bar vises. That's the best we've come up with.


----------



## zogger (Feb 7, 2014)

Tree Machine said:


> You could do that with the powder-coated one. I am running a stainless vs. a black one onboard my tree truck.
> 
> The stainless clamps would be for arborists who live along the coast, near a marine environment.
> Or for the Arborist who wants to will this thing to his children and then on to his grandchildren.
> ...



Chain Champs


----------



## Philbert (Feb 7, 2014)

"Barmeister"

"Bar Stools"

"Table Vise" _(instead of 'Stump Vise'_)

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 7, 2014)

The Bar Veister Meister


----------



## Philbert (Feb 8, 2014)

*Hole Vise
*
_Waaaay back_ in posts #6 and #9 in this thread, I suggested a version of these clamps/vises with a threaded post (excuse the puns). Instead of being permanently mounted or clamped to a flat surface, these would drop through a hole in a work bench, trailer bed, tailgate, etc., for quick, stable, temporary use. Store flat in a tool box.

Some guys at a few GTG's suggested that they did not like the use of clamps, shown in earlier photos, to hold the vise. These could also drop through bench dog holes on a woodworking bench, or through a hole drilled in a block of wood to use in a woodworking vise.

Tree Machine generously provided me one more of his clamps/vises to experiment with. I cut the base off with a hacksaw and Dremel tool:




I chose a 3/4" post so that it would stand up to abuse and resist bending. I cut the head off of a 5 inch long bolt, so that I could clamp it to a table made up of 2X4's or 4X4's - it can always cut it down later if too long.

Wing nuts larger than 1/2" are harder to find locally, so I ordered a few different kinds from a supply house to try out. In practice, a 5/8" thread and a standard wing nut would probably be fine for a production version of this.




Originally, I cut a slot in the top of the bolt for a mechanical connection with the clamp body. It was extra work, and actually made the welding more difficult. I would go with a beveled end and butt weld with a nice fillet for future versions. A local welder did this for me and I cleaned it up.




Shown with some mounting washers, before getting painted (original was powder coated). I will try it out, and bring it to some GTG's in the Spring for progress reports and more input.

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 9, 2014)

> _Waaaay back_ in posts #6 and #9 in this thread, I suggested a version of these clamps/vises with a threaded post (excuse the puns). Instead of being permanently mounted or clamped to a flat surface, these would drop through a hole in a work bench, trailer bed, tailgate, etc., for quick, stable, temporary use. Store flat in a tool box.


Philbert, I can see the extended effort.
I can see the direction you're going with this.


----------



## Tree Machine (Feb 11, 2014)

> I can see the direction you're going with this.





> The appeal for someone like me is to use them like a stump vise on finished, horizontal surfaces: a workbench, a picnic table, tailgate, etc. For this use, attaching the filing clamps to a board, and attaching the board to the work surface with ‘C’-clamps, etc., creates a portable chain filing workstation.



A quote from you, earlier, something you said,
"portable chain filing workstation."

I think I am going to pop this prototype in the mail to you, offering it up for the collection.

I grindered the paint off the corner of the clamp's base,
Then welded a C-clamp to it. Three minutes effort. 

How does this look as portable chain filing workstation?


----------



## Philbert (Feb 11, 2014)

That will work near the _edge_ of a surface, like the ones in the first few posts in this thread. Might be bulky to store in a tool box?

The threaded base drops through a hole anywhere on a surface (or through a wide gap between boards) and lies flat for transport/storage.

I think that the simple, solid design of your vise opens itself up to a variety of mounting options, depending on the situation, preferences, etc. .

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Feb 14, 2014)

This showed up today! Thanks!

I'm going to have to have a filing clamp GTG!

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Mar 10, 2014)

> The threaded base drops through a hole anywhere on a surface (or through a wide gap between boards) and lies flat for transport/storage.


Along with the C-clamp, above, I included a stainless steel clamp for you to further your effort.

On the threaded post version you just did, you removed the base completely.
With this stainless steel bar vise, will you have the post welded to the base itself?

We lose the ultimate thinness you get with using a washer instead of the base plate itself,
but we gain in not having to use a washer on the top side.




Also, I would like to take the opportunity to show a visual feature that some of these vises have.

The manufacturer, as best I understand it, was having a problem adjusting the gas mix in the laser cutter,
so part of the upright is near-perfect smooth, and the other half of the posts have these laser waves,
which personally, I think are very cool. There are only a few of these, so if you want one, specify it on your order.


----------



## Philbert (Mar 10, 2014)

Tree Machine said:


> On the threaded post version you just did, you removed the base completely.
> With this stainless steel bar vise, will you have the post welded to the base itself?



I had the thread welded to the clamp itself; 
- 1) so that it would lie flat in a tool box; 
- 2) it's a simpler, cleaner design; 
- 3) to make sure I got a solid weld. 

If you were going to produce this version (which I am suggesting you consider), the base would not be an included part, so I took it off of the one you provided for this prototype. Part of the reason for the large washer is the large fillet that I ended up with - I was concerned that I might need to bore a larger diameter hole for the clamp to seat. In a production version, mating parts could be beveled so that this fillet was almost flush after finishing. 

The optional washer also allows placement between 2 boards (e.g. on a picnic table) without slipping through.

I may try something different with the SS model, just because of the different parts I accumulated with the last version.



Tree Machine said:


> . . . . part of the upright is near-perfect smooth, and the other half of the posts have these laser waves . . .



I assumed that it was like dimpling on golf balls.

Philbert


----------



## Oliver1655 (Mar 10, 2014)

Here is another option for a chainsaw vise for holding the bars while filing. It's nothing fancy but with a couple of screws or a clamp you can mount it most anywhere.




A simple $6 hold down bolted to a bent piece of 1/4" steel plate. The rubber headed bolt for the hold down was replace with a piece of 1" angle iron. To allow this piece of angle iron to pivot/rotate to match the bar, I loosely sandwiched the head of a 5/16" carriage bolt between the angle iron & a flat washer which was welded to the angle iron. The rubber pads keep the vise from pushing against the chain while protecting the bar & keeping it from sliding in the vise. The file guide is a Stihl 2n1.




The larger saws will set directly on the bench.



For the smaller saws I use a small piece of 2x6 under the power head.

Real quick & easy to clamp the bar. The wider jaws really help stabilize the bar.


----------



## Philbert (Mar 10, 2014)

I like it!

Philbert


----------



## Oliver1655 (Mar 10, 2014)

Thanks!


----------



## Tree Machine (Mar 11, 2014)

The creativity of the members of our community again amazes me.

Good one, Oliver.


----------



## Philbert (Mar 14, 2014)

Here's one I saw at a GTG many years ago - just ran across the photo. Simple use of indigenous materials.

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Apr 16, 2014)

We mentioned field vises, and I posted a photo of a hitch receiver adaptation in Post #18. Here is a commercial receiver vise I saw a recent tool show. Very nicely designed and finished.

Wilton 'ATV' (All Terrain Vise): http://www.lawlessgroup.com/Wilton-ATV.html




Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Apr 24, 2014)

Mounted on a board to display at a GTG. In practice, this would be a hole in a trailer bed, table, bench, etc., where the vise would normally be used. _Really_ solid!

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Sep 15, 2014)

Hole vise fits between boards on flat bed trailer (wing nut is not installed - this was for photo op only!).

Philbert


----------



## Bilge Rat LT 20 (Sep 16, 2014)

For use in the woods something like a lag bolt welded on the bottom so it could be screwed into a stump or log.
Stick your bar wrench into the throat of the clamp to turn it into the wood.


----------



## Bilge Rat LT 20 (Sep 16, 2014)

You could also just use lag bolts thru the mounting holes in the base.
Get a lag that fits the holes then depending on the lags head size weld a nut to it that fits the bar wrench socket.


----------



## Philbert (Sep 16, 2014)

I have seen some home made versions, where someone welded or brazed a lag bolt to a C clamp, in order to make a stump vise. Lots of commercial versions out there for use in the woods. 

Philbert


----------



## Tree Machine (Sep 18, 2014)

I have to tell you all how much I appreciate the creativity of each and every one of you.


----------



## Tree Machine (Sep 18, 2014)

Here is how we are sending them out to guys right now.
Let me post another picture,







OK, this image is better.
Still al little fuzzy.
But here we have Joe, taping the chosen fasteners to the base of the bar clamps.

The choice of fastener was decided upon, by me, after trying 24 different screws and lags.
Guess what? They _all work.
_
l would like to explain why the choice.


----------



## Tree Machine (Sep 18, 2014)

There was talk of selling you the clamps, and you provide your own fasteners.
I said , Nay, that is always everyone's _option_.
This clamping device needed to ship WITH fastening hardware,
ready for you to use immediately.



I chose 1=inch long lath screws.
They are pan-head, so the screw head is it's own washer.,
They are phillip's head.
The diameter is fairly thin so you can screw the unit down with just a hand screwdriver.

This screw is more than adequate, which is all it needs to be.



I have these two saws elevated up off the bench here as part of earlier testing,
could the saw run at idle for two minutes held up like that?

Yes, but I hate idling a ferocous, animal saw for two minutes as that is not what they are built to do.


----------



## Tree Machine (Sep 18, 2014)

These clamps were designed along the way with input from arborists.

Their current form is a crowd-source effort involving all of you.

We can change the fasteners that are shipped, right here, right now.


----------



## Tree Machine (Sep 18, 2014)

Pretty cool.


----------



## juttree (Dec 16, 2014)

Philbert was kind enough to send me one of these vices with the C-clamp welded to it and I had the chance to use it for the first time today. Both myself and my coworker sharpened a saw with it and we each thought it was a very well made vice. It was nice and sturdy and held the saw in place no problem. 
Thank you very much Philbert.


----------



## Philbert (Dec 16, 2014)

juttree said:


> Philbert was kind enough to send me one of these vices with the C-clamp welded to it and I had the chance to use it for the first time today. Both myself and my coworker sharpened a saw with it and we each thought it was a very well made vice. It was nice and sturdy and held the saw in place no problem.


That is the _only_ one of those ever made, as far as I know (pictured above in post #86) and a Tree Machine original! I have a few versions of these now to use, so I offered it in one of the '_Christmas Giving_' threads so that others could try it and use it.

Please post any other thoughts or comments about it (where you used it, photos, etc.), as well as any ideas you might come up with in this thread for Jim and others to see.

Philbert


----------



## juttree (Dec 16, 2014)

Philbert said:


> That is the _only_ one of those ever made, as far as I know (pictured above in post #86) and a Tree Machine original! I have a few versions of these now to use, so I offered it in one of the '_Christmas Giving_' threads so that others could try it and use it.
> 
> Please post any other thoughts or comments about it (where you used it, photos, etc.), as well as any ideas you might come up with in this thread for Jim and others to see.
> 
> Philbert


After using it for a while longer I'll post some pictures of where I like to use it and any other thoughts or issues I have. It's a really good idea, very handy for a multitude of places. The one thing I was thinking of is the screw that holds the bar in place. If there could be some sort of end on it about the width of a small vice, then the clamp would be able to hold the whole saw up and you wouldn't need to have a place to rest the tank. Maybe it's a dumb idea but it's a thought I had.


----------



## Tree Machine (Dec 17, 2014)

juttree said:


> then the clamp would be able to hold the whole saw up and you wouldn't need to have a place to rest the tank.


When designing the clamp, we did account for this.


You could position the clamps closer together. These are 10" apart, maximum spacing for the 14" bar

Jut, though, is wanting to get by with only one clamp, and the point is to have enough clamping surface area to elevate the saw and hold it firm enough to oppose the imbalance caused by the powerhead.




We posed to try this bigger anvil/knob interface face early on. We ditched the idea because the advantage was so minimal.
The studs we use in the threaded knob are stainless steel. you will have clamping force beyond what you need.

You can spin a bar nut onto the threaded end of the threaded knob, as the threads are the same pitch as on your chainsaw, M8x1.25, then you would have to do a little tack weld to affix permanently the nut onto the end of the stud. Yes, you could add a larger clamp face onto the stud. However, you can never get the stud back out, limiting other functions.

Lastly, we found you can only position the saw one direction. If the weight of the powerhead is tightening the knob, it'll hold. If the weight is positioned on the single stud to the lefty-loosey direction, it will still hold the bar firm, just not prevent a rotation.

Good point on that, Jut.


----------



## Philbert (Dec 17, 2014)

Or, you can just put a scrap of 2X_ under the powerhead (see photo in post#5). 

Philbert


----------



## juttree (Dec 17, 2014)

Was using the clamp again today so I thought I'd post a picture.


----------



## Philbert (Sep 8, 2015)

*Bump*

(just because)

Philbert


----------



## Milkman31 (Sep 8, 2015)

I'm thinking about welding one of these to each side of my wood splitter.


----------



## juttree (Dec 25, 2015)

Tree Machine said:


> I have to tell you all how much I appreciate the creativity of each and every one of you.


After using this bar clamp for a year and being reminded of this thread, I thought I should comment on it.
This thing is really handy, I use it multiple times a week on all different size saws. I have a rope bag that I keep all my sharpening supplies in and it fits right in there without a problem. The c clamp makes it easy to find a place to sharpen. I use it on the steps to the trucks, side rails of the trailer, the steps that go up to the bucket on the bucket truck, the chippers, bench at the shop, and well I'm sure you get the point about being easy to find a place to clamp it down. It's very sturdy and has held up real well. The only issue I've had is the little round swivel part that does the actual clamping came off of the clamp. This problem was my fault because I clamped it to something that actually pulled it off when I loosened the clamp because it had a sort of ridge that it clamped in between. I haven't yet figured out how I'm going to mount it back on but I also haven't really tried yet because it's not too big of an issue because it still works fine if I have a good flat spot to tighten it down on.
Well I just wanted to say a few words about it to let people know what I thought. I would definitely recommend it to anyone thinking of getting one.


----------



## Ozarker 1 (Apr 13, 2016)

Got one of the stainless Chainmeister bar-clamps from Tree Stuff, http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=3459 , so thought I'd pass along some photos of how I use it on the truck, but also comment that it functions perfectly, and I have no complaints, period. Quality product that works as advertised, and at a decent price. Cudos to the designer, @TreeMachine , and all those who had input into its creation!

I did not use the screws that came with the Chainmeister, instead purchasing some stainless 3/16" lag bolts and washers. The wooden block is 1 1/8" white oak. Just a left-over piece from another project.

You can see in the photos how the board's position is moved so that the powerhead remains supported during the filing of the chain, no matter which side is being filed. This set-up is rigid, with no wiggle at all.


----------



## Philbert (May 18, 2016)

*Bump*

Saw a guy the other day with an improvised solution: jammed a conventional stump vise into a loose spot between the frame of his trailer, and some expanded metal mesh that was welded on. Also used a strap to secure the powerhead. Seemed to work for him, but hard to predict. I suggested a TM clamp.




Philbert


----------



## Real Fast Travis (Oct 7, 2016)

Bumping an old thread....
Does anyone know it the TreeStuff vise is still available?
According to their website it is sold out, but no indication on if they'll be back in stock.


----------



## Tree Machine (Oct 8, 2016)

Hello, Tree Machine here.

Great timing on this previous question .

Yes, the clamps are available, both in the black painted version and also stainless steel .

As most of you have heard, Sherrill Tree has purchased tree stuff 

Just yesterday I met with the head purchaser at this new merged company and I had him over personally to look at all the clamps and all the chainMeisters


----------



## Philbert (Oct 8, 2016)

_!!! Sherrill Tree_ _bought TreeStuff?!?_

Next thing you know, Bass Pro Shops will buy Cabelas, and Husqvarna will buy Jonsered!

Glad to hear that the clamps are still available!

Philbert


----------



## Real Fast Travis (Oct 8, 2016)

Tree Machine said:


> Hello, Tree Machine here.
> 
> Great timing on this previous question .
> 
> ...



Any info or links so we can order them?


Thanks!


----------



## Tree Machine (Oct 9, 2016)

Here is the said link:

http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=3459

I can see on the tree stuff website they do not have the stainless steel bar vice as available. We will get that fixed soon.


I asked them that for at least two years will they agree to keep the clamp prices the same? with no price increases.? 

They ordered 10 black bar clamps, but I sent him back with 50. , so I am certain they are in stock .


----------



## Real Fast Travis (Oct 9, 2016)

Tree Machine said:


> Here is the said link:
> 
> http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=3459
> 
> ...




That is the same page I have, says out of stock. Guess I'll just order and see what happens.

Thanks!


----------



## Real Fast Travis (Oct 10, 2016)

Ordered two today!


----------



## hseII (Jan 14, 2017)

There has been a bunch of grumbling by folks, ( that's the nature of people when something doesn't suit them to a "T", right), but Nick & Company have so far, managed to continue to be TreeStuff, & not SherrillTreeJr.

Call them, & most likely, the truth they tell you will be acceptable, no matter what the item is. [emoji6]


2 Rings & A Flattop, LLC Test Dummy


----------



## Philbert (Mar 25, 2017)

Here's a related idea:

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/quick-vice-to-hold-saw-for-filing-in-the-field.308019/

Philbert


----------



## Philbert (Nov 16, 2017)

(Bump!)

Using them again, so thought of this thread.

Philbert


----------



## PowerWagon (Nov 16, 2017)

Here are a couple I whipped up

I may cut down the handles some


----------



## buckskin (Dec 11, 2017)

Any idea when the stainless steel chainmeister bar vise clamps will be back in stock? I just ordered a black clamp from treestuff but would like a couple stainless if they're still being made. Thanks


----------



## Philbert (Dec 23, 2018)

*Bump*

(just because)

Philbert


----------



## ryangag (Jul 12, 2019)

Just found this thread searching for stump vise options and ideas. Very interesting reading about the development of the Tree Machine clamps. Sure wish I got in when they were first selling for under $30! The painted version is up to $40 at treestuff and, as TM predicted, (even with 5yrs of inflation) $40 is hard to stomach for a tool providing only this function. I think I'll be rigging up one of Philbert's verisons with a 2x4 and a standard stump vise. Thanks for all the inspiration here.


----------



## Philbert (Jul 13, 2019)

ryangag said:


> I think I'll be rigging up one of Philbert's verisons with a 2x4 and a standard stump vise. Thanks for all the inspiration here.


Be sure to post photos!

Philbert


----------

