Receiver Hitch Post Vise

[pursang]

Due to an injury I built this simple post vise to hold my chainsaw for easier starting, it slides into the receiver hitch on my truck bumper and has a large jaw capacity so can be used for holding many other things. The parts include a 14" long screw and nut from an old scissor jack, a pair of 17" long 2x4s along with some square steel tubing.

One of my favorite kinds of steel to work with are these 1/8th" wall thickness telescoping posts are called Telespar, they come with or without 7/16" holes spaced 1 inch apart, the ones pictured are 1¾" O.D. and 2" O.D if you want strength without too much weight these work great.

 

[pursang]

The smaller 1¾" O.D piece of tubing has a larger hole drilled in the center for the screw to pass through, the nut from the scissor jack is retained inside the tubing using the original bolts, the tubing is bolted to the 2x4 using regular hex bolts or carriage bolts

Two pieces of steel are cut off the vertical tubing so the sides can be bolted to the horizontal tube that slides into the receiver hitch

 

[pursang]

The 2x4s can be used just as they are for holding things, or various jaws made from steel, rubber, plastic, aluminum etc, pictured I've used two plywood blocks to hold the chainsaw bar and to keep the chain from contacting the 2x4s

 

[pursang]

A ¼" thick by 18" long by 4"x4" piece of aluminum angle iron is used as a removable shelf to place the chainsaw on so aligning the bar in the vise jaws is easier

A small hinged rod fits into the post vise to support the weight of the chainsaw

This slotted bracket mounts the shelf to the post vise

 

[pursang]