My life As a Hobby Jeweller. The Draw Bench.

[Dennis]

One of my most prized possessions is my home assembled draw bench. It is mounted on my trusty work horse but could just as well be fixed to a stout table.

At one end I have used a carpenters vice, which is smooth and does not leave marks on draw plates. They are held securely but can easily be moved along as required. It can also be used to clamp wire for stretching and straightening.
At the other end is a miniature winch from a boat chandler, fitted with a piece of non stretch rope and a steel ring to engage the hook of some hand draw tongs.

It will easily draw down stubby remnants of wire, sometimes started off in the rolling mill, and produce all sorts of contours not available from bullion dealers.
You soon learn to swing the handle and pull on the tongs, to return them for multiple passes through the draw plate.

By contrast professional draw benches have upright posts and metal inserts to support the draw plates. Care is needed to get this right, or they will crash to the floor.
Transmission from the winding mechanism is by chain or belt and the tongs are self closing, but frequently lose their grip. All in all they are slow and frustrating to use.
At college they invariably double as a surface to deposit boxes full of leaflets, folders and junk, which have to be removed if you need to use them. Most people don’t bother.

The picture below is of my mechanical cat using triangular wire not available from dealers.
It was a retirement present for a much loved tutor. Push the pendulum in the base, and the arm waves. Dennis.