# Veritas vices retrofit



## Paul Chapman (10 Feb 2011)

While I have been generally very happy with the bench I built about 12 years ago, I've never been entirely satisfied with the vices. They are the Record #52D







The dog on the one used as a tail vice is not close enough to the front edge of the bench and the one used on the front does not allow clamping vertically in the centre of the vice (for example when dovetailing) because the screw is in the way. I therefore decided to fit the Veritas Twin-screw vice on the front and the recently-introduced Veritas Quick-release Tail Vice on the end.

Here's how I went about fitting the tail vice. I will do a follow-up post about fitting the Twin-srew vice.

The tail vice requires an unobstructed area 17" x 6 1/2" on the underside of the bench top so I started by moving the right-hand front leg. This is how it was






and after moving the leg







These are the components of the vice






The most crucial part of fitting the vice is accurately positioning the base plate to ensure that the vice moves parallel to the front of the bench






Here's the vice fitted to the base plate






For the wooden components I had quite a lot of reclaimed Sapele which I decided to use. Here's some of it






As I don't have any machinery, I found the best way of cleaning up and flattening the boards was to use a toothed blade in my Record #7 and then finishing off with my Clifton #7











To provide support for the dog-hole strip and the Twin-screw vice, I glued some blocks along the front of the bench using Dominoes











I then re-attached the top after ensuring that it was flat and dead level






I then prepared two pieces of Sapele which were glued together to form the vice jaw.






This was then bolted to the vice as a test-fit






Drilling dog holes in the vice jaw






When all the dog holes were drilled in the top and front of the jaw, I prepared it to final size and bolted it on






The dog-hole strip was then prepared. This was fitted with Dominoes and screws. This provided a very firm fitting but enables me to remove the strip if I need to at some time in the future. The rear jaw of the Twin-screw vice when fitted will form the remainder of the dog-hole strip 






Initial impressions of using the vice are that it's excellent. As with all Veritas tools, it's a really precision built piece of kit and it operates very smoothly. The quick-release mechanism is operated by a lever. Here the lever is in the normal position






and by flicking it up, the half-nut is released to enable the vice to be slid in and out






The vice provides various clamping options. I will primarily use it to clamp work on the top of the bench but you can also grip work beween the jaw and dog-hole strip






The dog holes in the front of the vice can be used for gripping or supporting long lengths with one end held in the front vice.

The vice is particularly good when using fenced tools like rebate planes as the work is held very close to the front of the bench






So far I'm delighted with it and will be able to give it a good work-out in making the components for the Twin-screw vice. I'll do a follow-up post about that.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


----------



## CHJ (10 Feb 2011)

Meticulous attention to detail as usual Paul, quality tools always make for a more enjoyable experience and encourage quality output and that workbench is becoming yet another quality tool in your armoury.


----------



## Alf (10 Feb 2011)

Looks good, Paul. Thanks for posting - and well played on the gloatage front. I lost count. :lol:


----------



## scholar (10 Feb 2011)

Thank you very much for showing this - very nicely done.

I look forward to your installation of the twin-screw vice as I want to investigate this for my work bench that has a single screw front vice (vise? - it's American).

Cheers


----------



## woodbloke (10 Feb 2011)

Paul, nicely done but I have to agree with Her Alfship...far too much gloatage going on there :lol: I reckon we might have to appoint a new 'Gloatmeiser' :wink: :-" shortly. The most crucial point is though...how did you smuggle the vice in past SWIMBO?..it's a bit big to get under your jacket! - Rob


----------



## Karl (10 Feb 2011)

Looks brilliant Paul. Must agree about the excessive gloating. I don't think there was a single shot without something there (even when the Clifton is in the background, slighly out of focus, but still there). :lol: 

Cheers

Karl


----------



## mtr1 (10 Feb 2011)

That looks great Paul, I'm considering the Veritas vises too(or the Benchcrafted), for when I retire my bench this year.


----------



## paulm (11 Feb 2011)

Good to see you've made a start Paul and looks like it turned out great.

Looking forwards to seeing the twin screw version next.

Cheers, Paul


----------



## Tony Spear (11 Feb 2011)

Alf":3lpfyn72 said:


> Looks good, Paul. Thanks for posting - and well played on the gloatage front. I lost count. :lol:



I was just going to say that.

Good job I decided to read the rest of the thread first! #-o 

A quick question Paul: why 2 No.7s? Do you keep the toothed blade permanently in the Record? Is the Clifton so superior that you can't just swap blades in the Record?


----------



## Paul Chapman (11 Feb 2011)

Tony Spear":1atexgdb said:


> A quick question Paul: why 2 No.7s? Do you keep the toothed blade permanently in the Record? Is the Clifton so superior that you can't just swap blades in the Record?



I work amost entirely with hand tools so probably use planes more than most. I like to keep several planes set up for specific jobs. Having said that, Clifton are far superior to Record IMHO.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


----------



## Paul Chapman (27 Apr 2012)

After a prolonged period of procrastination, I've finally finished my Veritas vices retrofit, so I thought I'd better update this thread.

I've now fitted the Veritas twin-screw front vice






As with all Veritas products, the vice came with comprehensive and very clear instructions, so making the jaws and fitting the vice were quite straight forward. The rear jaw forms the remainder of the dog hole strip, which is used in conjunction with the quick-release tail vice






I fitted the rear jaw by cutting three Domino slots about 1" down from the bench top and then bolting the jaw on with some threaded rod, large washers and some shallow brass nuts. This will make it easy to remove the jaw if I ever need to replace it






The metal pin that you can see in the picture (there's one the other side as well) is to prevent the workpiece coming into contact with the vice screws.

Overall, I'm delighted with the changes I've made. In particular, I am very happy with the quick release tail vice which I tend to use far more than the front vice and would rate it as probably the best tail vice currently available.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


----------



## paulm (27 Apr 2012)

You've been busy Paul, look's great and I imagine is very effective in use.

Look's like you are gearing up for some more projects ?

Cheers, Paul


----------



## Newbie_Neil (27 Apr 2012)

Hi Paul,

They look absolutely excellent. I'm not at all jealous. :---) 

Does the pin come with the vice or was it your idea?

Thanks,
Neil


----------



## Paul Chapman (27 Apr 2012)

Newbie_Neil":2iu06nwj said:


> Does the pin come with the vice or was it your idea?



Hi Neil,

The pins came with the vice. I should have mentioned also that there is a spring-loaded pin in one of the vice handles that enables you to disengage the mechanism to achieve a small amount of skew, which is helpful if the wood you are clamping doesn't have parallel sides. Not as much skew as you can get with traditional wooden twin-screw vices, but useful nevertheless.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


----------



## woodbloke (27 Apr 2012)

Paul Chapman":210qemgd said:


> After a prolonged period of procrastination, I've finally finished my Veritas vices retrofit, so I thought I'd better update this thread.
> 
> I've now fitted the Veritas twin-screw front vice
> 
> ...


Hang on, never mind the vices, there's a bit of hand tool gloatery going on here...since when did the two LN planes get sneaked in under '_your know who's_' :-" radar? 
Not quite such a '_drive-bye_' though as my LN51 - Rob


----------



## Paul Chapman (27 Apr 2012)

But you missed the twin-stemmed Veritas marking gauge :lol: 

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


----------



## woodbloke (27 Apr 2012)

Paul Chapman":3a0n8wn2 said:


> But you missed the twin-stemmed Veritas marking gauge :lol:
> 
> Cheers :wink:
> 
> Paul


That's what it is?...words fail me (for once) :mrgreen: Wait til Waka sees this...Chappers the new Gloatmiester! :lol: :lol: - Rob


----------

