Bench Vise/Vice Choices

[GazPal]

Simply wondering what others currently use or plan to use as their preferred face vise.

My own preference are Record 52.1/2 and 53 quick release cast bodied vise due to mass and clamping range.

Hi Gary

I replaced a Record 52 1/2 with a leg vise I built with a wooden screw. I would not go back to the Record.

More details here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTo ... ished.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

Hi Derek,

You've made a very decent job of both bench and vise, but I honestly prefer metal over wooden vise.

I've worked from both types for extended periods of time throughout the years and found unless you work within a workshop with some form of climate control (Re humidity) in more temperate climates, the wooden vise can prove prone to being problematical unless a degree of slop is built into the screw. Another problem can be if the exposed wooden thread becomes damaged through carelessness during use.

It's more my personal preference than judgement on what remains and excellent style of wooden vise.

------------

Depth of clamping and jaw width can be adjusted and extended when using metal vise by adding suitable wooden facings, e.g. The Record 52.1/2 has an un-hindered jaw opening of 13"/330mm and jaw width of 9"/230mm (Extendible to 18"/450mm using wooden facings), whilst the existing jaw depth (4"/100mm) can be adjusted up to a maximum of 8"/200mm by slinging the vise lower on the bench frame, with facings extended upward to run in unison with the bench top.

It's always best - wherever possible - to opt for a larger clamping range than expected, as you'll seldom be disappointed. Always try and take into account the thickness of jaw facings when deciding upon jaw opening, as a vise with jaw opening of 6" will barely clamp 4" stock once jaw facings are in place.

 

[GazPal]

Quite a few of us are fortunate in having vise with integral dogs, but many options exist for those of us without such a facility as user made dogs can be made and fitted to the outer jaw liner regardless of opening size and can virtually any shape (Generally square, rectangular or round) in section. It's all a matter of preference.

Precisely the same face vise can be fitted in place of the variety of purpose-made end-vise that are available, but - whilst a handy addition - they aren't an absolute necessity for everyday woodworking.

 

[condeesteso]

How did I miss this one! Here's some favourites, though I don't think any single vice is the best one, they are all a compromise in my view:

First, the excellent RM wagon vice. Been in use about 9 months now and no criticisms whatsoever. Fast to use, tremendous grip - a very good tail-vice indeed

next, the big 'un. Slightly slower in use, but the thread pitch is double that of a York so not so slow. Very versatile and the conrtolled racking can be handy. But quite expensive with the wood screws. I'd happily live with this as a great face vice though

A traditional leg vice. Started out with a York steel screw, then had this old wood screw replace it. I think they are fast to use, powerful and quite versatile, but it is virtually impossible to eliminate horizontal racking to some extent

And the Record 52 1/2, here in a tail position, and complete with the Moxon v3 (not in use honest, just resting there :lol: ) The Record is a great basic vice, tail or face, and they can be found cheaply I think. Take care to allow space on the underside for the mass of metal that needs to be away from stretchers etc. The guides can get in the way a bit, and they do rack a little, but as an all-rounder, hard to criticise I think.

And the 'Moxon' v3 - well worth having one of these I think. It can be very handy raising the working height, and they are good for smaller detail work where the bench is too low.
This version has pinned bosses - a big improvement on v1 and v2... nice brown oak too!

Favourite?? - all of them and none of them.

 

[Paul C-I]

The record quick release are excellents vices.
I have faced mine with birch lam and a topping of stiff 1/8 thick leather. Does not need much presseure at all to get a good grip and prevents indentations

 

[condeesteso]

I think the leather on one side is a big improvement on any vice - more grip with less pressure must be good.
Another I always do with the Record is remove the steel end-stop / dog and replace with a beech (or similar) one, with a tiny bit of negative rake so it clamps top first (just). You can just see it on the Record above, although that one is walnut (for no particular reason).

 

[jumps]

another for the ubiquitious 52 1/2, as a main, in the absence of anything more sexy

douglas kindly lent me his tap and die last week, so I set about converting this (beech bed slats salvaged from the mother in laws ex spare bed - saved the £39 charge for removing it!)

into one of these, complete with leather.....

time will tell if the removable handle approach retains it's functionability but it enables it to be stored very compact, and I haven't decided on a final finish (well I haven't got any osmo at the moment...

interesting project, it's all reclaimed slats except some small sections of oak I used for contrast to provide strength to the main face and that I had lying around from a previous one.

 

[condeesteso]

very damn smart Jumps... you raised the game here!
It does look very good indeed, from bed slats to a thing of beauty. Sliding dovetails, innovation, the lot. 5 stars.

 

[Jake]

My face vice is two Record 53s, chain-ganged:

 

[condeesteso]

Jake - could you elaborate on 'chain ganged' please... beginning to sound interesting.

 

[Jake]

I have added a link to the thread I did on it over the side, which gives you the gist.

 

[jumps]

very neat solution Jake

 

[condeesteso]

yes, impressive. Solid too I suspect. I had heard someone well known in the States wore a Veritas twin out rather quickly. This one is ingenious, resourceful and probably very affordable too.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Jake

Very nice, now all we need is someone to do a 3 vice chain drive model :shock: :lol:

Pete

 

[DTR]

A question for those with the Yorke or Axminster vice screws: is the boss easily removable?

 

[marcros]

A question for those with the Yorke or Axminster vice screws: is the boss easily removable?

with the right tools yes- it is only a rivet through the steel screw. Mine took some doing but I hardly had any tools, let alone the right ones. I drilled the head off the rivet and used a punch to push it out. I tried to drill out both heads and then just twist off the boss but I didnt have a vice to hold it in. Needless to say that didnt work!

The only difficulty is that everything is slathered in paint so you cant quite see where to attack it, or what is rivet and what is not.

If it is any help, I can take a picture of mine without the boss on.

 

[DTR]

Hmmm, interesting. Thanks. A photo without the boss would be very much appreciated, but only if it's not too much trouble.

 

[marcros]

i will try and do it tomorrow for you

 

[Jake]

Cheers, chaps. Someone's got to be the second person to try it, I've been plugging it relentlessly for years!

Hi, Jake

Very nice, now all we need is someone to do a 3 vice chain drive model :shock: :lol:

Perfectly do-able, Pete. I'm sure there are cogs with double rows of gears, so stick one of those in the middle and away you go. Get it right and infinity -or maybe the length of your bench - is probably your boundary.

It works very well (unlike my attempt at a similarly experimental end-vice, long story). It was cheapish quickish and easy and has the build quality of a brick outhouse (from the record bits, not my quickly bodged but perfectly adequate extras).

Next time I move and break the bench down I will do a mark 2 which will have a 10mm or so steel face-plate rather than the big thick wooden jaw to save some reach capacity, another full length steel plate running along the top of the mounting bases to tie that all together and help resist the some of the forces that try to pull the cog-ends of the vices together, and a third drilled steel plate at the back to replace the standard plates that hold the ends of the rails and vice screw. The last two would make my bodgy box steel and wood separator thing redundant.

I reckon mark 2 would crush tanks quite nicely. As it is, mk1 works fine, the only thing I've had to do to it is tighten up the mounting bolts as it drooped a bit.

 

[marcros]

Hmmm, interesting. Thanks. A photo without the boss would be very much appreciated, but only if it's not too much trouble.

Here you go- it is an axi/yorke one- the middle size IIRC.

 

[DTR]

Brilliant, thank you!