Not impressed with this vise

Mike, I’d send an email…..I have two of those vices, and never had a problem. I know LV will take care of you no matter what it takes.

If you’d prefer the “do it yourself” method, once you get it aligned, pull out the set-screw, strike a mark with a center punch through the hole, and drill a recess hole for the set screw to lock in to. Unfortunately, the set-screw are a required evil on this vice, as an indexed stop would be problematic if the maple faces moved or the bench wasn’t perfectly suare or the chain stretched.

-- If you can't set a good example, at least serve as a horrible warning... www.rarewoodcreations.com

I would think Lee Valley will go out of its way to make it right. That has been my experience with them.

Lee Valley has excellent customer service. I would call them and explain the situation you are having. Most everything you can buy from them is returnable.

-- --Chuck

I know Lee Valley is a good company, I have bought many items from them I’m very happy with. I will still buy Lee Valley products, I have a long wish list waiting to be purchased. My comments were on the design of the this vise, which I feel has a real flaw in it. A vise is meant to be clamped. Sometimes you need to give it a good tight turn. I don’t want to be worried about it slipping, because of some small set-screws. There isn’t much Lee Valley can do for me, unless they have redesigned the vise.

I have had the vise of over a year now and have learned to deal with it’s flaws. I just think for the price, it would have been designed a little bit better. Other people have had good luck with, which might show I’m just picky. The bench and vise are going to be replaced shortly. The current bench and vise will go to my brother, he isn’t as picky as I am :).

For those of you that have had good luck with the vise, please write a review. My review doesn’t have to stand as the last word on this vise.

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

I got this one to make the popular woodworking 21 century workbench

I also buy many other LV things in the past – all nice, but this vise is a something different

1- for me, the manual is horrible and too simple – looks cheap and include useless info for the LV bench (yes, ignore this part of)

2- I got the 24”version – it come with the chain… but it ALSO include the 16.7/8”chain ? for what? it’s useless and increase the international mail price because extra weight – looks like some LV mistake and lost my time until I understand it

3- according to the manual http://www.leevalley.com/shopping/Instructions.aspx?p=45040
Vise Handles

Supplied with your twin-screw vise are the components to make two vise handles, with end caps, and one speed knob. As shown in the illustration, drill 9/64” pilot holes in the center of each end of the wooden handles, and 11/64” clearance holes in the center of the end caps. A good way of ensuring alignment of these holes is to put each end cap on the handle ends before drilling the 9/64” pilot hole. Remove each end cap and enlarge the hole in it to 11/64”. Secure the end caps in place with the #8×1-1/4” long round-head screws provided.

came on… the wooden handles aren’t drilled?
it’s a $229.00 vise and I have to do the holes in the handle?

yes, I have
I make one jig to do it in the drill press and do extra care to don’t damage em
there is no extra wooden handles, of course

4- TOO EXPENSIVE for what’s inside the box

5- after one day installing the LV TSV it works fine

6- in my another workbench, one Pattern Maker’s Vise still BETTER and more usefull
http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=128748&FamilyID=3516
(internet have many info about how to install it)