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Workbench Vices?

3K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  BerBer5985 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm about to start designing my first workbench. This will hopefully be a budget build for my first go round, so most likely whitewood for the base and then maybe douglas fir or southern yellow pine if I can find it. I have an older Made in the USA Columbian Vice with a sliding bench dog on it which I was thinking of using, but then I started browsing benchcrafted and they have some wonderful vices. I was thinking that woodworking vice I have currently plus a moxon vice or tail vice would be sufficient. What do people recommend for Vices? I'm mostly into making smaller projects like boxes and things, but my wife has been bugging me to make some bookshelves and bar stools, but beyond that, I've really been enjoying doing dovetails. Any suggestions as to what vice would be worth putting into the first bench? There's also the veritas double screw vice that would work well too. I need suggestions! haha
 
#2 ·
I'm also going to be building a workbench soon. I've decided on a leg vise for the face vise and a twin screw for the tail vise.

I got two individual metal screws for the twin screw vise; I'll have to move them independently, which is a down side versus the Veritas or LN, but they're inexpensive, rugged, and have almost no parts to break. I also like cutting dovetails, and a 24" twin screw on the face sounded good, but as an end vise I'll still get a lot of capacity(~18" between screws). Having the full width chop, with dog holes, on the end vise will allow me to clamp just about anything to the bench top.

I'm going with a homemade leg vise to keep costs down too. Although for this I popped for the wooden screw; very fast and strong. I'm also installing a deadman to assist in clamping long boards; the main reason I decided against the twin screw in the face position. I think the leg vise will be a bit more versatile on the face.

I'm also planning on making the legs flush with the top to provide more clamping options.

Good luck.
 
#3 ·
My shop made Moxon vise I posted recently has been very useful (it gets used WAY more than I thought it would). I'm very glad that I made it where it opens to 11" as I clamp boxes to sand. It pretty much does everything I want a bench vise to do. And it cost almost nothing to build.
 
#5 ·
BerBer, I have two old Columbian vices on my bench. They are at least 35 years old, and I use them both all the time. The one at the end, I use with a variety of bench dogs and this proves extremely handy when sanding or routing.

Be sure to post photos!

rbo
 
#6 ·
If I built a bench today, it would llikely have a leg vise and would definitely have a wagon vise. I feel this combo offers a ton of versatility and doesn't cost a week's salary.

Also, you should design the bench in a manner that allows you to use f-clamps and/or C-clamps to attach workpieces to the bench. That way, you'll still be covered when your vises can't accomodate the occasional off-the-wall clamping challenge.
 
#9 ·
I also saw sone nice wood screw vices from Erie tools or something like that which look awesome as well and prices aren't horrible. I even thought about getting some dowel cutters and wood threaders and making my own. Always an excuse to buy a new tool ;). The truth is I don't want to spend my Months salary on this workbench but I dont want to cheap out, be unhappy and end up having to upgrade later.
 
#14 ·
My two cents on vises: make sure the jaws close parallel, and that they don't rack. The tail vise on my cheesy "craftsman cabinetmaker bench" racks if you look at it crooked. It's useless.

I like the idea of a wagon vise and a leg vise combo. I'm pretty tall, and stooping over the bench to saw dovetails isn't optimal, I think an add-on moxon vise sitting on top of the bench is a good solution.
 
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