# Vise face size



## BrianG0714 (Jul 12, 2015)

I am going to build a bench this spring. I just purchased the Woodriver Large Face vise. I would like some opinions on face size. I think I will make it 3" thick. The vise is 10" inches wide. I was thinking a 22" wide face. Is that too big? From what I have read I will get some racking but I have also read that can be fixed with blocks on the opposite side of the vise from where I'm working.


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## rad457 (Jun 15, 2013)

For every inch thickness, you loss of how much vise opening you have. Only reason to go thicker will be for show and perhaps some dogs? At 22" you will get lots of racking, trust me I know! Thinking about switching to a twin screw or Leg vise if I can work around leg position? Blocks are still a pain. IMO.


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## BrianG0714 (Jul 12, 2015)

Thanks Andre for the information about the face width. I am trying to figure out how to mount the vise. It seems like it should be pretty straight forward except the vise has a ring, I guess you would call it, on each guide. I think I read somewhere that is supposed to help with racking. What do those attach too?


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## rad457 (Jun 15, 2013)

Really not sure about those rings, I installed a quick release vise from Lee Valley, it basically just screwed onto the bottom of my bench. Because of leg location ended up with a wider face than recommended which made racking a little worse than expected but so far not a huge problem. In hind sight should of researched vise location a little better? Didn't help that the placement of the bench changed after the bench was built, funny how after you start locating equipment on the floorplan things change. 
Maybe go to or check with Woodcraft for detailed installation instructions? Good luck!


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

Those "rings" mount to the rear chop for the vise Brian. I used the same hardware for my end vise with a 3" chop and made it the full 24" width of my bench. I use this to prevent racking. The pics in that project show my old chop on my old bench but the idea is the same. FWIW, in hindsight, I would probably have just invested in a twin screw vise if it's in your budget. That hardware is fine but it's not great for a vise that wide. It does work though ;-)


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## BrianG0714 (Jul 12, 2015)

It takes me awhile to build a project I ask about but I eventually build it. I read some other forums and took their advice and read one of Christopher Schwarz's books. I mixed a few of his bench ideas and I think he would say my bench is to wide. Since I have a small shop I only have one bench for work, assembly, finishing and everything else I need to do. Here are a couple of pictures.


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