# Help with a vise that's not parallel



## RD87 (Mar 15, 2016)

I installed a quick-release vise in my bench, and installed some hardwood faces. I planed the faces square, but when I installed them an issue became apparent.

They were touching the the top, but had a 1/16 - 1/8" gap at the bottom. At first I thought I had planed the hardwood unevenly, but after I took the faces off, I noticed the vice faces themselves had this issue.










As you can see, there is about a 1/8" distance at the top (the mounting bolts don't allow the bare faces to close all the way).










And at the bottom it is a little over 3/16". Any ideas how to fix this? Or should I just retrofit my hardwood faces to compensate for this gap?


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

When you put a piece of wood in the vise and tighten the jaws, does it hold solidly? If so fugeddaboutit.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Vice jaws are often toed-in. They become
parallel when tightened.


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## papadan (Mar 6, 2009)

*.* Give us a picture of the whole vice opened up. Sounds like you are not mounted right if the bolt/screws are keeping it from closing.


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## RD87 (Mar 15, 2016)

It holds tight, the problem really came to light when I went to use the vice to laminate two small blocks of wood. It appeared as if the top was receiving more pressure than the bottom. I do not know if this would actually be enough of an issue to cause a problem with such a glue-up (I have been looking forward to trying my hand at making a small wooden plane by laminating this way, following Paul Sellers video).

the bolts that hold the face against the bench are recessed into the hardwood face.










And here is a pic of the recessed holes:


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## Rrrandy (Feb 1, 2017)

http://forums.finewoodworking.com/fine-woodworking-knots/general-discussion/wood-vise-toe


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## papadan (Mar 6, 2009)

The first pictures show a gap between the jaws that would be caused by the bolt heads? Are you sure the face boards are square and flat facing together? Is there anything under the bench that might interfere with the vice operation? Take the vice off the bench and see how it operates laying on top, does it close up tight, does it close tight with your face boards?


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## BigYin (Oct 14, 2011)

The vice is fine. 1/16 tighter at the top is desirable, so when the vice wracks when tightened the moving jaw pulls square to the fixed face.
when you fit wood jaws they should be sanded hollow top to bottom mid jaw by the thickness of a postcard so the edges grip harder stopping workpieses from moving. Glue leather liner over the wood jaw and you will never see it.


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## RD87 (Mar 15, 2016)

Thank you to everyone for the replies.

I looked into the "toe-in" and it appears that is whats going on. When I tighten the vice with the wood faces installed, the gap disappears, and the underlying reason for this makes sense to me.

Being a beginner, it amazes me how much I don't know, but I can always rely on the LJ's to help me out!


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## Joncisas (Apr 25, 2020)

Hi, I am about to buy Paramo vice. It seems to have the same vertical misalignment issue. Can it be that bars have slightly moved out of front plate (see picture).


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## AMZ (Jan 27, 2020)

IIRC Paramo had employees that were somehow related, or employed in an earlier time, by Record. Seem to remember their vises were similar in design to Record, but had more hand finishing. The toe-in is preloading and present on many vises.

Great find-desireable vise!


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

Must be me but I never use my bench vice for glue ups. I have bunches of clamps for that.


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## Joncisas (Apr 25, 2020)

> ...The toe-in is preloading and present on many vises.
> Great find-desireable vise!
> - AMZ


Thank you. Probably so.
Somewhat strange are the bars (rails) sitting very deep. I have looked at pictures of other vices: usually they are flush with plate face (for Records) or at least not so deep.


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