# Twin Screw Vise or Normal Bench Vise?



## dixon95 (Jun 13, 2020)

So I am trying to decide which vise would be better to build: a twin screw vise or a standard woodworking bench vise. I do a variety of wood working and I don't what's best. I only have room for one vise. I was hoping someone could help me decide.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

Dixon - what kind of woodworking area are you in ?
(dedicated shop, basement, garage, storage shed, etc.)
I "tried" to keep my workbench clean and tidy but having so many
hobbies and scattered talents, I end up using a dedicated woodworking bench
to hold boat motor parts, lawnmower frames, assorted car parts,
and the list goes on.
we really can't give you a definitive answer on your vise question
because we don't know anything about you, your shop, your skills, the projects
that you make, etc. what kind of tools do you like to use the most often?
just try to focus on your workbench and decide for yourself 
what will serve your needs the best in the long run.
welcome to the forum and we are looking forward to seeing some of your projects.

.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

Well, price may help you decide. A decent woodworking vice is going to cost you around $90 and up, whereas a decent twin screw costs around $250 and up.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

I started with a traditional iron face vise. When building a second bench, I went with a twin screw and am much happier. Much more versatility and ability to hold longer pieces vertically.

That said, I came to the decision through experience with the first bench and vise, evaluating how I work and what projects I was doing. A twin screw isn't the best option for everyone, some may be better served with a leg vise or a traditional face vise. It was the best choice for me.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

I forgot to add to my post:
the original question was - - 


> which vise would be better to build :
> - dixon95


well, if you have the mindset to "build" your first bench vise,
there are dozens of good Single Screw examples and Twin Screw examples on the net.
some are pretty simple and inexpensive up to the most complicated with a lot of expensive parts.
again, this comes down to your skill sets and what type of work you will be doing the most.
let us know what you decide to go with and maybe make a project page with it.

.


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## MPython (Nov 30, 2018)

I have a Lee Valley Veritas twin screw vise as the end vise on my bench. I have a love-hate relationship with it. It's handy for a lot of reasons: I can clamp work vertically between the screws; it works fine for clamping work between dogs; the jaws are long so I can clamp boards for edge planing; and it works great for odd clamping jobs like these:



















It has one serious and very annoying shortcoming. I can't keep the jaws aligned parallel. It' s out of alignment now and I need to fix it - again - but I keep putting to off because it's a pain to adjust.

I also have a Record quick release front vise on my bench. It's a wonderful vise and easy to use. It's my utility vise; I use it multiple times every day.


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## tywalt (Dec 13, 2017)

My two cents is that if you are only going to have one vise and you don't have any experience with a twin screw, you will be happier with a single screw. Twin screws can be a little finicky but are fantastic at doing what they do. With a single screw vise, you can make yourself a twin screw moxon vise down the road or get creative with clamping wide boards to the bench when you need to. The single screw (in my experience) will accomplish most woodworking tasks "well enough" and you can get creative with coming up with a combination of stops/crochets/clamps/etc to hold those random strange pieces every now and then. If you end up wanting a twin screw later, a moxon vise that clamps onto your bench is a pretty common solution.


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