With the encouragement of several denizens of this discussion group, I purchased the above mentioned vise with the intention of replacing my woefully inadequate end vise…just haven’t gotten around to it (too busy planing)…recently, in the fall issue of Woodworking, CSchwartz explored the qualities of the Hofza somethingorother workbench and used the twin vise in the front position rather than on the end…are there advantages of one placement over the other?
Neil
Replies
Neil,
I have one mounted as an end vise. I think that placement is dictated by how you plan to use it.
If you do a search here in Knots, you will find all sorts of comments/suggestions about the Veritas Twin Screw vise. Perhaps one of the more interesting adaptations was done by Lataxe.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob,
Thanks for that suggestion. I did just that and found a wealth of information on installation tips not covered in the instruction manual..not being the most mechanically talented WW I've been putting off this installation even though I could really benefit from the ts vise...I did want to do some dovetailing on the table front aprons...in one of your posts you mentioned doing that...can you post any pictures of the finished product?
Neil
Neil,
I think I have some at home in my old PC. I'll fire it up after work and check. If not I can get some tonight as I'll be in the woodshop. Failing that or if you're in a hurry, do a search here for Lon Schlienings Essentiall Workbench. That's where I got the idea.
I did them in place, what a mistake that was. Makes it a lot of work and I'm not totally happy with the end result. They are strong so I guess that's what counts the most.
As to suggesting the search I did that B4 I installed mine and found a wealth of knowledge too. Above all, follow he directions to the letter. VERY IMPORTANT.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 9/10/2007 12:22 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
I don't think it's an either/or proposition--the decision regarding what kind of vise to put on the front is largely independent of the decision regarding what kind of vise to put on the end.
Back in the Olden Days, the front vise argument consisted primarily of shoulder vise vs. conventional single-screw vise (such as a Record or wooden-jawed equivalent). The conventional vise is simpler and potentially stronger, but the shoulder vise allows you to clamp a long board vertically without having to deal with racking of the vise screw.
As a front vise, the Veritas twin-screw vise offers the strength of the conventional single-screw vise with the ability to hold a long board vertically. The downside is that it is physically quite wide, so unless your bench is pretty long, it may get in the way at times.
On my list of Things To Do When I Have Time and Money is a new bench with a twin-screw vise on the end and a Tucker patternmaker's vise on the front. (At the moment I have a wooden-jawed conventional vise on the front, and no vise at all on the end, although I may install a twin-screw vise on the end in the not-too-distant future.
-Steve
Thanks Steve,
Actually that was the configuration I was considering, using a pattern makers vise on the front...the bench is long enough that length wouldn't be a deciding factor...I was just trying to avoid that all too frequent predicament of doing something one way only to find months or years later "damn,I shudda done it the other way'...probably an unavoidable experience, especially for newbies.
Neil
This is the configuration that I have on my bench: twin-screw on the end, patternmakers clone on the face at other end. When I use the twin as a face vise, I simply stand at the end and call it a very deep but short bench!My only "problem" with the twin is something that few here have reported on. That is, I think there is more drag on the vise than I'd like. It seems a chore to screw it in and out.... as if it is sagging appreciably and causing undue friction. I've installed UHMW blocks to wedge against the sag, but still the difficulty continues. I may have gotten something misaligned when installing the vise despite being very careful and doubly checking my facts and figures. This isn't a terrible condition, I merely find it anoying. Someday I'll take the time to sluth out a solution. Oh, one more thing. I don't use the second handle on the twin. I had it there at first, but it seemed to always want to be in the way. I don't find it inconvenient to use just the one.
SP & Neil,
I like the Veritas TS vises a lot and have one on the end and one on the face of my 6.5ft X 2ft bench. Bob is right that careful to-the-letter installation is required to get them working well.
As you mention, SP, there is a tendency for the vises to get a little stiff when wound right out. Mine can be wound in/out with the one handle until the gap is around 5 - 6 inches, then it begins to get harder. One hand is used to wind, one to hold the weight of the workpiece whilst a knee pushes up on the outer jaw to take some of its weight. (Both vises have thick, heavy outer jaws made of hard maple).
But with day-to-day workpieces - those that require an opening of less than 6 inches - there is no issue.
Well, there is one issue - no quick release so the jaws always have to be wound in and out all the way of the necessary travel to close them on the workpiece. This is not a disadvantage, really, except in a tiny amount of lost time. But if you are used to quick release things, you find yourself getting all tutty about the lack.
I use the face vise 80% of the time. It serves as a shoulder vise with an ability to put the long workpiece in vertically, either between the jaws or on the outside of one screw, in the jaw end. The twin screw stops any wracking; but also (when the chain-drive is disengaged) accommodates somewhat unsquare work pieces.
Amongst other routine tasks, the face vise also holds planks for planing, either edge or face up. Long planks are supported at the right hand end by a toothed dog on the end vise outer jaw.
A row of three round dogs in the top of the outer jaw, along with matching dogs in the bench top, allow glue-ups of one sort or another to be clamped using the vise. (The same can be done on longer glue-ups with the dogged end vise).
My face vise has the left-hand end of the bench front edge extended down to make the inner jaw (which is therefore flush with the whole of the bench edge) and a matching large 3-inch-thick outer jaw that is 2ft long and 7 inches deep. You could extend the right hand outer jaw to make a shoulder vise as long as the front of the bench!
The end vise is used as a tail vice but also to hold large panels flat on the benchtop, using two sets of dogs. Or as a face vise on a narrow bench, as someone else mentioned.
I have also made various shaped jaws, lined with leather, to hold things like round chair legs in the outer edges of the end vise, on the corner where it meets the bench front edge. This second shoulder vise sort of arrangement isn't as versatile as a pattern-makers vise but serves my limited needs to hold long, vertical, non-square work pieces, especially when that chain-drive is disengaged.
All in all - fine and versatile vises that are worth the money and effort to install properly.
Lataxe, who has many vices.
Edited 9/11/2007 8:40 am ET by Lataxe
"On my list of Things To Do When I Have Time and Money is a new bench with a twin-screw vise on the end and a Tucker patternmaker's vise on the front."
I'm just getting started on that exact bench on top of a set of Noden legs. That Tucker is slick. I have it mounted on a 3x12x32 dumpster dive slab just so I could take measurements for locating it on the real top. I decided to install mine on a setback of 2-19/32" so that the rear jaw and the remainder of the bench are flush and wanted to double check some things first before deciding how long for that setback. I dont think you'll be sorry if you decide to go that route. Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to pick up material to start glueing up the top.
If you build it he will come.
I have that configuration and I love it.
My table and the Veritas vise are both 32" wide. I also made the jaws pretty deep, and it comes in handy clamping vertical pieces. When I get the time one of these days soon I'm going to drill the dog holes!
The patternmaker's vise on my bench is the one from Woodcraft. I seriously considered the Tucker vise from Lee Valley, but it was much more expensive.
I would highly recommend this setup for anyone. The Veritas opens and closes like butter, and the patternmakers vise does everything you could possibly want. I use it all the time.
If you buy two twin-screw vises, that front / end decision kinda' goes away don't it? B-) Once again, I am only too happy to spend more of your money. Someday, I hope to buy my own.
Neil,
Hope the vise install is going good. Just thought of another add-on for the handle(s).
I took a handle (B4 attaching the endcap) to the local auto supply store and we fit double o-rings on each end of the handles. They don't whack when you let go of them and should help protect the endcaps from cracking.
I ended up putting them on the front vise as well.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 9/17/2007 10:19 am ET by KiddervilleAcres
Hi Bob,
I haven't done the install, partly because I'm building a cathouse (the kind for pets) and a magazine cabinet, both of which are going slowly due to unclear design elements....the other hold up is that I'm still undecided as to mounting at the end or as a front vise...and I want to put a facing around the bench joined by dovetails...probably isn't, but that task seems a bit daunting, probably because the dovetails are so big and the wood is quite a bit longer than drawer sides....
Neil
"...I'm building a cathouse (the kind for pets)..."
All cathouses are for "pets"....
-Steve
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