Just throwing this out there as a wild idea:
Would there be more benefits or drawbacks to having a full length front vice, theoretically with a screw at either end and a chain connecting the two (a twin screw vice). I can see this being useful for holding long board for planing or securing large workpieces to the bench from the sides.
Chris @ flairwoodworks
– Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. – Albert Schweitzer
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I'm sure some of the best ideas started out as crazy.
My two principal concerns with the full length vise would be:
1) What is the point when I can hold a board just fine with a regular vise and a deadman?
2) from an engineering standpoint, you would have to reinforce the vise face in order to prevent it from bowing out under pressure from the end screws.
Mostly I would just go with #1, not sure what problem this design is solving.
I think that it would be useful if one had to secure a large workpiece such as a tabletop to the workbench without obstructing the top surface - bench dogs in the vise and bench would clamp from the edges. I think that some reinforcement would be advisable to prevent bowing etc. Now that I think of it, the vise would be similar in design to the Leigh jig's clamping mechanism.Chris @ flairwoodworks
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
I have a Veritas twin screw as my front vice, as well as one at the end of the bench. As a front vice I believe the twin screw is better than the other models because it can function as just about all of them. (If only it could be a pattern-maker as well :-) )
As you mention, it provides enough registration to grip a whole board for edge planing. Only the very longest boards require additional support at their ends.
The space between the screws can be very wide but even with just the standard 12 - 18 inches, it allows most boards to be sat end-up for DTs and similar, with no screw getting in the way as it does with one o' them Record style vices.
If the jaws are extended to the outside right (or left) of the screw then you have a shoulder vice without the need for that extra leg and so forth. The Veritas can have the chain disengaged so that slightly skew pieces can be gripped. Alternatively, (if you imagine a shoulder vice like this on the right outer side of the right screw) the left screw ensures the shoulder vice faces stay true with no racking, when that is required.
The only disadvantage that I've found so far is that there is no quick release on the Veritas so that you have to do a bit of holding-and-screwing rather than knocking the jaws closed on a piece with your knee.
If you wanted to have the vise jaws as long as your bench edge, this might start to be a problem, not least because of the weight of the outer jaw causing sag. But you could use two twin screw, one at either side....?
Lataxe
Maybe two quick-release front vices would be handier...Chris @ flairwoodworks
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
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