Replies

1. 
   joeleonetti | Oct 26, 2021 07:17pm | #1

   Lost Art Press just released recently book called Anarchist Workbench. It is a culmination of Chris's 20ish years of working on different benches. I'd suggest reading it. The hard book costs money, the PDF is free to download.

   As for me personally, I bought a Lie Nielsen workbench 6 years ago and have been happily using it ever since. Once you find a way to clamp with what you have, you will be happy. If I get a second bench, I'd be inclined to try a leg vise. I use my end vise all the time and would miss it. Chris in the book (as well as Paul Sellers) think it isn't necessary.

2. 
   _mj_ | Oct 26, 2021 07:19pm | #2

   Twin screw over leg. Wagon over tail. Crinkle cut fries.

3. 
   curmudgeon | Oct 26, 2021 07:41pm | #3

   Leg vise, wagon vise.

4. 
   tbonetim | Oct 26, 2021 08:40pm | #4

   I second leg vise and wagon vise.

   And predict this topic is going to get a bajillion comments.

5. 
   esch5995 | Oct 26, 2021 09:56pm | #5

   A Benchcrafted leg and wagon vise in a very stout Rubio is the best bench I've ever had or used

1. 
   tbonetim | Oct 26, 2021 09:59pm | #6

   Ditto

6. 
   hoovermd | Oct 26, 2021 10:48pm | #7

   Not quite a twin-screw but I'm happy with this face vise

   
1. 
   esch5995 | Oct 27, 2021 01:33am | #8

   I would call that a tail vice.

1. 
   john_c2 | Oct 27, 2021 09:19am | #9

   I guess, technically, it's a face vise being used as a tail vise.

   I wonder, is it the position on the bench that gives it the name, or the type of vise if divorced from the bench?

7. 
   fishnduty | Oct 27, 2021 02:08pm | #10

   I'll throw this out there regarding a leg vs face (single or twin screw) vise. I sometimes prefer to sit for detailed work and with my face vise setup I'm able to my knees under the vice which for me is more comfortable.

8. 
   mschlack | Oct 27, 2021 05:47pm | #11

   I made a Tage Frid-style bench about 10 years ago, which features his version of a single-screw vise and a tail vise. I've never really seen where it is that I would get the benefit of a leg vise -- I occasionally wind up clamping one end of a long board in the vise and the other either to the other table leg or using a 4 x 4 piece with 1/2" holes clamped to the leg and a dowel to support the long board. Whatever. But the tail vise is vital, IMO; this is how you hold work onto a bench dog. I can see that the wagon vise might be a useful alternative, but my tail vise has several dog holes, so between that and the dog holes on the bench, I get a lot of flexibility with clamping stuff.

9. 
   [email protected] | Nov 22, 2021 05:39pm | #12

   On my original bench,made 1973,I have gone through various iterations,four in all,and it is now fitted with two pattern makers vises.Back in Brooklyn Tech High School we made patterns the first year, cast them the second year,and machined them the third year.Gene Landen ,when he was with us,sold me one many wears ago.I have the big model but the smaller version is a little easier to handle.They are found in the darkest back reaches of abandoned barns.Good luck

10. 
    mikaol | Nov 22, 2021 05:43pm | #13

    What you need vs what you want or can afford.

11. 
    EdWeber | Nov 22, 2021 06:15pm | #14

    Without knowing what type of woodworking you do, I could advise one way or the other

12. 
    jharveyb | Nov 22, 2021 10:51pm | #15

    I use mostly solid wood, rarely plywood, never MDF. Almost every board that goes thru my planer ends up on my bench getting planed or scraped. I use my tail vise (a metal quick-release antique) constantly. It has a push-up dog, and there are dog holes the length of the bench (7').

    I also have an Emmert's Patternmakers Vise on the left front. I found it not in the darkest back reaches of a barn, but of an old hardware store in Chicago. When I asked the owner how much he wanted for the Emmert's Patternmakers Vise in the back, he started bragging about me to another customer, saying how nice it was to have someone in the store who knew what he saw. Then he said $50 for the vise. I was 650 miles from home on a motorcycle, but figured out a way to get it home. There is a modern version available from Highland Hardware for $340. https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/patternmakerswoodworkingvise.aspx
    They are really flexible; highly recommended. I made a support leg that plugs into any of the dog holes and comes down the front of the bench, with its front edge even with the rear jaw of the Emmert's (which I installed about an inch in front of the bench edge.) The support leg has 3/4" holes down its front, and a block with a dowel that fits in the holes. The dowel is off center vertically in the block, so rotating the block upside down gives fine adjustments to the height. Yep, I use this all the time as well.