I'm in the early stages of building a Moravian workbench. I'm planning to include a wagon vise of some sort and I've bought an Acer-Ferrous wooden screw for the purpose.
I came upon this design by Texcaster over at Lumberjocks a while back and I like how it combines the features of a wagon vise with a traditional tail vise. There are a few tradeoffs, but I think it has a few advantages over either of the traditional designs.
If I were to implement this design, I would make a few changes. First, it would be much narrower, only covering one of the slabs of my split-top bench (10-12 inches). This would move the screw closer to the dog block, reducing racking (which Texcaster says is not a significant problem, but less is always better) and reducing susceptibility to seasonal movement (which Texcaster says is an issue with his version).
Pros vs. Tail Vise:
- No sagging
- Much more robust (I'd like to use my end vise to hold parts for mortising)
- Potentially easier to build
Cons vs. Tail Vise:
- No clamping between end of vise and bench. This isn't significant for me because the splayed legs will prevent this anyway.
- Doesn't look as nice
Pros vs. Wagon Vise:
- Can clamp stock overhanging end of bench
- Multiple dog holes
- Can clamp stock to end of bench like face vise
- Screw not exposed when the vise is closed
- Looks nicer (subjective)
Cons vs. Wagon Vise:
- Harder to build
- Possible racking (mitigated by narrower vise)
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