Veritas Twin Screw vise

[Jim W. White]

Guys,

Have any of you installed this with the full 24" span? The end cap assembly is now formed out of aluminum (not trimmable) They now sell a 16" kit and a 24" kit. I'm interested to hear if there are any specific racking concerns with going with the 24" kit. I'm intending to use this in a front vise application spanning the upright on that side.

Thanks,

Jim in Idaho

[Dewey Torres]

Jim,
Mine is 24" and she doesn't rack. As long as you use good solid mounting techniques this baby is solid! Because of the tandem screw design, it can only rack the amount that the chain will flex anyway and that is very little at best.

[Doug Shepard]

I bought the 24" kit but didn't use the full 24" - something like 22-1/2" IIRC and the middle cover trims very easily. So I'm not sure why you don't think it's trimmable. About a week ago, the non-drive screw stopped turning and I had to pop the cover and re-tighten the set screws. In the process I managed to not get both sides to close up identically and need to do it again. So it's possible to adjust it incorrectly and get some side-to-side racking, but otherwise there's nothing to worry about.

[Eric Brown]

It's critical that you follow the directions and drill both the jaws with the same orientation and drillpress setup. Otherwise the screws may not be in alignment.

Eric

[Scott Brihn]

I use the full 24" and have experienced no racking. The set screws on the non-drive screw do come loose from time to time but can be accessed without taking the cover off. You need a flashlight and I believe a 4mm allen wrench. A little Loc-tite would likely solve this issue.

[Doug Shepard]

... You need a flashlight and I believe a 4mm allen wrench....
Hmmm. Should have grabbed a flashlight. Just seeing them through that access hole was my problem and why I ended up just popping the cover off.

[Rob Luter]

Mine is at 24" and doesn't rack...much. It didn't rack at all at first. The chain has stretched some since I assembled it and the set screws have slipped a little so I find myself disengaging the drive pin and tightening the screws independently from time to time. Usually only when I have a wide part clamped in the jaws. I just need to install the chain tensioners and lock the set screws back down on the slave screw.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=89362

[Ken Garlock]

Hi Jim.

I installed the LV twin screw in my new workbench this past summer. It is not a hard job, but does consume time if you do it correctly.
Be sure to read and understand the instructions. Then go back and reread the instructions. As you install the vise, RTFM, as you go. When it came to drilling the screw holes in the two face plates, I used double stick tape the 'glue' them together in order to assure the two faces were congruent.

Take extra care to drill the bolt holes accurately, perpendicular to the end of the bench end, and parallel to the bench surface. Being off just a little will give you extra work.

Oh yes, do read the instructions before starting. :D

[Hank Knight]

I bought the 24" kit but didn't use the full 24" - something like 22-1/2" IIRC and the middle cover trims very easily. So I'm not sure why you don't think it's trimmable.

+1

I trimmed about 1 1/2" off my aluminum cover on the bandsaw with no problem at all. I think I have about 23" between my screws. I've never had a racking problem.

Hank

[Rob Lee]

Guys,

Have any of you installed this with the full 24" span? The end cap assembly is now formed out of aluminum (not trimmable) They now sell a 16" kit and a 24" kit. I'm interested to hear if there are any specific racking concerns with going with the 24" kit. I'm intending to use this in a front vise application spanning the upright on that side.

Thanks,

Jim in Idaho

Hi Jim -

Please go ahead and try trimming the cover - it's just aluminum, so is easy to cut. Cut edges are covered by the caps, so any burr/irregularity at the edge is covered.

If you mess it up - I'll be glad to send you another cap...

Cheers -

Rob

[Jim W. White]

Thanks for all the feedback guys

....and thanks for the extra re-assurance Rob, I think it's really awesome that you take the time to monitor and respond to posts on this board! ...I've never been dissapointed with my experiences with Lee Valley!

Jim in Idaho

[Mark Ketelsen]

My twin screw is 20" between screws and does not rack. Cutting the cover was easy with a hacksaw - I scribbed the cut with a marking guage first.

I too had problems with the set screw slipping so I drilled a dimple in the shaft where the set screw lands and have not further problems.

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll125/mketelsen/Holtzapffel%20Workbench/56front.jpg

[Chris Friesen]

No problems with the full width...if anything I would have liked to have a full 24" between the screws, not just between centers.

I will raise one caveat though...I put some delrin spacer blocks between the screws and the benchtop. Contrary to the instructions I didn't allow any clearance between the screws and the spacers (the delrin is self-lubricating), this has the effect of seriously reducing any sagging of the movable jaw. Because of this, the top-to-bottom taper in the movable jaw must be dramatically reduced otherwise the vise only grips at the very top.

[Leigh Betsch]

So if this vice doesn't rack why does it have two screws? Seems to me that one screw would work. Just asking a question, a new vice is in my future.

[John Sanford]

The vise does rack, IF you want it to. You can disengage the synchronization between the screws, allowing you to rack the vise some.

That's part of the reason for two screws. A second reason is it allows you to clamp wider work without racking, and without having to rig up some means of clamping the other side.

[Leigh Betsch]

Ok, I understand the two screws will help to prevent racking since they are driven together. Why the two handles? Is it ncessary to tighten both?

[Eric Brown]

The main reason for the two handles is so that after initially closing the vice with one handle (your other hand is positioning the workpiece), you use both hands for final tightening. This insures a more even pressure than one hand and reduces the load the chain would need, thereby also increasing the chains life.

Two independant screws have been used "forever" but in use you would need to turn one and then the other to keep the jaws somewhat even until closed. The chain just makes it much easier and faster to do.

Eric

[Peter Tremblay]

Jim, I recently installed a Veritas twin screw as a face vise on my bench as well. I put the two screws close together (12" on center) and had a large open jaw to the right. The idea was to imitate a wooden hand screw. I thought (and am now sure of) that this setup combines the versatility of a traditional shoulder vise with the non-racking charachatists of a twin screw.

My vise does rack a teeny-tiny about and I compensate for that by skewing the jaws a bit and by lining the inside of one jaw with leather. That also helps with gripping power.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll112/Petercft/woodworking/23.jpg?t=1232601466
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll112/Petercft/woodworking/2-14.jpg?t=1232601503

That's another idea.

But to answer your question the twin screw does not rack. Mine does a bit because I reverse load the left screw. I designed and built this vise a bit differently to allow for this but because my screws are so close the slightest play is detectable but in a full 24" application any play will not be noticed due to it being spread out over such a long distance.

Peter

[Mark Ketelsen]

I put some delrin spacer blocks between the screws and the benchtop. Contrary to the instructions I didn't allow any clearance between the screws and the spacers (the delrin is self-lubricating), this has the effect of seriously reducing any sagging of the movable jaw. Because of this, the top-to-bottom taper in the movable jaw must be dramatically reduced otherwise the vise only grips at the very top.

I planned to do the same thing, but after installing the vise, I was surprised to find there was no appreciable sag even with the vise open wide. So I didn't bother. Every once in a while, I check under there and things still look good.

Also, my plan was to completely install the vise and then measure how much top-to-bottom taper of the moveable jaw I needed when the jaws were separated by typical working distances, then dissassemble and plane the necessary taper. However, I found that I didn't need any taper. I did install 1/8" leather jaw liners, and the vise grips amazingly well with only mild clamping force.

I can't imagine anything I would change about this vise except for having to drill the slave shaft to keep the set screw from slipping.

Cheers,
Mark Ketelsen