Veritas Bench Hardware - Confusion

[Eben Fourie]

I am looking at various options for securing work on a (potentially viceless) bench - dog holes & sliding board jack only. Not sure that I understand the differences between the following products offered by Veritas:

Wonder dogs vs Surface vice
Hold down vs Surface clamp
Got the following response from their Customer Service, which does explain the physical differences, but I'm more interested in the functional / usage differences.

The main difference between the Veritas® Wonder Dog® (product # 05G1001) and the Veritas® Surface Vise (product # 05G1050) is that the Wonder Dog® is 6-1/2" long overall and can be used anywhere you can drill a 3/4" hole. The Surface Vise on the other hand measures 19” long and has double posts that each mount in 3/4" holes. Therefore, you only require one hole for the wonder dog® as opposed to 2 for the surface vise.

As for the difference between the Veritas® Hold-Down (product # 05G1401) and the Veritas® Surface Clamp (product # 05G1901), the surface clamp has a wedging mechanism that anchors it firmly in material as well as a threaded post that allows you to screw the pressure pad onto the work piece. The hold-down on the other hand does not have the wedging mechanism and is simply pressed down into place to hold the work piece in place.
Found a blog entry that mentioned the surface vice was like Wonder Dogs with quick release functionality...

If any of you guys have used these, and could comment, I'd appreciate it.

Eben

[Kent A Bathurst]

Don't have 'em, but have seen @ Highland the two in your second entry. Catalog here:
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/bench-clamps-hold-downs.aspx

[Graham Hughes (CA)]

I have both the sliding vise and the wonder dog, although I've not used them seriously yet. The wonder dog is much, much smaller and seems to be designed as a sort of temporary solution to a workholding problem. The surface vise is much larger and a better replacement for a tail vise.

[Rob Lee]

Hi Eben -

The Wonder Dog, and Hold Down are both generalist/type devices - the other two are more specialized.

Wonder Dog vs Surface vise - the wonder dog will swivel in use, It is also much slower to adjust when flat on a bench - you have to flip the handle, then rotate it 180 degrees to get half a rotation of travel (or, you could lift it clear of the bench, and twirl the handle with a finger). The Surface vice applies force along one axis, and the threads can be disengaged for rapid adjustment. You can also hang the handle off the end of the bench. My recommendation - buy the Wonder Dog... it has a larger range of applicability.

Hold Down Vs Surface clamp - these are not really an either/or choice they both have functional differences. The Hold Down is the traditional tool for use with a bench...it has good depth capacity, and good reach. It require a through-hole for use though. The surface clamp can be used in any 3/4" hole, as long as it's 5/8" or more deep. It can be use in a hole drilled in a tree, in a stud, upside down... well, you get the idea. It's a great clamp to use in the shop, or on a jobsite. Recommendation - less clear, but I'd go with the Hold-down first.... both are really useful though!

Cheers -

Rob

(Graham above makes a good point too!)

[Doug Shepard]

I've got 3 (or is it 4?) of the Surface Clamps and am strictly using them in the edge (4") of the bench. Two are currently holding a Woodrat mounting box onto the back edge of the bench. I've got a few dog holes in the front edge for securing the end of longer work when the other end is in the face vise. I dont think I'd turn to them for use on top of the bench vs the wonderdogs which have a much lower profile so they're out of the way for planing.

[Larry Marshall]

I've bought the surface vise recently and I think it is fair to say that it's a wonder dog with a longer throw AND it does have a quick release function. I love it. You can see more of my comments on it here:

http://www.woodnbits.com/blog/2009/10/lee-valleys-innovative-surface-vise/

Cheers --- Larry

[Joe Close]

Here is another link that talks about the surface vice:

http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/Veritas+Surface+Vise+30+Seconds+To+Get+It.aspx

[Eben Fourie]

You gotta love SMC :)

Posted the questions last night just before going to bed. Checking before work, I have responses from several members, as well as the tool's manufacturer.

This forum is fantastic, thank you to everybody that responded. Much clearer now.

Regards,
Eben