Another workbench question

[Stephen Edwards]

I'm just now beginning to take an interest in some hand tool work. What are the common names for the two different vises shown on this work bench?

http://larryfire.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/garrett-wade-workbench.jpg

What are the traditional uses of the two different kinds of vises? If you were going to build or buy a work bench and you were only going to have one vise, which one would it be and why?

Thanks for your input.

[Sean Hughto]

A face vise and a tail vise are the common names of those particular two.

All vises hold the wood to be worked. The tail vise is especailly useful for holding pieces on top pf the bench between dogs. Front vise of various sorts are useful for holding boards on edge for planing and cutting joints.

I wouldn't limit myself to one vise, if I was serious about hand work. If you are goint to the expense and time to buy or build a bench, plan for vises that will likely accomodate all routine operations.

[Robert Rozaieski]

I only use a face/front vise. I don't use a tail vise and don't think they are necessary for hand tool work. I feel that I get a better feel for what my planes are doing when I plane against a simple stop. To keep a longer board from twisting you can use a holdfast or two and a couple battens if you like. Having the board loose on the benchtop makes flipping it around easy (no need to loosen a vise) and ensures that you don't overtighten the tail vise, potentially bowing your work (if the board is thin enough) and making it more difficult to work flat.

I use a wooden twin screw vise in the front vise position and wouldn't trade it for any other vise. I will be moving it to the right hand corner of the bench when I build my new one however, ala Joseph Moxon's bench. I think this will move it out of the way of where most face planing gets done. Where it is now I tend to run into it a lot when face planing a board.

[James Scheffler]

I only use a face/front vise. I don't use a tail vise and don't think they are necessary for hand tool work. I feel that I get a better feel for what my planes are doing when I plane against a simple stop.

+1 on the simple stop. Mine is just a piece of plywood held to the front of the bench with thumbscrews. It has grooves so it can be raised or lowered completely out of the way.

I have a wagon-type tail vise that broke a couple of years ago. I put the stop on the front and never bothered to fix the tail vise. I haven't felt that I needed it. :)

Jim

[Johnny Kleso]

Face Vise is a must....

This is a OK vise not hight quality but it works well..
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94386

Tail vise is good to have but a Planing Stop is must.. That can be Two Dog Holes 2"-3" a part, they work well placed just to the right of the Face Vise as you look at it..

You use a single or double face vise for a tail vise..

My first bench had two HF $29.99 vises for a tail vise on it..
I got them on sale for $19.99 and had free shipping too a few years back..

[David Gendron]

I have to agree with Bob and other that like face vise, mine is a leg vise type and love it but agree that a twin screw vise type as a face vise would be great! And of course planing stops are a must, mine is a thin piece of chery attache to a cleats that fit into the leg vise, so the piece of chery(1/4"thick x 24" x 6") fit flat on the top for thin stock or I can give it an angle upward for thicker stuff.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I too am with Bob on this one. I have a twin wooden screw face vise with 24.5" between the screws, and on the opposite diagonal side corner I have an Emmert K1 patternmakers vise. Either or both vise do everything I need done. Almost all tail vises sag and additionally they make one corner of the bench almost useless. The clamping I need done can be done with the face vise and either a board jack or a holdfast inserted into a hole in the leg.

[Frank Drew]

I used my tail vise with the work held between bench dogs all the time and wouldn't want to be without one, certainly for planing, but planing isn't the only thing you do with the work flat on the benchtop between dogs, and dogs aren't in the way the way holdfasts or other kinds of clamps can be.

My front vise is a shoulder vise and of course it's also essential.

Both types benefit from leather facings, IMO.

[Chris Friesen]

I have a twin-screw face vise with about 22" between the screws, and about 6" outside of the screw on each side. The end of the movable jaw lines up with the end of the bench, and the vise is centered over a leg to help support the stock.

I used a quick-release iron vise with a wooden chop (drilled to take a bench dog) for the tail vise. Normally I use a planing stop (and battens if necessary) but sometimes it's nice to be able to immobilize something.

[Jim Koepke]

Face vice, tail vice, hold fasts, bench dogs, planing stops wedges and clamps the more ways you can think of to hold different pieces of work the better.

I like that both of my vices can be removed from my bench and it becomes a top with aprons. The only trade I would consider for my tail vise is a wagon vise. Looks good, but I like to be able to hold a board in the tail vise just like a board is held in the face vice. Mine are just cheaply made vises, but they do the job.

One shouldn't have too many vices, but one should have as many vises as they can use.

jim

[Josh Bowman]

Are there any good instructions for building a "wagon" vise? I have Swartz's book and it has a little info, but I would like to see how others did it.

[Randy Bonella]

I'm interested as well. I'll be starting some searches for it myself and if found will post what I find.

Randy...

[James Scheffler]

Are there any good instructions for building a "wagon" vise? I have Swartz's book and it has a little info, but I would like to see how others did it.

I loosely based mine on a workbench plan in one of the New Yankee Workshop books. I think there might have been a mention in the Scott Landis workbench book as well. I was able to get both of them from my local library. They've been around for a long time.

[Stephen Edwards]

Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions. That's a lot of information to absorb and ponder over. For now, the main purpose of a vice for me will be to hold boards while making hand cut dovetails.

Thanks again!

[Kevin Lucas]

Here is a blog where they make a wagon vise. Hope it helps...

http://incidentalwoodworker.blogspot.com/2009/10/wagon-vise.html

[Jerome Hanby]

Are there any good instructions for building a "wagon" vise? I have Swartz's book and it has a little info, but I would like to see how others did it.

I'm not looking at it at the moment, but I'm pretty sure that the workbench in New Yankee Workshop (http://www.amazon.com/New-Yankee-Workshop-Norm-Abram/dp/0316004545) book (cheap used from Amazon, remember to go through SMC if you buy) has a wagon vise.

Here is a picture (http://www.mv.com/users/besposito/woodworking/NYWBench1.jpg) from someone that built one

[Josh Bowman]

I'm not looking at it at the moment, but I'm pretty sure that the workbench in New Yankee Workshop (http://www.amazon.com/New-Yankee-Workshop-Norm-Abram/dp/0316004545) book (cheap used from Amazon, remember to go through SMC if you buy) has a wagon vise.

Here is a picture (http://www.mv.com/users/besposito/woodworking/NYWBench1.jpg) from someone that built one
Thanks...that's exactly what I was looking for.

[Josh Bowman]

Here's a video!
http://www.channels.com/episodes/8045717#/episodes/8045717