Bench vise tail, end, Lee Valley Rockler

[Gerry S. Wojtowicz]

This question has been asked before I'm sure.
I am about to install a vice on my bench.
I am thinking about the Lee Valley quick release front vise and Rockler's 12" quick release end vise.

First question: why can't I use the same vise in both the end and tail positions (if I have my nomenclature right, the end vise would be on the left end on the front of the bench (the longest dimension), the tail vise would be on the end with the shortest dimension.

Second, are there any opinions as to which is better. I am thinking the one from Veritas, though more expensive would be the one to go with.

Thanks for your input.

[Prashun Patel]

You can install a 'face vise' on the end of the bench. It will work. However, by virtue of its single screw in the center, it can rack when clamping some thing. When using an end vise, you are usually working from the side of the vise, which means your piece will be clamped off center. There are ways to overcome this.

[glenn bradley]

I use face vises at front and end positions. I rarely use the tail position as a primarily hand tool user might.

269318

If the boards are wide enough, the face vise in the tail position is fine. For narrow boards I do this.

269317

Unless you are building your bench to resemble a specific style, the proper vise and position is determined by what you do and how you do it. My next evolutionary step in benches will probably have a twin-screw at the tail position. As a side note, Dad has had the Rockler QR vise like this for a number of years:

269319

It has been a disappointment in that the QR mechanism gets fouled easily. The real drawback in my use of it while visiting is that you cannot ease the jaws open by "unwinding" the screw. When you "unwind" the jaw becomes free and must be manhandled into position. I have the lever type QR vises which allow forward and backward travel in a controlled manner when engaged and in a QR fashion when unlatched. This is important to me but, another person may not care at all about it.

[Prashun Patel]

I also have a Rockler quick release face vise. I also find that the mechanism gets sticky after a while. The nut doesn't engage the screws, so you can spin the handle and the jaws don't move. You have to sort of lift and drop the vise by its handle a couple times and then the screws engage. Hard to explain. It's a nuissance, but it's still a decent vise.

I do find that if budget is an issue, then consider a non-qr front vise. I have LV non-qrs on a leg vise and another face vise, and honestly, I don't miss it all that much. I prefer those vises to the Rockler. I also have a Veritas QR tail vise. Now THAT's how a quick release mechanism should work.

[Gerry S. Wojtowicz]

Thanks to all for your responses.
Glenn, I am imagining my setup to be similar to yours. My intention, in general, would be to use the tail vise for planing the face of my wood and the end vise, again in general, to plane the edge of my wood.
What vises do you have in those positions?

[glenn bradley]

Believe it or not they are Harbor Freight. HF now carries vises similar to these but, the quality is now very poor. Don't get me wrong; I basically took these vises apart and put them back together to get them to work well but, I wouldn't try even that with the current offering. The reason I went cheap is that this was to be an "tweener" bench. I even called the thread My "Next" Workbench (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?57879-The-quot-Next-quot-Workbench-Part-1) as I thought it would be quickly replaced.

I have a couple of LV vise-hardware sets (http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=31137&cat=1,41659,41661&ap=1) that I plan to use on this bench's replacement. I will consider them an investment as the price has gone up more than my portfolio since I bought them. I just figured I would tire of this bench way sooner than I have. It is still going strong; who knew(???). As stated, on the next bench I will use the LV hardware and probably add a twin-screw at the tail.

[Dan Rude]

Take a look at PW a few months back and Christopher Swartz's Milk Man Bench, he made the vises with wood screws and the http://www.bealltool.com/products/threading/bigthreader.php. For the price of 2 vises you could purchase the kit. I my self am going to make a bench and I have 2 smaller woodworking vices made by students learning machining in the Tech college I taught at a number of years ago. I have no idea how they will work, but I know they were at least made in the US. Dan

[Gerry S. Wojtowicz]

Dan,

Thanks for the input. I don't think PW is available without a subscription.