Leg Vise Chop

[Harold Burrell]

OK, here's the scenario...

Roubo bench.
5 3/4" wide SWP legs.
Hardware: http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2000308/607/Diameter-Screw-1-14-32-mm.aspx
2" thick Maple chop.

Here's the question: With a 5 3/4" wide leg, how wide should I make the chop? Would 9" be too much???

[Chuck Nickerson]

My Roubo has 5-3/4" legs with an 8-1/2" chop and it's not an issue.
The vise pressure is almost always applied to the front edge of the top, not to the leg directly.
The force get to the leg through the top-to-leg joint.
On the rare occasion I really need to crank the vise and the leg is involved, I just center the clamped item over the leg.

[george wilson]

Some nice looking leg vises flare out at the top to take a wider jaw.

[ian maybury]

I'm guessing that careful choice of the wood and maybe even laminating two opposing pieces for stability/to minimise the risk of warping might be a good idea?

[Jim Matthews]

9-10" will provide plenty of surface area.

Larger than this, and you can induce twist
in the chop, unless you employ a spacer on the other side.

[Jim Ritter]

The chop on my leg vise is 6" and I have never needed more clamping area.
Jim

[Christopher Charles]

9" sounds about right for mine, which flares as George says. Can measure tomorrow. Wouldn't change.

C

[Joe A Faulkner]

The chop in the Schwarz Roubo plan is 8" wide; in the Woodsmith Vol. 34 plan, the chop is 6". Mine is ~ 7 1/2" at the top and tappers to 4" at the bottom. I've been happy with that.