Leg vise..... How much do you use yours?

[Brian Hale]

I've never used a leg vise and as i'm simultaneously building and designing this "joinery" bench i started wondering how useful one would be. I ordered the Hovarter face vise, which is delayed by a week or so, and thought i could add the leg vise to the order. I also have 2 8" quick release face vises that can be installed, not sure about them....


Any way, here's a shot of the top. Needs a little flattening but not much

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[Zach Dillinger]

My leg vise is the only screw-powered vise I use. In fact, it is the only vise I have on my bench.

[Brian Hale]

Thanks Zach

Is that by choice or do you find yourself wanting a different vise from time to time?

I should have mentioned that most of my work these past few years is casework which means longer wider components.

[Prashun Patel]

Trust Zach's opinion over mine, but I'll offer this:

The relatively long fulcrum formed by the low parallel guide creates a lot of force in this vise. In fact, Hovarter has a great description of this on their website.

My leg vise works well for holding things at odd angles, like when shaping the bottom of a chair leg.

Because a leg vise uses the leg as the backing face, it often does not line up with the end of the bench. This can be an issue if you like to hand saw holding things in your vise.

The biggest issue with my leg vise is honestly the ergonomics. The handle is mounted lower than it probably would be on most face vises. This can be tedious and fatiguing - especially on a joinery bench where you may be setting and resetting a drawer side a couple times.

The narrow width of the chop also makes it less desirable for edge holding longer pieces. However, the taller chop allows edge holding of larger panels easier than a face vise.

As is usually the case with vises, it all comes down to how you like to work.

[David Eisenhauer]

I have a Ruobo style bench with a BC leg vise, QR face vise and a BC tail vise (wagon style) installed. The leg vise is the most used and more versatile than the face vise for the furniture type work I tend to spend more time on. The face vise works well and is more often used for smaller/shorter pieces that require some type of quicker, minor work or jig holding. I do have the face vise mounted such that the end of the chops are flush with the end of the benchtop so that I can use it for cutoff sawing.The leg vise, with its deeper throat before encountering the screw, is better suited for larger pieces that may require some angular adjustment and/or more secure (beefier) holding while working and is my go-to vise for tenon sawing. By the way, the front gap in the tail vise that can also be used to grip vertically works well for anything that will fit there, but I don't tend to work at that end of the bench as often as the other end. All of my vises are fitted with suede leather faces for better gripping and I highly recommend that.

[Christopher Charles]

Hi Brian,

I too have the BC set up and use the leg vise quite often, including for dovetailing pieces up to ~6" wide. Works great and can do wider pieces easily with a clamp on the right side because the front is flush with the base, though if I was routinely dovetailing wide panels, I'd consider a twin screw.

Hope that helps.
C

[Wojciech Tryc]

I use my leg vise (Roubo style wooden vise) in almost every project. I do not have a permanent tail vise. Instead, I use Veritas Wonder Dog/Pup
combo which allows me to move around the bench top freely. Holdfasts are also very helpful..

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[Brian Hale]

Great input guys, thanks!

Many years ago i had a bench with the legs flush to the edge of the top and i was constantly kicking the leg with my foot or knee which is why i hadn't considered a leg vise initially and the reason all my benches after that had a base lik my current one....

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Do you also find that to be a problem? I guess i could make just one leg flush.

Would you say the leg vise has more clamping force than other vises?

[steven c newman]

Skipping the ads..
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gets used quite a bit...even as a third hand, during glue-ups.....nothing fancy, though.

Use an old pipe clamp.....

[Wojciech Tryc]

Great input guys, thanks!

Many years ago i had a bench with the legs flush to the edge of the top and i was constantly kicking the leg with my foot or knee which is why i hadn't considered a leg vise initially and the reason all my benches after that had a base lik my current one....

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Do you also find that to be a problem? I guess i could make just one leg flush.

Would you say the leg vise has more clamping force than other vises?
The leg vise has definetly plenty of clamping force :)

[Mark Rainey]

The biggest issue with my leg vise is honestly the ergonomics. The handle is mounted lower than it probably would be on most face vises. This can be tedious and fatiguing - especially on a joinery bench where you may be setting and resetting a drawer side a couple times.
I too question the ergonomics. It looks beautiful but my back just aches thinking of bending to reach the handle. A nasty episode of sciatica made me put my bench on concrete blocks raising it to almost 40 inches & I ordered the Lake Erie Moxon vise to bring the work to me.:

[Brian Hale]

Mark, This bench will end up around 42"tall for a similar reason. Although not as severe as you, my back complains after a couple hours of chopping, marking and sawing on my current bench which is 32" tall. For me, 32" is the perfect height for hand plane work and sharpening saws on my homemade vise but this taller bench will hopefully make the other more detail-oriented task easier on the back. Just trying to decide if the leg vise will be an asset for those tasks...

[Jason Baker IX]

My leg vise is at the left end of my bench which is pushed up to a wall, so I'm never really trying to get around the vise to reach another part of my shop. I use a moxon vise when dovetailing casework or when I want to raise work up about 6in for ergonomic reasons. I like the fact that I have two options, and that I can remove the moxon from the bench when no longer needed. I have serious lower back issues. If your bench is on the higher side and you mount the leg vice handle as high as recommended by the manufacturer, you shouldn't have any problems.

[Christopher Charles]

Hi Brian,

For a bench that height, why not a double screw or shoulder vise? My plan has been to build a second higher 'joinery' bench with a double screw vise for dovetails.

[steven c newman]

I don't really have an issue with bench height, while doing dovetails or chopping mortises....as I usually sit down on my shop stool. If the mountain will not come......

So, instead of bending over the bench....I just sit down. Might look into a shop stool, for some tasks in the shop...even one you can roll around the work on. ( Have Spinal Stenosis Lumbar....)

[Bill Houghton]

The real question here is, "how much do you use a face vise?" Back when I had a leg vise, it was mounted as a face vise, and I used it regularly and would not have wanted to be without it. Now I have a metal-bodied face vise, and use it regularly/would not want to be without it.

Much depends on your work.

[Mark Rainey]

I don't really have an issue with bench height, while doing dovetails or chopping mortises....as I usually sit down on my shop stool. If the mountain will not come......

So, instead of bending over the bench....I just sit down. Might look into a shop stool, for some tasks in the shop...even one you can roll around the work on. ( Have Spinal Stenosis Lumbar....) Good idea - anybody have a favorite shop stool?

[Brian Hale]

For me, sitting doesn't work as well. I've got 2 height adjustable exam room stools and a couple wood stools that failed the "Oh, that works good" test

Besides, the top is done and I'm laying out cuts for the stretchers and legs ;)

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[David Myers]

I love my leg vise and use it frequently. I only adjust the pin when needed. i.e. there are some tasks where I just need to hold the work still while I deepen a knife line, or pare toward the bench. Other tasks require the full grip and the pin gets moved. If I had a bad back, I'd get a BC criss cross or something similar.

However, for a tall bench I don't think I'd like the leg vise as much. On a lower bench it's at a good height for cutting tenon cheeks, edge planing smaller pieces (or longer pieces with outboard support). I'm not sure it'd be as comfortable to do those tasks 8-10 inches higher.

On a taller joinery bench I'd prefer a twin screw of some sort, and that is in fact what I'm planning to build (ok, planning to plan to build).

[Jim Koepke]

Good idea - anybody have a favorite shop stool?

A bunch, some are saw benches or saw tables. Others are short wooden stools purchased at Walgreen's. Finally there is this:

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It is a section from an alder tree that also doubles as a base when something needs to be split with a froe or axe.

jtk

[steven c newman]

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Well, I tried this one...was just too tall to do any work from...so
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Floor is such that I can't really roll things around, too well...
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Puts me right about the right height, to saw dovetails, and chop a few things. Light enough that I can easily push it aside as needed. Then sit right back down. Don't even have to bend over to change the settings in the vise.

[chris carter]

For me, sitting doesn't work as well. I've got 2 height adjustable exam room stools and a couple wood stools that failed the "Oh, that works good" test



I'm 6' 6" and have to really take care of my back. My bench is 41 or 42". I use a back brace like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000095SGT/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 it's what people in warehouses use. I just cut off the shoulder straps. It is a complete GAME CHANGER. I can go all day long with zero issues. Without it, I would last maybe 20 minutes.

[steven c newman]

And, if the work is long enough..
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I can jam one end into the crochet at the far end....and plane away...That shelf sticks out, just enough to set a panel on....helps when the panels are a bit wide.

(Was jointing the edges on this panel..)

[Michael Mules]

I use mine all the time - very versatile and more importantly, reliable.
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I got around the "problem" (my back's fine, so it's not really a problem for me, I'm just lazy) of bending down to remove the pin from the guide, by replacing the guide with some all-thread and making a foot-wheel. I pinched the idea from a magazine - Australian Woodsmith, I think it was, and it works a treat; especially when one hand's holding a glue-up, the other is on the handle and I need to alter the guide's width.
You can see the setup a bit better in this picture.
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[Phil Mueller]

Like others, my leg vise is my only bench mounted vise and gets lots of use. I have a moxon vise that is clamped to the bench when needed. I have considered adding a small end vise with a row of dog holes for flat work holding.

[Brian Hale]

Analysis Paralysis.

I'm thinking I'd appreciate having one on this bench, however, it appears it's not something I want to add at a later date, rather I should incorporate it now while building the base. Hate to have it look like an afterthought.

This is the base of my current bench and I wanted the new bench to look similar. I'm sure I wouldn't like all the legs flush with the edge of the bench, had one years ago and kept kicking it, so I've got the 4 legs, bases and stretchers laminated to copy this design. The edge of the foot will sit about ~3 1/2" inside of the edge of the top for foot clearance, about what you'd find on kitchen base cabinets. The legs and stretchers will be ~6" from the edge of the top.

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Screenshot from the Hovarter installation instructions. The clamping mechanism, 3"x4"x2 1/2" deep, mounts to the inside of the leg and has ~11" of travel. If i were to make the leg thicker I'd lose ~6 of vise travel. If i move that one leg out so it's flush with the edge of the top, the stretcher wouldn't be mortised into the leg. My legs are 3" square.
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I hope this all makes sense.......