Adding a tail vise

[Chris Jenkins]

Hey all,

Only 1 more week and we get to close on the new house. Which means new shop! I have a lot of time off in December and plan on cranking out some serious shop time. I need to get things setup post haste and make a few small quick projects.

Once done with that, I'm gonna retire my first bench (constructed from pallet wood I got for free) and start a 2nd. I have asked for a tail vise this year for Christmas.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=31136&cat=1,41659

Noticed their wasn't any instructions for it. Has anyone put one of these in? Does it need a carriage like some people build? Or just bolt on and be on your way (That's my guess due to the price diff from the other one)?

Thanks

[John Pennisi]

Hey Chris,

I'm looking into buying that same hardware to make my tail vise out of. Did you have much trouble installing it? Any tips to keep in mind? How'd you go about it?

Thanks!
John

[Mikko Helin]

I have also the same question. On the other hand the Benchcrafted wagon vise looks fabulous: http://www.benchcrafted.com/vises.htm

Though also about using front vise (like the ones here: http://www.veritastools.com/Products/Page.aspx?p=132) to convert it to a wagon vise by installing it a different way and by building a wooden sliding dog vise which is attached to the part of the front vise which usually attaches the vise to the workbench. That should work but I'm just thinking if the tubes could bend too much when the vise is tightened.

Btw. the Veritas tail vise looks nice but it lacks the crossbars the German version ( http://www.fine-tools.com/spindel.htm ) does have. So it looks like difficult to adjust.

[Kevin Lucas]

Theres a pdf at woodnet forums and people talking about putting on that tail vise.

http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Number=3606073

hope it helps

[Art Mulder]

Hey Chris,

I'm looking into buying that same hardware to make my tail vise out of. Did you have much trouble installing it? Any tips to keep in mind? How'd you go about it?

Thanks!
John

John,

I built my workbench (http://wordsnwood.com/2001/p.bench/) in 2001 and 3 years later added a Lee Valley Tail vise in the spring of 2004. (photos and so on in the link). It may be the same tail vise, I dunno, it looks similar. Actually, I think I bought the tail vise closer to 2001, but didn't get around to installing it until 2004

Mine also came with no instructions. Way back then, I called them on that, they said that it was not a mistake. They did not currently have any instructions to go with them. They referred me to The Workbench Book...)

I found the job do-able, but non trivial. One of the big problems I had was that almost no one had pictures/diagrams of the BACK of the vise. So I found some of the steps tough to figure out at first.

Personally, I doubt I'd do it again. I think I'd just make a rectangular bench and slap on a face vice and have the dog holes inset a bit from the edge. Or, maybe spring for the twin-screw vice.

have fun!

[Mikko Helin]

Maybe this helps:
http://www.shopnotes.com/files/issues/sample/sample-40-41.pdf

I guess you better use bolts through the front apron instead of screws in fixing the mounting plate to prevent the vise from sagging ..

(and please tell what you think about the front vise to wagon vise conversion!)

[Tom Cross]

I thnik that tail vises like the Veritas one are a bad idea. I built a Tage Frid style bench 25 years ago with a tail vise and built many pieces on it. Tail vises sag and never seem to work that well. Last month I built the Holtzapfflel bench shown below and featured in issue #8 of Woodworking Magazine, Chris Schwarz editor. It has a 3" x 24" x 96" top, very sturdy knock-down legs/stretchers, a Lee Valley 7" quick release vise and a 24" Lee Valley twin screw vise. It is awesome to work on. Chris Schwarz gives some terrific advise on workbenches in issues #4 and #8 of Woodworking Magazine that you can download for $6 each on their website.

http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/content/binary/Dominy_workbench~.jpg

[Mikko Helin]

Ordered just the book Workbenches: From Design & Theory to Construction & Use" (Popular Woodworking Books) from Amazon (UK).

BTW, the SketchUp model of the bench above (in Tom's reply) can be downloded from Christopher's blog:
http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/Revised+Workbench+Drawing+Plus+More+On+SketchUp.as px


Seems Chris kind of hates usual (Veritas/LV style) tail vises (IMHO the LN/Fine-Tools tail vises look OK), but likes the Benchcrafted wagon vise. I think I go ahead and order the large front vise and give it a try as a wagon vise. If it doesn't work well then I'll have a proper front vise anyway..

[Jim Eller]

Art,

I read your bench story and really got a good laugh(at your expense) on drilling the dog holes and selecting the wrong bit because of the way they were labeled.:)

I've never made a mistake like that:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Jim

[Kurt Loup]

I installed the Woodcraft version of that tail vise on a bench. I have a few photos here: www.loup-garou.net/workbench.html

Kurt