Emmert Vise versus Benchcrafted Leg Vise

[Patrick Kane]

My turtleback has the 18 1/4" wide jaws. My bench overhang is 13 5/8" with the vise flush to the end of the bench. The hinge is 7 3/8" x 3 3/4" with 2 5/8" mortised into the edge of the bench.
From the edge of the bench to the outside of the handle is 8 5/8". The jaws open 14" and are still fully in the nut. Mine also required a scalloped cut into the bottom of the bench for clearance for the screw. I forget now but I think it weighs 70-80lbs. Post photos when you get it. Good luck.

Oh man, I didnt even think of that, Walter. My bench might be thick enough that i could need to do the same to the underside. My top isnt affixed to the base of the bench, just a friction fit with the huge tenons of the legs. I should be able to pop the top off, but I remember that sucker weighing a ton. My shop helper is currently 6.5 months pregnant with twins, so i will be on my own with lifting the top off to flip and route the recesses. I guess i wont know until i have it in hand. How thick is your bench top that it needed modified for the vise screw? The vise im looking at is a K1, i think, and it has the 18" by 7" jaws. If i was going to get one, i wanted the big boy. Thanks for sending me the plate dimensions, they are close to what i estimated, but it sounds like it will fit on that short overhang section.

[Walter Plummer]

Give this a look. http://jameswatriss.blogspot.com/p/i...ng-emmert.html

[Patrick Kane]

That didn’t take too long. Picked up a K1 tonight for $250. Everything seems to be intact and functional, if not a little stiff. The angle cam lever operates well. So does the rotating collar lever. It is the jaw cam lever that requires a deadblow to move. I removed the set screw/bolt, but that collar is very stiff. Looks like the handle was broken at some point and brazed back on. Still haven’t tried the hinge plate to see how that operates. I imagine it will be stiff as well. By my eye, I’m missing all four dogs and the auxiliary taper jaw. Five things that I don’t care about too much at the moment. I figure I can fabricate wood dogs if I really want them.

Time to figure out how to disassemble this thing, clean it thoroughly, and grease it.

[Terry Therneau]

I used the Asian clone for several years (bought it from Highland woodworking), and later paid a tidy sum for a Yost turtleback (competitor to Emmert). I really like the large size. I added wood jaws and use it all the time. The clone was good too, though smaller, and I'll likely give it to one of my kids when one of them sets up a shop. I find I don't rotate it very often, but the angled jaws are often useful.

[Mel Fulks]

Copies of the Emmerts have been around a long time. There are small differences, but I've never seen one that I
considered inferior. As a group they are called pattern makers vises. I remember that in the '80s the new ones bought
from pattern maker's supply houses were over a $1000.

[Patrick Kane]

Here are the photos i couldnt post from my phone last night. Before bed i watched a youtube video of someone assembling one of the smaller Emmerts, so a big thanks to that guy. I should be able to disassemble this pretty quickly to clean it. It also gave me the fix for why my jaw cam lever is so stiff. The plate, that holds that cam collar in place, threads onto the beam. I bet it is threaded on way too tight. I didnt realize that last night, and im looking forward to tinkering with it more tonight after having a rudimentary understanding of how it works now. Here are some photos of it. Other than the repaired handle, it looks to be in pretty goo condition. The owner said they found it in the attic recently after owning the home for 10+ years. Previous owner was a carpenter that never got around to installing it in his basement shop, i guess. Take note of the rusty nail fashioned into a cotter pin. I might just leave it, because it works and it makes me laugh.

[Jim Becker]

What a nice score, Patrick! I'm envious!!

[Patrick Kane]

I feel like your area has to be rife with these, Jim! You are closer to the source than Pittsburgh. If they werent so heavy, shipping might be viable. When i searched last week, i remember some cheaper ones in New York and elsewhere. Shipping a 90lb hunk of iron is probably in the $50-75 range, and takes away from the value of a $350-400 list price.

[Walter Plummer]

This is where I got the # 20 wood screws to mount mine. https://www.boltdepot.com/Wood_screw...bronze_20.aspx.

[Jim Becker]

I honestly haven't looked locally to-date, Patrick...they've just kinda come into my interest recently.

[Darcy Warner]

I like the K1's, my favorite is a K1 with a ratcheting tilt mechanism