My new Benchcrafted leg vise!

[John Keeton]

First, thanks to all of you that have commented in prior threads about the utility of a leg vise and the quality of the Benchcrafted hardware. It was invaluable in making the decision to install a leg vise and to choose Benchcrafted.

Keep in mind that my shop is a mixed breed - lot of woodturning, presently building a Windsor chair, and a history of furniture making. My bench was built just prior to building the home we live in and was done as a utility bench mostly for construction related applications. It is rough SYP construction, but has served me well.

I still use handtools, and I have always wanted a nice vise setup. My Record 52 1/2 has served me well and I will probably miss it, but it has always been installed in the wrong place at the middle of the bench. My bench is mounted to the wall of my shop, so I can only use one side and can make very little use of the ends. This will be much handier.

The body of the vise and the leg are walnut, which I have had many years. It was stickered in the barn when green, but apparently at some point borers got into it, so it has tracks in it. I filled the ones in the chop, though in hindsight I wish I hadn't. Instead of laminating more walnut on the chop to gain thickness, I applied a piece of curly maple and chamfered the edges of the walnut and maple. The logo was done by cutting (with a die cutter) a negative stencil in adhesive vinyl, and spray painting flat black on the maple. The stencil was then removed.

[Jim Koepke]

Looks great John.

How timely, my work in the shop so far today has been workig on a couple of parts for my leg vise.

It won't be a Bench Crafted set up, but hopefully it will work well.

jtk

[Bob Jones 5443]

Classy look.

[David Eisenhauer]

A true work of art John. I find the leg vise the most used vise in my shop and yours looks like it is ready to work.

[John Keeton]

Thanks, guys! The build and assembly went well - pretty straightforward. Benchcrafted provides excellent downloadable instructions and Jameel responded to a couple of question.

Jim, I hope your build goes well. You are more talented in that area then am I, so I opted for the Benchcrafted.

Bob, I appreciate the comment. Walnut and curly maple were created to be together.

David, from all I have read I think this vise will work very well for me.

[ken hatch]

Thanks, guys! The build and assembly went well - pretty straightforward. Benchcrafted provides excellent downloadable instructions and Jameel responded to a couple of question.

Jim, I hope your build goes well. You are more talented in that area then am I, so I opted for the Benchcrafted.

Bob, I appreciate the comment. Walnut and curly maple were created to be together.

David, from all I have read I think this vise will work very well for me.

John,

It is the best vise I've found, BTW, nice job.

ken

[Steven Mikes]

Beautiful! My hardware arrived a couple days ago, getting close to starting building/installing it. Hope it turns out half as nice as yours.

[John Keeton]

Thanks, Ken! Steven, the layout of the mortises and the distances between the top of the vise, screw placement and crisscross affects the toe in. Although my mortises were the recommended depth, after emails with Jameel I recessed the bearing plates another 3/32” and reduced my toe in gap from 1/2” to a bit over 1/4”. Just something to keep in mind. I hope your build goes as smoothly as mine. If I can help let me know.