Thread: (Miami) Vice Recommendations

Originally Posted by Wongdai

As if I don't have enough personal vices....

I need some vice recommendations for the bench I am building. A face vice and an end vice, that people are using and are happy with?

ps I quite like the idea of having the end vice made entirely of wood. Is this possible?

Hi Wongdai,

If you wait a bit, the tool shops clear out their stock of Record vices - quick release 9" vice brand new cost me about $150 I think.

Try Total Tools Industrial or your local tool specialist. (not Bunnings.)

The end vice can be made completely out of wood. It's a bit of an engineering job, but entirely possible.

You'll need a threading tap to cut the screw.

CHeers,

eddie

If and when I make another bench I'd be looking at a shoulder vise. It is probably not the best example, but a quick Google search to show the type of thing I mean:

http://homepage.mac.com/galoot_9/Shop_and_Bench.html

I have the Veritas twin screw and like it but I think the shoulder vise would be better and it is a lot cheaper, the screws are only $30 or $40 although more work to build.

Like all these things it depends on the type of work you are doing, but I could easily do without my Record vise and just clamp things to the apron. In fact when I watch DVD's of the experts they rarely use a vise, not the Record type anyway, so don't assume it is essential.

You do need a machinist vise for non-woodworking jobs, maintenance and general jobs around the house. I made some wooden jaws that I can swap for the steel ones when I need to do a fiddly woodworking job that needs that type of vise.That's on a separate bench that I don't mind damaging and use for odd jobs.