Workbench Vises - all the different ones in the same thread - contributions please

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Richard Maguire Hardware – My First Look


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One of the regulars at the Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking is building a workbench using Richard Maguire hardware from the United Kingdom. During my visit there, I had the chance to inspect the hardware straight from the box.
I got to play with three pieces of bench hardware, all of which were very nice.
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The Maguire Single Wooden Screw is similar in quality to the high-quality screws being made in the United States now. The Maguire screw is in beech that has been soaked in linseed oil. The hub is fancier than the ones made in the United States, and the turning is crisp. The screw, of course, moves smoothly and quickly as it should.
The only nit I’ll pick with the screw is in the handle. The caps on the handle are glued on by the user. I have yet to find any that will hold this way. The only solution that really works (in my experience) has been the threaded caps from Lake Erie Toolworks.
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The Maguire Wagon Vice, as you can see, has some similarities to the Benchcrafted tail vise. But it also has some significant differences. The metal carrier for the dog block moves back and forth on round rails instead of square slots. In looking at the installation instructions for the Maguire, I think this assembly makes it easier to install – though I won’t know for sure until I try it myself.
The handle is a nice bronze-color crank. The center pin has nicely peened hammer marks. A nice touch.
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The most fascinating piece of hardware is the Maguire Pinless Leg Vice, which is quite a bit of precision engineering. This hardware replaces the parallel guide in a leg vise. The post is piston fit into a long shaft embedded in the leg. (The shaft is amazingly embedded with bearings.) When the chop of the leg vise encounters your work, it automatically locks the shaft in place. Very clever. Check out the video on the Maguire website.
All in all, the hardware is very well made and impressive all around.
— Christopher Schwarz











Roubo Workbench Leg Vise
Alternative – Linear Bearings

Roubo Workbench Leg Vise Alternative – Linear Bearings | The Wood Whisperer

OK, gotcha.
Yes, that would make a pretty good facsimile of a traditional shoulder vise, but why not just make a SV to start with? All you need is a long length of all-thread for tensioning a fixed arm, instead of an expensive extra bench-screw. Can't see any advantage in having an adjustable arm, except that you could remove it, or tuck it in a bit more when not needed (but would you? :;)

I have to tell you, I'm insanely jealous of anyone who can contemplate the luxury of a four sided bench set-up - I just don't have that much room. P'raps fate was kinder to me than I think - imagine the even bigger mess I could make in a bigger space! :o

An observation I'd make is that the idea of a regular SV is that it holds wide boards vertically as well as horizontally, & where you have placed yours would limit its versatility, unless you're a left-hander. Given the 3 other vises to choose from as shown, I can't think of any situations your ersatz SV would provide that one of these couldn't do as well or better. Because it's designed for multiple functions, a SV isn't as good at some specialised tasks. For e.g., a wide twin-screw would hold very wide board better than a SV, with less clutter between yourself & the job.

A comment (which I've made before :U ):
I know it's all part of the fun, designing yourself the ultimate bench that will handle every situation known to man plus all those not yet thought of, but really, 95% of jobs done at the bench involve straightforward 'chuck it in the vise, clench it up a bit, & go at it' tasks that a bog standard front vise & some sort of dog system will handle very nicely. For the out of ordinary stuff, you usually get by with a less than perfect grip, or throw together some sort of temporary jig to get the job done (e.g. holding a cabriole leg in a sash clamp which in turn is held in the front vise). So it seems to me you may be going to enormous lengths (not to mention expense), to prepare for a vanishingly small number of situations that may never arise. However, the fun is in the chase, & mediocrity is boring...... :U

Cheers,

No, I don't allow thread jumping on mine!
It works perfectly. But I did think it had a bit of Indian style finish in places, rather than European, so perhaps there is variation. But I'm very happy with mine.

QUOTE:
This pic from Chrism3's build shows a virtual Shoulder Vise in the position that I was originally referring to. I changed the position to the front of the bench in that diagram for two reasons: to work in conjunction with the Leg Vise and Deadman, and when used solo so thatwider pieces would still have some support from the bench edge.
END QUTE

You may notice that my 21st Century bench doesn't use a deadman - I can support any length with dogs or holdfasts in the front rails or bench front, in conjunction with the face vise where necessary.

My vice is the Veritas Tucker patternmaker's vice, which is unfortunately no longer in production. However, I'm sure they will come up at tool markets or on Ebay from time to time, and if you want one it's worth keeping your eye out.
Attachment 261158
The vice has a 300 mm (12") capacity, and has jaws either 330 mm or 70 mm wide. The jaws are leather faced and may be rotated through 360 deg. around the Z axis.
Attachment 261160
Attachment 261163
Attachment 261164
The jaws may also be rotated through 90 deg around the X axis. Both of these rotations are accomplished by undoing quick-release clamps.
Attachment 261159
The front jaw may be clamped parallel to the back jaw, at an angle, or left loose to match the angle of an odd shaped piece. Soft-faced dogs, normally held out of the way in the jaws, are supplied
Attachment 261161.

It has a quick release bar to open the spring-loaded jaws, and this may also be attached to a foot pedal.
This vice wasn't cheap, but if you are a carver, work with odd shaped material, or need the ability to clamp work in odd positions, it may be worth your while keeping an eye out for one.

Yep, fair enough. That's not really a design for my bench at this stage - I just put that together last night to illustrate what I meant. With that combination of vises you could probably even eliminate the super-wide vise on the back side (I have a small shop too - slightly smaller than yours I think, at 5x3 metres).

And yes, a short piece of all thread sounds quite practical, because as you say, it would only be for the last wee bit (hence a much smaller diameter handwheel represented - about 80mm diameter). You could even use a cam lever for that task.

The Hovarter appeals for the SV because of the threadless QR function, and as I said, it could probably be done with a leg vise flipped 90 deg, and that would also eliminate the need for the extra face to take out the racking.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chrism3

You may notice that my 21st Century bench doesn't use a deadman - I can support any length with dogs or holdfasts in the front rails or bench front, in conjunction with the face vise where necessary.

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Yes I did notice that Chris, and will pay particular attention to it when I re-read the thread in detail.

Thank you Alex.

DSEL74

Thank you for posting that. The pinless Macguire vice is most interesting and opens up the possibilities enormously. I particularly liked the timber thread and effortless clamping pressure.

Regards
Paul

Yes, thank you DSEL, some very good info there.

Another example of a pinless Leg Vise is here - this one is shop-made - in fact the whole Leg Vise is shop-made.

Kipp (German) handwheels are here.

Paul sent me a PM yesterday suggesting that we have a similar thread to this, but devoted to a summary of workbenches.

Here it is.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by oblisymm

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I loved the leg vise even when it had a pin to relocate in the bottom beam. I have since modified things so that it operates pinless. [ Not an AYS chain, or St Peter's Cross but another system - I may describe it sometime]. It is now a dream.

This is my first post. Sorry if I got a bit long winded.

Mark

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Thanks for you long post
and welcome to the forum

I for one would be interested in your workaround for a pinless bottom beam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

I for one would be interested in your workaround for a pinless bottom beam

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Thanks Nick and all for your welcome.

I am keen to put together a description and some pictures of my approach to a leg vise without a "pin". I know a few of you are interested.

At the moment I am flat out planting our crop of garlic, then after that I have to go to Tassie and walk The Overland Track (amongst other things)! Also my camera has packed it in!!

So, if you can wait a few weeks, I will fill you in then. Hopefully this thread will still be on the boil!

[Paul (aka: Bushmiller), hope that you can wait 'til then for your appetite to be satiated...]

Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by oblisymm

Thanks Nick and all for your welcome.

I am keen to put together a description and some pictures of my approach to a leg vise without a "pin". I know a few of you are interested.

At the moment I am flat out planting our crop of garlic, then after that I have to go to Tassie and walk The Overland Track (amongst other things)! Also my camera has packed it in!!

So, if you can wait a few weeks, I will fill you in then. Hopefully this thread will still be on the boil!

[Paul (aka: Bushmiller), hope that you can wait 'til then for your appetite to be satiated...]

Mark

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Mark

In a previous life I grew garlic (about an acre) so I have some understanding of how labour intensive it is, although compared to the subsequent processes of garlic growing the planting is more like a walk in the park.

As Brett has pointed out in the bench thread (https://www.woodworkforums.com/f213/s...thread-168697/) I am still waiting for the tree to grow a little more before I make the bench top. Consequently I have a little time up my sleeve, but I think I speak for everyone when I say we we look forward to seeing it.

Regards
Paul

Workbench Vise Resources

You may want to cross reference with this link and see if there is any that haven't been covered.