leg vise

[Mike Steinhilper]

What does this vise offer that others do not? Why would I use this instead of a typical quick release?

[Jim Koepke]

What does this vise offer that others do not? Why would I use this instead of a typical quick release?

Because you have this. Do you already have a quick release vise?

If yes, maybe this could be set up as your moving center stock support or attached on a leg on the other side of the bench.

In the past, I think people used these because it was a less expensive solution. They do tend to have racking problems. Of course, most not metal vises do.

jim

[Mike Steinhilper]

anyone else? i bought this thing and i want to know if i wasted my money.

[Joe D'Attilio]

Leg vises are really nice for working on end grain and if used with a hold down at the opposite, good for long boards, Cutting dovetails, etc

Try this post: Leg Vise benefits

[Chuck Nickerson]

Chris Schwarz writes extensively on the benefits of leg visesin his workbench book. Track down a copy for the complete answer.

[harry strasil]

If its an old one, which it appears to be, the screw is double lead, in other words it has two sets of threads interwoven so its twice as fast in closing or opening as the new ones.

When I demo for the public that is the only vice I use and its on the end of the bench not on the side. My new bench which will have 5 vices will have on on it.

[harry strasil]

If you decide you don't want to use it, I would be interested in buying the screw and nut.

[Mike Steinhilper]

Harry, i haven't recieved it yet... i bought it on ebay. However, the guy I bought it from has one more. They were two identical.

[Bill Houghton]

I could hold wider boards, because the effective height of the jaw above the screw is greater than with typical metal WW vises.

I've been experimenting with a Wilton regular WW vise, and will be going back to the leg vise as soon as I can spend some time on shop maintenance. I will be rebuilding it, though, to slant slightly. This is not a new idea - featured in "The Workbench Book" as a practice in certain parts of the U.S. back when leg vises were the standard - but has come up lately as a good idea, because you can mount boards vertically in the vise and get good clamping.

I kind of like the springiness of a leg vise. Sounds odd, but the flex in the wood seems to hold the wood very effectively.

[Randal Stevenson]

What was/is typically used for handles for these? (I picked one up on Ebay about two years ago cheap).

I was thinking either a dowel rod, or a piece of galvanized pipe.

[Paul Erickson]

If its an old one, which it appears to be, the screw is double lead, in other words it has two sets of threads interwoven so its twice as fast in closing or opening as the new ones.

When I demo for the public that is the only vice I use and its on the end of the bench not on the side. My new bench which will have 5 vices will have on on it.

Hi Harry,

Is the "b" vise a leg vise, or the "a"'s?

cheers, Paul

[harry strasil]

"b" is the old style leg vise.