Benchcrafted Tail Vise Installation
Lorriane Nasuti
Cookies are small pieces of data used to save preferences or browsing data such as shopping cart items or to keep you logged in. This data is only used to improve functionality of our site and is not sold to third parties.
Before the industrial revolution the wooden leg vise was king. Once mass-production processes became commonplace, vise designs started to change. The leg vise was brushed aside and the cast-iron bolt-on vise took hold. They have their place, but the leg vise is superior in every way. When we set out to design and manufacture the Glide, we wanted to capture the best aspects of traditional leg vises and mingle them with modern precision manufacturing capabilities to make a vise that has all the benefits of the old-world designs along with those of the 21st century. Leg vises offer greater work holding capabilities than iron vises. Without the two guide rods of the iron vise, workpieces can be held right up against the screw, virtually eliminating racking and providing a better overall grip. Iron face vises provide around 4" of workable depth from the top of the bench to the screw and guide rods. Leg vises are usually more than double this, around 9". Leg vises are also more powerful due to the large lever provided by the lower position of the fulcrum. Leg vises are also simpler and easier to maintain than iron vises. The auxiliary wood jaws necessary for iron vises are unnecessary with a leg vise since the vise itself, along with the bench's leg and top, forms the jaws of the vise. This also means you can build the vise in your own style, using wood of your own choosing. The leg vise is not only functionally excellent, but also aesthetically pleasing.
Unlike other tail vises, the The Benchcrafted Tail Vise utilizes a moving dog block and nut, with the screw remaining in a fixed position within the bench. The dog block rides alongside the screw to allow nearly the full length of the screw to be utilized. The benefit here is that the screw remains in the same position at all times, never protruding past the end of the bench. The left-hand thread, precision-rolled acme screw provides for typical rotation when operating the vise. Operating the vise is intuitive.
"Moving-block" tail vises have some disadvantages that limit the usefulness of this area of the bench. Mallet work, such as mortising or chopping dovetails over the vise can damage the mechanism over a short time. The vise is also prone to sagging with use and wear, which causes all sorts of problems for clamping between dogs. Once the vise starts to sag, often it will raise up above the surface of the bench when tightening, raising up the workpiece with it. This can cause hand plane chatter among other issues. The same type of vise also protrudes past the end of the bench as its opened. One advantage the traditional tail vise has over the wagon vise is the open-front jaws. However, the large gap of the open jaws can make for a large unsupported area below workpieces, and this can cause some problems when planing, especially with shorter, thinner pieces. Wagon-type vises solve almost all of the problems of traditional tail vises. The area of the bench around the vise can be used in the same way as the rest of the bench. The vise can't sag. The screw doesn't extend past the end of the bench when the vise is opened, making this vise a great choice for cramped shops. The dog block also cannot raise up when tightened. The area around the vise will always remain as flat as the rest of the bench, since the "moving block" section of the traditional tail vise is eliminated. Our Tail Vise is also easier to install than traditional tail vises, since it eliminates the task of building the complex wood superstructure around the vise hardware. The significant advantages of the wagon vise more than make up for the lack of the open-front jaws of the traditional moving-block tail vise.
In the search for the ultimate bench (it doesn't exist) one is likely to encounter discussion of going entirely without a tail vise. And indeed, our own Classic workbench does not use one. However, unless one is a die-hard traditionalist, or worked for years without a tail vise (it's impossible to miss something unexperienced) the question arises, what disadvantages does a tail vise have? And the answer is, none. Although a bench build will take a bit more time (perhaps an extra day or two of construction) installing a Benchcrafted Tail Vise offers nothing but advantages. Planing stops, often mentioned as a replacement for a tail vise (as some of the functions do overlap) can be used to best effect alongside a bench equipped with a tail vise. We use and recommend installing both in your bench.
We offer three models of our Tail Vise. The handwheel-equipped Tail Vise in two finshes (M and C) and the Classic with balanced t-handle. The differences in each handle are mostly aesthetic. The handwheel offers a more compact, low-profile package, while the Classic t-handle gives a more traditional look. Both vises operate extremely smoothly and quickly. Gross adjustments are a bit quicker with the Classic. All Benchcrafted Tail Vises install identically.
The wagon vise is just a moving part captured in the bench top with a screw to open and close it. The main use is for holding flat work between benchdogs. Mine is about 5" wide so I can use it for some other things as well. My brother's kid likes to crush cans with it.
Best is to build it in when you build the bench. I have very little experience with a tail vise, and the few times I worked on a bench that had one I only used it for the moving dog holes. that's why I went the way I did. Let me kow if you want a couple of closer pics.
Just checked out the Benchcrafted... neat design, but OUCH! Over 3 Benjis is a tough sell. I like the long travel, but not the narrow slot. Total non-starter for me because it is IMPOSSIBLE to crush a can with it.
The Benchcrafted Tail Vise is the original flagship of the award-winning Benchcrafted line of workbench hardware. Besides being extremely robust with absolutely precise machining, this vise's real claim to fame lies in its incredibly smooth and effortless operation. Apply a modest spin to the handle and marvel asthe vise action first accelerates and then slowly coasts to a stop. This is the way every tool should feel in response to a craftsman's touch. This style of tail vise is also referred to as a wagon wheel end vise.The Benchcrafted Tail Vise was first conceived to meet the needs of a Roubo-style workbench with a top at least 4" thick, though it can also be installed on thinner benchtops and can be retrofitted to an existing bench.
We offer a Set of five Spax Lag Screws for installation of the Tail Vise End Cap. These are the screws recommended by Spax for this purpose. (See pages 8-10 of the installation instructions below.) We strongly recommend them for this application.
This product may expose you to chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Please read our Proposition 65 warning.
For more information, see www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
I built my bench about 30 years ago and included a tail vice which I very rarely use. The face vice is fitted to the right side of the bench with the jaws outside the bench by about 30mm. This means that you can clamp wood in the vice and saw through it in one go without repositioning the wood. NB Vice is the British spelling.
I agree in principle but I would be lying if I said my tail vise is useless. I over engineered mine to counter sagging and even made it adjustable per seasonal shifting. Really useful holding things in a vertical position without the chop getting in the way. And I dealt a deathblow to racking a long time ago by an adjustable shimming device that hangs underneath the bench when not in use. Made a couple of them, one for the face vise and the other for the tail. Life is good.
Christopher, I built your 18th century bench using five large maple boards for the top. I placed the Benchcrafted wagon wheel tail vise in the right front corner. I love it. I use round dogs just like you recommend!.
Clamping too tight is bad practice for everything, not just tail vises. Clamp a board too tightly using any vise, clamp, wedge, etc, is asking for problems in a whole bunch of areas. Simply using the vise correctly takes care of that issue.
for crafting furniture, I would have to agree that a tail vise is a luxury that you can do without. However, it comes in downright handy in disassembling chairs in need of a reglue. It can hold a rail in such a way to allow you to tap a leg off without busting a dowel. The face vise is a little harder to do this and avoiding broken dowels is a pretty good time saver!
A bench vise should not be a source for frustration, but rather, function as an integral element in the flow of your work, much like a finely-tuned smoothing plane, allowing you to focus on the work itself. A bench vise should work smoothly, easily and quickly. BENCHCRAFTED Vises meet these criteria. It's what BENCHCRAFTED calls effortless. BENCHCRAFTED Vises are made in the USA.
Leg vises have been very popular before the mass-produced iron face vise became common. Once this "Record-style" iron vise took over, the leg vise slowly disappeared. Leg vises offer greater workholding capabilities than iron vises. Without the two guide rods of the iron vise, workpieces can be held right up against the screw, virtually eliminating racking and providing a better overall grip.
Iron face vises provide around 4 inch (100 mm) of workable depth from the top of the bench to the screw and guide rods. Leg vises are usually more than double this, around 9 inch (228 mm). Leg vises are also more powerful due to the large lever provided by the lower position of the parallel guide. Leg vises are also simpler and easier to maintain than iron vises. The auxiliary wood jaws necessary for iron vises are unnecessary with a leg vise since the vise itself, along with the bench's leg and top, forms the jaws of the vise.
c80f0f1006