Front Vise

[Scott]

I need to replace my front vise, which is the green thing Woodcraft sells. I want to replace it with a cast iron vise such as a Record. One of my main concerns is the amont of racking that an individual vise may exhibit, so I'm looking for something that has good capacity and little racking. Since Record no longer exists, I need recommendations from those of you who are happy with thier vise.

TIA

Scott in KC

[Tanus]

I got this one:

for a few dollars more I could have had a quick-release like this: I had to do it all over again I'd have gone for the second one. However, I've no complaints with the one I've got.

Racking is an issue of course, because of the width of the jaws. I get around that by slipping a piece of similar sized wood in the other side.

Tanus

[JCrowe]

An Indian company produces an Anant vise which is supposedly made with the tooling from the company that made the Record vises. You can google Anant wood vise for linke. Best of luck

[DGDevin]

I recently got a quick-release vise that came with a new bench, having used it for awhile in future I'd never buy a vise that didn't have this feature. Talk about handy, it seems as if I'm saving an hour a day by not having to endlessly spin a vise handle.

This appears to be identical to the vise I have (and which I'm very pleased with):

[DGDevin]

[mac davis]

I've always enjoyed Ken Vaughn's solutions, not only because they work, but because his jigs are nicer and more precision than my projects..

the dowels, to keep the block from slipping through the jaws.. That way you don't need to keep a hand free to grab the block when you loosen the vise, or pick it up off the floor..

I've also seen a shop that had a "top step" on each block, to prevent it from falling through...

mac

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[Tanus]

I've tried variations of that idea myself although not as elegant. My problem is that in a small shop I don't have a lot of places to store stuff like that. Invariably I lose them and make new ones.

Tanus

[mac davis]

I have 2 blocks, 1/2" and 3/4", and they hang on a nail on the leg of the bench, below the vice..

Now, if I could just remember to USE them..

mac

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