What is a traditional tail vise?
Chris Marshall: A tail vise is usually mounted on the right-hand end of a workbench with a jaw that notches into the corner of the benchtop. It has one large control screw, and its moveable wooden jaw has a series of bench dog holes along the top that line up with the front row of dog holes on the bench.
What is a tail vise used for?
A tail vise’s main purpose is to hold a board flat on the bench for planing, routing, sanding and so on. The tail vise pushes a board tightly against a bench dog so the board can’t swivel or move. The bench dog fits in a series of holes cut in the top to accommodate different sizes of boards.
What is a Moxon vice?
A Moxon Vice clamps to any bench, raising your workpiece to a convenient height and holding it rock-solid. If you cut dovetails and other joints by hand, this is a vice that will completely change your experience in the shop. Fast and effortless, the Moxon vice makes joinery a pleasure.
What is a wood vise?
A woodworking vise, according to its dictionary definition, consists of two jaws for holding work and a mechanism, usually a screw device, that opens and closes those jaws. For convenience, vises are loosely categorized by the position on the woodworking bench they usually assume.
What is a sliding Deadman?
A common feature on older benches is what’s called a sliding deadman. This contraption works with your face vise to support work that is long, wide or both long and wide.
How thick should a leg vise be?
For hardwoods you want at least 1.5″ thick and for soft woods I would not go less than 2.5″. Make it as long as your bench top to a few inches off the ground.
What wood is used for vise?
You can use plywood, a good grade, or solid wood, even pine, if that’s what you have, to line the jaws of your vise. In this case I’ve chosen sapele, an african hardwood with perfect hardness and compression for this work. I’ve used it before and it’s one of the best. Better than oak and comparable to ash.