Description
With these Benchcrafted glide vise kits, you can construct a versatile leg vise that combines a large wooden jaw (called a "chop"), a single screw and a broad clamping surface free of guide rods to hold stock in various orientations. Two versions are available, each supplied with a Benchcrafted Crisscross, which has scissor-like arms to keep the chop parallel to the leg throughout its travel, eliminating skewing and ensuring full contact with the work. The cast-iron Crisscross supports the heavy chop, taking weight off the screw. This reduces friction and risk of binding, allowing the 8 1/4" diameter cast-iron handwheel to impart enough momentum that the vise glides closed with just a freehand spin.
The Solo kits are for new bench construction. Both use a version of the Crisscross that has arms mounted on two steel pins, which seat in 3/8" holes bored into the leg and chop with a drill press prior to assembly. The Retro kits, for new or existing benches, include a Crisscross with two cast-iron brackets that seat in a pair of 1 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 7/8" deep mortises. Minimum leg width is 3" for the Solo and 4" for the Retro. All require a leg and chop at least 2 1/2" thick and a minimum of 22 5/8" from the center of the screw to the floor.
The kits are available with two styles of cast-iron handwheel. The 10 1/2 lb Glide C wheel has a sandcast texture. The Glide M version weighs 9 1/2 lb and is ground and polished to a smooth finish. An Acme-threaded double lead screw moves the jaw quickly (1/2" per turn). Travel is 15 1/2" minus the thickness of the leg and chop.
Each kit includes the lead screw, a threaded nut and handwheel, black aluminum knobs, jaw liners, a 3/8" thick steel flange, mounting hardware and installation instructions.
Depending on supply, the jaw liners are made from either suede leather or Crubber (a composite material made of natural cork and rubber).
In addition to the individual kits listed here, the hardware is available as part of our full bench-building kits, complete with tail- and front-vise hardware, as well as plans and instructions you can use to construct your own European-style workbench.
Made in USA.
