Description
Although a relative newcomer in the world of vise manufacturing, Benchcrafted is a small, family-based firm that is rapidly gaining a reputation for precision-made reinterpretations of traditional vises. All mating parts are machined to exceptionally close tolerances, and substantial, high-quality components are used throughout – 1 1/4" carbon-steel screws, cold-rolled nuts and flanges, and machined cast-iron handwheels. Impressively engineered, these are some of the smoothest-acting and most reliable vises we have seen.
A versatile addition to any woodworking bench, a wagon-style tail vise has a capacity limited only by the length of the work surface. While a typical L-shaped tail vise has a cantilevered jaw that offers limited support and is prone to sagging, a wagon vise is enclosed by the bench top, surrounding it on all sides to offer stable support.
What's more, as clamping force is closely aligned with the screw axis, the vise cannot rack. This hardware advances an already practical design. The precise machining of the screw, combined with the momentum of the large 5" diameter handwheel, means you can snug up on the work with just a freehand spin.
On some wagon vises, the dog block is affixed to the end of the screw, so as the vise opens, the screw protrudes further from the bench skirt; with the Benchcrafted design, a mobile dog block moves along a captive screw, which remains held unobtrusively within the bench cavity. Maximum travel is 12 1/4". A 4" thick endcap is needed; bench tops thinner than 4" also require blocking.
The kits are available with either of two styles of cast-iron handwheel. The 3 lb sandcast wheel has a textured surface. The machined version weighs 2 3/4 lb and is ground and polished to a smooth finish.
Each kit includes the vise screw, a threaded dog block, a handwheel, a black aluminum knob, steel guide rails, a reversible sliding plate for either left- or right-handed installation, a jaw liner, a steel flange, all mounting hardware and detailed installation instructions.
Depending on supply, the jaw liner is made from either suede leather or Crubber (a composite material made of natural cork and rubber).
Made in USA.