Tail Vise (Wagon Vise

TV M machined) BENCHCRAFTED

The sled vise from Benchcrafted is very robust, precise, and smooth in operation. It is designed to fit perfectly with a Roubo workbench with a top that is at least 100 mm thick. Nonetheless, it can be installed in any workbench with a stable top. It can also be installed in workbenches with thinner tops, wider aprons, and end caps. Installation in existing workbenches is also possible. All parts necessary for installation are included. You can craft the wooden sled (see image, not included) to match your workbench and bench dogs yourself.

The primary function of all tail vises is to clamp workpieces between bench dogs. The sled vise is particularly well-suited for this purpose. Adjusting with the handwheel is about twice as fast as with a traditional vise wrench. The heavy handwheel continues to move the sled on its own once it is set in motion with the help of the knob. When you grip the handwheel at its circumference, you can precisely control the pressure when you are near the final position of the sled.

You can very well clamp workpieces vertically between the sled and the workbench top. When you cover the jaws with the supplied suede, they hold securely. This is ideal for working on the ends of smaller boards. If you install the vise to take advantage of the maximum adjustment range and the sled is 127 mm (5 inches) long, you can clamp boards with a width of up to 298 mm (11-3/4 inches) between the sled and the workbench top. The maximum adjustment range of the vise is 311 mm (12-1/4 inches) if you use an end cap that is 73 mm (2-7/8 inches) thick. These dimensions may vary slightly depending on the installation.

Installation Notes:
In addition to the usual woodworking tools you need to manufacture the wooden parts of the vise and install them, you will also need some tools in inch measurements that are rather uncommon in Continental Europe. We recommend that you first read the chapter on making threads (for machine screws) in wood in the instructions, as it is not customary in Europe to cut threads in wood. (Alternatively, you can use wood screws.)

If you strictly follow the installation instructions, you will need:

• 5/16-18 inch tap for the two countersunk screws
• 3/16 inch hex key for the two countersunk screws
• 32 mm drill for the spindle
• 2-5/8 inch or 65 mm drill for round plastic bushing, round hole can also be created with a router or manually.
• 4.5 mm and 3 mm drills for the 6 wood screws
• 1/4 inch or 6.3 mm drill (6 mm drill is also fine, even better for wood!) for the core hole of the 5/16 inch threads

In case you do not want to deal with inch-sized taps, we have a stainless metric screw set ready for you, which can be used instead of inch screws. The core drilling in this case should have a diameter of no more than 6 mm. However, we personally prefer the inch-sized screws included with the spindle set, as they are somewhat coarser and therefore grip the thread in wood better.