Updated January 15, 2010

Patternmaker Style Vises

Patternmakers vises are considered the holy grail of workbench vises. What makes them unique is that they can rotate in any direction and the jaws pivot. These features are especially important for patternmakers, the highly skilled woodworkers that make incredibly accurate patterns out of wood for use in manufacturing. The Emmert is often considered the best vise ever made. Unfortunately, the Emmert hasn't been made for a long time. But, there are parts available, and sometimes used ones can be found at auction or on eBay. Expect to pay $500-$1500. Make sure you judge the condition and shop carefully. Today there are only a few patternmakers style vises made: a very expensive new one for the few actual patternmakers out there, the Tucker Vise and an imported one.

The Iron Hand-Emmert Vise Page
Lots of details on the vise including type studies anatomy, serial number info, many photos, etc. If you're looking for details this site is very helpful.

Mounting an Emmert Vise
An unusual vise has special mounting instructions. Here's the original plans.

The Tucker Vise
No longer available. It was sold exclusively through Lee Valley, this is a modern version of the Emmert Vise. This is what I have on my bench. Expensive, but worth it if you want a top quality pattern maker vise. If you can find one, grab it.

Used Emmert Vises, parts and more...
William Kerfoot sells used patternmakers vises and will soon manufacture his own. He keeps a dozen or more Emmert  patternmakers vises in stock, ($450-$800), as well as 3 new Kindt-Collins, ($2000). He manufactures replacement parts for Emmerts also. Direct inquiries to: csmachinery@zoominternet.net

Imported Patternmaker's Vise
Available through several suppliers including Woodcraft, this is a less expensive way to go if you can't afford an Emmert of Tucker. The quality seems to be improving all the time. Here's the link.

German Vise Hardware
Toolmaker Lie-Nielsen now offers excellent bench hardware. Yes, it is more expensive, but it is the best. Made in Germany by a small firm that’s been in business since 1882. Heavy castings, large screws, precise machining. For those planning on building their own vises, there's none better.

Quick Release Shoulder Vise A quarter turn releases the vise and it's free to move. A great time saver. Vise has a very large opening.

Chain Drive Shoulder Vise A Heavy duty end vise: Chain drive equalizes clamping pressure. Opens 71⁄4 inches.

Scandanavian Shoulder Vise Screw For a Scandinavian-style Shoulder vise. Can also be used to make a veneer press.

Small Welded Tail Vise Rugged hardware for a traditional tail vise. Use on a small bench. Excellent for using the Nelson method of constructing a tail vise as outlined in the Workbench Book.

Large Welded Tail Vise This is a beautiful piece of hardware for a full-size bench tail vise. It's what I used on my own Workbench 2.0.

Metal Front Vises

Jorgensen 41012 Woodworkers Vise Now that Record has closed it's plant in England while it is moving to Taiwan, this is one the last remaining high quality all metal woodworking vises availabe. This is a very good vise.

Jorgensen 40709A Woodworkers Vise A smaller version of the above vise this is one the last remaining high quality all metal woodworking vises availabe. Also a very good vise.

Wilton Model 79C One of the few large front vises still available. Very well known name is high-end, expensive machinist's vises. High quality castings but at a good price. This one has a 13" opening.

Wilton Model 79A Like the above vise, but this one offers a very nice feature-a removable pivot jaw to hold odd shaped pieces of wood. It has a 13" opening.

Wilton Model 78C A slightly smaller version of the above vise with a 10" opening.

Wilton Rapid Acting Vise Obviously rapid opening. A nice feature, for sure. This one opens to 10".

Wilton Pivoting Jaw Vise This one has one of the key features of a patternmaker's vise-a pivoting front jaw that's very handy if your woodworking involves working with odd shaped pieces.

Wilton Columbian A smaller and lower priced vise at 4" x 7" this vise has nicely done castings.

Jet 9" Front Vise
One of the better Taiwanese imported vises, features a quick release very similar to the Records 52 1/2 (though not quite as nicely finished) and it's available at a good price. And, it's red, too.

Jet 7 " Front Vise
A smaller and lower priced similar to the above. Also features a handy quick release.

Rockler 7" Quick Release Vise
Simliar to other imported vise, but this one features quick release and a very nice wooden handle.

Anant - Record 53 ED- Quick-Action Bench Vise
One of the best. The famous Record vises are alive and well! This vise features 10 1/2" jaws and a handy quick release mechanism.

Anant - Record 52 1/2 ED- Quick-Action Bench Vise
One of the best. The famous Record vises live! This model features 9" jaws and a handy quick release mechanism.

Anant - Record 52 ED- Quick Action Bench Vise
The famous Record vises live once again! This vise features 7" jaws and a handy quick release mechanism.

Woodcraft has a metal front vise almost identical to the Jet vises above, but are a bit more expensive and finished black.

Morgan Vise Milwaukee Tool offers a metal front vise in two sizes and your choice of two different handles.

Yost Vise Another US vise maker. Very high quality. Comes in only a 7" size

Front Vise Hardware

For those that would like to make their own front vises, buying the metal screw mechanisms makes this a much easier job. Also note that the End Vise Hardware below will often work very well for building front vises, too.

Waldmann 68MD Medium End Vise Solid end vise hardware for those that want to make a full width end vise for cabinet style workbenches.

Waldmann 68LG Large End Vise A larger version of the vise hardware above for those making a larger cabinet style workbenches.

Rockler Heavy Duty Quick Release Vise Add a front vise with the quick release benefit that normally you only get with a metal front vise.

Lee Valley Heavy Duty Quick Release Vise Another source for a front vise with the quick release benefit that normally you only get with a metal front vise.

Sjoberg Front Vise Hardware Originally designed for their Elite Series this vise has a metal base for holding the hardware making it much less likely to rack then other wooden jaw front vise hardware.

Benchcrafted Glide Leg Vise A major improvement over traditional leg vises. The Glide keeps the vise parallel as it moves. Incredible quality machining and great design.

Hovarter's Innovative Leg Vise
A traditional leg vises excel at clamping longer work horizontally (especially when used with a board jack) and they have a very generous working depth from the bench top to the screw. The lower fulcrum arm allows the vise to generate high clamping forces; unfortunately you must insert a peg into a series of holes in the fulcrum arm to adjust the vise to various workpiece thicknesses. Len has come up with another solution that eliminates pegs. Like his twin screw vise, it is very clever engineering.

Woodcraft has several kinds of front and end vise hardware available.

Shoulder Vise Hardware

WaldMann 68SV Shoulder Vise Screw For those that prefer shoulder vises like on the Shaker benches, this vise is a lot easier then trying to make your own wooden screw hardware.

Lee Valley Shoulder Vise Screw For those that prefer shoulder vises like on the Shaker benches, this vise is a lot easier then trying to make your own wooden screw hardware.

End Vise Hardware

Waldmann 68MD Medium End Vise Solid end vise hardware for those that want to make a full width end vise for cabinet style workbenches.

Waldmann 68LG Large End Vise A larger version of the vise hardware above for those making a larger cabinet style workbenches.

Rockler 12" Quick Release End Vise A single screw end vise that has the advantage of quick release for a full width end vise.

Veritas Twin Screw Quick Release Vise Lee Valley's superb chain driven twin screw mechanism comes in 16" and 24" version.

Tail Vise Hardware

WaldMann 68TV Tail Vise Spindle One if the least expensive ways to build an end vise. Not as easy as buying the complete guide plate and screw set up, though.

WaldMann 68TVP Tail Vise Spindle with Guide Plate A bit more expensive then the above screw, but easier to install. Particularly if you use the Nelson method shown in the Workbench Book.

Shop Fox Bench Screw A 1" x 20" Screw that would be quite handy for some wagon type tail vise installations.

Benchcrafted Tail Vise An incredibly piece of superb machining. Got to be the nicest vise hardware made. These vises are different in that they use a spinning wheel rather then a handle. Would work extremely well for either tail or wagon vises.

Bench Dogs and Holdfasts

WaldMann Round Dogs These are the short round dogs that are 3/4" in diameter.

WaldMann Square Dogs A medium size square dogs with a steel spring. This is the one I use on my bench when I need a little more holding power.

Metal Square Dogs A bit larger square dogs wit h a steel spring via Lie-Nielsen. Make sure you match the dog size to your dog holes. In other words, buy the dogs first, then build the bench.

Wooden Dogs You need the strength of metal bench dogs sometimes, but wood dogs are much easier on your tools. Measure carefully.

WaldMann Holdfast A large holdfast that will hold your work piece in place while your working on it. Very handy when chopping out mortises or dovetails.

Various Vise Hardware

Beech Vise Handles Made of beech with oval end caps.

Hickory Vise Handles Made to fit the German bench hardware above. Uses Cherry end caps.

Woodcraft has several kinds of vise hardware available including vises, bench dogs, etc..

Lee Valley also carries lots of vise hardware, including their exclusive line of Veritas hardware and their nicely done twin screw end vise.

Inline Vise These are handy portable vises that give you basically a woodworker vise that you can clamp to any top. I've had one for years and they do come in handy.

Patternmaker's Vise An unusual vise that can be temporarily monted on the dog strip of your workbench that's sold by Garrett Wade with fully flexible jaws. Could be handy for detail work or carving.

Wooden Vise Hardware

Lake Erie Toolworks
It's always hard to find good woodscrews of the size and quality needed for building a traditional style workbench like a Roubo or Holtzappfel twin screw bench. Most of the available screws aren't seriously large. Now, Nick at Lake Erie Toolworks is offering 2 1/2" diameter wood vise screws. That should do it!

Big Wood Vises
Big Wood makes very large wood vises in several forms from Classic to Shaker. The also make a really nice twin screw set that's perfect for Holtzapffel/Dominy style benches. Since their products are quite popular there's usual a backlog so order ahead.

Green Lake Clock Company
Yup. They make clock hardware. But, they also offer a really large vise screw set.

Crystal Creek Mill Wood Products
These precision screw vises are made to order. You give him the length and configuration and he'll produce it for you. Howard Card has several proprietary techniques to make his screws and nuts. If you're looking for a large custom wooden bench screw for your traditional bench, this is the place to go.

Crystal Creek Mill Wood Products
PO Box 41 DeWitt, NY 13214
(312)446-1229

Making Your Own Wooden Vises

Jeff Greef's Traditional Wooden Vises
A classic European front vise and endvise all made of wood. Good, clear plans and lots of photos show you how to make your own.

Beall Tool Company
Beall sells wooden threading tools and books. His tools and jigs work by hand and the larger ones work with router bits. I have a couple of the smaller ones and they work really well.