The English Woodworker

Learn Woodworking Online

  • Blog
    • Video Posts
    • Hand Tools
    • Techniques
    • Workbenches
    • All Posts
  • The Videos
    • The Nest of Tables
    • Build A Danish Stool
    • The Trestle Table
    • The Industrial Desk
    • Build A Retro Sideboard – Online Video Series
    • Build A French Workbench
    • The Raw Edge Coffee Table
    • Chair Building – The Basics.
    • Build A Hall Table
    • Get Sharp – Sharpening Edge Tools
    • The Side Table & Bridle Guides
    • How To Build A Workbench – Online Video Series
    • The Spoon Rack – Hand Tool Course
  • About Us
  • Gallery
  • LOGIN

Vices & Work Holding

Does Your Workbench Need A Vice?

Of the many types of woodworking vice that are available, few are more suited to the hand tool user than the traditional variants.

For the face vice give some thought to a leg vice, or the horizontal variant that’s often seen on English style benches.

Much of the work held down to the bench top was traditionally held without a tail vice though.
Alternatives such as working against a planing stop, &/ or using a holdfast are generally far more efficient and encourage better techniques with your hand planes.

Below you’ll find all of our posts detailing traditional vices, along with some of the traditional vice-less working methods that I use in my work.

Help Me Decide?!

September 8, 2015 By Richard Maguire 96 Comments

In the new year I'll be building a workbench. That's not unusual except that this particular workbench will be forming part of a lengthy chapter within our book. 'The French Bench' (not the Roubo) is where the design will be based and I've come to a bit of a head scratcher at the vice hardware. Why … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

The Stick With A Notch Cut In It.

May 18, 2015 By Richard Maguire 17 Comments

The notched batten

The first time we took our benches to see the public I was a bag of nerves. We took along a huge fancy Roubo type thing, but it was the other, simple bench we took that was my favourite. I hoped to focus on the idea that a good bench could be simple so the tail vice was absent, I never use tail … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

Oh So Tempting!

March 20, 2014 By Richard Maguire

Workbench with face vise

I am now fully committed to using a wooden screw in this workbench but oh... the temptation! I had Mr Arnold's beautiful old metal screw looking at me from across the workshop as I started to assemble the bench this morning, so I just had to poke it in! I'm very much looking forward to telling … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

Fitting The Inset

September 4, 2013 By Richard Maguire 3 Comments

veritas vise installation

I've decided to write a full review on the Veritas Inset vice shortly since the idea was kindly recommended in a comment by Bill (Billy's Little Bench) last week. For now though I'd like to share a quick extra step that I take when I'm fitting one of these vices. Since introducing our Little John … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

New Vice

August 30, 2013 By Richard Maguire 17 Comments

St peters cross leg vice

This is to be our first vice to go in to the new (yet to be named) range of sensibly priced, well made hardware. It's a pinless leg vice with St Peter's cross mechanism. The steel screw has a nice rapid thread which is custom made to be coarser than normal to give a faster pace of opening, making … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

The Holdfast and the Batten – VIDEO

June 18, 2013 By Richard Maguire 102 Comments

Bench Holdfast

  This has been a very popular video since we published, and the method has been further explored in use and in it's possible historical roots by Chris Schwarz at Lost Art Press. Check this video if you need to get your holdfasts to grip better. Clamp Boards Quickly Using Only A Holdfast … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Free Videos, Jigs and Fixtures, Vices & Work Holding, Woodworking Techniques

Maguire Wagon Vice – Every One’s A Spinner!

June 13, 2013 By Helen 9 Comments

The Maguire Wagon Vice

So apologies for the cheesy title and product promotion post but I thought it was about time that we had a further look at the MKII Maguire Wagon Vice. As explained earlier in the year we've given it a bit of an overhaul to tweak and make further improvements and enable us to keep up with demand by … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

Holdfasts – Get A Grip! VIDEO

May 28, 2013 By Richard Maguire 28 Comments

holdfast grip in workbench

  Extras: Use Your Holdfast As A Tail Vice Shown In This Quick Video Bench Dogs - Round or Square? Improve The Grip Of Your Holdfasts for better work holding In this quick video I demonstrate my method for increasing the holding power of a smooth shafted holdfast. It's a simple … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Free Videos, Jigs and Fixtures, Vices & Work Holding, Woodworking Techniques

When It Has To Be Pinned

March 21, 2013 By Helen 5 Comments

Leg vice parallel guide

With leg vices back in popular use there’s a lot of desire to go pin-less. If you’re sticking to the good old fashioned parallel guide and pin though then we say it should be done in style! For our Little John Workbenches we’ve had these tactile pins forged to fit neatly in place and the curl makes … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

Bench Dogs – Wood vs. Metal

February 13, 2013 By Richard Maguire 14 Comments

Bench dogs

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my preferences when it comes to the shape of a bench dog and now I’m going to elaborate a little and cover some points about the choice of material. I’d thought about comparing the options with a list of pros and cons but then realised this doesn’t really weight … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

  • Blog
  • The Videos
  • Sign Up!
  • Contact Us
  • Keep Up To Date
  • LOGIN
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • YouTube
More Categories
  • Workbenches
  • Workbench Design
  • Hand Tools
  • Make Your Own Tools
  • SEE ALL CATEGORIES

  • Blog
  • The Videos
  • Sign Up!
  • Contact Us
  • Keep Up To Date
  • LOGIN
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2023 · The English Woodworker

Scroll Up