# Quick Release Vise



## t4d (Sep 11, 2014)

On my bench, I've been using a home-made front vise made from a 3/4 inch pipe clamp, but have become dissatisfied lately due to racking and instability. Am now considering buying a proper vise, but would like some pointers, please.

I want the vise to be quick release, but there seem to be a couple different quick release designs:


a lever on the front jaw to disengage, or
a mechanism to do quick release when the handle is turned counter-clockwise (some use a quarter turn counter-clockwise, whereas some use 2 full turns counter-clockwise)
Need some pointers about the pros & cons of the quick release mechanisms.
Also, it seems the 7 inch vises are about $30 - $40 cheaper than the 9 inch vises..........is it worth paying for the extra width?

And finally, some of the vises use a wooden handle that looks to be about 1 inch diameter, whereas some use a thinner metal handle.......what are the pros & cons concerning the handle?


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## fareastern (Sep 19, 2014)

Look out for a Record 52 1/2 with quick release.You won't regret owning one and the cost will soon be forgotten if you do more than half a dozen projects.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

What is the advantage to a quick release vise?


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## fareastern (Sep 19, 2014)

Its not the quick release thats the advantage,it really gains when you need to switch from a large opening to a small opening-as you might when planing a 5X1 on the face and then the edge.Its just so much faster than winding a handle.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Buy this now!*

This is a great woodworking vise:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-CRAFTSMAN...105?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2edbcc8049

I have 2, one on each end of my bench. The quick release is worth it's weight in.... well.... sawdust? I love them, got the second one at a flea market for $50.00, like new ...stole it.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Depending on your bench, you also might think about a leg vise. I bought a screw from WoodCraft, and cut the chop out of a 2x6. It's not especially attractive, but it holds on like crazy. I would advocate for making your chop out of harder wood, since mine bows alarmingly sometimes, but it still works well.

There are a bunch of ways to stop the bottom... There's an article somewhere in my blog (http://cheapsawdust.blogspot.com) about my bench that has some ideas on that.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

mengtian said:


> What is the advantage to a quick release vise?


A quick release vise has a lever you can disengage the threads and just pull the vice out to the size you need. It just saves a lot of time opening and closing a vise instead of having to crank the handle around 50 times to achieve this. I have one on a craftsman vise but sometimes it doesn't work so great. It's hard to get it to disengage.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

Steve Neul said:


> A quick release vise has a lever you can disengage the threads and just pull the vice out to the size you need. It just saves a lot of time opening and closing a vise instead of having to crank the handle around 50 times to achieve this. I have one on a craftsman vise but sometimes it doesn't work so great. It's hard to get it to disengage.


I usually have the time to crank the handle LOL:laughing:


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