Shopsmith Forums

I am planning to rebuild my work bench. The top is a wooden solid core commercial grade door about 2 /1/2 in thick. I need to have dimensions for the vise before I finalize the plans for overhang ect. I was looking at vices and discovered the Kreg Klamp vice system. It looks interesting, but I have no info at all on this other than the Kreg sales info. I have some Kreg stuff and I have been pleased with it, so I thought it worth the time to look. I do not have a wood vise now, so I can go either one or the other, or both if the $$ work. Has anyone used this system? Is it good, bad, ugly or what? I thought about the possibility of putting one on a side and another plate at the end, and having two vices for the price on one standard vice. any help would be appreciated.

I'd opt for a proper wood vise. While the Kreg might be good from some things, I doubt it has the capacity or holding power a standard woodworking vise. if you're building a solid work bench, I think you need a solid vise. For instance, if you wanted to hand plane the edge of a board, saw some dovetails, etc., the one Kreg simply isn't wont cut it. As an extra to a wood vice, the Kreg looks like it might come in handy.

I am thinking the same thing. I posted on the Kreg site with the same question and have not had a reply! Makes me think again. Neither Rockler nor woodcraft carry it, so will keep it in mind as a supplemental clamp, but not the primary. Now I have to sort out the options and prices on those. There are a few out there! Thanks

I am very fond of a traditional wood vice, and use the dogs extensively for my projects.

If you are like many of us, your workbench will also be used for many things other than fine woodworking, and you will clamp all sorts of stuff in your vice, i.e. pipe, threaded rod, ax head, handle, or rusty chunk of metal before I use the angle grinder on the other end. Although the woodworker in me winces when I clamp something dirty or greasy in the walnut jaws of my vice, some days, it just needs to be done now, and my workbench is a tool. It is worth considering when you pick your vice.

Lucky is the woodworker who can dedicate his woodworking bench to woodwork only.

Have you read the specs on the Kreg web site? They claim it holds 350 lbs which would probably flip most work benches.

Some of the new technology while it doesn't work like the old technology is a lot more flexible, can do things the old ways couldn't and yes in some cases has limitations the old way didn't have.

While bench dogs are really nice the are still limited to a predetermined location. While t-nut track doesn't have that limitation. Old wood vises are super but make sure you get a quick adj feature, but even then you will be turning the handle and trying to hold the work piece. Where a lever clamp like the Kreg makes that adjustment really fast and really easy even while holding the project.

I have a bench with wood vise on it and almost every time I use the vise I have to make some compromise with location, the way it grasps the wood, it can't be used for iron or steel work. I have a steel vise that is mounted on a plywood base with a 2x4 mounted on the bottom. I have to mount it in the wood vise. Boy it is heavy and a pain to store.

Think it over weight the pros and cons and do what is best for you. My next bench will have t-track, and kreg style clamps and dogs. But that is my choice and it may be all wrong for you.

No experience with the Klamp Vise, just some observations about it and shop vises.

We've all used quick clamps for things, and every one of us has had things twist around in them due to their small footprint. I see nothing that would lead me to believe it would be any different with the Klamp Vise. The wide footprint of a conventional vise provides much more footprint and stability.

A wood vise typically has a quick adjust. The Klamp Vise has no quick adjust.

A wood vise typically has rather coarse threads for fast motion and easy tension adjustment. The Klamp Vise uses a conventional vice-grip type adjuster, which is comparatively slow and awkward in relation to the bench. The Klamp Vise also does not allow to easy tension adjustment, and none once clamped. All adjustments must be made in the unclamped position.

The Klamp Vise could have one advantage, and that is with the use a long track all the way down a workbench, and the use of multiple clamps. You could then securely clamp a door or such to the work bench. Not sure if this would have anything of worth over doing the same with a few pipe clamps, but it is something a conventional wood vise cannot do.

foxtrapper wrote: All adjustments must be made in the unclamped position.

That was the limitation I saw. You would need one hand to hold the board, one hand to hold the clamp in position and one hand to operate the clamp pressure...
Kind of obvious that most of us would be at least one hand short.
Having said that I love most Kreg stuff and do see a lot of good applications for that clamp, just not as a vise "replacement".

It kind of reminds me of an old friend who built a field sprayer on a WC Allis Chalmers tractor. For those unfamiliar the WC used hand brakes for turning instead of foot pedals. He said it was working fine spraying across the field but he said when he got to the other end he said to himself "I don't have enough hands" He needed to slow the engine with the hand throttle, shut off the sprayer, turn the steering wheel and operate the hand turning brake all at the same time...

Thanks guys, good points and good data helps with good solutions. At this point, I am considering a good wood working vice, some less expensive option as an additional clamping tool, possibly the Kreg. I am going to wait to see what I need for clamps, dogs ect on the top.

There is a bewildering array of vise options, but my budget really helps narrow them down! Once you get under 150, lots of them are " no longer good choices" I just missed a pretty nice used one.