I'm thinking about purchasing a Highland pattern maker's vise that I found locally, and it seems to be new in the box for a reasonable price. I wanted to hear from anyone who has experience with it regarding its build quality and overall usefulness. What do you all think?
3 Answers
I have one of these vises myself, and honestly, I like it a lot! I designed my split top French bench around it and mounted it at the end. It's replaced several other tools for me, which is a win. Just a heads-up, though—I've noticed that the nuts tend to loosen more often than I'd prefer.
I've read some mixed reviews about these vises. You might want to check out discussions on other woodworking forums, like Lumberjocks, for more insights. Some users have shared their experiences there. If you don't end up liking it, I’ve heard it’s not too hard to sell on; a few folks I know like theirs, but it can be a bit finicky depending on your bench setup.
I remember reading about these in Christopher Schwarz's 'The Anarchist Workbench.' While some people appreciate them for their unique capabilities, he suggested they might not be the best unless you're working on oddly-shaped pieces. They seem to be a niche tool, especially after CNC and CAD became common. If you're looking for versatility, you might want to consider a more traditional bench vise instead unless you specifically need it for those unique shapes.
That’s good to know! I actually want it to hold bowls while I carve, so I'm hoping it will work well for that. It looks like it could be really useful!