I've tried a number of different vices on the bench. I used pipe clamps and a 2x piece of douglas fir.
The 1st was a parallel (moxon) vice. I got tired of dealing with racking.
Next was a leg vice. The pipe clamp slipped so I moved on.
A cheap 6" vice from the internet was pretty good for awhile. I bought one with a dog to use with a line of dogs on the bench. I used it once or twice. Perhaps if I ever install it as a tail vice I'll use it.
I bought a 1-1/2" thread box to build an angled leg vice.
The screw (maple) & nut (oak).
The chop is oak. I'm using a different pipe clamp in my old leg vice which improves it.
The new vice in action. It's angled. I glued leather onto the chop to add some grip. It adjusts racking to whatever you're gripping. It's about the same width as my cast iron vice was. I haven't angled the top yet. If I don't need to, I won't.
At the base, instead of a pinboard, I use a wedge I move with my foot. I have a mortised & tenoned block to keep the vice from twisting. Underneath it, I have some wheels. I may add a wheels above it and that could allow me to get rid of the wedge.
So far, the wedge works well. Since the bottom of the chop is beyond the bench leg, I have a 2x4 on the flood going back to the wall to support the wedge. If my bench wasn't against the wall, I'd need a different solution. I think my next bench will have angled legs so there is something for the chop & wedge.
It doesn't have a garter so I have to move the chop back out as I unscrew it. I don't move things much in use so it's not an issue.
I'm happy with the wooden screw. It's noisy but getting quieter as I'm using it. I wish I had gotten a threadbox with lower TPI so it would be faster, but not enough to redo things.
I have to wonder why the cast iron vices became popular. The leg vice just works so well. Even without angling the depth is more.
I plan on making a moxon vice with wooden threads. I have a 3/4" threadbox with a lower TPI that will be faster as well. Maybe as part of a bench on bench for dovetails and mortising.
