Shop Lee Valley Portable Quick Vise

Designed for one-handed operation, this vise has a release trigger that disengages the movable jaw so you can slide it quickly into position; for final tightening, depressing the main handle drives a ratcheting cam mechanism, advancing the jaw incrementally to apply up to 300 lb of clamping force. The jaw faces are canted inward slightly so the tops touch first as they close. As they tighten, the jaws become parallel, distributing force evenly for a secure hold.

We’ve found that the simplest way to mount the vise is to affix it to a small board with screws driven through mounting holes in the body. You can also bolt or screw the vise directly to a work surface, or secure it with fence clamps or T-track clamps fitted into channels molded into the fixed jaw and tailpiece.

Made of strong, lightweight fiberglass-reinforced nylon, the vise has three steel guide rods to prevent racking. The 2 1/4″ × 4″ jaw faces are fitted with removable non-marring pads made of tough, glue-resistant thermoplastic rubber, with vertical and horizontal V-notches for holding round materials. 6″ clamping capacity; 2 3/4″ throat depth.

Good value in a well-designed, well-made portable vise.