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If you’ve followed my posts for a while, you know I am a huge advocate for the Pattern Maker’s Vise (often referred to as the “Luthier’s” or “Guitar Maker’s Vise”). I have these mounted in my home shop and at the school, and they are easily among the most versatile workholding solutions you can own.
Recently, I spotted a deal from Taylor Toolworks that is too good to ignore. While these often retail for $150–$160 at places like Woodcraft, Taylor has them on sale for $112.49 (down from their $125 list price). With free shipping on orders over $55, it is an absolute bargain for a 33-pound piece of industrial-grade equipment.
Why the Pattern Maker’s Vise?
What makes this vise a staple in my shop is its incredible adjustability. It is designed to be mounted over the benchtop using a substantial 5/8” Acme-threaded rod that anchors the base through a hole in your workbench.
- 360-Degree Versatility: By loosening a large wing nut underneath the bench, you can swivel the entire vise to whatever angle or orientation suits your current task. Once you tighten that wing nut, the vise remains rock-solid.
- Tapered Workpieces: The jaws themselves are a marvel. They come with hardwood faces lined with rubber for a non-marring grip. If you loosen the two bolts at the back of the jaws, they can pivot to securely clamp non-parallel or irregularly shaped parts—a lifesaver for chair legs or neck carving.
- Dual-Function Spreader: A cool feature of this specific model is that you can swivel the jaws 180° to transform the vise into a powerful spreader.
A Wish for the Manufacturers: The Registration Pin
There is one design improvement I would like the manufacturers across all these brands —likely from the same source—to implement.
To get the jaws to stay perfectly parallel, you currently have to significantly over-tighten the bolts that compress the jaws down. It would be a godsend if they included a registration pin to lock the jaws at complete parallelism. A simple hole drilled through the swivel jaw’s cast iron turret and into the base, where a pin could be dropped in, would instantly register the jaws at 180° and prevent any unwanted pivoting during standard clamping tasks. It’s a small modification that would make a significant difference in the user experience.
The Taylor Toolworks Difference
There are minor physical differences between this version and those sold by Lee Valley or Woodcraft, though Mike Taylor told me that nearly all of these likely come from the same high-quality foundries in India.
- The Base: Most versions currently on the market use a stamped steel base. The Taylor version features a cast-iron base, providing a more rigid, vibration-dampening foundation that feels more substantial during heavy use.
- The Handle: The handle on the Taylor vise appears to be fabricated from two parts welded together (similar to the Grizzly model), whereas the Lee Valley or Woodcraft versions often feature a single-piece cast iron handle. This is a minor aesthetic difference that doesn’t impact the torque or performance of the 0.700” diameter Acme-thread drive screw.
Technical Specs at a Glance:
- Weight: 33 lbs of robust cast iron and steel.
- Clamping Capacity: 6” in standard mode; up to 14-1/2” when tilted.
- Height: Sits 10” above the workbench for better ergonomics.
- Mounting: Fits workbenches up to 4-1/2” thick.
At this price point—shipping included—this is a rare opportunity to upgrade your bench with a professional-grade tool. If you’ve been on the fence about adding a pattern maker’s vise to your shop, now is the time to act. Only a few were left when I checked!
