Does anyone here use a Zyliss vise? (2024)

[OP]Member

What are your opinions of this vise?

Thanks,

Steve

Member

I've had one for about 20 years and in certain situations it is very useful. Over the years it seems they have added about a million accessories for it. I bought mine before all of these accessories were available. A few years ago I came across a box of the accessories at an auction. No one else there even knew what they were so I bought them cheap. Haven't used the accessories much.

Moderator

I have one that my FIL gave me. I’ve never really used it but it looks well made for what it is – a light duty vise.

Member

Steve,

The Zyliss has its "place".

The "place" for mine is in the back of my truck.

I feel the greatest feature of the Zyliss is it's portability. In the boating season I am clamping it to railings, boat cradles, benches, etc.

I agree with Royce about the accessories. I never used any except the jaw covers which have from time to time come in handy.

The Zyliss will never be my only vise... However if I was moving on a boat to go cruising it would be a tool I would make room for, and have recommended to several fellow boaters who have left for the "wild blue".

jim

Member

I've never had a Zyliss,but it could be handy for holding things between centers like wagon spokes,hammer handles,and the like for drawknife or spokeshave work.

Member

A few years ago there use to be a knock-off of the Zyliss. As seen on TV. Harbor Freight use to have there model. It was like $45. Wish I had picked one up.

Anyone have a knock-off?

Member

I have an original unit that I found on my shelf while cleaning out the workshop this week. I forgot I had it. Must be 15 + years old and the box has never been opened.
I bought it at a woodworkers show up at the Big E in Mass. The demo had me convinced it would do everything but cook my dinner.
Here we are 15+ years later and still never been out of the box.
Maybe its time to see what I can use it for. Or.... maybe its time to put it up for sale.
I'll decide this weekend when I can finally find my workbench again. :>)

Member

I used to work with a Swedish carpenter and he had a Zyliss vice. He used it extensively when we were doing finish work but it seemed very light weight to me. But it seemed to hold up OK and he never missed an opportunity to haul it out and clamp it to a saw horse. That was the first time I ever saw one and I have to admit that I was tempted to buy one for myself. Ended up with a huge workbench with end and side vices and dog holes instead. I think the bench was much better than the Zyliss vice but then again, I never tried to haul the workbench to a job site.

Member

Our local woodworking club is trying to outfit ourselves with a fleet of woodworking benches that we can drag around to different events. We are looking for portability and all of the performance you would expect from a woodworking bench. There has to be a compromise in there someplace.

We have had some discussion about using Zyliss vises instead of traditional woodworking vises. I've only seen these things at the state fair, right next to the Sham-Wow guy's booth. What do you guys think? Can you use one of those vises in a class/workshop setting to build some kind of dovetailed box??? I have my doubts...

Member

I have owned one for a long time. I recall using it once to hold a gun stock for my dad
while I used a miter saw to change the angle of the butt pad. It was such an odd shape
to hold on that saw. The Zyliss worked great. If I recall correctly that was the one and only time I used it.

I would rather use something more substantial 98% of the time.

Member

If I wanted to hold things between centers on a bench with dog holes,I'd just make some maple dogs that were extended above the surface of the bench about 4". Then,I'd add center points,and use the tail vise to close the dogs on the work. I just don't have a lot of confidence in die cast alloy. I could be wrong,but if I broke a wooden dog,it would be quick to make a new one.

I did the same thing when the treadle lathe we made got its heavy wheel out of alignment.

The oak wheel was about 24" dia.X 5" thick. It had a square hole in the center,with wooden wedges to adjust the true running. This wheel was heavy,too.

I made a pair of wooden dogs that stuck up over a foot above the top of the bench,drilled out female centers,and clamped the flywheel,mounted on its crankshaft,between the dogs. They proved strong enough,and with the wheel's center at that height,I was able to quickly adjust the wedges till it ran true enough.

Member

The funny thing about them is that many people have them still in the box like the above poster.

I used mine for the first time today. I was drilling a hole in a gunstock. I bought it because it looked portable and sometimes I bring some of my detail work on gunstocks right in the office.

I got lucky and got mine from a guy off of CL. I got it for $75. I was really happy because I had lost on ebay a few times for a whole lot more. Mine was still in the box with a ton of attachments. Honestly I don't thing the guy had any idea what it was.

Certainly it isn't going to be your only vise. I don't have very many tools that I don't have doubles for. Who does?

Even though it is light it is plenty strong. If you can get one for a price you are happy with then by all means. And do something crazy like take it out of the box and use it before you have had it for 20 years.

Member

Originally Posted by Tony Strupulis

Our local woodworking club is trying to outfit ourselves with a fleet of woodworking benches that we can drag around to different events. We are looking for portability and all of the performance you would expect from a woodworking bench. There has to be a compromise in there someplace.

We have had some discussion about using Zyliss vises instead of traditional woodworking vises. I've only seen these things at the state fair, right next to the Sham-Wow guy's booth. What do you guys think? Can you use one of those vises in a class/workshop setting to build some kind of dovetailed box??? I have my doubts...

Harry Strasil (spelling?) has a bench you might want to look at, in the Neander section.

As to the vise, I don't remember if there was another name prior to, or after, but I have seen them for sale on occasion, and if the price was right, I would love to buy one, for use in the bed of the pickup truck.

Member

I don't have enough room in my garage woodworking shop to have a traditional woodworkers bench, so I purposely looked for a Zyliss vise and I use it whenever a woodworking vise is needed. I know it doesn't compare to the typical woodworkers vises but for me it is a useful alternative.

Member

I use mine all the time as a pen press. To press my pen parts together... I like it better than the presses they sell for pens.