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Andy Klein's Twin Turbo Vise on Kickstarter

8K views 46 replies 17 participants last post by  BlueRidgeDog 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Figured it would be worth sharing here to those that might be interested.
Some of you may be familiar with Andrew Klein. He's the inventor of the FKA Wood Whisperer Thread Taps and probably more publicly known as the inventor of the Miter Fold Dado set sold at Rockler. He has started a Kickstarter Campaign to sell his new invention: The Twin Turbo Vise. It's a steel geared twin screw vise that has a fast and slow mode with negligible racking. I've been following him on this since he first mentioned it on his youtube channel. Worth a gander if you've been thinking about upgrading your vise. I have no affiliation with Andy; just a fellow woodworker who sees a lot of potential from this and thought it was worth sharing.

Kickstarter Campaign
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2121995757/twin-turbo-vise?ref=user_menu

Andy's YouTube Playlist regarding the Vise
 
#4 ·
great idea and im sure they will sell but as far as an investment ill keep my money where it is.

- pottz
This isn't a typical Kickstarter. Prototypes have already been made and distributed to various other YouTube woodworkers, so all the parts are on solid ground. The kickstarter is more of a bulk initial order with the manufacturer for the parts. I see this more as a Pre-Order from a reputable maker/inventor than a Kickstarter where the maker hasn't solidified anything and doesn't understand the costs associated with it. Not trying to convince you; just a clarification on what this actually is.
 
#5 ·
great idea and im sure they will sell but as far as an investment ill keep my money where it is.

- pottz

Yeah, i've done kickstarters before when you are getting a benefit from fronting them the money as an investor. But if its more than a veritas twin screw then i fail to see the point.

- SMP
One of the videos in the playlist takes you to another woodworker who compares the Veritas to the Twin Turbo. Going from chain-driven to a gear set makes a big difference and having support blocks helps prevent sagging and most of the racking. Worth a watch if you're curious on the differences.
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
#8 ·
If you are supporting Andy Klein then you can also support his Indiegogo funding for the pencil making tool

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pencil-making-tool#/

- Notw

180.00 bucks so you can make a wood pencil that you get at office depot for a fraction.sounds like the investment of a lifetime.i think not-LOL!

- pottz
Then it's definitely not marketed towards you, but there is a market obviously because it's already been funded in 1 day. Then there's the $400 Chopstick maker from Bridge City Tools. There's a market for that too that people have bought and used to make for trade shows and to sell. I'm surprised every day what kind of tools are out there that actually has a good following and market.
 
#9 ·
If you are supporting Andy Klein then you can also support his Indiegogo funding for the pencil making tool

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pencil-making-tool#/

- Notw

180.00 bucks so you can make a wood pencil that you get at office depot for a fraction.sounds like the investment of a lifetime.i think not-LOL!

- pottz
I don't think the intent was ever to make a single pencil, but the joy of making something yourself and making things to sell at crafts shows or give as gifts. I can buy BIC pens at office depot all day but I would much rather use one of the ones i've turned myself.
 
#10 ·
I'm a backer and proud of it! I got in line for the 20" vice. It's pure genius and it looks great too! I've backed several projects on Kickstarter in the past and they have always delivered to full expectations and more! Plus this is Andy Klein. He's an established inventor and well respected in the community.

my two cents

Scott
 
#12 ·
I think it's pretty cool. Definitely not for me though.

It's kinda funny though. I don't see people that use bench vises to be the crowd of people in a hurry.

- CWWoodworking
bingo,do you really need too spend more so you can crank your vise twice as fast?
 
#13 ·
I think it's pretty cool. Definitely not for me though.

It's kinda funny though. I don't see people that use bench vises to be the crowd of people in a hurry.

- CWWoodworking

bingo,do you really need too spend more so you can crank your vise twice as fast?

- pottz
Almost the same price as the Veritas twin screw vise, so the cost is irrelevant. Plus there are tons of people who build the Roubo bench with Benchcrafted leg vise, tail vise, etc etc. That's over $1k easily if buying from scratch. Definitely a market for them; just not everyone's cup of tea. In my case, I'm supporting an inventor who makes amazing projects and items but also a product that will save some headache in the long run.
 
#14 ·
Kickstarter projects are not investments just a way to support an inventor and perhaps (in this case) get a vise that solves a problem (racking) before the price goes up. I wish I could invest. I could see Rockler buying this if he's willing to sell. It looks well thought out and way more substancial than Veritas.
 
#16 ·
I have been following this vise from the start and bought two day one. The price seems great to me and the functionality is perfect. I have a feeling that when the dust settle I will have gotten a deal as either they will never be available again or they will be considerably more.

Looking forward to mine!
 
#18 ·
Honestly, I wanted to like this, but there seems to be a surprising lack of product info on this. For example… what are the bench top dimension requirements for each size? What is the max recommended clamping face for each size? What specifically comes with it relative to what we see in the video? Does "fast mode" work in both directions?

Not asking for anyone here to answer any of these questions, just jotting some down off the top of my head after watching the video.
 
#19 ·
Honestly, I wanted to like this, but there seems to be a surprising lack of product info on this. For example… what are the bench top dimension requirements for each size? What is the max recommended clamping face for each size? What specifically comes with it relative to what we see in the video? Does "fast mode" work in both directions?

Not asking for anyone here to answer any of these questions, just jotting some down off the top of my head after watching the video.

- avsmusic1
1) Here's the video of him discussing the size requirements. He admits he messed up on this.

2) You get everything (including the cork rubber for the vise pad) except the wood. There are a few shots in his videos showing the entire kit laid out.

3) Yes, "fast mode" works in both directions and can switch at anytime you want to slow mode or neutral.
 
#20 ·
I have been following this vise from the start and bought two day one. The price seems great to me and the functionality is perfect. I have a feeling that when the dust settle I will have gotten a deal as either they will never be available again or they will be considerably more.

Looking forward to mine!

- BlueRidgeDog
Yeah, he mentioned in one of the videos or maybe it was the Friday Live with Marc saying the Kickstarter price is the deal price and when it goes retail/however he ends of marketing/selling this, it will definitely go up.
 
#22 ·
I'm not very knowledgeable about vises. Is there going to be enough material to install benchdogs across the top of the vise? It just doesn't look like there is enough meat there to hold up over time.

- Vintagewood1960
The vise is just the hardware. You add your own chops, fore and aft. So the amount of "meat" is up to you. I will probably go with a 3" chop with dog holes.
 
#23 · (Edited by Moderator)
1) Here s the video of him discussing the size requirements. He admits he messed up on this.

2) You get everything (including the cork rubber for the vise pad) except the wood. There are a few shots in his videos showing the entire kit laid out.

3) Yes, "fast mode" works in both directions and can switch at anytime you want to slow mode or neutral.

- Rayne
Thanks
I suppose I'm just surprised this, and other info, wasn't provided in a pretty obvious way on the page. It's not confidence inspiring.

That said, I recognize that Andy is a known trustable source to many here. I'm not suggesting those interested shouldn't go for it
 
#25 ·
I suppose I'm just surprised this, and other info, wasn't provided in a pretty obvious way on the page. It's not confidence inspiring.
I think he envisioned the kickstarter as an extension of his existing video series on the design of the vise and because of that the information on the page is not as complete as it would be otherwise. I don't think he thought about folks finding the kickstarter that were not also following the design series and he may be missing out on folks due to that oversight. Most of the backers (IMHO) have been following the development of the vise, sharing information and giving feedback for some time.

"if" you watch the video series on the development of it then look at the price they are selling for in this initial run, it is a bargain. Like I said before, I am in for two as my calculation is that we are paying darn near the cost of materials and machining.

For me, bench time is quality time and this vise will fit into that. Also, when the vise ships I will be about a year from retirement…so lots of time ahead to play.
 
#26 ·
For a "hybrid" woodworker, what do folks think about using one of the twin turbo vises in lieu of a leg vise, e.g., BC?
How would you compare and contrast the twin screw design and Benchcrafted's crisscross leg vise?
If I'm primarily going to use a jointer for edge jointing of a long wide board, what do I lose with the twin turbo? The TT could still be used to secure a board for dovetailing, couldn't it? Racking seems to be a non issue with the TT. The leg vise has a longer distance between the top of the bench and the screw, though with a 4.5 inch thick bench, there would still be a good gripping area.
 
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