# Compact Hardtail Design Issue **URL:** \ **Category:** Vises\ **Created:** [November 26, 2025, 8:53pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050 "2025-11-26T20:53:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TC777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TC777](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/TC777)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 8:53pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/1 "2025-11-26T20:53:05Z")
The fixed jaw is too far back and thus mounting a long vertical piece will interfere with both the mounting feet and the table edge. I’ve mounted the vise as close to the edge of the table as possible and there is just no way it can be used for anything that would hang down further than the top of the mount feet. ![20251116_1522501](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/0/0af6a6a40674a5a83959909adaa4a90addcd3703.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Rambozo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/fireball.discourse.group/rambozo/32/2202_2.png) [@Rambozo](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/Rambozo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 11:13pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/2 "2025-11-26T23:13:35Z")
That kinda blows. Might have to make up a thicker fixed jaw, or a shim to go behind that one. How much is it lacking? ---
**Author:** ![TC777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TC777](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/TC777)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 11:30pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/3 "2025-11-26T23:30:51Z")
You can kind of see from the picture. Probably 1/16” from the vise foot, but really needs 1/4” so you wouldn’t have to mount the vise right on the edge of the table. ---
**Author:** ![mRhAnKbOt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/fireball.discourse.group/mrhankbot/32/1438_2.png) [@mRhAnKbOt](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/mRhAnKbOt)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 10:32am UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/4 "2025-11-27T10:32:46Z")
Oof. A rare swing and miss from Fireball. I bet it won’t be long and the jaws that ship with this vise will be thicker. ---
**Author:** ![Juskos](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/fireball.discourse.group/juskos/32/3405_2.png) [@Juskos](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/Juskos)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/5 "2025-11-28T15:59:47Z")
Can’t you just swivel the vice a few degrees so that tube clears the base and table? ---
**Author:** ![TC777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TC777](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/TC777)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2025, 9:23am UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/6 "2025-11-29T09:23:11Z")
That might work if you only have something on one side. Imagine a U-shaped piece though. ---
**Author:** ![Fireball\_Wyatt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/fireball.discourse.group/fireball_wyatt/32/503_2.png) [@Fireball\_Wyatt](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/Fireball_Wyatt)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2025, 1:12am UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/7 "2025-12-03T01:12:11Z")
Turn the swivel bas about 20\* and it will clear ---
**Author:** ![TC777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TC777](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/TC777)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2025, 2:39pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/8 "2025-12-03T14:39:13Z")
Right, but that doesn’t always work and it’s just a flaw. Other vises that I have don’t have this issue. I’ll work around it, but it’s just something I thought ya’ll should be aware of and maybe fix. ---
**Author:** ![Lucca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@Lucca](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/Lucca)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 12:23pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/9 "2026-02-18T12:23:45Z")
![WhatsApp Image 2026-02-18 at 09.19.05](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/9/9d02528362c530bd264ac56ee322238df3e7b1ab.jpeg) This vise just popped up for sale in my country (Brazil). It’s identical to the compact hardtail vise, and you can see it’s an old vise. It surprised me quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![TC777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TC777](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/TC777)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 4:22pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/10 "2026-02-18T16:22:20Z")
Well, it’s not identical. It has a much better mounting foot that gets the fixed jaw over the edge of the table. ---
**Author:** ![Fireball\_Jason](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/fireball.discourse.group/fireball_jason/32/52_2.png) [@Fireball\_Jason](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/Fireball_Jason)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 2:10pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/compact-hardtail-design-issue/4050/11 "2026-02-19T14:10:39Z")
You can remove the swivel base if you want on the FB vise and achieve the same results.