Benchcrafted Crisscross Hardware
The Benchcrafted Crisscross supports the weight of the vise hardware and the chop (the moving vise jaw),
allowing the Crisscross to smoothly "float" in and out, making the vise far more pleasant to use and
eliminating the need to manually adjust a parallel guide when changing workpiece thickness. The Crisscross
can be used on any leg vise installation, including ones using traditional vise screws rather than ones
made by Benchcrafted. If you installed a Benchcrafted Glide Vise before the Crisscross mechanism became available,
you can possible upgrade your Glide Vise by using the Crisscross Retro.
Mounting
The Solo and Retro Crisscross use slightly different mounting systems. The Solo Crisscross has a slim body
that mounts into a narrow mortise in the bench leg. It requires a precision drilled hole for the pivot pins. Benchcrafted
strongly recommends using a drill press to drill this hole. Of course,
that's not practical on an existing workbench. That's why Benchcrafted offers the Retro Crisscross which includes
mounting brackets to simplify retrofit installations without the need for a drill press.
Which Crisscross should you choose? — If you can put your bench leg on a drill press to drill the mounting hole, get the Solo. If not, get the Retro.
Crisscross 14
The Crisscross 14 is a smaller version of the Solo Crisscross mechanism for use on benches shorter than 30". The mortise required is only 14-1/4" long -
compared to 19-1/2" for the Solo & Retro. It is made from cold rolled steel. It can be used on taller benches, but is optimized for for benches
under 30".
Important Note - Crisscross Design Change
In February 2025, Benchcrafted released a new version of the Crisscross Solo and Retro.
The length of the Crisscross arms (the two main parts of the mechanism) were shortened by
1-1/2". This allows the Crisscross to be fit into a wider variety of workbench heights and
allows for a greater variety of vise installation positions without affecting performance. The
mortise for the V2 Crisscross arm is now 18" long, the previous version being 19-1/2" long.
All other aspects of the Crisscross Solo and Retro remain unchanged.
Updated instructions can be downloaded below or on the Benchcrafted website.
Additional Information
Glide Leg Vise Installation
Benchcrafted Glide M or Glide C Vise Installation Instructions 2022. PDF
Benchcrafted Glide M or Glide C Vise Installation Instructions 2025. PDF
Benchcrafted Glide M or Glide C Vise with Crisscross 14 Installation Instructions 2021. PDF
Benchcrafted Glide M or Glide C Vise with Crisscross 14 Installation Instructions 2025.
Classic Vise Installation
Benchcrafted Classic Leg Vise Installation Instructions - 2022. PDF
Benchcrafted Classic Leg Vise Installation Instructions - 2025. PDF