> On Jan 22, 2018, at 12:58 PM, Ed Minch  wrote:
> 
> I am a little unclear why this is better than using the face vice and board
jack - it makes the edge higher, but I don't think I need that.
> 

It works better for thin narrow stock. The highest position on my sliding jack
is 5 inches below the the bench top. On thin stock it can get real whippy
sticking out of a vise and clamps are awkward at best. In the pic I posted the
stock was 24 inches long, 3 inches wide and 3/8 thick. I had three pieces to
plane to the same height. In the birdsmouth they all sat on the bench, fully
supported for edge planing. Today I was doing the same to two pieces of 1/4 x 1
1/4” x 24” material. Piece of cake. Would have been a real trial in the face
vice. Plus, since the bench top is the reference surface, you can remove the
pieces and if necessary reinsert and get the same registration. Try that in a
face vise.