Mounting A Woodworking Bench Vise

Metalworking vises usually mount to the top of a bench.

Mounting a woodworking bench vise. With washers attached run the lags up from underneath the vise s carriage through the spacer block and into the underside of the bench top. A cast iron woodworking vise is easy to install and a great addition to any bench. Your pedicure dcs 028 aboves shows that this mounting hole will be obscured by the apron. Southpaws will want to do the opposite.

Everybody s familiar with the standard metal jaw vise but there s a second type of vise to consider. Woodworking vises differ from metalworking vises in that they attach to the bottom of the bench surface or are built into it with typically wood jaws flush with the benchtop. Woodworking vises vary in price from about 30 to as much as 400. If you can use a third hand when working on your projects a work bench vise is a great investment.

Right handers should mount a face vise at the far left of the bench s front edge and an end vise on the end of the bench at the foremost right hand corner. Later ed shows how to drill dog holes so they are aligned properly with your vise and talks about how to use them. Paul am i correct in thinking that you can only bolt in two of the four mounting holes on the vise as the apron gets in the way of the other tow on the base nearest the bench jaw on the clamp. To drop the jaws slightly below the top of your bench make a wooden plate that fits between the bottom.

Depending on your bench s top thickness you have two mounting options. Metal jaw vises are easy to install photo 1. When retrofitting an existing bench make sure the vise mechanism won t interfere with the bench legs. If your top is at least 2 thick lag screws work fine.

One that is mounted directly to your work bench can give you the leverage you need to bend pipe or hold onto something you wish to cut or heat up. Yost vises 750 di 5 heavy duty multi jaw rotating combination pipe and bench vise with 360 degree.