
Installing a Vise on a Woodworking Bench
- Step 1—Choose Where to Put your Vise. A vise will usually be best situated near a corner as many other places will...
- Step 2—Position the Vise. If you are installing a bench top vise, place the vise in position and mark where the holes...
- Step 3—Bolt on the Filler Block. Install the filler block for the vise. Drill and counterbore...
How to install a woodworking bench vise?
- Things to know:
- You have to space the vise and dogholes around the bench legs and any facevise mounting hardware.
- You also can hold stock vertically between the movable jaw and the bench.
- A quick release, available on some tail vises, speeds up big changes in vise position. ...
How to build a workbench simple DIY woodworking project?
How to Build your own DIY Workbench
- DIY Workbench Tools Needed. Orbital Sander– Ryobi makes a nice one.
- DIY Workbench Supplies Needed. This simple DIY Workbench can be made for about $175 in materials cost. ...
- Cut All of the Wood Pieces. ...
- Start Assembly, Making the Top First. ...
- Assemble the Bottom. ...
- Cut the Plywood and Attach. ...
- Stain and Finish the Workbench. ...
- Get to Work! ...
How to design and build the perfect Workbench?
- You need 4 - 4 foot lengths of 2x4s
- Set up the sled so that it cuts between a 1/16 and 1/8 of an inch more than 3 1/2 inches
- Measure the height of the mortise (2.436 inches)
- Measure the height of the 2x4 (3.481 inches)
- Subtract the smaller from the larger and divide by two (0.5225 inches)
How to make a wood vise?
Make a Bench Vise for Woodworking
- What You Need. About 16 linear feet of one by six hardwood (actual measurements ¾” x 5½”). ...
- Front Jaw. Cut two 32” long pieces from the one by six board. ...
- Rear Jaw. The rear jaw is L-shaped. ...
- Drill Holes for the Hex Bolts. Drill two ½” holes through the front jaw 3” from the short edge and 2 ¼” from the top edge. ...
- Make Handles. ...
- Use Your Bench Vise. ...

Can you take a vise off?
Now that you have your measurement and the jaw (s) cut, you can take the vise off.
Can you add an outer jaw to a vise?
So on my vise i chose to only add an outer jaw, and use the edge of the benchtop for my inner jaw but you can do this a couple different ways so do what works best for you! Cut the oversized jaw to length and width, but dont forget to leave a little extra so you can dial it in later.
Can you remove the quick release nut?
Remove quick release nut, but REMEMBER how it goes, i suggest taking a picture of it's oreintation so that you make sure it goes back correctly, if not the vise will not operate as intended.
How big of a vise should I use for face planing?
Because a face vise is used for general work as well as for planing edges, I recommend investing in a larger vise (at least 10"). Since it’s primarily used in tandem with bench dogs to secure boards for face-planing, a smaller end vise should suffice.
How to attach a vise to a spacer block?
Use a straightedge to ensure the face of the jaw is flush with the edge of the ben ch. If it’s proud, level it with a hand plane.
How to measure spacer block thickness?
To determine the thickness of your spacer blocks, place the rear jaw upside down on the inverted benchtop and measure how much the top of the jaw projects beyond the underside. Add to that 1⁄4" for a 7" vise, or 1⁄2" for a 10" vise. (The former is necessary for better dog height on the smaller vise.)
How to make a cheek on a bench?
Make the front cheek, and attach it with washers and roundhead woodscrews, reassemble the vise, and turn the benchtop over. Hand-plane the cheeks flush with the benchtop (Photo H). My bench had radiused edges, so I chiseled away the sharp point at the corner of the cheek. Finally, apply a couple of coats of wipe-on finish to all raw wood surfaces.
How big is a face vise?
Because a face vise is used for general work as well as for planing edges, I recommend investing in a larger vise (at least 10"). Since it’s primarily used in tandem with bench dogs to secure boards for face-planing, a smaller end vise should suffice. I prefer a small (7") model, because its dog is only 31⁄2" from the front edge of the bench, which is convenient for clamping workpieces for face-planing and other operations.
How to cut a notch in a bench?
Make the crosscut into the benchtop edge with a backsaw. Then clamp a straightedge to the bench to guide a circular saw to cut the length of the notch. Rip the notch until you intersect the previous crosscut (Photo C), and then finish up with a handsaw.
What is a workbench without vises?
Let’s face it; a workbench without vises is basically just an assembly table. Vises provide the muscle for securing workpieces for planing, sawing, routing, and other tooling operations. Of the myriad commercial models, the venerable Record vise is one that has stood the test of time, because it’s simple to install, easy to operate, and designed to survive generations of use. Although it’s no longer in production, several clones are available, including the Eclipse vise, which I show in this article. Similar vises may differ in features, but attachment is similar.
How far above jaws does a dog go in a vise?
On some vises the dog extends up to ½ inch above the jaws. You need to position it well below the bench top or the dog will stick above the work surface. You are likely to need a filler block between the bench underside and the mounting bracket portion of the vise to to produce the intended spacing.
Where should a vise be on a bench?
The vise should be in a place where it is easy to use, but not where you will catch your clothes on it or where it will be a nuisance. Right handers will usually prefer the vice to be on the left hand of the bench, left handers, on the right.
Crosscut Sled for Large Panels
Steve Fikar's panel sled is guided by a single runner in one miter slot attached to a torsion-box base to keep the sled light.
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Can you reinforce dado joints?
Allow the glue to cure. You could reinforce this dado joint with screws or dowels if you want, but with this much contact and the dimensional strength of the plywood, I think it'll stand up to any force I can apply with my hands. Also, at this point, I wiped on a coat of Danish Oil.
How long does it take to attach a bench dog to a bench?
This might be useful in the future if I'm cutting something quite long and need the side-to-side clearance and support in the middle. This took about 6 seconds.
What to do if you don't have a table saw?
If you don't have a table saw, you can do this with a circular saw or even a handsaw. Just make sure to mark a baseline, and keep everything secure.
Do I need to clean my Douglas fir blade?
Yes, I know I need to clean my blade. I've been cutting a lot of relatively fresh Douglas fir for a project, and the pitch has left a lot of build-up. I'll be following this tutorial soon!
How to fix a rod on a nut?
To fix the rod, we added a small hole through the T-piece and the rod and insert a small bolt. Now you can turn the rod by turning the T-piece.
How long is a 5/8 copper rod?
I use two 5/8" copper pipes to support the rod and to keep the jaw from rotating. They have a length of 50cm. You can adjust the length to your needs.
Does a threaded rod work?
The threaded rod works fine, but the slope of the thread is very low. So you need a lot of turns to open the vise. Maybe I would use a higher slope next time. But this is just a convenience thing
Do you need clearance for horizontal movement?
Well you need some clearance for the horizontal movement due to the slop of the thread. When move the jaw you’ll see that it’s slightly misaligned to the other. But that clearance is very small and is easily achieved by the holes where the pipes go into. I used the copper pipes because they were scrap material from an old project and were laying around in my shop. I guess you could easily use different kind of pipes, hollow or solid, of different materials. Take what suites you is the cheapest.
Is maple wood good for a work bench?
very nice. The only problem I have is you should have used hardwoods for maximum durability. Some maple would not have been too costly. Over time you will find these things matter in a work bench. It really gets beat up and a soft wood will not endure as much abuse.
Why is a shoulder vise used?
Because the outer jaw has a tongue that slides in a groove on the fixed arm, it has enough play to let you clamp uneven-shaped workpieces. A shoulder vise gives you floor-to-ceiling clamping space between its jaws. A threaded bushing mortised into the vise shoulder (unseen) keeps the screw on track. Things to know:
What is a pivoting jaw vise?
The benchtop’s edge or apron typically serves as the inner jaw. A pivoting-jaw vise holds irregular-shape stock without racking the jaws. You also can remove the pivoting jaw for parallel-jaw clamping. Magnet-lined wood jaw pads stay in place without screws. A cast-iron-jaw vise can be recessed into the bottom of a bench for maximum strength ...
What is bench vise?
Think of a bench vise as a tool that’s as essential to your success as a hand plane, router, or tablesaw. Although clamps might substitute in some situations, they tend to get in the way, and a vise gives you freedom to do almost any type of work.
How much does a metal vise cost?
Metalworking vises usually mount to the top of a bench. Woodworking vises vary in price from about $30 to as much as $400. Generally, once you decide on a particular style of vise, the more you spend, the better the quality and effectiveness of that vise. Now let’s take a look at the most common types of vises for woodworking.
What is a tail vise?
A traditional tail vise [ Photos H and I] consists of a rectangular or L-shape block of wood (the jaw) fastened to a steel or cast-iron fixture that slides back and forth in a cutaway corner of the bench.
Where do front vises mount?
Front vises. As the name implies, these mount to the front (long edge) of the bench, typically on a left-hand corner. Left-handed folks usually prefer a front vise mounted on the right corner.
Can wood dust cause respiratory problems?
Wood dust messes up a shop quickly and can lead to respiratory problems. Tablesaws with enclosed... read more

Step 1—Choose Where to Put Your Vise
Step 2—Position The Vise
- If you are installing a bench top vise, place the vise in position and mark where the holes will be. Drill the holes right through the bench top and bolt the vise into the top. To install an edge cast-iron vise, remove the front jaw, screw and side bars to make the vise lighter and easier to work with. When the vise is installed, the top edge of th...
Step 3—Bolt on The Filler Block
- Install the filler block for the vise. Drill and counterbore the block for 4 lag bolts before securing the block to the underside of the top. Drill the pilot holes while the block is positioned on the benchtop, add glue and thread the lag bolts home.
Step 4—Mount The Vise
- Position the vise on the block with the back jaw against the edge of the bench. Drill the pilot holes and add the lag screws. Make wood faces for the jaws so that pieces you are working on will not be damaged by the cast-iron jaws. Just screw a rectangular piece of hardwood to each of the jaws. Most jaws have predrilled holes which makes the job easier.