Mounting a vice

[bugbear]

Got my rutlands vise in the mail today. Am not sure how to mount it either, I think Paul Sellers has something of a point in not having it flush, mostly because of what he showed with mounting clamps in the vise. That was quite clever.

For when you want to edge joint (where the flush vise might be considered at its best) see:

post503172.html?hilit=%20Robert%20Wearing%20gadget%20#p503172

More from Robert Wearing

Ellis also shows Ian Kirby using the sash clamp in a face vise trick.

BugBear

 

[Bm101]

Arghhh. :shock: Brain frazzle!
If you were going to build a heavy bench with a leg vice (left leg) and a dead man but you had a record vice lying about and you were a right hander, where would you put it on the bench for maximum versatility? I was thinking on the left end kind of at right angles to the leg vice. (Same sort of distance away form the corner). Or would you put it on the right front of the face flush or not bearing in mind the leg vice. If it goes on the left end I'm convinced enough not to fit it flush from the above posts. Thnaks for the info.

Remember when you passed your driving test and you're all happy, 'look at me! look at me! I can driiiiiive!'
Then you start driving and realise, actually I know sweet FA. Then you start the process of learning to drive and it takes years. That's me lol, up and down like a brides nightie at the moment with this bench malarkey. I just want to get it right and as versatile as possible from the start. Sorry for going on about it.
Cheers.
Chris.

 

[bugbear]

I just want to get it right and as versatile as possible from the start.

Nobody ever gets their first bench right - because what you want changes over time.

Eventually you just build a second bench.

But you can't skip the first one.

BugBear

 

[Bm101]

*mad laughter

 

[DTR]

Arghhh. :shock: Brain frazzle!
If you were going to build a heavy bench with a leg vice (left leg) and a dead man but you had a record vice lying about and you were a right hander, where would you put it on the bench for maximum versatility? I was thinking on the left end kind of at right angles to the leg vice. (Same sort of distance away form the corner). Or would you put it on the right front of the face flush or not bearing in mind the leg vice. If it goes on the left end I'm convinced enough not to fit it flush from the above posts.
Chris.

On the right hand end as an end vice!

I don't see much point in having two vices on the front, especially if you have a deadman (or in my case, an apron).

 

[DennisCA]

That looks like a good setup, one I will probably go with. Mine is a much simpler bench, not truly meant for handtool working, figure the lathe might start occupying it a lot. But I need something until I get that proper bench I want.

 

[Bm101]

It looks like a sensible option, thanks.

 

[linusw]

Regarding mounting a vice. I wanted to mount it at the left of the front bench, on the left hand side of the first leg, but due to not thinking far enough ahead, I don't think there's enough room there so might have to mount it on the right side of the left leg. Is this a bad placement? I wanted it at the extreme left for sawing past the bench

 

[Bm101]

Could you not fit an extended wooden jaw to the vice? Depending on the distance that would help to alleviate any movement if there was any. I'm guessing that unless its a fair distance away from the end of the bench it would make a minimal difference. Was looking at mine today and I reckon it needs approx a 7" bed into the bottom of the bench.
Look at that first link I posted from PaulM. vices-fitting-a-record-bench-vice-t25365.html About 10 pics down.
If the bench leg is too close too the end to fit a vice, less than a foot or so, I can't see that fitting the solution shown there would not help. Those vices can exert a huge amount of pressure. Spreading that via a wooden plate would surely be sufficient over a foot or so distance. Certainly wouldn't panic.
Caveat: advice from beginners should be treated as such!

 

[DennisCA]

Well the way I mounted my vise last night was to use M12 carriage bolts through the bench top itself, I also had to use two boards of 12mm plywood to make it thick enough that the vise would sit at the right height. I counter sunk the top holes and I will make round inserts to fit into these counter sink holes, I'll glue them in place and sand the entire top and finish it, shouldn't be very noticeable when done.

 

[Racers]

Mine is coach screwed to a block that is coach screwed to the underside of the bench, I didn't have long enough coach screws!

Pete

 

[John15]

+1 for coach screws.

John

 

[JonnyW]

This is an old Record vice I stuck in the bench in my garage.

The bench was already built in and is about three odd metres long and was there when I bought my house, as was the old vice. I flattened the bench and oiled it, stuck the vice in, and added the hardwood faces to the jaws (sorry don't know the proper term for that). I then drilled some dog holes.

I know it's not the neatest jobs, as at the time I thought it would be temporary as I wanted to make a proper bench with a shoulder vice, tool well etc etc. But the bench is simplicity itself and with my basic improvements, does everything I ask of it.

I wouldn't do without the quick release to tell you the truth. Very handy.

Jonny

 

[DennisCA]

I would probably have used what you call coach screws, I think of them as lag bolts myself, or in swedish they're called "french wood screws", but i didn't have any.

 

[DennisCA]

My vise installation, dog holes next I guess.

 

[custard]

You can't go wrong with a Record quick release vice.

But actually you can.

There's a myth that a big lump of cast iron is indestructible. Yet a woodworking vice is quite a precise instrument, from the toe-in at the top of the jaws to the subtleties of the quick release mechanism, smooth functioning depends on it being used with a certain amount of care.

All it takes is one instance of a beefy fitter deciding to use a vice to press a bearing, slipping a length of pipe on the handle for some extra leverage, and that vice will never, ever perform satisfactorily again.

When you buy an old vice you may get a well functioning bargain, or you might get a permanently racked and twisted wreck.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The guy I sold two to a few weeks ago was a retired joiner. He cracked the body of his No.53 ... trying to bend a sheet of 1/2" steel in it ... with a sledge. I knew as I did it it wasn't very smart, he said ...