Vise Fitting

[segovia]

Hi

I have this vise which I will be fitting to my new bench top which is a torsion box design. The jaws of the vise are smaller then the thickness of the bench which is about 4 1/4"

If I fit it as shown in the picture the top of the jaws will be about 1 1/2" below the surface of the bench which means I'll need to make my vise cheeks about 1 1/2 deeper than the jaws so the cheeks fit flush with the top of the bench - alternatively I can route out appx 20mm of the mdf top which has the effect of lifting the vise a bit nearer to the bench top. Underneath the MDF in the vise area is solid ply so I have something to bolt into

Would you fit as is or route out a recess ?

J

 

[Benchwayze]

To get the vice at the right height, get a piece of timber ( 4 x 1 maybe) that is about a foot longer than your bench height.

Clamp the timber in the vice so one end of the plank is on the floor, and the the vice is in the right position. This will hold the vice steady, and take the weight, by acting as a 'third hand' whilst you mark.

Hope you see what I am getting at.

Usually, the rear jaw of a vice is not so deep as the thickness of the bench. I wouldn't want to rout into the thickness of a bench-top, so on my new bench, I plan to recess the edge of the bench. When the vice is fitted, and the jaw is flush with the front edge, I will fit the wooden cheek over it, so it is enclosed completely. Although my bench isn't going to have a torsion box construction. If it was, I would arrange to have solid timber where the vice was going to be.

If you want the front of your bench to be in plane, (coplanar with the legs?) then you will need to recess into the edge anyhow, and do away with a rear cheek. Or maybe I am visualising the wrong thing! .



HTH

 

[bugbear]

...the thickness of the bench which is about 4 1/4"

Holy Mega-Slab Batman!

BugBear

 

[flh801978]

Having done the same recently but in a solid beech top
i would rout out till the vice jaws are 5-10 mm shy of the top surface and then rout out so the jaws are flush with the front surface
then face the jaws and plane flush with the bench top