how to mount a vise?

[Pat Meeuwissen]

I bought a used 9" single screw bench vise that I want to use as a replacement for an older QR vise that is no longer working very well, so I need some help on how to best mount this thing as it is solid as a rock and want to learn how to do this right the first time. Thanks Pat

[Pat Meeuwissen]

Ok, I can't believe 98 views and nobody has any suggestions?? Am I not providing enough info or is there just no one right way to install a vise like this? Pat

[Prashun Patel]

Sorry, Pat. I'll tell you how I did mine:
Mine's a bottom mount. Instead of lag screwing it into the bottom of my MDF benchtop, I bolted it through. I countersunk the heads and then topped the bench with 1/4" hardboard.

If yr top is solid hardwood, I see no reason you can't just lag screw it into the bottom.

[Tommy Squires]

Pat, it depends quite a bit on how your bench top is built. Here's mine:

http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/cc154/tdsquires/My%20Workbench/

For the end vise (a Wilton with ash faces) I simply lag screwed it to the bottom of the workbench top. My top is 4 inch thick and I used three or three and one half inch screws. I'm not too concerned about it loosening up and I didn't want bolt heads showing from the top. These large metal vises are heavy and will want to work loose so through bolting is usually a better option.

[glenn bradley]

Am I not providing enough info

That would be it ;-) If it is a bottom mount/plate style, I used lag screws from underneath. You do need to use the correct method for using a lag screw, especially in MDF (adequate diameter and depth of pilot hole, etc.). I did this after much trepidation as I felt that lags would not do the job just screwed into my 4 layer MDF benchtop.

Many assured me that they had used this method on vises they mounted years ago and had never had an issue. I also have never had an issue and I use my vises almost every day.

[John Schreiber]

There are lots of ways to do the job right. Here's my opinions; take them for what they are worth.

1st, where on the bench. Traditional is in the left front for one vise and the right side for a second vise (if you are right handed). I've found that to work well. I like the edge of the vise to come all the way to the edge of the bench, but it's not critical.

2nd, what kind of chops. You don't want the metal part of the vise to actually be making contact with your work piece, so you will want to add chops as padding. The chops can extend the useful width and height of the vise, but at the same time this will increase the way the vise bends when something is pinched to just one side. I'd say generally the chops can extend from 1/2" to 3 inches depending on the stiffness of the vise and thickness of the chop.

3rd, vertical position. The idea is to add or take away from the thickness of the bench top so that the height of the front of the vise comes out right. For me, that would be to have the metal part of the vise about 1/2" below the top of the bench. If the vise has a dog, you want to make sure that it sticks up far enough to be useful, so 1/2" might be too much.

4th, depth. This takes extra work, but the back jaw of the vise should be in the same plane as the front of the bench. This way, a board is supported along the entire face of the bench making it more secure and less prone to vibrations. That means you won't even be able to see the back jaw because it's behind and below the surface of the bench.

5th, connection. Lag bolts are sufficient. They should be as large and long as practical, but too long is a disaster. If your bench design allows you to hide the nuts below the top of the bench, bolts with nuts are even better.

There's a start to the conversation. I'm sure others can add more.

[Bill Huber]

I did mine like Shawn, the only difference is I had to add a spacer between the bottom of the bench and the vise because I have a skirt on my bench.

I did have to take just a little out of the skirt to get the vise even with the top of the bench.

[Pat Meeuwissen]

Well I finally figured out how to attach a picture, so from what I understand I should face both interior pieces of the vice with wood faces, the one on the movable one make it thick enough to be able to insert a benchdog. Now for the follow up question, should the wood on the face of the stationary side then be flush with the front of the bench, if so for what function would this be critical? The first pic is of my benchvise now. Pathttp://farm3.static.flickr.com/2800/4524006180_cfaa43aacc.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4523347639_c3beedb6bc.jpg



http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2725/4523976266_5808be8c0c.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/54316529@N00/4523347639/

[John Neel]

Highland Hardware has some of their handouts on their website. If you go here:

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/free-woodworking-tips.aspx

you will find "mounting quick release vises" under the heading 'SHOP TECHNIQUES'. I followed these directions to mount a vise similar to yours and the directions were very good.

[Jim Heffner]

Pat, I would carefully check that vise against the thickness of the bench top to see if there would be a need for a spacer plate between the vise and the bottom of the bench. You need to mount the vise with top edge of jaws level/flush with the top of the bench.

As to installing wooden faces on the vise itself...that is a matter of personal preference. I think, I would cut into the edge of that front rail of the bench the thickness of the vise rear(fixed jaw), so that when something is clamped in the vise, the jaws are pulling the workpiece flush to the bench and nothing to interfere with a good clamping motion of the vise.

You can mount your vise anyway you like...but the best and strongest method would be to thru bolt the vise. I did that with my vises, both of them.I drilled the holes all the way thru, the bench top, countersunk the bolt heads below the surface about 1/4" and used hexnuts on the bottom
and pulled them good and tight! I can push or pull the bench around by the vise if I wanted to, and the vise will never even move...it is rock solid!
The reason I did this, is I have used vises (topside, machinist type) bolted
with lag screws and they eventually worked loose with a lot of hard use, and I don't like that! Hope this helps..........