is MDF an acceptable material for vise jaws?

[Matthew N. Masail]

I would prefer a softer jaw, as I work a lot with pine and don't want to mare it. but is MDF ok? I'd probably glue 2 pieces to get up to 1.4inches thick and finish it with hard waxoil.

[Bill White]

Well sure if that's what ya want. What's to complain about? I have solid wood, but I often "pad" the jaws with something else depending on the job at hand. Might wanna try some EXTIRA mdf. It is an exterior grade mdf that is heavier and more dense. Might be hard to find some off cuts to try.
Bill

[Matthew N. Masail]

funny enough I have a huge piece of melamine coated MDF that's was lying near a dumpster cross the street from me. it's thick and super heavy, maybe it's a denser grade, will heat remove melamine? I'd try instead of asking but I need to borrow a heat gun for that.
I also don't think there is any chance of me finding off cuts anywhere I know of. but If I use hardwood and line them with cork, would that be better than MDF? or am I asking about things that really don't matter all that much...

[James Hamilton]

People get down on MDF because it isn't real wood. I don't get it. I make all my projects out of MDF and OSB with a bit of TLC and they always come out A-OK! :D

[Jim Rimmer]

People get down on MDF because it isn't real wood. I don't get it. I make all my projects out of MDF and OSB with a bit of TLC and they always come out A-OK! :D

:D Are you a mole who also goes by the name Stumpy Nubs? :rolleyes:

[david brum]

Mathew, I made vice jaws out of mdf a few years ago. It's tough enough for the most part, unless you're cutting dog holes in the top. My dog holes eventually split open and wouldn't hold the dogs straight. The other thing that bugged me was that mdf is slippery and gets more slippery over time as it gets polished. When I was clamping something like a board for dovetailing, I had to really crank down on the vice to keep it tight. I eventually replaced the faces with some scrap beech, which has worked much better.

I'm sure that mdf will work for you, especially if it's all that's available. Some dense hardwood will work better, though.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I would prefer a softer jaw, as I work a lot with pine and don't want to mare it. but is MDF ok
Why not just use pine for the jaws?

[Prashun Patel]

If yr jaws are long, and you're clamping near the end, then I wonder if you'd get more flex and rack vis-a-vis hardwood jaws.

It would be my preference to use hardwood and then just line them with hardboard or mdf if you want it softer. A quick 100gt massage with will restore grippiness when it gets burnished.

On a steelbacked or short-jawed vise it might not be an issue.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Thanks everyone, I think I'm going to look for a particularly dense piece of pine, it's a steel backed vise and I plan on only 5cm hang on each side.

is it a bad idea to glue cork to the linings? meaning it will be there for everything, where would cork be a bad choice?

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

Thanks everyone, I think I'm going to look for a particularly dense piece of pine, it's a steel backed vise and I plan on only 5cm hang on each side.

is it a bad idea to glue cork to the linings? meaning it will be there for everything, where would cork be a bad choice?

I have cork lined maple jaws on my Record Vise. They have been there for 6 or 7 years at least and they work great.

http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz35/HarveyMelvinRichards/P3221381Large.jpg

[glenn bradley]

Like Harvey, I have hard jaws (beech) and used spray adhesive to add leather pads. They have been working great.

[Matthew N. Masail]

That's the exact vise that I have! (-: so cork and some kind of wood it is. thanks man.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I have a pair of MDF jaws for my vise, and inset 4 magnets to them to hold them in place. I have never had any trouble with them.

[Jeff Duncan]

The general idea of lining the jaw vices is to use something softer than the face of the material your working with so you don't mar it. If your using mostly soft pine than mdf or just about any hardwood will have a much harder face. That's not to say it won't work, but you want to ease all the edges at the very least. I think faces made out of soft pine lined with cork would be ideal.

good luck,
JeffD