Vice Face Wood?

[Derek Arita]

Just installed my bench vice and I was wondering what you all use for the clamping surface on your vice?

[Stan Calow]

I use pine scraps. I was taught it should be softer wood than anything you would put in it.

[Alden Miller]

I have had a couple pieces of plywood as the faces on my vise for about 20 years. Works great.

-Alden

[Kent A Bathurst]

I use HM. I don't clamp with enough pressure to transfer any witness lines from the vise to the workpiece.

[Joe Scharle]

BB ply works for me.

[Al Launier]

I use leather.

[Bill McNiel]

Hard maple

[Stew Hagerty]

I used some scraps of Jatoba from a previous project. Jatoba is even harder & denser than Hard Maple. I figure it should way outlast me. Then I did put some leather on the movable face for enhanced grip.
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[Rick Potter]

Heck, I just used Masonite. Like Kent, I don't squeeze that hard. In my case, I am just trying to avoid scratches from the metal corners.

Rick P

[Pat Barry]

I have covered the metal vice jaws with ash, it matches my workbench

[John Hollaway]

Do yourself a favor and get the self-adhesive rubber vice face material from Woodworker's Supply. No relationship to them - just my favorite vice face material ever.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I use MDF, with some rare earth magnets epoxied into it.

Doc

[Kent A Bathurst]

I use MDF, with some rare earth magnets epoxied into it.

Doc


Me likey this idea.

[Bob Vaughan]

Russian/Finland birch plywood when I've got it, other wise regular birch. 1/4" thick put on with contact cement. Replace them every few years easily with a little lacquer thinner and a putty knife. The 1/4" faces don't occlude the opening capacity as much as 3/4 faces do. Birch plywood is spongy enough not to risk marring most work when you've got to romp down on the handle.

[Shawn Pixley]

Red oak scrap on both and added leather on the moveable jaw.

[Bryan Cramer]

I use poplar- it's more durable than pine but still softer than the woods I work with. I still like a soft wood in my vices.