Mounting An Auxiliary Vise.

[Ben Abate]

Hello all

i have a vise that I would like to mount for occasional use. I would rather not mount it permanently so I’m looking for ideas. I know I’ve seen some creative mounting options thru the yrs but I can’t recall all that I’ve seen


The vise is a nice nearly new Yost that I believe will fit my needs when it comes to metal working


Thank you

[mike stenson]

I had one that was mounted to 2 laminated pieces of 3/4" baltic birch. I'd clamp that to the table. It worked fine.

[ChrisA Edwards]

Don't know if this helps, this is my method, shown in the first minute of the video

[Peter Kelly]

Did this with my grinder as well.



Wish I had the space to mount both permanently but this works ok for occasional use.

[glenn bradley]

I do as Peter does. Simple and effective.

[Jon Endres]

One thing I've seen done is to mount a class 2 receiver hitch (like for a truck) to the underside of your bench, and then mount various things like vises, grinders, sanders and other infrequently-used tools to a metal plate welded to a 2" tube. Then just slide the tube into the hitch and pin it.

[Jack Frederick]

I have a Wilton Vice that mounts as Jon describes. It is designed for receiver hitch mounting and works well off the back of the truck. I prefer the under-mount to set the height a bit lower. My only complaint with this method is that the vice has a bit of wobble.

[Jim Becker]

I have my "metalworking" vice on a plywood base with a foot that I can clamp in the face vice of my main bench. Like you, I rarely use it, but want it secure when I'm whacking away at something contained by it.

[Ben Abate]

Fellows thank you all for the input
I will give thought to all of the suggestions.
The trailer hitch idea is very inventive
for the time being I believe I might go with making it work in my wood vise

Thank you all.

[Bill Dufour]

I have a pipe vise that mounts as described to a trailer hitch. I use it on my truck for threading and cutting pipe. It is really too low but I seldom use it. It does wiggle a lot.
Bil lD

[Andrew Seemann]

My big @ss vise is mounted to my assembly table, where it gets in the way of projects occasionally. I have it attached with 1/2" bolts since I reef on it pretty hard. The nuts are exposed under the bench top, so it only takes a few minutes to remove the bolts and vise. I could probably use wing nuts in place of the regular hex nuts, but the hex nuts are so easy to remove, I haven't bothered.

[Andy D Jones]

I have a Yost 8" reversible machinist vise (purchased when they were still made in USA). It is one big, heavy beast, and I don't want it moving when I need to wail on something held in it. But I also have wooden faces that straddle the beam for use as an extra woodworking vise, especially for something I want held closer to eye level. It is mounted on the corner of the 62" tool chest (with wooden top), which is sometimes used as an assembly table, like Seemann's.

The 48" tool chest has my late grandfather's WW vise on one corner (the thick, 64" wooden top extends past both ends). I am mounting a larger WW vise from a late friend of mine on the opposite corner. Lot's of friendly WW spirit to help me in the shop...

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I follow a vice and anvil group on Facebook, one of the guys the makes these incredible vise stands. Could be an opportunity to make something awesome if you are into metal working!

[Ben Abate]

That is very cool.

[Jim Becker]

That's really kewel, Steve. Beautiful, certainly, but with the weight/mass it has and the small footprint, it makes holding oddball things with the vice a lot easier since nothing gets in the way.