mounting vice

[Marc Prudhomme]

Hi,
I bought a new 9 in woodworking vice at HF .My table top is in the process of being made and I had a few Questions.2 of the four mounting holes will be where the edging of the table will be.should I mount the 2 holes to the edging and the other 2 to the table or should I notch around the edging and bolt all 4 to the table?
Thx Marc

[David Cramer]

Marc,

I don't know if I am totally understanding your question, but could you add a block of wood to the side of your bench. It would be at least as long as your vise and the same thickness as your bench. Then the 2 screws on the edge wouldn't be right on the edge but instead have some material to go through. Just glue and screw (predrill and countersink) the material to the side of your bench keeping it even with the top. It would eliminate notching. Sorry if I'm way off base on this one, but I am sure a professional will step in and trounce on my novice suggestion (if I am not understanding your question correctly). Hope it helps.

Dave

[John Schreiber]

What a lot of people do is notch out the table top so that the stationary face of the vise will be behind the edging. That way there is a smooth surface along the front of the bench for clamping. That also puts all of the bolts into the table itself.

You can also lower the height of the vise so that the top is a half inch or so below the bench top. That way the stationary part of the vise doesn't show at all and the wooden face you put on the moving part of the vise can be a little taller than the vise to match the bench top. Just don't mount it down so far that the dog doesn't protrude above the bench.