Bench Vice Mounting

[mr_modify1]

I should have thought of this a long time ago.

[NortonDommi]

If you HAVE to mount a vice on a bench this is a good idea. Personally I hate bench mounted vices, they take up space, are always in the way, can't hold many objects because of shape, generally not well mounted and therefore loose and generally a P.I.T.A.
A vice mounted on a post alongside a bench where you can work around it and use the bench to support long work is far superior.

[Paul Alciatore]

The use of a steel plate under the vise is a good idea if there is a problem. But I have mounted vises to my workbench for many decades now and have never had any problems with their becoming loose. Makes me wonder if you used large washers and nuts under the bench or took the short cut and used lag bolts. And torqued them properly.

Re: The positioning of the vise on the bench: Yes, you do want it positioned so that the fixed jaw is clear of the edge of the bench, but I go a bit more and mount my swivel base vise at the corner of the bench and position it so that the fixed jaw clears BOTH the front edge of the bench AND the side edge of the bench if it is turned sideways. Win, Win, WIN!

As for using a post, that can also be problematic. First it takes up valuable shop floor space. I have none to spare. Second, a post needs to be embedded in concrete, several feet deep and wide if you don't want it to move around when using the vise. That is a major PITA. My bench is both large enough and heavy enough so that it does not move when I am working on (as in hammering) something in the vise. So I say no thanks to using a post.

[NortonDommi]

Hello Paul,
I just went a took a photo but can't upload it,keeps failing,but my heavy duty two-way swivel vice is mounted on a piece of heavy wall 4" diameter pipe welded to a round foot plate like a pipe mount 3/4" thick dynabolted to the floor and it has been hammered on, swung on, the post has been used as an anchor to haul stuff into the shed etc and has not budged at all in close to 40 years
It sits in a 32" x 32" area just inside the entrance to the back shop 21" from the wall and 23" from the end of the wall length bench. I understand limited space as no shed is ever big enough but the advantages of a post mount, especially when welding, are so great I would never willingly return to a bench mount.
I have done similar in a few places I have worked and everyone has loved it. The bench is not that far so I can place things like tools within easy reach and for very long piece extend them over the bench which provides lots of opportunities for chocking exactly how a piece is needed to work on.

[meyer77]

At last a vice that doesn't move. I have watched videos on you tube and the vice and bench are wobbling back and forth, cringe worthy! The only other thing that I don't understand is watching some use a caliper as a scribe

[DIYer]

Thanks mr_modify1! We've added your Bench Vise Mount to our Vises category,
as well as to your builder page: mr_modify1's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Bench Vise Mount by mr_modify1

tags: vise, mount