Vise Location on Workbench

[Glenn F.]

I am trying to determine the best location for a vise on my 10’ long workbench (woodworking shop). As you can see there is a wall on each end. Building is 10 x 12 so I obviously won’t be doing any large projects. It needs to be very useful without breaking up my bench space too much. As always, your input is highly valued.

Thank you,
Glenn F.

 

[Steve in VA]

I am trying to determine the best location for a vise on my 10’ long workbench (woodworking shop). As you can see there is a wall on each end. Building is 10 x 12 so I obviously won’t be doing any large projects. It needs to be very useful without breaking up my bench space too much. As always, your input is highly valued.

Thank you,
Glenn F.

I have bench space so I've not implemented this idea but saw a video on it somewhere. The guy hinged it so it hung under the workbench but would swing up level with the bench when needed. It had a stout support leg.looked kinda neat but, as said, I've not tried it.

 

[stevieb49829]

I am trying to determine the best location for a vise on my 10’ long workbench (woodworking shop). As you can see there is a wall on each end. Building is 10 x 12 so I obviously won’t be doing any large projects. It needs to be very useful without breaking up my bench space too much. As always, your input is highly valued.

Thank you,
Glenn F.

Glenn, are you right or left-handed? It will make a difference. I almost always use the right side of the vice. Sawing off longer stuff that you need to support one end, is when you'll decide where to put the vise. steve

 

[Gary Reif]

Steve in VA, sounds like a good idea in his situation.

 

[RobCons]

Mine is removable so its out of the way when its not needed. I have a 2 inch receiver hitch mounted on my welding table and the vise slides into it. A plus is the vice can be put into the hitch on my truck for field use.

 

[bmaverick]

I am trying to determine the best location for a vise on my 10’ long workbench (woodworking shop). As you can see there is a wall on each end. Building is 10 x 12 so I obviously won’t be doing any large projects. It needs to be very useful without breaking up my bench space too much. As always, your input is highly valued.

Thank you,
Glenn F.

There are good points taken here in this thread.

Responses so far are,
1. right or left handed.
2. how long are your pieces to work on.
3. what tools typically used with the vice?
4. ability to remove it when not needed.

For item 4, I like the ability to remove it. Yet, what about 3 mounting holes on the left side and 3 mounting holes on the right side. This way, you can relocate the vice to either side for practical use. With my impact, I could swap locations in 5mins or less.

 

[Steve in VA]

Mine is removable so its out of the way when its not needed. I have a 2 inch receiver hitch mounted on my welding table and the vise slides into it. A plus is the vice can be put into the hitch on my truck for field use.

That's a really good plan. I believe I'll do that to one of my redundant vices.

Thanks for this.

 

[Glenn F.]

Glenn, are you right or left-handed? It will make a difference. I almost always use the right side of the vice. Sawing off longer stuff that you need to support one end, is when you'll decide where to put the vise. steve

Right handed

 

[Glenn F.]

I am trying to determine the best location for a vise on my 10’ long workbench (woodworking shop). As you can see there is a wall on each end. Building is 10 x 12 so I obviously won’t be doing any large projects. It needs to be very useful without breaking up my bench space too much. As always, your input is highly valued.

Thank you,
Glenn F.

I think I’ll mount it about 18” from the left wall at this point.

 

[wp6529]

Modular, especially in a small space. My workbench is a top I made for a HF 56" tool chest. The top is two layers of 3/4" plywood glued together to cover the width and give a 2" overhang at the front. At each side I have a 10"x10" set of four 3/8" holes with T nuts on the underside which lets me mount a 12"x12" sled holding whatever I need to mount up with four quickly installed bolts. I have sleds with the vise, a 6" bench grinder, a carbide grinder, a disk/belt sander combo, etc. that can all be mounted in a couple minutes on either side of the bench. All the sledded items live on a shelf nearby. I also have similar mounting holes at the four corners of the top for mounting overlays, i.e. a disposable hardboard, or a steel overlay.

 

[olddavid]

I placed mine along the wall by the door. That way if I have a long piece (longer than the length of the shed minus a foot or two) I can let it stick out the door. It's worked well for me but I don't have any saws or shop equipment in there that could benefit from the same proximity to the door.

 

[Tgrasher]

Just remember you can't over build a vise mounting. Reinforce till you think your nuts for so much holding it in place. You will use it someday to bend metal.

 

[Destroked 450]

I think I’ll mount it about 18” from the left wall at this point.

Looking at the photo I would want to leave the left side open, you could lay 4x8 material across the saw table and left side of the bench. If your not comfortable with the vice closer to the right side I would move the equipment around to get the saw on the right side of the shed, to good of an opportunity for a larger work area using the bench and saw table to block it with a vice
My bench is 12 ft and is for mechanical use, I put my vice between the center and right side drawers of the bench giving me 8 ft on one side and 4 ft on the other. Floor model drill press replaced the fridge, welding bench is the the right of the fridge

 

[504]

I will add that I want mine mounted so the inside jaw is square to the bench. You should be able to have a piece of material touch the floor, and be against the inside jaw, and against the bench.

 

[DoubleO7]

You might fasten the web of a unistrut channel to the vertical face of the bench top, flush with the top.
Vise and other common bench top tools could be on angle iron bases with two or three holes in the vertical leg so that they could be secured to the unistrut.
And thus placed anywhere along the entire length of the table.

 

[caterpillar guy]

And with 2 receivers one at each end you could swap ends and have it go to the field with you when needed.

 

[Glenn F.]

I am trying to determine the best location for a vise on my 10’ long workbench (woodworking shop). As you can see there is a wall on each end. Building is 10 x 12 so I obviously won’t be doing any large projects. It needs to be very useful without breaking up my bench space too much. As always, your input is highly valued.

Thank you,
Glenn F.

I have carefully read and considered each of your responses. I will have to temporarily clamp it in different places to figure out what works best. I am just beginning to get set up. More machines to come: 4 x 36 belt sander on dedicated stand, etc. Workbench is supported along the front by a 2-3/4 x 1/4” angle iron with a 4x4 leg on each end.

Glenn F.

 

[cityboy]

If you have a wood bench w/dog holes, make something portable, that can be moved to different hole to fit you need.
HTH...Don.

 

[TL (Va)]

I bolted mine to a short board, recessed the nuts so it sits flat on the bench and use a couple of short bar clamps to hold it to the bench. Works well for me, and you can take it with you for remote work. I did my bench grinder the same way.

 

[Steve in VA]

I am trying to determine the best location for a vise on my 10’ long workbench (woodworking shop). As you can see there is a wall on each end. Building is 10 x 12 so I obviously won’t be doing any large projects. It needs to be very useful without breaking up my bench space too much. As always, your input is highly valued.

Thank you,
Glenn F.

Please post a pic of the final installation.