Bench vise mounting options

[sierraoffroad]

I'm looking for a few bench vise mounting ideas besides just bolting it to the bench top. I don't have a lot of bench space so I would like to mount my bench vise so it can be moved in a pinch to make room when not needed. I know i can use c-clamps, but was wondering what other way it could be made detachable.

[kioti]

I have mine free standing, move it anywhere I need it.

Some use a 2" trailer receiver blank mounted to the bench then mount the vise to a piece of 2" square tube.

[sierraoffroad]

thanks nice set up kioti. that vise looks very strong. i have a big crapsman back when they were made in the US. I was thinking something similar to what you have in the pic. i wonder how a pipe vise/stand would work or something made out or black steel pipe from home depot.?

[Yossarian™]

Watching this thread; getting new garage system & floor and I'm bound and determined to have a vise handy.

[H96669]

I have a little japanese "clamp on" vise, 3" and has 2 screw holes for extra holding into the bench face. That's the one I move around when needed.

The bench vise is anchored through 3" or so of Douglas fir and plywood with large bolts and washers.Nothing moves when I use the large pipe wrench with the cheater pipe. If not anchored well I would have ripped it out of there a few times already just like I did before with one anchored with lag bolts.

The wood vice I don't use very often but mounts from under the bench. Holes are there, couple bolts only takes a minute to mount or remove.

Tool purists won't like that but I got to say that my bench vice is Chinese. Held up surprisingly well considering the abuse I have put it through in the last 25 or so years.

I have(had) a much better vice, was my dad's but it is a few thousand miles away. My friend reminded me two years ago that I gave it to him way back then. Heavy.....I should work on getting it back from him and figure out a way to get it here.

[LoFlow]

Some box tubing and a couple of pinch bolts hold things pretty securely. When removed the mount is lower than the table deck. I have up to a 5" vise in this set up.

[sierraoffroad]

wow very nice setup. i saw sonething on HF i might like to modify like that.

http://www.harborfreight.com/hitch-m...ate-66260.html

[LoFlow]

Originally Posted by sierraoffroad

wow very nice setup. i saw sonething on HF i might like to modify like that.

http://www.harborfreight.com/hitch-m...ate-66260.html

Should work, and you can't beat the price. Steel costs are crazy anymore.

[FakeName]

I've seen benches with 2" trailer hitch receivers underneath, and the vise is built on a platform that has the male part- slide right into the receiver and is held with a pin.

Not only can one mount a vise, one can also mount other tools, like a grinder.

[fritzcoinc]

I like the free standing concept.
The base is a scrap forging that was to be a finial drive hub for a Caterpillar tractor. Then some welded pipe. The top plate is 1" and has been drilled and taped to mount several other items over the years. Most notably a barrel vice. Now it holds my good old Craftsman vice and an old pipe vice. It's great to be able to work all around the stand and move the thing anywhere you need it to be.

[ChromeSux]

The county road crew was cutting up a downed tree just up the street last fall, i stopped and ask if i could get a 36" long section of the big part near the trunk, they ask, where do you want it, i pointed to my shop behind my house and said in front of the shop door would be nice.
The guys scooped a chunk up with a front end loader and brought it up to my shop and sat it there, i stripped the bark off and took a sander to the end i wanted smooth, mounted my vise on it, the section i got is about 27" across and 36" tall.
I tipped the guy on the front end loader $10.00, well worth it.
You can see the corner of my blue vise in the pic, this is the only pic i have.

[IMG][/IMG]

[sierraoffroad]

i never thought of a tree stump as a stand. I have plenty of those.

[sierraoffroad]

i'm still looking for ideas. I think I need to post some pics of my current setup to give you guys an idea of my work space. I want to add a small drill press, and bench grinder to my garage which I would like to have on the ends of my bench which may interfere with the benchvise.

[Plaka]

Originally Posted by sierraoffroad

I'm looking for a few bench vise mounting ideas besides just bolting it to the bench top. I don't have a lot of bench space so I would like to mount my bench vise so it can be moved in a pinch to make room when not needed. I know i can use c-clamps, but was wondering what other way it could be made detachable.

Nuts and bolts. Big ones.

It's really a matter of how quick and easy you want it detachable. And what you want to spend.

[sierraoffroad]

i'm going to experiment with a few things over the weekend. I'm going to buy the HF grinder stand so that it's portable. the vice will be mounted steel pins and reusable cotter pins. i'll hav to post some pics when it's done. i don't use my vice a lot, but it's good to have handy.