bench vice installation advice

I have two of those vises on my bench.

My benchtop is 3 layers of 3/4 plywood topped with a layer of 1/2” MDF and 1/8” hardboard (masointe) and banded with a 1×4 Maple.

I, too, did not like how close to the edge the mounting holes would be.

I removed a 14” section from the banding, routed a mortise into the plywood layers the same thickness as the iron vise back jaw. Then spaced the vise down so the top of the jaws would be below the masonite top layer of my bench with spacers under the benchtop.

Then I drilled and counterbored holes so I could thru bolt the vise under the bench with the bolt heads in the counterbores and hidden under the top masonite layer of the benchtop and the front of the back jaw behind the maple banding which I then reattached with countersunk brass screws.

Finally, I made me a Maple liner for the front jaw that was flush to the top of the bench and added dog holes in the jaw so I could clamp large flat work against dogs in the bench top.

If I didn’t loose you in all that wordyness, you can see that My Groz vise is very solidly attached to the bench top, the banding around the top passes tight through the vise and is actually the back jaw (and replacable).

This works perfectly for me. Been using it for almost 2 years.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

Thank you.
A picture is sometimes worth a thousand words. I will try to figure out how you make your installation. In the worst case scenario, I will contact you again.

Arnaud

I’ll try to get a picture tonight.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

Thank you, it would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a sketch of the installation method. It shows what is going on better than my photo.
The 1” jaw liner in the sketch is the band that goes around my work bench.
That band/liner is also flush with the leg face so it works like the Roubo style bench. I can clamp long workpieces to the legs for additional support while they are clamped in the vise.

Sorry, I’m a couple days late. Had a big installation project at work.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

Thank you very much, awesome.

Arnaud

I too, need to install a vise on/into my (very soon to be built) workbench.
lepelerin thanks for asking this question and crank49, thanks for the illustration.

The only problem now, I won’t have anyone, but myself, to blame if/when I screw up my install!

-- Randy-- I may not be good...but I am slow!

perfect. Thanks for sharing