Portable Vise

I have a Stanley model 700 that I like. There are several versions available. Lee Valley still sells their version for $35-40?

Might be smaller than you were looking for, but works well for me.
Also-
The smallest workmates are handy and weigh nothing.

I own two of those foldable tables that have a vise on top. Work mates I think they are called. Cheap at Northern Tool.
Black and Decker used to make one that was a little benchtop model, you simply had some rubber coated L clamps on the bottom that held it to a table edge. No big legs. I owned one, and like a dummy, let it go in a garage sale. Now I cannot tell you how many times I have been in the same “House-Shop” position and wished I still had it. It was great for holding something as a third hand.

-- Paul, Tennessee, http://www.tsunamiguitars.com

I have the original black and decker workmate 400 and it weighs a ton. I keep my planer on it. However, this looks like the ticket…

18 lbs and $35.

-- I would drink a river of the kool aid before I took the smallest sip of the tea...

I remember seeing in issue 123 of ShopNotes magazine they had a foldaway workbench. The workbench had a Rockler 7 Inch quick release vise that could either be installed in the end, the front or in a drawer. They used dog holes of some kind to fasten the vise with some quick releasse hardware. Anyway if you can get your hands on that issue, that seemed like a pretty good solution.

Has anybody tried one of these yet?

-- Thor and Odin are the greatest of Gods.

A small metalworking vise can be mounted to a plywood
base which can then be clamped to any handy table.

Bonus is you get a metalworking vise. Cons are that
it’s not a woodworking vise, but it can work okay
for a lot of household things.

Everyone has had good ideas and I thank you all. I am really interested in the cheap, lightweight workmate. Is that the one in the picture you were talking about tennessee?

-- I would drink a river of the kool aid before I took the smallest sip of the tea...

Every home center sells a version of that folding work table. From what I can tell, they are all virtually the same.

I have the original WM from the 70s, and as you mentioned, it weighs a ton.
I also have two of those smaller models. Some knock-off brand.I think I bought them at Lowes for $15 each. Black Friday sale or something. They work fine.