# how to build a woodworking vise



## Guillermo

I came across a posting from a fellow named Joe, I believe, about building your own bench vise from scratch, but can't find it again. Does anybody, including Joe, know how to build his own woodworking vise?-buying the hardware, the screw etc.? I think Joe said something about about plumbing joints, and that's what I've been thinking of. Thanks.-Guillermo


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## AaronK

i've built one from two pipe clamps - is this the sort of thing you're talking about? i can post pics and links if youre interested


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## bigike

im interested?


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## AaronK

check out

http://www.angelfire.com/music2/construct/bnchthmb.html
and
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f81/workbench-4-foot-twin-screw-vise-cheap-15033/

mine is a little bit different - not as awesome a design since it doesnt have the 4 ft of travel and foot pedals! it's more like the "new fangled workbench" by FWW (google if you arent familiar with it). The main thing about building a vice from pipe clamps is that you need to be able to keep the pipes parallel to the bench top surface… the way you would any vice i guess. it works though, and better than i expected. by vise has about 12-14" of space between the pipes and will easily hold a 6+ ft board for edge jointing by hand. surprisingly effective!

i'll try to get pics of mine up within the next few days if you want.


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## AaronK

of course there are many more professional options out there - you can buy "real" vise hardware and custom make the wooden parts to fit your bench…


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## Ger21

Check out http://www.bigwoodvise.com


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## Guillermo

Thanks for the input. I'll keep the pipe-clamp method in mind. I'm living in Mexico (doing missionary work) and have seen some big threaded rods, like 3/4" or even bigger. I was thinking of getting a meter, say, of one of these, and cutting it in half and making two vises. But what I'm wondering is what do I fit the threaded rod into? I suppose I could have something machine made but I'm on a pretty limited budget. I've never seen anywhere where anyone made his own vise from scratch. I owned a beautiful Swiss-made workbench when I was living in South Africa, and I'm familiar with the mechanics of the end and shoulder vises, but would something like what I've described (a 3/4 or one-inch threaded rod) be OK and not too rickety?


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## TopamaxSurvivor

If you file some knotchs in the 3/4 rod and taper it a little with a file, you can use it to tap the holes to thread into.


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## Navtrtl

I looked at that Big Wood Vise site posted above. Bout had a heart attack. That stuff ain't cheap. I'm sure it's quality stuff, but man my wallet ran off when I saw the prices.


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## bladeburner

Pipe clamp vises do work. This one has been on this leg vise for over 40 years. The bottom stop was 1/4" hardwood at first, but after I was able to get carbide router bits I replaced it with aluminum.


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## jmd199

I noticed the earlier comment regarding wood vise screws and just as a heads up that Lake Erie Toolworks is a new company headed by Nick Dombrowski - website: www.lakeerietoolworks.com that offers the largest wood vise screws and related wood vise screw kits available on the market today.

There's also review of the wood vise screw by Christopher Schwarz by following this link:
http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/New+Wooden+Vise+Screws+From+Lake+Erie.aspx

Take care,
Jeff


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## jmd199

Link for Lake Erie Toolworks - Wooden Vise Screw Kits

http://www.lakeerietoolworks.com


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## a1Jim

Wow lots of great tips.


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## JoshJock

Love the pipe clamp idea!! I'm going to implement it on my project workbench…! ty for the post.


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## jeth

First post here on the forum so hello all.. If you look down the page on this link you'll see a "tornillo de carpintero" or carpenters screw, these are available in most "ferreterias" (or hardware stores, sorry, not sure how much spanish you speak) down here in the far south, where what IS available is far more limited than in other locations, so I'm guessing they should be easy enough to find where you are based. This is a prefabricated vise screw and will sot you about the same as a set of pipe clamp heads, but you won't have to buy the pipes or fiddle so much to fit them to a bench. The norm here is a crude leg vise using one of these, with no pivot guide at the bottom to speak of. I'm planning my first (decent) bench and will probably use a few of them to make a twin screw face vise and a single screw end vise.
Good luck..


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## Greedo

i'v made my own vises completely from scratch: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/35387
the in kit hardware some suggest is not the kind of thing you find in the store around the corner, unless maybe in the states!


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## docholladay

If you are interested in the wooden thread idea, for less than you could buy the pre-made kits, you can buy a wood threading kit from Lee Valley and make as many as you need. Here is the link

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=41791&cat=1,43000


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