# Thoughts on the Lee Valley Pipe Vise?



## torea (Jan 7, 2016)

Hey all! Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

I'm designing a small tabletop workbench to use in my apartment. Since my space is limited, I want the most bang for my buck. I've been considering regular vises for the bench and came across the Lee Valley Pipe Vise - http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=69583&cat=1,41659

Does anyone have any experience with this vise? I thought it'd be an interesting addition, as I could mount one base on the front of the bench and one on the tail, and then just move the vise head as needed.

Thanks!
torea


----------



## klassenl (Feb 13, 2011)

I made a pipe vise out of an extra pipe clamp. It worked quite well.


----------



## LittleShaver (Sep 14, 2016)

I built the Apartment Workbench http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=69603&cat=1,46158,56642&ap=1
From Lee Valley which uses the vises. I called it the scope creep project. Instead of knobs, I used inset ring pulls. Instead of rabbeted drawers, I hand cut half blind dovetails. These two "minor" changes added many hours to the project, but it turned out well enough to win a blue ribbon and Judges Choice awards at the Colorado State Fair.
The vises work quite well for smaller items. A little spendy, but he quality is what you'd expect from Lee Valley.


----------



## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Boy! I could really smash my thumb in that vice.
Looks like a good idea.
Bill


----------



## nakmuay (Sep 11, 2014)

If you're on a budget, I made a "bench top bench" with a moxon vice using $10 worth of bar clamps. Works perfect for me. The other option was pair of Shop Fox D2893 Press Clamps


----------



## bbasiaga (Dec 8, 2012)

If you go to youtube, you can search for Jay Bates pipe vice. I made one similar for my bench from 1/2" pipe clamps at Harbot Freight, $12 for two. $3 for a piece of pipe, and a couple bucks worth of scrap wood.

Brian


----------

