I only have a small work area in my garage now and whilst I like to have the use of a vice every now and then for basic vice like duties nothing heavy duty mind, just genreal holding stiff whilst it's cut off, welded , heated etc.

Now with a small bench space I don't want a vice on there all the time as it will make a portion of the bench unusable for everyday assembly, laying out, drawing duties etc.

Does anyone have any smart ideas for making a vice 'quick release', quick enough that you will actually attach it to the bench to use it for a small cut off job and the like, rather than cut off the end of a bit of steel across your knee......along with the inevitable associated risks, whilst sat in A&E thinking you shouldn't have done that!

Thanks
Col

simply hold it down with m10 bolts and wing nuts.
though old woodworking vices actually clamped to the edge of the bench

Something similar to bonnet pin catches, but mounted upside down? Might need to put a thread into the vice to mount some studs.

I actually use a cheap workmate as a general table, clamp, vice etc. Sure they burn quite well if they're holding metal being welded, but for £10-£15 from literally hundreds of places they're considered disposable. Two of them work well in tandem for cutting pieces off 3 metre lengths.

Anything substantial I actually clamp to the chassis using g clamps.

I've got one bolted to the garage floor half way where I park the tin top... Very handy for cutting long bits of steel and other general stuff.

You could always buy/ make a stand for the vice. Takes up very little space and always there should you need it.

Edit. Something like this.



[Edited on 3/1/16 by Adamirish]

before I got a decent workbench, we mounted a vice on an approx 10 inch square 3/4 ply, with a piece of 2x2 below it, and dropped that into a 'workmate' when required.

How about a leg vice, you could wing nut it to the bench, and the leg is on the floor for rigidity.

Bolts and wing nuts underneath seem the best approach to me.

My vice is bolted to the edge of my bench in the garage and I have other holes ready to take screws to hold other items like a drilling fixture used once in a while.

Hi
I have a good size vice but have never fastened it to the bench its own weight keeps it on the surface. Its fine for hacksaw/drilling etc.

Nick M

Bolt it to a long board then nip on the bench with some ratchet clamps. We do this with a series of router tables and it works fine.
Saw a great idea on Pinte rest where a grinder was on a fold down flap to keep bench tidy, they also had a circular table with 3 or 4 machines on and it rolled left and right on castors

Mine is fastened to the bench with g clamps. I forgot to buy bolts when I got it, and needed it immediately. Works fine so never had a compelling reason to fit it permanently.

https://m.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=1txabw7ib#/watch?v=pVjkwH3GugI

Another idea here.

Ian

Just how big does the vice need to be? If it's nothing too large, I'd go with one or two Imp vices:




There one on Ebay for £10, currently. eBay Item

http://www.raygrahams.com/products/131380-bolt-on-anti-loose-fastener-bolt-3-inch.aspx

how about two of these, two holes in the bench and bolt the nut end to the vice drop the anti loose though the holes in the bench bobs your uncle

Thinking about it you could make a pedestal and then you could fit a vice on it or a bench grinder fixing them with anti loose
jacko

[Edited on 11/1/16 by jacko]