Question mounting vic(s)e

[Enda Ahern]

First of all, I want to mount the same way Paul Sellers does, with the back jaw proud of the bench rather than flush. I know this could warrant pages of discussion on its own, but it's the only way I've known since school, maybe it's more of a British thing, I don't even know.



I wanted to mount the vic(s)e at the left edge of the bench so that when sawing the saw clears the bench. I'm not sure if I can as there isn't much space on that side (A). B is the second way I could mount it but I would rather not do it that way.


Would it be okay to mount it there (A). To allow mounting, a small bit of the table would have to be removed to slip the screw through, I have roughly marked it in this picture:



It won't damage the table too much removing from there?

So the vice would be mounted with 4 lag bolts underneath.

The back jaw of the vice would only be against the bench towards the top of the jaw, where it would press against the bench top. Once the vice is firmly secured from underneath, would this matter?

Or do I need to add some type of spacer at the front to to press the whole of the vice back jaw up against?

Sorry, I am a beginner.

[Reinis Kanders]

If there is enough overhang then it should be ok in position A. Position B will be better for a stable bench though.

[Matt Day]

I didn't read the post, but grammatically it's vise, plural being vises. A vice is "wicked or immoral activity", like alcoholism or drug abuse.

[Enda Ahern]

I didn't read the post, but grammatically it's vise, plural being vises. A vice is "wicked or immoral activity", like alcoholism or drug abuse.

I put the s in brackets to avoid this, but it's spelled vice by most people over this side of the pond. I'm aware of the meaning of vice in the sense of immoral behaviour. Thanks anyway. Maybe I should have typed behavior.

[Enda Ahern]

If there is enough overhang then it should be ok in position A. Position B will be better for a stable bench though.

I was worried about that alright. I wonder if it would make a huge difference.

[Roy Harding]

I'd go with position A - although I probably would have built a longer overhang to accommodate it. Reinis is right about the stability of the bench being better in position B, however. If the bench is going to have cabinets or drawers in it, thereby adding mass and structural strength to it, that would help with the stability issue.

As far as the spelling goes - our American friends began spelling things their own way back in 1776 - they no longer speak the Queen's English, and occasionally get confused when presented with it in all its' quirky glory.

[Enda Ahern]

Reinis is right about the stability of the bench being better in position B, however. If the bench is going to have cabinets or drawers in it, thereby adding mass and structural strength to it, that would help with the stability issue.

I didn't plan it too well in respect of the vice, it's a pity. It's pretty sturdy, 3 3/4" plywood and the top is extremely heavy, but might go with position B if it's safer to do so.

I have another question. Let's say I go for position B, and I need to remove material from the apron(?). I get a feeling that doing so might require me to cut a gap all the way to the edge, which I don't think I can do as this is where most of the structural strength comes from. Here's a quick doodle to show:

Untitled.png

Should I add another cross brace below it to allow me to do this? Or is there a way i could strengthen?

Sorry if they are silly questions but I try to be sure about whatever it is I have to do because I wouldn't have the skill to correct any major mistakes.

[Roy Harding]

I didn't plan it too well in respect of the vice, it's a pity. It's pretty sturdy, 3 3/4" plywood and the top is extremely heavy, but might go with position B if it's safer to do so.

I have another question. Let's say I go for position B, and I need to remove material from the apron(?). I get a feeling that doing so might require me to cut a gap all the way to the edge, which I don't think I can do as this is where most of the structural strength comes from. Here's a quick doodle to show:

Untitled.png

Should I add another cross brace below it to allow me to do this? Or is there a way i could strengthen?

Sorry if they are silly questions but I try to be sure about whatever it is I have to do because I wouldn't have the skill to correct any major mistakes.

Why not just add more lumber to the apron - making it thicker, and thereby being able to bury the body of the vice in it? I'm just blue skying here, I wouldn't mount the vice in the manner you're contemplating - but it's not my bench.

[Enda Ahern]

I wouldn't mount the vice in the manner you're contemplating - but it's not my bench.

Hi,

I'd be interested to know exactly how you would do it?

[Reinis Kanders]

If your bench is laminated 3 3/4" thick plywood then apron integrity is not that critical, basically apron is not required and you can use position A. I would add a stretcher for the front and back on the bottom though like in a Roubo type bench, about 4" from the bottom to prevent racking. and as a shelf for something heavy, especially if you end up planing stuff by hand.

[Roy Harding]

Hi,

I'd be interested to know exactly how you would do it?

Sure - in your original post, you mentioned that you wanted the back jaw proud of the bench, rather than flush. You then went on to mention that you hadn't contemplated the overhang required for the vice before building the bench. I like the back jaw of my vice buried in the apron, and I've considered the overhang required for the vice on all the benches (five so far) that I've built.

Of course, those were MY benches, built for MY needs - as I said in an earlier comment, we're not talking about my needs, so my "blue skying" doesn't really matter to you - it was merely an off the cuff idea for you to bury the body of the vice in the apron without compromising the strength of the rail.

[Enda Ahern]

If your bench is laminated 3 3/4" thick plywood then apron integrity is not that critical, basically apron is not required and you can use position A. I would add a stretcher for the front and back on the bottom though like in a Roubo type bench, about 4" from the bottom to prevent racking. and as a shelf for something heavy, especially if you end up planing stuff by hand.

Thanks.

The bench is the same as this one by the way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_xJD_aylYw

If I could do over I would do more of a Roubo style bench.

Do you mean across the outside of the bottom like the rail on top, or does it have to go between the legs? What would be the best way to fit them, given that I can't disassemble the bench?

[glenn bradley]

Any chance of loosening the top and sliding it to the left to try to gain a little more overhang? Mattias has a lot of great ideas but, I think he intended this bench as more of a general work surface than a wood working bench. I watched the video and it looks like you could relocate the left leg as an alternative.

[Enda Ahern]

I think he intended this bench as more of a general work surface than a wood working bench.

Yes, sadly I realised this too late. In my lack of knowledge I figured a workbench is a workbench and any type will do the job. I now know better. Hopefully in the future I can do a better one, I think this one is a beginner bench to allow me to develop a bit of skill before trying again in a few years. I'm going from pretty much zero skill. One thing I wonder about though is when the time comes to upgrade, what to do with that plywood top, or how to get rid of it. It's a monster of a thing. Next time I am going to do a proper laminated top.

Any chance of loosening the top and sliding it to the left to try to gain a little more overhang?

I don't even have the top attached yet, I could definitely try that, I never thought of it because I thought it wouldn't look right unless it was symmetrical, but that's not really important.

relocate the left leg as an alternative.

Tell me more. Though the cross braces are glued and screwed to the legs.

This advice is invaluable, if only I had come here and asked before I settled on a bench to build.

[Reinis Kanders]

In your case outside would be probably easier and could carry more weight. I would just use two lagbolts.
If your top is well laminated and thicker than the one in video then you can probably put the vise in postion A and remove the apron part on that side of the leg entirely.
This is assuming you have a good lamination.

Thanks.

The bench is the same as this one by the way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_xJD_aylYw

If I could do over I would do more of a Roubo style bench.

Do you mean across the outside of the bottom like the rail on top, or does it have to go between the legs? What would be the best way to fit them, given that I can't disassemble the bench?