Looking for ideas about vise stands...

[sbmathias]

I've used an old plowing disc as a base. Fairly wide stance, almost zero tripping hazard, and free if you can scrounge a worn one somewhere. Bore a hole in the center big enough for the pipe you want to use, then weld the pipe in so it sits vertical. Flip it over and fill the cavity with lead, concrete, or whatever. It helps to tack in some old bolts or something so the filler has something to grab.

The one downside is that it has a sharp edge that may wreak havoc on you shop floor if you roll it around much.

[BadDog]

As I've said many times before, my vises and many other tools are mounted on 2" square tube. And I have 2.5" square tube "receiver hitch tube" (swagged out weld) welded/secured all over the place to form readily reconfigurable mounts. My fab table has several, a few more on the grinder table, there is a free standing mount secured to my concrete floor in an open area, and I have adapters to convert horizontal/vertical for use of random vehicle (or trailer) mounted receivers.

[bruto]

I agonized over this for some time. At one time I had a huge Prentiss vise bolted to a stair landing in my shop but when I moved, I never found a good place. It sat for about 20 years, and then I finally found the material for a base. Excuse the messy shop in the picture. I actually have cleaned up that area a little since then, but not much. The base is the stump jumper from a very large bush hog, which happily came my way one day, the pedestal is a piece of very large pipe, and the mounting at top is heavy steel. The complex top is necessitated because the pivoting base of the vise uses a center bolt only. This base is heavy enough to withstand just about any use, but when tipped it can be moved by rolling in arcs. [IMG][/IMG]

[tattoomike68]

The best vice I have used was bolted to the corner of a 3 foot by 4 foot peice of 1.5' plate. 4 in pipe legs bolted to a tough floor big time.

That way when you have a 1" drive socket and an 8 foot cheater pipe with two large men jumping on it trying to break loose a tough threaded part its not going anywhere.

[TECHSHOP]

My largest vise mounted to a bench with a leg to the floor centered below it (any pounding is transfered to the ground, not the bench top). When a vise is mounted on a bench, place it so that the rear (fixed) jaw is clear of the bench top, otherwise you will limit yourself to short lengths of material.

A medium size vice mounted to a stand made from type of brake drum seen in the picture (also have bench grinders on brake drums).

I have several smaller vices (~10-20 lbs) that are mounted on wood or steel plates that I can move around. Those vices can be used on the truck trailer hitch, clamped to a heavy saw horse, a B&D "Workmate", or clamped in a larger vice (woodworking or metal working).

[Your Old Dog]

I don't think anyone has yet mentioned the 2" receiver hitch bolted to the bottom of your heavy duty work bench. The 2" receiver shortie is available at camper stores. Guys use them to bolt a receiver hitch onto the back of their campers 4x4" back bumper. You would then mount your vice on a plate attached to the male hitch assembly. No reason you couldn't mount a small grinder that way and several other tools as well.

[Duffy]

Nobody has mentioned mounting the vise to a Wheel rim WITH TIRE. I used a length of 11" diameter beech log. Lag screws up through the lug holes and other lag screws to anchor the vise. It is sorta portable and doesnt move inuse.

[BadDog]

I don't think anyone has yet mentioned the 2" receiver hitch bolted to the bottom of your heavy duty work bench. The 2" receiver shortie is available at camper stores. Guys use them to bolt a receiver hitch onto the back of their campers 4x4" back bumper. You would then mount your vice on a plate attached to the male hitch assembly. No reason you couldn't mount a small grinder that way and several other tools as well.

Actually I did, but I'll add that it's much MUCH cheaper to get the stock direct from steel supply. They sell it in up to 20' lengths, I usually get 10' at a time, and usually use around 6 to 8" per mount. I've got grinders, mini-fab tables, welding fixtures, vises, "multi-mounts", a bead roller, a press brake, true tube bender, strap/bar bender, and I'm sure other things that mount in these receivers.

[murph64]

Nobody has mentioned mounting the vise to a Wheel rim WITH TIRE. I used a length of 11" diameter beech log. Lag screws up through the lug holes and other lag screws to anchor the vise. It is sorta portable and doesnt move inuse.

The problem with this, is the tire sticks out, and makes it a pain (literally ) to get close to the vise, or grinder in my case...




Andy

[Your Old Dog]

found what I was looking for. Bolt one of these to the bottom of your workbench. (I'd scrap their u-bolts and counter sink bolt heads from the top of course)



And then buy one of these from Harbor Freight if you don't have a welder.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=66260