Wooden Vice Cheeks

[CraigyCraigo]

Hi All,

Just after some advise.......

i have just brought a carpenters vice and need to install some wooden cheeks......

Hardwood or softwood cheeks is the question.......

I was thinking softwood over say hardwood as not to mar soft wood pieces but opinions please if you don't mind.

Cheers

Craig

 

[Muswell]

I used maple cheeks to match the bench then lined them with some cork from cork tiles. Works for me.

 

[carlb40]

Hardwood would be my choice and is on my record vice. The reason being hardwoods are usually stronger/ more rigid than softwoods. So if desired you can extend the cheeks past the sides of the vice

 

[Roughcut]

I just used planed 4"x1" softwood as that is what I had at the time.

 

[Harbo]

Beech on mine.


Rod

 

[MickCheese]

I have softwood but they dent badly so maybe hardwood would be better.

I have seen them lined with leather to aid grip.

Mick

 

[Jacob]

Any old wood will do. Even mdf. As long as it is smooth enough to not leave an impression, so perhaps not chipboard.

 

[The Bear]

The Records on my old school woodwork bench have ply faces, never been a problem

Mark

 

[CraigyCraigo]

Thanks Guys,

As the local wood mill very really has hardwoords, i'll get some redwood on them for now and see how i get on!!!

Cheers

Craig

 

[Col]

I just used planed 4"x1" softwood as that is what I had at the time.

ditto with 4"x2" so that I could add dog holes.

 

[AndyT]

Like Carl said - use a hardwood and add extra length. Mine is in oak, with the overall length of the front wooden jaw being about twice the width of the metal jaw of the vice. The rear pad is in line with the front edge of the bench.
This comes in very useful if holding tall pieces vertically on one side of the rods. (If doing this, it's a good idea to put a balancing piece of equal thickness on the other side to avoid too much racking.)

 

[mickthetree]

If you've got some old suede lying around you can line the jaws with that. Gives the jaws an incredible grip!! I've used pine, ply and hardwood, all have worked well.

 

[WoodMangler]

Beech on mine.

Me too. They've lasted a good few years, every so often I take them off and sand them flat again.

 

[Mike Wingate]

Birch ply for mine.

 

[CraigyCraigo]

The redwood never went so good last night, i was trying to set the jaw into it and it kept splitting, after further inspection there were shakes all down it...... I found a 4x1/2" piece of rough sawn oak in the garage so going to have a bash at planing it up nice and ripping it into 2 halves!!!

Wish me luck....... first real go at taking rough sawn and making it into something nice without power tools!!! Problem is i only have a work mate to do it on until i get the vice up and running on the bench!!!

C

 

[AndyT]

My top tips when you have to plane something held on a Workmate is to clamp a length of 2x3 to it, which can stick out and brace you against a wall, and also, put it on the upper height setting and stand on the platform, so as to hold it down.

 

[CraigyCraigo]

Great Tip, Thanks for that!!!

Really need my vice on my bench!!!

 

[CraigyCraigo]

Thanks for the advice guys.......

Went with oak in the end because I had some lying around rough sawn....... loved doing this simple project.......... not a power tool in sight (well not used anyway)........ See pics!!!

The rough sawn 4" x 1 3/4"

Cross cut and ripped in half

Cheek faces planed

Now PAR ready to do the cutout to avoid the screws and sliders

First pic of the vice - as you can see its a carpenters vice but top mountable - a Record Irwin V150B. I need a functioning workbench to build my final work bench....... you'll see a pic further down

Cut out complete

Cheeks now bridging the screws and slides

cheeks screwed on

Tops planed nice and level and cheeks briwaxed

ISO view of finished installation - the vice clamps underneath the work bench and has provisional for bolt down........ I have utilised both as its not going to move anywhere else

final view of the finished installation, bench and rest of the shop..... the bench cost me £50 second hand with the electrics, £20 for a new mdf top, £7 for the gloss, £12 for some adjustable feet, vice was £23 delivered and a happy craig............priceless

Really chuffed and cannot wait to get some projects on the go..........

Craig

 

[Mike Wingate]

Iron and oak is not a good combo. The oak will soon show black stains and the iron will start to corrode. Not an instant rust scenario, but, be warned!

 

[nanscombe]

Surely a quick coat of varnish should be enough to solve that?