Record 52 1/2 - Best way to flush mount

[xraymtb]

As the title says - what is the best way to flush mount one of these vises?

I've got a bench top already laminated up. To mount the vise flush I see two options - cut a recess then add an edging strip, or mortise the top to accept the rear vise jaw?

I'm not keen on adding edging as I want the legs flush. That said mortising it in seems like it might have all sorts of issues?

 

[AndyT]

I just sawed a 9" chunk out of the front edge and cut it back square. Depth was thickness of rear jaw + thickness of rear jaw wood facing. (I rebated the facings to cover over the top edges.)

A long thin mortice sounds like too much fuss to me, and I can tell myself the rear facing is replaceable if need be, like the front one.

 

[Bm101]

If you have a pillar drill or are confident enough to freehand could you not 'just' drill out the mortice to required depth and chisel out the waste to the size of your nearest chisel? If you're set on a flush fitting vice I think thats what I'd do. Although having said that I have no idea what I'm talking about so. Could you extend the width of the bench by laminating another piece of timber on if you havent made the legs and so on already? That way you could keep your flush fit without too much agg?
On the one im 'trying' to build at the moment Im using the record as an endvice and I cut out the recess before the glue up.

Theres an endpiece to go on which makes the fitting a little easier I suppose. None of which is a great deal of help to you but I did wonder if fitting a leg vice might solve your issues? Flush fitting and keep the record as an end face. If your bench is thick Id be tempted to use a circular saw set to just above depth and make multiple cuts, takes minutes to chisel out then if you set your vice at the end.

I probably have the whole wrong end of the stick. Sometimes there's no stick at all and I find I just imagined it. Thats how little I know. Take warning.

All these people know more than me and I found these threads very helpful.

vices-fitting-a-record-bench-vice-t25365.html

mounting-a-vice-t92796.html

Cheers
Chris

 

[JJ1]

When I did mine I recessed the rear jaw by cutting the mortise with a router. Very straightforward and works great.

As can be seen below, the rear jaw actually utilizes the whole of the front apron which works great when holding long lengths of wood. The front apron is just securely screwed to the bench, rather than glued. So, if ever I wanted to replace the vices' rear jaw/apron, not that I envisage ever needing to do so. It's just a simple matter of either replacing the whole front apron, or, better still, just cutting out a section of it and replacing that. My legs don't sit flush with the front apron but are exactly 18mm set back from it. I figured that if, at a later date, I wanted to add some dog holes to the front legs to enable more clamping options, it's just a case of adding some 18mm wood in front of the leg, either attached permanently or held in place temporarily.
Below shows the vice in situ.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I did the same as JJ1 (recessed the rear jaw).

It is good, but after about 30 years of abuse, I now have to let in a piece to the front edge of the bench. Or make a new top, which I intend to do instead.

So I think a recess for the rear jaw is a good idea, but make provision for replacing the inner wooden cheek if you do anything other than treat it very gently.

E.

 

[JJ1]

So, was all of the advice given of any use to you??

 

[xraymtb]

I haven't done it yet but I'm thinking of recessing the jaw deep enough to then also fit a chop flush with the edge of the bench. Don't fancy trying to mortise it