Easy Bench Vise Mod

[John Stone]

Like a lot of people I have an inexpensive bench top vise I use for all kinds of things. It’s really made for gripping metal. But I also use it for gripping wood and fiberglass too. Only the metal jaws will easily mar non metallic material. True I have a small woodworker vise but it’s not positioned great in the bench and I don’t carry one of those on the boat. Plus I would want to use a propane torch in material gripped in the wood vise.

I have always carried small purpose cut blocks of wood to place in the vise to grip the softer material. But they fall out when you are adjusting the jaws and a lot of time you have to use your free hand to hold the project material and adjust the vise with the other. Plus, the wood blocks reduce the usable jaw width of the vise. I have tolerated it for years.

Last year when I was splicing rigging for my friend Kaj in Vancouver Island he had these clever copper covers he fit over the jaws of of his large bench vise. Looked easy enough to make.

Last night I decided to make a test pair with some old scrap copper sheeting that was originally in the Far Reach as part of a SSB ground system I removed.

Just some tin snips and a little solder. So much better then the wood. I’ll also make a pair for the small work vise I carry on the boat. Highly recommended.

[Jim Walsh]

Very nice John.

https://www.mcmaster.com/vise-jaw-liners
The “wraparound bench vise jaw liners” were a stock item in the tool cribs at the P&WA manufacturing facilities. They may be an option for those less talented. I’m still one of those who uses scraps of hardwood to line the jaws of my bench vise when needed. Juggling them and my workpiece never fails to amuse others.

[John Stone]

Very nice John.

https://www.mcmaster.com/vise-jaw-liners
The “wraparound bench vise jaw liners” were a stock item in the tool cribs at the P&WA manufacturing facilities. They may be an option for those less talented. I’m still one of those who uses scraps of hardwood to line the jaws of my bench vise when needed. Juggling them and my workpiece never fails to amuse others.

Those are neat. I had no idea They were available...makes sense someone would make them. But, they are $55!! Mine cost maybe $1. Just another example of the man trying to push us sailors down....