Easy! - Temp a Metal Vise in a Wood Shop

I have a very nice Woodworking Workbench with great woodworking vises. Occasionally I need to use a metal vise, but there is no metal vise on my workbench. Here is a very quick and easy tip on how I solved that problem!

Step 1: Make a Tee Shaped Block and Bolt It to a Metal Vise

1. Cut a piece of 3/4" thick wood just bigger than the base of my metal vise.
2. Bolt the tee shaped block on to the bottom of your vise.
3. Glue a block of wood that is about 1-1/2" x 2" x 5" in the center of the first piece of wood.
4. Mark and drill holes in that piece of wood that line up with the holes in the bottom of your vise

NOTE: I like to use carriage bolts for this. Carriage bolts have a square section under the head. I place the bolt in my pre-drilled hole and then tap the head with a hammer. This creates a square recess around the bolt hole. Now the carriage bolt will lock into place and I don't need two wrenches to tighten it down. The nice rounded head on carriage bolts also offer a much more finished look than hex head bolts.

Step 2: Using the Vise

Anytime you need to use the metal vise you just pull it out from wherever you store it and clamp it in your regular wood vise! It works like a charm.