Photos Mounting a post vise

[JTknives]

I have had this post vise for a long I e and never properly mounted it. In my last shop it was scrued to a wood bench and the post did not reach ground so I had a spacer under it. In the new shop it was just clamped to the corner of my large micarta topped table with a spacer. I have wanted to have it free standing in the forge area for a very long time. Well tonight I decided it was time to get it done.

I rounded up 2 scrap 1/2" thick plates, thy where not wide enough on there own so I used the plasma to cut them the same length and weld prep the edges.

A 45ish° angle on both sides of both plates.

I then layied them on the floor and lined them up.

I then welded one side and flipped it and welded the other. I knew it would be about impossible to keep the plates flat so I opted to build in a slight bow by welding one whole side first then the other.

Then time to cut the upright. I had a section of hardened tool steel well drilling pipe. Was rather a chore to cut in the abrasive saw.

Then I centered, tacked, squared and welded it in place.

Next was time for the hole for the stub on the post, it was 3/4" Diamater. I driller a 1/4" pilot hole and then driller it to size with m trusty step bit. Man I love these things, can't even tell it drilled through a 1/2" steel plate. Normaly used for different size holes in knife tangs.

I now needed a top plate for the vise to bolt to so I cut out a 6.5"x9"chunk out of the 1/2" Plate drop off. Also chamfered the edges and made it nice. Then andjusted its squareness and welded it in place.

Layied out the bolt holes and chamfered them on both sides.

A few bolts, washers, lock washers and nuts and we are in business.

I am more then happy with how it turned out, now I just need to re organise the forging area a bit so I give the grinding bench a bit more room.

 

[stezann]

Nice and sturdy! I don't like too much not having base left behind the pole, but it is just estetic as i don't believe there would be any real effect.

 

[Salem Straub]

That vise looks to be in pretty good shape!
I think that plate setup is just right for a post vise. Truck rims etc. just suck.

 

[JTknives]

That vise looks to be in pretty good shape!
I think that plate setup is just right for a post vise. Truck rims etc. just suck.

I need to thank you Salem for your advise on this build and especially with welding the plates together. Can't wait to really use it with forging. In the past I have used it to set the shoulders on the tang. Should be much nicer now that it's not wobbling around

 

[Bladegunner]

Looks great nice work,

 

[Natlek]

What I don't like is that shines bolts , they not belong there Good job

 

[weo]

Mine's mounted in a similar manner, only it's welded to a 1" plate that's about 3' dia. I also have 3 holes in the base so I could fix it to bolts sunk into the concrete to make it as solid as possible. Unfortunately, the concrete wasn't able to stand up to the abuse, either because I didn't sink the bolts deep enough or the concrete wasn't tough enough (the place was built in the 1940's). Now it rocks around a bit with heavy use.
The only thing I'd suggest thinking about is if you're not going to bolt it to the floor, maybe weld 3 shims around the bottom of the base to prevent the vice from rocking on the floor.

 

[JTknives]

Mine's mounted in a similar manner, only it's welded to a 1" plate that's about 3' dia. I also have 3 holes in the base so I could fix it to bolts sunk into the concrete to make it as solid as possible. Unfortunately, the concrete wasn't able to stand up to the abuse, either because I didn't sink the bolts deep enough or the concrete wasn't tough enough (the place was built in the 1940's). Now it rocks around a bit with heavy use.
The only thing I'd suggest thinking about is if you're not going to bolt it to the floor, maybe weld 3 shims around the bottom of the base to prevent the vice from rocking on the floor.

I might slip a 2" square 1/4" thick rubber chunk under each corner. It rocks a tiny bit right now but ever so slightly. I used the same rubber under each corner of my anvil and it worked wonders.

 

[Lieblad]

Thats great. Portable is handy. Excepting bolted to the floor, Our vises are basically the same setup.
On the post, I fitted loops for bending forks & such.

 

[Geoff Flato]

Looks more portable than mine. I used a 20" diameter disc of 4" plate for the base. It sucks to try moving

 

[mnavarro]

Very nice.
I need to make a similar stand for a second post vise to put out in my forging area.

 

[Tenebr0s]

Currently attaching one to my workbench, which is a little bit too high. Are wood spacers between the post and floor ok, or should it really be steel?

 

[Lieblad]

Wood spacer is fine. Depending how heavy you beat & wrestle a workpiece in its jaws, spacer should be also affixed to floor.
Btw, alot of blacksmith shops are dirt floors. Vse leg is often set in a big wooden block or stone whats set flush or at some protrusion above the dirt floor.