A bench vice is considered the most essential tool utilized in woodworking, metalworking, and other manufacturing applications. The main function of a bench vice is to hold the workpiece securely. It also helps perform various operations such as drilling and sawing with ease as you can use both hands to perform a task. It becomes essential for those who have to perform such tasks that need the help of robust bench vice because a small mistake can lead to serious injury to the operator.
What is the Role of Bench Vice?
When fastened with the workbench, the bench vice holds the workbench to prevent it from any type of vibration. As a result, it helps in smoother saw cuts, steady plane strokes, and better sanding. Industrial workers consider bench vices an essential tool.
Choosing a low-quality of vice can affect the quality of work, so it is recommended to choose a high-quality bench vice to keep your work steady.
Key Instructions to Choose the Best Bench Vice:
- Throat Depth of the Vice
Checking the throat of the vice is the most important thing while selecting a vice. Before purchasing a vice, you must check the throat depth of the vice from the jaws’ top side to the slide’s top under the jaws. If the throat depth is enough, then you can hold a larger workpiece as well. Therefore, you can loosen up the vice to its fullest to check its capability of holding your workpiece.
- Weight of the Vice
Another thing that needs to be considered is the overall weight of the vice. The width of the jaw of the two vices is the same, but their weight may change. You can also make a comparison of two vices to know the difference. Apart from this, you should check whether your workbench can bear the weight of the vice or not.
- Object Size Used with the Vice
You should know the size of the object that is used with the vice that you want to buy. Vices come in different sizes and qualities. If the size of the object goes on increasing, then the jaw’s width should also match the object’s size.
- Use of the Vice
You better know how you are going to use a vice. Are you going to use it as an anvil or hammer over it? If hammering is involved, then you should buy a vice that has a large rear and is made of robust material.
You can choose a bench vice according to your working requirements. For example, if you often hold and remove different sized workpieces, then you must consider choosing a vice with an easy release opening mechanism.
How to Safely Use a Bench Vice?
Vices are used for various purposes. Hence, it is important to choose the right vice depending upon its use. Here are some tips that you should follow while using a vice:
- While using a vice, it is essential to cover your face and eyes with a shield and eyeglasses respectively.
- Make sure the vice is attached to the workbench properly while fixing the bolts in the right order. In addition to this, also ensure the worktable is secured to its base.
- Vice should be installed properly that its stationary jaws project beyond the workbench. Ensure to check whether the workbench or other surfaces hold firm under pressure or not.
- Ensure to check bench vice for cracks, damage, or other harms before clamping to a workpiece in a vice.
What Should You Avoid When Using a Bench Vice?
There are a few things that need to avoid when you use a vice:
- Don’t wide vice jaws more than its capacity.
- Don’t tighten the vice than what they have been designed for.
- Don’t repair a bench vice by welding or brazing because it will degrade the quality of the vice.
- If it is damaged, then replace the part immediately rather than using it.
Quality of vice is important for the safety of workers because low quality of vice can be damaged early. Ensure to replace parts that need to be replaced. Don’t hammer the handle to get an extra grip. Don’t use a vice if it is broken or damaged because you can hurt yourself.
Conclusion
- Quality of bench vice matters a lot, so make sure to consider vice quality before you buy it. Equipped with heavy-duty cast iron and forged steel construction will ensure more reliability and precision clamping. Ensure to attach a vice with a robust workbench so that the vice can hold a workpiece securely and give you a vibration-free effect. It will help you perform the specific operation with ease, and even sanding will get done faster. Workers that use vice often consider it the most important tool.
