8 replies to this topic

[Winston]

I just bought my first post vise. It is a 6"er, but the leg has been cut off. I figured that since I am puting a new leg on it I might as well make it the best height for my size. Yet since this is my first I have no clue what height that would be.

So, for everyone who is around 5'10" tall what would be your optimal general use vise height?

Thanks,
Winston

[Timothy Miller]

What do you plan on doing the most in your vise? Forging, filing, bending, tweaking? I know a lot of guys who do animal heads like a lower vise. also if you are going to use a lot of forming stakes you might want a lower vise. I think about 38" is about right for me I am 5'10" as well. I do a lot of filing and bending in my vise. An inch or two below your elbow height seems to work for me. Other people will have other opinions.

[Phil Krankowski]

I've seen pictures of one vise that the cut leg was shouldered for a piece of black pipe. Then a different height was a case of remounting it on a different pipe.

Just a thought.
Phil

[Mainely,Bob]

Don`t know how much help this may be to you but my vise measures 38 3/4" from the shoulder to top of the jaws and I like it fine.
BTW-I`m 5' 11 1/2" now.

[Bryce Masuk]

like southshore smith said it depends what you want to do

if you planning on hitting things real hard in the vise without a striker lower is going to be better

if you have a benchvise too i would probley mount it pretty low

the heavier the leg the better the one you have if the leg was cut off was probley really bent so it was lopped off or it could be a box vice

[John B]

Just below your elbow height is usually the norm, as it seems to be the most useful for general work, filing, chiseling, bending etc

If you specialise, consider what is best for the application you will be most using it for.

[Winston]

Thanks for the answers.

I am going to try 38". I was thinking about hammering on it and it made sense. I need to be able to hammer down. I do have a box vise that is mounted higher already and it is not confortable for hammering, so having it lower would be nice. I might try and make it adjustable as someone mentioned.

[HWooldridge]

It's helpful to have several at different heights once you have the luxury of multiple vises. I have one at elbow height, one a bit higher (about mid-chest - primarily for twisting) and one at anvil height so I can get a full swing. If you only have one, I'd say elbow height is useful for most work. My machinist vises are at comfortable filing height.

[AlbertaSmith]

In most machine shops the rule of thumb is the vise should be mounted so the top of the jaws are between the navel and the bottom of the ribcage. I realize this has limited use for you as you have already decided a good height, but for future reference, or for anyone else looking for a decent height, its a good place to start.


I should mention that this is basically for an all purpose vise. Again, if you are using it as a striking vise, or are intending to work on larger pieces that extend above the top of the jaws, you should mount it lower, but for basic filing, light hammering, tapping, sanding, etc, etc, this seems to be a good height.