Bud in PA Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I have noticed that some post vises have a simple U bolt attached to the mounting plate, while others have a U shaped piece of steel with sliding wedges in it attached to the mounting plate. What is the purpose of the one with the sliding wedges, and is one system better then the other? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaudry Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Both of the mounting brackets styles are made to be adjustable, depending on the height of the bench top. It seems as if the more recently manufactured vises [ Columbian etc. ] have the u bolt mount. Properly fitted, I personally think these offer a more solid mount and tend to take up less of the bench top. I've converted several older vises to that kind of mount , because I think they work better. A vise as well as the bench or post it is mounted on should not move at all in use to be most efficient. A vise or an anvil that moves around , even in the slightest ,under the hammer is a waste of energy. The human body has only limited horsepower available and if a fraction of every movement or blow is lost in taking up slack or bounce of the tool , the inefficiency adds up fast. I'm always surprised by how many setups I see where the anvil or vise is not solidly locked down to an immoveable base . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I've done several of the U bolt mountings as they are so simple. Take a piece of angle iron with differing width sides ubolt the short side to the vise and then drill a couple of holes in the longer side and bolt it to your bench. My heavy vise is bolted to a telephone pole sunk 5' into the ground and supporting the shop roof 10' above the ground. Quite stable though it being an all propanel walled and roofed shop it does telegraph any hammering on it to the structure...(this is the vise I used when I twisted a RR spike *COLD* as someone bet me I couldn't with my large twisting wrench) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud in PA Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 Thank you for the replys. I am hoping to buy one soon, if I can find an auction or classified where people haven't lost their minds with prices. I think that some of them must be made out of gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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