Vise jaws

[Jay Pique]

I just finished a couple of vise jaws and was wondering what opinions you all had about lining them with leather. My original idea was to put wrap a 1.75" maple core with a couple of 1/8" skins on either side for balance. Then I could plane off and replace just the inside face when it gets beaten up. But I sorta like the idea of having something with a little give to it, for a little more grip with a little less clamping pressure. Has anyone ever tried EPDM on their vise jaws?

Lastly, if I do just leave them as is (2" thick hard maple), should I put any type of finish on them? I'd probably rub a little on the top edge just in case glue got on them, but what about the backs and faces? I used polymerized linseed oil and beeswax for the bench, so I'd probably not want to use that (I think...too slippery?)

Time for some googling...

JP

[bridgerfafc]

vise jaws are a consumable. don't get too hung up on making them special. make several sets when you make any, to save steps and to give you some to cut notches in/ screw things to/ mangle by grabbing tightly to rude objects etc. make a few out of soft pine for grabbing things that have surfaces that want a forgiving but firm grip. make a set with sandpaper faces and a set with rubber faces. make a set with hardwood faces scraped smooth and finished with oil. make a set with brass faces.

[Upscale]

And if he doesn't want to make some of those types, he can buy them.

[mac davis]

I made 3 or 4 sets using rare earth magnets, an idea I stole from a Lee Valley add for very expensive vise..

They hold fine, since they only have to hold the faces in place, not really hold them on the vise..

Sort of fun, making one with v-grooves to hold pen blanks... YMWV

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Jay Pique]

These jaws are 2x6x33" hard maple, so I'm not likely to be making too many of them unless the boss decides to be generous with some long cutoffs again!

I think I'm going to go with leather. I like the look and I believe it will do what I want. For other stuff I can use my metal vise or the smaller face vise on the other bench. These are going to be for my "good" bench.

Thanks for the replies all. JP