Cross slide vise with benchtop mortising machine

I've done it. It works fine. I had to clamping lever to the other side so it wouldn't crowd the post. That required drilling and tapping two new holes. I also mounted a base under the machine to raise it up some relative to the vice. Then I mounted the whole thing to a 1" ply base so it's still mobile. When I need it I pull it out of a cabinet and clamp it to a countertop. Works fine. Not as well as a big mortiser with its own xy table, but it does the job.

Let me know if you want more details.

HTH

Thanks for the reply..I think I understand what you've done, and will give it a try.

Mike G.

I'll post a pic in ABPW. This was a test setup (to get the spacing and height correct). I mounted it on a plywood slab later. You can see the mod in this picture. The top two handles are normally on opposite sides. You have to move one so both are in the front.

HTH

Thanks again.

Mike G.

Forgot to mention... you also need to rotate the mortiser's base 180 degrees.

Mike G.,

I added one to my Delta mortiser. I really like it. Go for it.

Ted