How To Build A Woodworking Bench Vise From Start To Finish

Last Updated on 2022-03-01 by Harry Masterton

If you are like me, your woodworking bench is a vital tool for most projects in the shop. It offers a work surface that you can sit wood and tools on, and it is also a place for one or more vises.

How To Build A Woodworking Bench Vise

Of all the designs out there, the woodworking vise is the one you need. These are usually divided loosely into two categories:

Front vises: Usually located on the front left face of the long side of your workbench. These include the leg vise, shoulder vise, and a hybrid that uses wooden jaws and metal screws;
End vise: Located on the end of your bench, it often uses aids like bench dogs to help hold workpieces in place. The traditional and wagon designs are the most common end vises.

Most beginner and intermediate woodworkers have limited shop budgets, making some pre-fabricated woodworking bench vises out of reach. I think learning how to build a woodworking bench vise is the answer (even if you have plenty of money for the hobby). Here is why:

It gives you practice with layouts: You can use existing plans or use a program like SketchUp to create your own based on traditional designs
You get to build it: I never pass on an opportunity to build something in the shop, including workshop items;
There is a good chance you will save money: Depending upon the design and materials you use, many built bench vises cost less than buying a fabricated vise online.

I have built more than one woodworking bench vise for each workbench I have owned over the years. Learning how to build a woodworking bench vise will expand your knowledge and create something that will see plenty of use in the woodshop.

How to Make a Wood Vice

As is the case with most projects in the shop, learning how to build a woodworking bench vise can be as easy or challenging as you want to make it. I would break down this project into:

Modifying a metal vice;
Repairing a used vice;
Buying and building a kit;
Building a vise from plans.

Modification

A quick trick you can use as you learn how to make a wood vice would be to modify an existing metal vice. These designs have rough jaws that will damage the faces or edges of pieces of wood. Modifications include adding an extra layer of leather or wood to the jaws.

Repair

My first experience learning how to build a woodworking bench vise was to repair one with damage. Woodworking vise designs are usually wood and will break down over time. Getting your hands on an old vise and replacing a jaw or handle is a cheap alternative to buying a new one.

Kits

I have built a kit design before, and the final product turned out to be a solid woodworking vice that served my shop for a long time. A kit is a nice compromise between buying a fabricated product and making one from scratch. You will find woodworking vise kits online or through a specialty outlet.

Woodworking Plans

A hands-on approach to learning how to make a wood vice is to build one from a set of shop plans. Existing plans are available online through forums, magazine websites, and popular blogs. Prices vary from free to paid downloads.

I can also recommend making vice blueprints if you want to immerse yourself in the design process.

How to Make a Homemade Bench Vise

how to make a face vise using pipe clamps Learning how to build a woodworking bench vise (at least at the start) should be about function as much as the difficulty level. If you are reading this, you are likely to the point in your woodworking hobby that a vise is something you need. Even if you have one already, you might want to learn how to make a homemade bench vise so that you can try out different styles.

As a beginning woodworker, there are three designs that I think will serve you well, based on the type of woodworking you do:

Single-screw face vise;
Single-screw end vise;
Clamps.

How to Make a Homemade Bench Vise: Face Design

I find a face vise ideal for drilling and sawing lumber. Building a single-screw design requires less hardware and is adequate for small and medium-sized workpieces. It also offers you the advantage of having the interior jaw butting up against the edge of your workbench.

How to Build a Woodworking Bench Vise: End Design

My end vise gets used when I plane or work on the face of boards. A single-screw design offers the same advantages I mentioned previously, including interior jaw support against the bench. I also use bench dogs with this design.

How to Make a Scratch-Built Bench Vise: Using Clamps

Clamps add extra support to your vise when working with odd-shaped workpieces or during gluing sessions. I mention them here because I used C-clamps until I purchased my first vise.

You probably have a collection already (most woodworkers do), and they are the cheapest way to make a vise for woodworking. Try them in conjunction with a “bird's mouth” jig when you hand plane.

This is a great idea, using Harbor Freight Pipe Clamps to make a face vise. Check this one out on Reddit.

How to Build a Woodworking Vise

Beginning and intermediate woodworkers are looking for simple designs that are easy to assemble when wanting to know how to build a woodworking bench vise. One idea meeting those criteria uses an interior jaw face and two clamps.

My suggestion for how to build a woodworking vise quickly:

Make the vise face: You will want wood that is an inch thick that will handle the clamping pressure. Your lumber's width should be at least five inches to provide plenty of area for clamp connection. A good length for small and medium-sized projects would be 18-inches;
Cut slots or grooves needed for clamps: Product selection determines how to make a woodworking vice using clamps. Creating grooves along bottom edges will hold F-clamps, while intricate dovetails slots routed out of the face will hold something like Microjig clamps;
Make a cleat: Most hobbyists learning how to build a woodworking vise will need to attach a cleat to their workbench. I suggest wood two inches thick, providing plenty of support while using three-inch screws to hold it. Make the cleat as long as the face so that it supports the entire length;
Attach the faceplate: Now, you can screw the vise face to your bench and the cleat. Proper back support is how to make a woodworking vice that holds firmly. Countersink the screw holes so that the screws sit below the surface (or you can cover it with leather);
Test and adjust: Learning how to build a woodworking bench vise is like any other project; you need to test fit and make adjustments. Check to see if the clamps hold as you intended. I recommend routering the edges and giving the vise a light sanding.

Woodworking Bench Plans

Woodworking Bench Plans Over the years, I have used several woodworking bench plans. That includes projects I made as I learned how to build a woodworking bench vise. You will find wooden vise plans pdf in:

A wood vise kit;
Magazine and professional websites dedicated to woodworking;
Woodworking and crafting forums;
Woodworking websites like mine.

Learning how to build a woodworking bench vise is easy when using a good set of shop plans. We all learn through reading, watching, and practicing. I think that the best woodworking bench plans provide most (if not all) of these learning styles.

Image curtesy of The English Woodworker – Check out their excellent article on Choosing The best Face Vise

And their superb tutorial on How To Build A Workbench

The best plans for building a woodworking vice should include:

A write-up: Even the best shop plans improve with written descriptions that detail the steps used in the build. Many wood vise kit packages include these, for example;
A set of detailed shop plans: A proper set of wooden vise plans pdf are preferred. That lets you load them onto your favorite electronic device and print a copy for the bench. I find blueprints that include views from several angles and exploded diagrams the best;
You need lists: These should include a tool list (especially if the plans call for a seldom-used tool), a cut list you can use to build a shopping list, and other hardware or expendables the project will require. I learned the hard way that generic plans with no lists require more planning and several work stoppages to get something;
Video supplementation: Magazines, manufacturers, and fellow woodworkers use platforms like YouTube for research, and so should you. Today's woodworking vise shop plans should include links or embedded videos that you can watch for enjoyment or to learn.

Looking for more great woodworking articles? Woodworking Joints And How To Use Them – The Complete list of all the Wood Joints you will ever need

How To Build A Woodworking Bench Vise From Start To Finish