Vice in 1-car garage? Possible without a large table/bench?

[Jacobson]

I have a small 1-car garage that only has room for my rolling toolbox and a 5 level metal shelf. The shelf is a but wobbly, so clamping a vice too it won't work. I have some floor space but No room for a heavy table.

I would love to have any sort of vice. Is this possible? Is there such a thing as a floor vice? I could sort of step on it to keep it a little more steady? Or, what is the smallest table I can mount a vice to? Anyone ever have this sort of limit?

I may only use this a few times a year, so I don't want to spend a ton of money, if possible.

 

[Jacobson]

Looks like I need to look into a portable vice stand ?
Do I get a folding workbench?

 

[drivesitfar]

Jake: A few guys even have vises mounted to a wall. Check out the vise and grinder stand thread in fabrication section and let us know what you think

 

[Jacobson]

Are these vice stands stable?
Seems like it would fall over if I hammed onto something.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CAST-IRON-M...L-VISE-VICE-/221692080443?hash=item339de0b13b

 

[Jacobson]

For $40, this seems like it's worth a try.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LPFITWA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Jacobson]

Ok, so what kind of vice should a car hobbyist buy?
Any general size or weight spec? 4, 5, or 6" ?
Sometimes, I just need a part fixed if I want to drill into it, or sand it, or to act like a 3rd arm, etc.

 

[Jacobson]

Jake: A few guys even have vises mounted to a wall. Check out the vise and grinder stand thread in fabrication section and let us know what you think

I don't have a wall I can mount to. My garage might as well be a canopy for the sake of this discussion. I can't fab anything, so that thread is a mooo point. You know, like a cow's opinion. It doesn't matter.

 

[2oolhound]

How about mounting it to your rolling tool box. Ideally you would have a steel plate on top which wouldn't have to be more than 1/8" thick but the thicker the better. Then on the opposite side of the handle there is a place to mount the handle on that side where you could bolt a thin plate that could be welded or bolted to the top plate. Then weld or bolt a trailer hitch on the side level with the top. Mount the vise to the inside bar of the trailer hitch and you have a bayonet mount vise.

You could also just mount the vise to a thick wood top of your tool box.

 

[FigureItOut]

Is there any reason you couldn't get a vise stand like the ones you linked to and screw it down to the floor with a couple of tapcons?

 

[jakemac]

A 4" to 4.5" vise seems to be the consensus for a good working vise for most people. You may be able to get away with a 3" or 3.5" if you aren't using it often.

If you don't mind bending down when you use the vise (since you say you won't use it very much), then get a stump from a tree cutter the next time you see them taking a tree down. Mount the vise to the stump and stick it in the corner when you aren't using it.

 

[fitz11]

What kind of toolbox do you have? When I had a one car garage I bolted a vise to the top of my 42" roller.

 

[atthebeach]

There was a time in my life when my vise was mounted to a 12" x 18" piece of 1" thick plywood. With it sitting on the asphalt driveway and one foot on it, it was stable enough to drill, sand, or just about anything else. It makes my knees hurt now to think about this. Fortunately, that vise is now mounted to one of my work benches. When buying a vise, go bigger not smaller. A vise will last multiple lifetimes.

 

[drivesitfar]

Jake: i'd guess you are looking for a quick answer or you are trying to up your post count.

that stand you can buy at HF or wherever they sell them will work ok for a smallish vise (4 inch or less wide jaws) or a bench grinder. obviously you wouldn't want to to put a transmission or something big in the vises jaws so use some common sense.

a vise is really supposed to be a third hand.

another option if you have some activity on Craigslist for old tools in your area is to buy an old guy's old stand made out of a tire rim that is quite a bit more stable and sometimes a great vise is still sitting on it for not much money if you are able to do a little cleaning and regreasing.

these open screw vises are a lot better than no vise and I've seen several mounted to guy's tool boxes.

ask more questions if you need any more help or let us know what you figured out. also a few pictures of your situation might give some of us more ideas for you.

good luck

also the stump or huge block of wood works great and just find a way to protect your vise

 

[jakemac]

Jake: i'd guess you are looking for a quick answer or you are trying to up your post count.

Not so much quick, and my post count is doing just fine all by itself, thank you.
I was thinking more along the lines of the simplest answer with the least amount of effort without really being able to actually see the garage and it's layout.

 

[logical]

Not so much quick, and my post count is doing just fine all by itself, thank you.
I was thinking more along the lines of the simplest answer with the least amount of effort without really being able to actually see the garage and it's layout.

I think he meant Jac..the OP, and the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, etc.

 

[drivesitfar]

Jake: when i started writing my post you weren't on the thread yet but i still shouldnt have given jacobsen your handle.

I agree pics could help get better answers or ideas

 

[jakemac]

Ahhhhh, my bad.

 

[Jacobson]

My toolbox is this. I pretty much keep the lid open and have a bunch blankets stored in that top compartment. That might be a bit too high for a vice location.
http://www.harborfreight.com/26-8-drawer-roller-cabinet-with-8-drawer-top-chest.html

I like the idea of just bolting a vice to some plank of wood or stump. I'm going to look into that.

For now, I'll stick with 3 to 4" vice.

 

[Jacobson]

these open screw vises are a lot better than no vise and I've seen several mounted to guy's tool boxes.

Sounds like "open screw" is not the best.
What are the other kinds?

 

[Jacobson]

What about this for $21? I like to go cheap until I know I need it.
But, don't want so cheap it's useless. Reviews seem good enough.
This is half the cost of even HF, which is $40

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VJLY00/?tag=atomicindus08-20
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-swivel-vise-with-anvil-67035.html

 

[AceofSpad3s]

Sounds like "open screw" is not the best.
What are the other kinds?

Covered and enclosed. Covered: The top and sides of the screw are covered but not the bottom. Enclosed is completely covered on all sides, think Wilton bullet.

 

[Jacobson]

I'd like a vice to be able to do stuff like press bearings and u-joints.
How do I know what category of vice can handle that? Size?

 

[LumpyMusic]

Vice -
Vise -

Bigger = Better. You'll always find some use that makes you say "I wish this were bigger/heavier/opened wider etc"

I'd rather have a cheaper big vise than a polish quality small vise.

I will sometimes clamp a small drill press vise into the larger jaws of my mechanic's vise for very small work.

When you start adding aluminum, rubber, copper etc vise jaw pads, the opening gets smaller. So your 4" opening becomes 3" etc.

My vise sits nicely on one of those welded up steel wheel and post typical floor stands. Use it where it sits in the corner, or roll it out to wherever I need it, including into the front yard for messy stuff like grinding.

Post Count - WTF? My check from GJ is the same amount every week no matter how many posts I make.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[AceofSpad3s]

I'd like a vice to be able to do stuff like press bearings and u-joints.
How do I know what category of vice can handle that? Size?

None. That is what an arbor press is for.

 

[CNGsaves]

Snag a Made in USA vise at garage sale, along with WorkMate and use as needed.

+1 to get proper tool for job (ie Press) if OP is doing that many U-joints/bearings.

 

[1950mercury]

I'd like a vice to be able to do stuff like press bearings and u-joints.
How do I know what category of vice can handle that? Size?

Thats a good way to break a vise

 

[jakemac]

I'd like a vice to be able to do stuff like press bearings and u-joints.
How do I know what category of vice can handle that? Size?

Around here - Them's is fightin' words

 

[bczygan]

You could always mount to to the hitch on your car or truck. With a riser of sufficient height (And adjustable), as shown in the photo below, it could be very user friendly.

The one pictured is a vise made especially for the mount. but you could mount any vise on a plate attached to an insert that goes into a high rise hitch adapter like the one shown.


Bill

 

[Fretters]

Wheel and tubular upright, drum filled with concrete and tubular upright etc. Plenty of ways to make a stand.

around here - them's is fightin' words

 

[bczygan]

I have a small 1-car garage that only has room for my rolling toolbox and a 5 level metal shelf. The shelf is a but wobbly, so clamping a vice too it won't work. I have some floor space but No room for a heavy table.

I would love to have any sort of vice. Is this possible? Is there such a thing as a floor vice? I could sort of step on it to keep it a little more steady? Or, what is the smallest table I can mount a vice to? Anyone ever have this sort of limit?

I may only use this a few times a year, so I don't want to spend a ton of money, if possible.

Where are you located? Check CL for a vise. Vises are NOT for pressing, unless you want a multiple part vise.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

It's vise not vice.

 

[Fretters]

It's vise not vice.

Depends where he's from.

 

[Shiftless]

Ahhhhh, my bad.

Yeah, I doubt that Drives would dis you like that

 

[Jacobson]

I thought I saw vids on Youtube where guys pressed off a small bushing or u-joint using their vise.... Sounds like bigger is better. I will get the biggest I can find cheap, since the stand is what takes up the room anyway.

 

[drivesitfar]

Jacobson: just because it was on YouTube doesn't make it right. sure a lot of vises (vices) have been used as presses and some end up in the scrap pile.

do a search for broken vises and several are from members using their vise as a press.

cheaper isn't better for that purpose in fact it's more likely to crack because most of those are hollow. if you have a lot of pressing to do make or buy a cheap press.

you might not think you have needed a vise, but they are very handy to have when you do.

you can go in your GJ profile and maybe a member close by has a decent vise to sell you instead of you trying to figure out which one to buy. or is your area a secret?

cheers

 

[Zeke]

I'd like a vice to be able to do stuff like press bearings and u-joints.
How do I know what category of vice can handle that? Size?

None. That is what an arbor press is for.

Thats a good way to break a vise

Around here - Them's is fightin' words

Aw, come on, I've never even used an arbor press to do u-joints. It would take one larger than the most common I see around because the leverage isn't very good. A hydraulic press is good.

And a big enough vise works too.

@Jacobson — think about getting an old large truck rim and securing the stand to that. It's portable and yet pretty stable. Some even fill the rim with concrete but I never did.

 

[Jacobson]

I just realized why you use an old rim. You can roll it with the vice attached sideways. Portable indeed!

Should I just get a 6" vise for $50 ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Bench-Vis...g-Base-Work-Bench-Top-Cast-Iron-/361282336356

 

[Fretters]

Should I just get a 6" vise for $50 ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Bench-Vis...g-Base-Work-Bench-Top-Cast-Iron-/361282336356

No. Heed the advice given. You're going to be loading even a good vice in a manner it was never really designed for, using it for pressing, so buying some POS import is pointless. You'd be lucky if that wasn't in pieces within a month, considering your intended usage.

 

[LumpyMusic]

Should I just get a 6" vise for $50 ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Bench-Vis...g-Base-Work-Bench-Top-Cast-Iron-/361282336356

I say yes.

You're not an auto repair shop doing hundreds of bearing presses daily. You might press ONE U joint out of it's yoke in your lifetime. That inexpensive vise will withstand that dozens of times over.

For 50 bucks you have a vise. You start figuring out what to do with it and maybe (or maybe not) you'll decide you want to spend several times that on something else. Or maybe you'll decide that the 50 bucks you spent was a darn good investment.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[Jacobson]

If I don't use the vise for trying to press bushings and u-joints, it sounds like the $50 vise will suit my basic vise needs