Vice on a pole/wheel stand - help me out here.

[Big Pete]

I've been watching the vise thread, amongst others, and I keep seeing vises mounted on a pole bolted to a wheel. How stable are they? what do you use them for in that configuration? Can you use a hacksaw on something held in them or does the whole plot start to rock?

It looks like something that would be handy in my shop, but I'm a bit dubious as to how stable the whole thing is. I can see it might have some uses for welding or general third hand type jobs away from a bench, but they look a little tippy for most jobs.

So, what's the story from those who've used this sort of setup?

 

[dutchgray]

Depends on how heavy the wheel is relative to the vise on top and the work you want to do with it, a truck wheel or brake drum is pretty heavy, a weighted tractor wheel would take any vise you wanted but would not be so easily portable.

 

[42desoto]

I've done the truck wheel thing. Don't. Plant a pipe in the floor. When you need a vise you need it solid.

 

[zkling]

Skip the wheel, best case is to lag it to the floor, next best is a large area thin plate or a smaller area heavy plate.

 

[2oolhound]

I've found having a vise mounted to a mobile base to be very handy as long as your other ones are mounted rigidly on benches etc.

 

[77Mini]

One of the guys at work was trying to sell me on the idea of setting a square tube in the concrete in the middle of the garage then having another tube that fits inside with the vise mounted on it. I can see the benefit of having one out in the open but not sure if its worth the concrete work.

 

[bobcatdan]

In my world, a vise soildly mounted is the only way to go. Two are mounted to a sturdy steel bench bolted to the floor. The third is on a pedestal bolted to the floor. None are going anywhere. At work we have a small 4" Wilton on a pedestal with a truck transmission bellhousing for the based. It's a handy spot to do stuff. It's heavy to move when you want slide it over so its no light weight. However, if I put something in and want to remove a tight bolt with a wrench, it will pretty easily move kinda defeating the point.

 

[rsanter]

My primary vise is mounted to the bench
My secondary is the one that is mobile on a stand.
My stand is not that heavy or that wide but is very stable for what I use it for.
I think what I use it for the most is holding something in an odd angle that needs to be welded.

Bob

 

[Ign]

Yep, I've seen people defend to the death their vises mounted on portable stands, but the fact is they're just not doing much heavy work if it truly works that well for them. As others have noted, perhaps good as a secondary vise, but the first one should be solid. I often put 3 to 4' cheaters (or more) on my clamped work to bend, lever or shape.

I prefer a vise bolted to a steel workbench which is bolted to the floor. I've used a 10'+ cheater before to crack Dana 60 kingpins (axle clamped to steel workbench).

 

[pendragon1998]

I don't see how useful it could be*, except maybe if you're dragging a vise out into the driveway to hold something while you grind or spray it.

*for my workflow

 

[LumpyMusic]

I have a 6" vise mounted to a 15" wheel and pipe. A dead brake rotor is bolted, via the original lug nut studs, to the bottom of the wheel. It's as stable as anything within the limits of the vise.

I suggest if you're bending steel that's beyond the limits of the vise, with an unusually long cheater, you're exceeding the vise capability, no matter where you've got it mounted.

If you're bending 1/4" steel or larger you probably should be in a hydraulic press or using the blacksmith method. Not overstressing the vise.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[slip knot]

only way to mount a vise. solidly cemented in.

 

[pendragon1998]

Of course, a vice on a pole might be more fun than a vise mounted on a pole, now that I think on it.

 

[454ragtop]

As others have mentioned, best to have a solidly mounted vise, BUT I find a second, and recently even a third, vise mounted to a movable stand comes in real handy. No you can't use it to bend 1/4" plate with a 3 ft adjustable wrench, but they work very well as a third hand for welding and light fab, Use mine all the time. Have to remember to get some pics of the stand I found at a yard sale a few weeks ago, very heavy with a roller that you tip it up on to move it.
Jim

 

[PoorOwner]

I put my biggest one on a pedestal stand, it will rock just from the steel pole and ground not 100% flat. I plan to pour a small slab with anchors for it.

It makes for a nicer presentation if you have a cool vise.
I wanted it to be mobile so I can take it outside.

If I was building it again I would build with 4 vertical legs like a small work bench. Or just build one of those 1000 lb workbench.

 

[Big Pete]

Thanks for the opinions guys, pretty much as I suspected, light work only. I've got three vices solidly mounted onto benches for heavy stuff, but I might build a third hand one if I pick up another 4". We'll see how long it takes for me to get sick of tripping over it in the shop