Vise position on workbench

[ColinHorgan]

When I was an apprentice the garage I worked in had a huge steel bench and on the right hand side, the very end it had the vise bolted to it.
This gave you 270 degrees access to the material in the jaw.
I'm doin up a workbench at my own workshop at home and as a right handed guy, is it better to have it on the left hand side or the right for ergonomics??

Stupid question I know but while in the construction stage I'd rather sit back and think it through.
Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated. I'll put the build photos up soon as I'm finished.

 

[dlcwent]

How about a free standing one as well as a bench vise? I have one that I made from a 24" truck rim. It gives you the option to move it around and use it from most any position.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

well im right handed, it always works best for me to put on right side, I would scope out the area to ensure any long pieces you clamp horizontally have space. make sure the fixed jaw is slightly prone of the leading edge of the bench, or you cant clamp long vertical pieces. ( ask me how I know ).

 

[scrapdaddy]

I've got a ten foot welding/fab. table and just put a vise on each corner. Solved!

 

[alex71]

I've got a ten foot welding/fab. table and just put a vise on each corner. Solved!

So, four vises then? do you face them out diagonally?

 

[Fretters]

Honestly doesn't make much difference, IMHO, as to which side you mount it. Making sure you have enough clearance roundabouts for whatever you're doing in it is most important. Personally, I seem to favour the left side of the bench, and I'm right handed. It's mainly the type of work you'll be doing in it which dictates best position. After that it's just preference.

 

[ColinHorgan]

Thank you guys, it's a steel bench. 9x3 foot with 8 legs and I just finished fab up the lower support struts. Will be final welding it after. Yeah I think I'll put it on the left, this will give me more access to tools etc rather than reaching across myself (if you catch my drift)

 

[turbowoodworker]

OP, not a dumb question. Waiting to see if there is a good rational reason for rt side in the right handed person or not.
On woodworking benches where hand tools (planes etc.) are used it is convention and makes rational sense to have a face vise on the left side for the right handed person performing planing operations. And typical european style vises have some sort of tail vise on the rt end.
Excited to hear the "correct" placement of the machinist vise.

 

[bobcatdan]

Big thing, position the vise so the back jaw is forward of the bench edge. I did this once not knowing and it ***** not being able to clamp something long upright because it hits the bench. Over the years I have become a fan of a vise being mounted smack dab in the middle. I would only do this on a bench 8' or longer so the vise isn't in the way.

 

[4x4gearhead]

I have one at home on the left side of a nice industrial stamped steel bench out of a factory of some sort. It never seemed to matter to me and Im right handed. At work the vise is on the right though.

 

[ColinHorgan]

Yeah I think it seems just to be preference, different trades may favour a certain way, as a mechanic if I have something in the vise I'm tearing down or just wailing on it makes sense to have it near the corner. Thank you to those of you who reminded me NOT to bolt it down with the static jaw over the bench. But, to put it proud of the leading edge so I can clamp things vertically!!!

 

[The Ratchet Man]

I'm left handed but my vises have always been on the right side. As stated though, I'd put it on the side with the most working room instead of letting ergonomics make the decision.

On edit: After pondering the left and right thing for a minute, I hold the work piece with my left hand while my right hand tightens the vise, hence my vises ending up on the right. A vise on the left would feel weird for me.

 

[Karl_B]

When I use the vise, it's usually holding a component or tool I'm cleaning up, repairing, or modifying. I bring the tools I'm using to do so to the work bench, so it's best for me to have the vise on the left so that I have the bench to the right to place my tools.

 

[jakemac]

If the vise is a non-swivel model, then it shouldn't matter where it's positioned on the bench. For swivel vises, as I'm right handed,, I prefer to have it mounted on the right so that I can turn it around the corner to get better access to the work piece while beating on it.

 

[shooting4life]

I have my swivel vise located on the left corner but on a trailer hitch mount. I can also swivel the base of my vise and extra long pieces can stick out the man door, though I have never needed to do this.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Which ever corner is closest to the center of the room. That way you'll have the most open space around it.

 

[mtesh73]

Which ever corner is closest to the center of the room. That way you'll have the most open space around it.

i think this is the best advice. make sure you have the most clearance on the side you want it one. then bolt it up.

 

[ColinHorgan]

Which ever corner is closest to the center of the room. That way you'll have the most open space around it.

This sounds like a guy who has a few stories under his belt!

I'm going to put it on the left, it's a swivel base Record 75 with 5 1/2 inch jaw only recently restored it. The bench is a solid unit and when it's all bolted up it should be solid as a rock!