How to Make a Built-In Vise

Glue the two pieces of hardwood plank together, face to face. Clamp and set for 24 hours before removing the clamps.

On the face of the piece of wood, use a pencil to lay out a 1-inch hole on either side. The center of each hole should be 2 1/2 inches from the bottom and 2 inches from the side of the wood. In the center of the piece of wood, lay out a hole with a center that’s 2 inches from the bottom edge. Drill 1-inch diameter holes at each spot all the way through the wood.

Thread the steel caps onto the end of the steel pipes. Slide the steel pipes through the outside holes in the wood plank. The fit should be very snug. Lubricate the pipes with a little carpenter’s wax if necessary.

Drill a three quarter-inch hole in the center of the 6-inch piece of hardwood plank. The center of the hole should be seven-eighth inch from the bottom of the plank. Use the 1-inch wood tap to thread the hole.

Drill a nine-sixteenth-inch hole 1 inch from the end of one end of the 1-inch hardwood dowel. Use the die to thread the 1-inch hardwood dowel from the opposite end, stopping 1 inch before the hole you just drilled.

Lay the steel pipe and plank assembly against the bottom of the workbench, pressing the plank against the front edge of the bench. Trace the outlines of both steel pipes using a pencil. Set the steel pipe and plank assembly aside. Layout the pipe clamps along the marks you just traced, three on each side. On each side, one clamp should be set 1 inch back from the edge of the bench, the second 6 inches back, and the third 12 inches back. Secure the pipe clamps in place using the wood screws and screwdriver. Slide the steel pipe and plank assembly into place, adjusting the pipe clamps as needed.

Between the two pipe clamps at the 1-inch mark, align the tapped piece of 1-inch by 6-inch hardwood plank with the center hole in the front plank of the vise. Secure the tapped plank in place using the two angle brackets, four wood screws and the screwdriver. Thread the 1-inch dowel through the tapped plank until only the unthreaded portion remains outside the front of the vise. Place the two steel washers onto the end of the dowel.

Drill a quarter-inch hole one half inch from each end of the half-inch hardwood dowel. Hammer a quarter-inch peg into one of the holes. Slide the half-inch dowel through the hole in the end of the 1-inch dowel. Hammer the remaining peg into the open hole on the half-inch dowel.