Pipe-Clamp Bench Vise

The Family Handyman

Increase your workshop’s vise-atility with a 1/2-in. pipe clamp screwed to one end of your workbench. It works like a third hand for all kinds of jobs and only takes a half hour to install.

■ Start with a piece of 1/2-in. black pipe threaded on one end. Hold the pipe against your bench and mark the 1/4-in. diameter hole locations for the lag screws.

■ Drill 1/4-in. diameter clearance holes through the center of the two 3/4-in. thick spacer blocks. The spacer blocks allow the clamp hardware to slide freely.

■ Hold the assembled pipe clamp against the edge of the bench again and transfer the hole locations to the bench. Drill 3/16-in. diameter pilot holes 1 in. deep at these locations.

■ Attach the pipe clamp to the bench using 1/4 x 2-1/2 in. lag screws (outfitted with washers) against the pipe. Tighten the lag screws with a wrench.

That’s it! Now have fun discovering how handy this vise can be when you’re building your next project. Thanks to reader Randall Johnson for this gripping tip

Check out more DIY workbench upgrades in this article.