I’ve always found it helpful to have more than one vise in my shop. This notion inspired this simple small parts vise. It’s based on a centuries-old woodworking vise design, but I modified it to be made out of plywood and a few clamps. It elevates the workpiece, which I’ve found to be helpful for my back when working in the shop.
The vise consists of two jaws with slots sized to accept my clamps. The rear jaw attaches to a base that can be secured to almost any worksurface.
I taped the jaws together after cutting them to size, then rounded the corners and cut the slots in both to ensure consistency.
The rear jaw has a groove cut in the back face to make a solid connection to the base. Two support blocks keep the rear jaw square with the base. The rear jaw is glued to the base to complete the assembly.
Once the vise is built, simply set it against the edge of a worksurface and clamp it in place. Then slide clamps into the two slots in the jaws. Fit a workpiece between the front and rear jaws and tighten the clamps to secure the board. Now you’re ready to get to work.
