I needed a strong Vise Stand

[Al T.]

I purchased a cheap but heavey vise a long time ago, never could use it until now. The stand is made from Lentel? 5/16 thick 3.5 by 5 inch angle from Home Depot. I think it is used by builders over doors and windows in basement walls. Heavey stuff. Home Depot had it for $10 bucks for 7 feet. Not a bad price.

[Al T.]

Completed very quickly, I loved welding heavey stuff.

[Al T.]

Last shot

[Al T.]

I haven't decided when to bolt it down to yet, so that's why no holes are drilled it the bottom plates. I probably add something to it like hammer holders or a parts dish. We'll see.

[Guest]

I have a vise just like that one...got it from Home Depot for $36. [Chinese] I mounted it on my weld table tho.

That's a great project, Al....you can just pour the rod in that heavy stuff...lots of fun!

Here you can see my fancy welder cart, too

[Bob]

Al T.

What department of Home Depot!!!??? That sound like a great price for new steel ... not all that bad for rusty, recycled stock.

Rocky D,
I think remember the table from the fireplace mantel. The welder cart sure is a contrast to the stuff you show us from work. (he he)

Bob

[DaveD]

I like that stand. One suggestion + one idea.

Suggestion....Round off all the edges on the horizontal steel plate that the vise is attached to and also radius the 4 corners an inch or so. As it is, when you rotate the vise 30-45 degrees and then rotate the handle to close/open the vise you may hit your fingers/knuckles on the sharp edges and corners and bleed like a stuck pig (been there, done that).

Idea....If you want to fasten it to the concrete floor consider getting the anchors that have a female thread in the top of them (rather than the stud that sticks out) that way you can unbolt it if needed and not have the studs sticking out of the floor.

Now if you have a way to core the concrete floor consider concreteing a piece of receiver hitch tubing flush in the floor and weld a stub 2x2 on the bottom of the stand and then you can just drop it in the hole.

[Al T.]

Rocky D,
Nice strong table and vise mount, it ain't go'in anywhere!
Good job on desguising your cart to look like a kid's wagon, looks real!

Bob,
Home Depot in the building supply area, next to the posts that hold up the house. Mine were a little rusty, maybe thats why they were so cheap.

DaveD,
Your right, rounding edges would be smart to do. I handle that this weekend.
Good idea about the female mounts instead of the male type, I didn't know they existed. If it ain't at HD I do not know about it. I lead a sheltered life.
The 2 inch hitch is also a fine idea, but my basement has already been poured. That would have worked well for my HF bender that has yet to arrive. I think I'll just clamp the bender post in my vise whenever I need it.

[Royal Fe]

Those concrete anchors are pretty common but check out a local bolt and screw place, they have everything you can and can't imagine. Our local supplier has a minimum of $2.00 but they have jsut given me what I wanted several times because they didn't want to make out an invoice!

[jniolon]

anchors and bender frame

Al,

those female anchors are made by "HILTI" and others and are just concrete anchors. You drill an appropriate sized hole in the concrete and drive the anchor in... when the bolt makes up it expands the anchor into the concrete... use a hammer drill it's much easier...

Did you buy the Harbor Freight "compact" bender... the one the sell for flat bar and rod for around 60-100 bucks... kinda of a knockoff Hossfield bender ???

here's a pic of a base I made for it that mounts to the column that supports my roof rafters... easy to make the the bender is out of the way when not in use...

hope it helps
john

[jniolon]

another

here's another shot with the bender mounted

I did a tech article on building the mount... I'll fax it if you want..

john

[Incommunicado]

Hi jniolon,
That's a great idea for the bender stand mount, I have hassled and hassled over the mounting of my bender and I thought that I was going to have to mount the bender outside of the garage mounted to the ground.

I am definately going to plagiarize your mount, and make some different brackets for use will other tools.

The only downside is that I just removed the lolly column in the garage and replaced it with a beam, now I'll just have to find a location for another column.
(I think you should have applied for a patent)

[Big Nate]

go to your local semi tractor repair shop / dealership and ask the service dept manager if he has any steel rims or truck rotors that he would give away, if he gives you one weld the base to the flange on the rim and it can be tilted and rolled around the shop

~Nate~

[Al T.]

Royal Fe,
I'll checkout similar places for those female mounts for my vise hookup.

John,
What a great idea! I'll be doing that this weekend. I knew that basement post was good for something other than being in my way all the time.


Nate,
Those rotors sound like a solid holddown, a bit too heavey for me though, but the other guys could easily move it around.

[atucker]

Al T.,

Check close for the female anchors at Home Depot. That's where I got some a couple of weeks ago. Of course your HD may not have them.

Allen T.