Okay, so I needed to get a serious grip on this metal piece for some cutting and filing. That’s where my trusty 5-inch bench vise comes in. I’ve had this thing for a while, and it’s a real workhorse.
First things first, I cleared off my workbench. You don’t want any junk getting in the way when you’re working with tools, right? Safety first, always! Then I positioned the vise where I wanted it, making sure it was close enough to the edge of the bench for easy access.
Next, I grabbed the mounting bolts. These are pretty hefty, so you know they’re gonna hold the vise securely. I lined up the holes in the base of the vise with the pre-drilled holes in my workbench (thank goodness for those!).
Now came the fun part – tightening everything down. I used a wrench to really crank those bolts down. You want the vise to be rock solid, no wobbling allowed! It is so important.
I tighten the bolts a bit at a time, going around in a circle. I don’t have professional tools, just made it step by step.
Once I was satisfied that the vise was super secure, I tested it out. I opened and closed the jaws a few times, making sure they moved smoothly. I always lubricated the moving part with oil. Then, I clamped down on a scrap piece of metal to see how well it held. Perfect!