No Vise? No Problem With These Work-Holding Hacks

It’s a workshop axiom: If you can’t hold the workpiece securely, you can’t work on it well. Sure, there are lots of times when you can hold something with one hand and cut or drill it with the other. But there are other times that the workpiece has to be firmly clamped because you need two hands to operate the power tool or hand tool. A firm hold on the workpiece is no problem in most cases when you’re working in a fully-equipped shop with a workbench. But it can be maddeningly difficult to keep a workpiece secure when you’re away from the shop. Whether you’re in the shop or away, the problem becomes even more acute when the workpiece is small or oddly shaped. Occasionally, there’s also the problem of access to the workpiece. Access to do the work is as important as keeping the workpiece locked down and there are many instances when a typical bench vise or machinist’s vise will secure the part but not permit as much access as you need. You just have to be inventive. These hacks come to the rescue. [View in Browser]( [Popular Mechanics]( [SHOP]( [EXCLUSIVE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [No Vise? No Problem With These Work-Holding Hacks]( [No Vise? No Problem With These Work-Holding Hacks]( [No Vise? No Problem With These Work-Holding Hacks]( It’s a workshop axiom: If you can’t hold the workpiece securely, you can’t work on it well. Sure, there are lots of times when you can hold something with one hand and cut or drill it with the other. But there are other times that the workpiece has to be firmly clamped because you need two hands to operate the power tool or hand tool. A firm hold on the workpiece is no problem in most cases when you’re working in a fully-equipped shop with a workbench. But it can be maddeningly difficult to keep a workpiece secure when you’re away from the shop. Whether you’re in the shop or away, the problem becomes even more acute when the workpiece is small or oddly shaped. Occasionally, there’s also the problem of access to the workpiece. Access to do the work is as important as keeping the workpiece locked down and there are many instances when a typical bench vise or machinist’s vise will secure the part but not permit as much access as you need. You just have to be inventive. These hacks come to the rescue. It’s a workshop axiom: If you can’t hold the workpiece securely, you can’t work on it well. Sure, there are lots of times when you can hold something with one hand and cut or drill it with the other. But there are other times that the workpiece has to be firmly clamped because you need two hands to operate the power tool or hand tool. A firm hold on the workpiece is no problem in most cases when you’re working in a fully-equipped shop with a workbench. But it can be maddeningly difficult to keep a workpiece secure when you’re away from the shop. Whether you’re in the shop or away, the problem becomes even more acute when the workpiece is small or oddly shaped. Occasionally, there’s also the problem of access to the workpiece. Access to do the work is as important as keeping the workpiece locked down and there are many instances when a typical bench vise or machinist’s vise will secure the part but not permit as much access as you need. You just have to be inventive. These hacks come to the rescue. [Read More]( [Read More]( [In the History of War, Tanks With Multiple Cannons Have Always Failed. Until Now]( [In the History of War, Tanks With Multiple Cannons Have Always Failed. Until Now]( These new designs feature remote-control turrets and advanced sensors for superior performance. 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