# Wood for vice jaws



## GuitarPhotographer (Jun 26, 2015)

I'm building a workbench and have incorporated an Eclipse woodworking vise. It has metal jaws with provision for attaching wooden ones.

What wood should I use, a softwood that will deform and crush if it encounters a protrusion or unevenness, or hardwood that won't deform, but might inflict damage of it's own if there's softwood in the vice.

Am I overthinking this?

<Chas>


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

I have 2 older craftsman vices on my assembly table. I used pine for them since it was softer. Been happy with this decision, though I dint use them often.

Mark


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

I'd use hard maple or hickory.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Id go with a hardwood, id rather watch how much pressure i put on a part than be replacing the jaws every 5 minutes


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## pinwheel (Jan 17, 2010)

poplar


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## woodchux (Jul 6, 2014)

Any vice should hold the project piece firmly without crushing, slipping, or distorting it. If wood jaws are needed, use a hardwood. Be safe.


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## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

Use whatever wood you want. Hard or soft makes not appreciable difference. 

However, here is s tip. To be able to replace the faces when they get banged up, apply 1/4" Masonite face to your chosen wood. Use double faced tape to attach the Masonite.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

#1 choice,straight grained Maple.Kiln dried and equalized.

#2,White oak,1/4 sawn...Kiln dried and normalized.

But the above is wood.....do we get any other choices?Delrin?Hdpe?Hi-fax?Micarta?


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

What's the purpose of the vise? Clamping or holding? Make a whole bunch of different faces, stick some little neodymium magnets on the backs. You can switch from softwood to hardwood to carpet to semi-round cutouts in seconds. There's a furniture shop a block down my street. They have 3 x 6" machinist's vises, set up in a laser straight row, 48" apart. Multiple jaw faces for work.


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## GuitarPhotographer (Jun 26, 2015)

Thanks everyone, I decided I'd rather deform the jaws than the work so I chose hemlock, a softwood that I had on hand.


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