Have you ever needed to drill a hole in the end of small piece, or worse, a dowel? Or how about through the rounded face of the dowel? Neither of these is an easy task, unless you have a vise you can attach to your drill press table. Even then, metal vises are not wood friendly. So why haven’t you built a drill press wood vise yet?

Below are some easy to follow plans to make the task a little easier for you. You should be able to complete the entire drill press wood vise in a few hours, and all of the materials should cost about $50. That’s not too bad for something that will save you time and hopefully make your woodworking life easier for years to come!

Materials List

• 1 – 8 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ x 3/4″ plywood scrap
• 3 – 3″ x 4 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ wood blocks
• 2 – 3/4″ x 1/2″ x 7″ wood runners
• 1 – 3/8″ threaded rod, 9″ long
• 1 – 2″ knob with 3/8″ threads
• 2 – 3/8″ lock nuts
• 2 – 3/8″ washers
• 1 – 3/8″ thread cross dowel nut
• 2 – 3/8″ flanged sleeve bearings

I’m going to describe the components individually below, but for the sake of consistency and efficiency it is best to make all similar cuts at one time while you have the tools set up. For example, all of the dovetails can be cut in succession, as can the holes all be drilled at once.

All three of the jaws are made from blocks of wood measuring 3″ x 4 1/2″ x 1 1/2″. It is preferable to make these from a good hard wood, like maple, but you can get by using a softwood if you don’t mind having to replace them every so often.

All three pieces have a 3/8″ hole drilled all the way through them at 1 1/2″ up, and 2″ in from one side. I’d recommend stacking and drilling these all at once (if you have a 3/8″ drill bit at least 5″ in length). Otherwise, set up a few stop blocks and drill them one after the other for consistent positioning.

All three pieces also have 1/2″ deep dovetails centered on both edges. These will allow for the wood runners, which keep the jaws square when tightening onto your work piece. Cut them all of the dovetails out together before starting on the individual jaws.

Once you have all of the components machined and dry fit, it’s time to move onto assembly. Use wood glue and screws to attach the runners to the front and back jaws, or use 1/4″ dowels if you want a more finished look. Then simply glue and screw the fixed jaws (front and back) onto your base and apply a wipe-on oil finish to provide some protection and you are done.

Front Jaw

In addition to the 3/8″ hole, the front jaw is also going to have a 5/8″ counterbore on the outside that goes 11/16″ deep. This counterbore allows for the 3/8″ flanged sleeve bearing.

You’ll also need to route a 1/4″ deep V-groove 1 1/8″ in from the end. This should be the opposite side of the counterbore.

Middle Jaw

While you have your 45° V-groove bit in the router, go ahead and route a matching V-groove in your middle block. Make certain to make this V-groove on the side that faces the front jaw when the through holes are aligned.

Then, reset your V-groove bit to 1/8″ depth and route a horizontal V-groove on the opposite side of the block, with the center of the groove 1/2″ from the top of the block.

You’ll also need to drill a 7/16″ hole, 2″ deep, directly through the 3/8″ hole. This will allow you to insert a 3/8″ thread cross dowel nut. This cross dowel nut is what will pull the middle jaw forward to clamp your stock. Instead of the cross dowel nut, you could use a piece of 1/4″ thick by 1″ wide steel that you drill and thread yourself for 3/8″ threads. Then cut a corresponding mortise into the middle jaw to accept the steel. This would actually provide a little more clamping pressure than the cross dowel nut will, but it does complicate the project slightly.

Back Jaw

For the back jaw, you’ll need to create a horizontal V-groove that matches the one on the back of the middle jaw. You’ll also need to do an 11/16″ deep counterbore with a 5/8″ forstner bit on the outside of this jaw to accept the other flanged sleeve bearing.

Dovetail Runners

The dovetail runners are what keep the jaws of this drill press wood vise aligned. So you want to use a durable hardwood like walnut. These are cut to 7″ long by 3/4″ wide, then run up against the same 14° dovetail bit you used on the wood blocks. Make certain to sneak up on the final size, as you want them nice and snug in your jaws!

Threaded Rod, Nuts, and Knob

The threaded rod and assembly should be simple enough.

If you have any questions or comments, drop us a note in the comments section down below.

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