Maxtech Vise Mate

Handy little item to have! Extends the used of my vise to handle larger and odd shaped things. Very sturdy and easy to use.

The Visemate extend the clamping capacity of any metal bench vise. It consists of two jaws connected by a 12”-long metal beam. When placed between the jaws of a metal vise, it extends the vise clamping capacity by 4". I have a Mastercraft 5-in. Vise (#57-9005-2), so I can clamp stock up to 9¼” wide. I’ve been able to use it to hold anything 2x8s and 6x6 fence posts. Ironically, the Visemate has problems holding smaller stock 2x4s because it has a minimum opening of 5”. A spacer block can help in this case. (If you have a 2x4, use a 2x2 or 1x2 for a spacer.) The Visemate works by attaching one end of the beam to one of the jaws on the vise. The other jaw slides back and forth along the beam. The jaws are smooth and won’t mar the wood. The Visemate jaws are slightly curved, so in theory you can hand round stock up 9¼” wide, but I found the wood still slid around in the vise. There are v-grooves in the front edge of the jaws that can hold pipes and dowels from 3/16” in diameter and up. The wood is held vertically by the v-grooves, and it took me a while to get used to making cuts in this position because I always hold the stock horizontally when I make cuts. It’s pretty easy to store when not in use because there is a hole in the beam so you can hang it from a nail. The Visemate is also great for sanding and drilling. There’s a relief cut into the top 1/8” of the jaws. You can use it to hold wood an inch above the vise. This is great if you want to drill because you don’t have to worry about pushing through the wood into the drill. It also means that you can use the Visemate to hold wood while using an orbital or belt sander and not worry about the sheet or belt catching and tearing on the vise. I found this lip worked well to hold ½” and ¾ “ stock, but thicker stock or stock with a rounded edge tends to slide out of the recess. I like this tool. It’s turned my metal working vise into woodworking vise. The cost is quite reasonable (to me). The jaws are made of glass-filled nylon and they can take a beating. (I’ve hit it with a hammer a lot of times while banging away on wood and steel.) The only problem is the Visemate’s longevity. But I find the “crispness” of the corners is wearing down, especially on the lip. This means that wood is likely going to slip and slide in the Visemate as the tool gets used more. I’ve had the tool for a few months and am still very happy with it, especially for the price I paid for it.