Best DIY Drill Press Vise (Step by Step with Pictures)

Make an 8-inch DIY drill press vise perfect for a garage workshop with this step-by-step tutorial and video.

If you have a drill press or a drill press stand in your workshop a drill press vise (drill press vice) is almost a necessity, and you can make one yourself very easily. A drill press vise is a piece of equipment that holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place and does not move during drilling.

Drill press vices come in different sizes. Their use mainly depends on the size of the drill press table and the type of operation. In this blog post, I am building an 8-inch wooden drill press vice. The size is sufficient for general use and can be mounted to the majority of drill press tables.

DIY Drill Press Vise. A drill press vise holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place. It is a great addon for a drill press table. A drill press vise is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps.
DIY Drill Press Vice

When it comes to woodworking it is better to use a wooden drill press vise instead of a metal one. Accumulated dirt and other impurities from the metal vise tend to get into the wood and devaluate the workpiece. There are multiple different ways how to make a wooden drill press vise. I chose a fairly simple one that can be followed even by woodworking beginners.

This DIY drill press vise is made of plywood, MDF, and the spindle from a threaded rod and a t-nut. All material is easily available in local stores.

8 Inch Drill Press Vise
8 Inch Drill Press Vise

RELATED: A drill press vise goes hand in hand with a drill press and is one of the must-have tools for the workshop. Check this simple homemade drill press table or if you are up for a challenge this DIY Drill Stand. The first one is really easy to make, the second one features all the benefits of an advanced drill stand.

DIY Drill Press Vise Video

Watch the video below for a step-by-step guide on how to make a drill press vise or use a drill press vise.

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Table of Contents

  1. Drill Press Vise Video
  2. Drill Press Vise Plans
  3. The Material you will need
  4. General Questions
    1. How to attach a drill press vise to a drill press table?
    2. How does a drill press vise work?
  5. How to Make a Drill Press Vise
    1. Step 1: Make the vise base
    2. Step 2: Cut the vise jaws
    3. Step 3: Fix the jaws to the base
    4. Step 4: Make a handle
    5. Step 5: Assemble the moving jaw
    6. Step 6: Add a moving guide
    7. Step 7: Finished drill press vise
  6. How to Use a Drill Press Vise
  7. Woodworking jigs used

*Safety is your responsibility. Always be cautious when using any power tool. Avoiding these circular saw mistakes will help you work with a circular saw more safely and effectively.

Drill Press Vise Plans

Download the Wooden Drill Press Vise Plans here
Downloadable Drill Press Vise Plans, Wooden drill press vise plans

What you'll need to make a Wooden Homemade Drill Press Vise

Drill Press Vise:
Plywood – 200 mm x 100 mm x 12 mm (7,8 x 3,93 x 0,47″) – https://amzn.to/3SaPzLv
MDF – 200 mm x 140 mm x 6 mm (7,8 x 5,51 x 0,23″) – https://amzn.to/47uMbiK
3x Plywood – 25 mm x 100 mm x 24 mm (0,98 x 3,93 x 0,94″)

Drill Press Vise Spindle:
Threaded rod – ø6mm, 200 mm – https://amzn.to/3HaUVQE
M6 T-nut, 2x M6 Nut
Washers – 1x ø20 mm, 1x ø15 mm
MDF – 27 mm x 25 mm x 5 mm
Plywood – 20 mm x 25 mm x 12 mm – https://amzn.to/3SaPzLv

Hardware Assortment Kit – https://amzn.to/41PodgQ

Tools:
Circular Saw – https://amzn.to/4aMD0xg
Trim Router – https://amzn.to/3HbQcOg
Hand Drill – https://amzn.to/3HqLEnH
Spring Clamps – https://amzn.to/41Nuh9D
F-Clamps – https://amzn.to/48ArzY1
Machinist Square / Speed Square

Other:
Epoxy – https://amzn.to/3tJ5R4L
Router Bits – https://amzn.to/3NQNDVX
Double-Sided Woodworking Tape – https://amzn.to/3tPMGpM
Chisels – https://amzn.to/3tHNJrT
Drill bit – 2mm, 6mm, 7,5mm – https://amzn.to/4aI47t3
Forstner bits – 20mm, 15mm – https://amzn.to/3Hd1aDb
Hold down wooden knobs/bolt
Sandpaper Sheets, Wood screws

Check all the Tools I Use

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How to attach a drill press vise to a drill press table?

When working with a drill press and a drill press vise it is essential to make sure that the vise doesn’t move during work and that it remains completely still. This is important not only in terms of work accuracy and precision but also in terms of safety. Safety comes first!

There are two ways how to mount a drill press vise to a drill press table. The first is to use hold-down clamps, and the second is to use bolts.

  1. Clamps – Attaching a drill press vise to a drill press table with clamps is quick and easy. They provide more freedom when moving and adjusting the vise compared to bolts. From an operational perspective, it is more convenient to use clamps.
  2. Bolts – Drill press vises come with predrilled slots that are used when attaching a vise with bolts. It is an ideal solution when a permanent fix is required. Operating with bolts is less convenient than using clamps, though quick-release bolts can be used allowing for quicker and easier manipulation.
How to attach a vise to a drill press
Attaching a drill press vise to a drill press with clamps
How to mount a drill press vise to a drill press table
Attaching a drill press vise to a drill press table with screws

How does a drill press vise work?

A drill press vise is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps. From an operational point of view, it is more convenient to use clamps since they provide more freedom when moving the vise unless a permanent fix is required which is secured by bolts.

In any case, it is important to securely mount the drill press vise to the drill press table to avoid and prevent any potential injury. A drill press vise finds its application mainly in drilling small workpieces and provides greater precision when drilling.

A drill press vise consists of two main parts.

  1. Jaws – Two straight blocks, one of which is fixed to the base and the other pushed by a guiding rod that presses against the fixed one. Both pieces sit on a base that provides support from below.
  2. Handle – Turns the guiding rod and pushes the moving block forward using a spindle. When moving the spindle, the vise jaws press against each other fixing the workpiece in position.

Both the blocks that form the vise jaws need to be high enough (thick) to ensure proper workpiece fixation.

Let's Start

The drill press vise is made of 12mm plywood, and 6mm MDF, and the spindle is from a 6mm threaded rod and a t-nut. All material is easily available in local stores.

The vise can be attached to a drill press table either with screws or with clamps. I used a wooden knob as a handle, though a handle with a swivel joint at the end could be used as well.

Drill press vise parameters:

  • 200 mm long drill press vice (8-inch drill press vise)
  • 100 mm (4 inches) jaw capacity that can accommodate workpieces up to 12cm (4,7 inches) in length
  • MDF base with 2 slots for easy installation

To build the vise you will need a circular saw and a hand drill. Additionally, you could use a router to route a slot in the base but it is not necessary and you could easily make the base track by gluing the wood pieces together.

How to Make a DIY Drill Press Vise

Step 1: Make the vise base

1. Cut the wooden pieces

For the base, you will need an MDF piece (200 mm x 140 mm x 6 mm) and a plywood piece (200 mm x 10 mm x 12 mm).

A table saw is the best tool to make the cuts but a circular saw will do just fine. To have an accurate straight cut you can use a circular saw track or a circular saw guide for crosscuts that will help you make more accurate 90-degree angle cuts.

DIY Drill Press Vise. A drill press vise holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place. It is a great addon for a drill press table. A drill press vise is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps.
DIY Drill Press Vise. A drill press vise holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place. It is a great addon for a drill press table. A drill press vise is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps.

2. Measure and cut the slots

Draw the slots on both pieces of wood and make the cut. It is easy to make the cuts with a router dado guide or this router template for squares.

  • The MDF piece is the bottom piece that has 3 slots – 2 on the sides for attaching the vise to a drill press table and 1 in the middle for the runner that guides the moving jaw.
  • The plywood piece has 1 slot in the middle for the runner.

The MDF together with the plywood piece creates a t-track for the runner.

DIY Drill Press Vise. A drill press vise holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place. It is a great addon for a drill press table. A drill press vise is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps.
Material for Drill Press Vise base. A drill press vise holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place. It is a great addon for a drill press table. A drill press vise is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps.

NOTE: As an alternative to a router, you can create the base by gluing several pieces together without routing a slot. How to make a T-track without a router.

3. Assemble the vise base

Glue the pieces together so that they overlap on the central slot. Additionally, you can secure the pieces with screws. Make sure the screws are flush with the bottom of the vise base.

Gluing pieces of wood to make a drill press vise
DIY Drill Press Vise. A drill press vise holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place. It is a great addon for a drill press table. A drill press vise is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps.

Step 2: Cut the vise jaws

Glue 2 pieces of plywood (12mm) on top of each other and cut the pieces to size (25 mm x 100 mm x 24 mm). You will need 3 identical pieces. 2 pieces for the vise jaws, and 1 piece for the screw housing.

Sand the sides and make sure there are no gaps between the pieces and that the pieces are adjacent.

Wood Pieces for vise jaws
Wood Pieces for vise jaws

1. Moving Jaw

Drill a 20mm and a 15mm hole in the center of one of the wood pieces using Forstner bits. The depth should accommodate 2 washers and a 6mm hex nut.

Drilling a 20 mm hole in a vise jaw
Making a vise moving jaw

2. Screw Housing

Drill a 20mm and a 7,5mm hole in the center of another wood piece for a 6mm t-nut. There are a few ways how to install a t-nut. Typically, I am using hold-down clamps but there are other ways you might find more convenient.

Making a vise moving jaw
Vice Screw Housing

Step 3: Fix the jaws to the base

First, glue the fixed jaw on the base. Then glue the screw housing and make sure the t-nut points inside the vise. Both pieces need to be square to the body of the vise and parallel to each other.

Secure the pieces with screws and make sure they are flush with the bottom of the vise base.

Attaching the fix jaw
Assembling a Drill Press Vice

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Step 4: Make a handle

A wooden knob is used for the handle which is attached to a 6mm threaded rod. It is actually very easy to make a wooden knob with this knob jig.

Cut the threaded rod to size (200 mm) and carve a hexagon into the wooden knob. Screw the threaded rod in the t-nut on the vise and mount a 20mm washer and the star knob on the rod.

Fix a hex nut on both ends of the threaded rod with epoxy and finish the handle by sliding the hex nut into the carved star knob.

Drill Press Vise Handle made from star knob
Making a drill press vise handle
Best Drill Press Vise
Making a vice handle from a star knob

NOTE: There are a few options for the handle. A swivel joint at the end of the threaded rod could be used as well, or a longer piece of wood making the handle longer or an additional hex nut can be added to the end of the rod for a quick grip/release. There are really a lot of options.

I made the handle by using a star knob since I like how they look and given how easy it is to make one.

Step 5: Assemble the moving jaw

Clamp the moving jaw to the fixed jaw. Insert a 15mm washer in the drilled hole, apply epoxy and fix the 20mm washer to the moving jaw sealing the hex nut between the 2 washers.

Make sure the epoxy is not spilled in the hole and fixes only the 20mm washer.

Assembling the vise moving jaw
Assembling the vise moving jaw

When moving the spindle, the hex nut presses against the washer pushing the jaw forward. When moving the spindle backward, the hex nut captured by the 20mm washer pulls the jaw away.

Step 6: Add a moving guide

Cut 2 pieces of wood (MDF 5mm; Ply 12mm) for the moving guide. Round the edges and make sure they slide freely in the cut slots.

First, glue the plywood piece to the moving jaw and then the MDF piece to the plywood piece. Once the glue dries, secure the pieces additionally with screws.

What is a drill press vise
DIY Drill Press Vice

The moving guide stays locked in the slot. When pushing the moving jaw, the guide makes sure the jaw is pushed straight and presses on the body of the vise all the time. That ensures a tight jaw grip.

Step 7: Finished drill press vise

And this is what the finished drill press vise looks like.

DIY Drill Press Vise. A drill press vise holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place. It is a great addon for a drill press table. A drill press vise is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps.
Drill Press Vise DIY - Homemade Drill Press Vise

Conclusion

Making this wooden drill press vise is fairly easy. It doesn’t cost much (a couple of dollars only), you can use scraps you find around the shop and you will see how the jig really comes in handy. You can make one yourself for much less than what a store-bought one would cost.

You’ll be able to drill more precisely and securely. This is a great add-on for your drill press you can finish during the weekend.

How to Use a Drill Press Vise

The following steps briefly describe how to mount a drill press vise on a drill press table and how to use the drill press vise. Take extra care when attaching the vise to the table. It is important to mount the vise securely to prevent any injury or damage to the material.

  1. Mark the location of the borehole
  2. Open the drill press jaws and place the workpiece in the desired position
  3. Close the jaws by rotating the handle
  4. Make sure the workpiece is firmly held without any possibility of movement
  5. Attach the drill press vise on the drill press table either with screws or with clamps
  6. Make sure the vise is securely fixed to the table to avoid any injuries
  7. Set the drill bit to position and drill

Tips for using a drill press vise:

  • Use the right drill bits for the job. For different materials, different drill bits are needed. There is a huge difference between low-quality and high-quality drill bits.
  • Place a sacrificial piece of wood under the workpiece – the holes will be cleaner with sharper edges.
  • Depending on the type of material you can add painter’s tape to the top of the piece where you will drill. This also helps to end up with sharper edges.
  • Drill slowly with multiple passes on the workpiece. Let the drill bit remove sawdust from the hole.
DIY Drill Press Vise. A drill press vise holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place. It is a great addon for a drill press table. A drill press vise is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps.
How to use a drill press vise
DIY Drill Press Vise. A drill press vise holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place. It is a great addon for a drill press table. A drill press vise is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps.
How to use a drill press vise

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DIY Drill Press Vice. A drill press vice holds and secures a workpiece tightly between its jaws so that the material remains in place. It is a great addon for a drill press table. A drill press vice is typically attached to a drill press table by using bolts or clamps.

I hope the information shared in this blog post inspired and now you are ready to make a drill press vise 😉

KEEP READING: How to Cut a Square Hole in Wood

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About the author, Lukas
About the author, Lukas

Meet the creator of AllFlavor Workshop! As a passionate DIYer and woodworking enthusiast, Lukas is always looking for ways to make things himself rather than buying them off the shelf. With a keen eye for design and a knack for working with wood, Lukas enjoys sharing his craft with others and helping them discover the joy of building. Whether you're an experienced woodworker or a novice looking to try your hand at a new hobby, you're sure to find plenty of inspiration and tips on AllFlavor Workshop.