Getting a Grip

How many times have you wanted to hold a part in your bench vise but were afraid the steel jaws of the vise would mar the part? Cut a couple of pieces of wood about the same size as the vise jaws and fasten magnetic strips to the wood with glue or heavy staples. Just stick the wood to the vice jaws when you have a more delicate part to hold. You can buy magnetic strips at hardware stores, home improvement centers and hobby shops. Sometimes you need to clamp a part in your vise that is an odd shape and the vice just can?t get a good grip on it. Clamp a big piece of angle iron in your vise, drill appropriate holes, then bolt the part to it. After a while the angle iron will be full of holes that can accommodate a variety of parts.