Vise Jaws has become an integral part of woodworking, either professional or leisurely. Vise is a tool that consists of jaws parallel to one another, mostly made of metal, which is used to hold pieces of wood together. One of these jaws is held in place while the other is adjustable, allowing the user to work with wood of varying thickness. The vise holds together your wood piece to carry on with any action, including drilling, screwing, or hammering, without any worry.
Using vise jaws made of metal is out of the question as it can lead to marring your wood piece, and often does not hold the wood piece tightly enough. Using wood for your vise jaws is the best alternative as it uses friction to hold together the wood without marring it. The timber for your vise jaws can also be thinned down to an appropriate size for your wood-work project, depending on your need. Wood becomes a cheaper and safer alternative to your metal vise jaws.
Although vise jaws made of wood sound easy enough to use, many woodworkers face trouble deciding what kind of wood they should use for their vise jaws. With so many different types of wood, each with its pros and cons, the process to decide the kind of wood becomes unbearable and woodworkers often give up on thinking and using any type of wood available. However, they soon come to regret it. Using just the right kind of wood for your vise jaws can make a massive difference in the end product. Don’t worry just yet; we’ve compiled a list of the best wood for vise jaws you can use, so you no longer have to spend time worrying about which wood to use.
5 Best Wood for Vise Jaws:
The requirements for vise jaws aren’t many, but they are essential. Depending on the type of product and wood used, the material a vise jaw is made out of can drastically change the result, and the requirement for the vise jaws may vary from person to person. Let’s look at the 5 best wood for vise jaws one can use.
Pinewood
ASIN: B06XW4W6YT
Pinewood is a well-established kind of softwood that is both affordable and reliable. Being a softwood, pine is very easy to work with and will not cause marring on your wood. It is very easy to work with and susceptible to various kinds of actions, making it easier to cut and thin down as required. Pinewood is also an abundant, renewable, and cheaper source of wood with high durability. Pinewood is mainly for users who prefer a bit more of a freehand when working with their wood. Pine is also easily screwed onto the vise jaws.
Mahogany wood
ASIN: B00Z0RMD6M
Mahogany is an extremely durable piece of hardwood and is considered harder and more stable than over 70% of woods. This extreme durability prevents it from bending under pressure or heat, making it beneficial for work that requires extreme actions. Mahogany can also be used for a long while, as it is water and heat resistant, to some extent, making it last longer.
Oakwood
ASIN: B008E4869Q
Oak is one of the most widely used hardwoods. As it is one of the most common types of wood found it the market, it is a cheaper alternative to mahogany wood. Oakwood has high durability but is easier to cut into different shapes and sizes, allowing the user to alter the oakwood readily into any thickness. Oakwood is primarily one of the best woods for vise jaws because it has a smooth and plain finish, preventing it from marring and ruining the wood you are working on. It also has high availability and affordability, making it one of the most desirable woods for vise jaws.
Maple wood
ASIN: B07MXMZW6N
Maple is another kind of hardwood that has increased demand when using vise jaws. Not only is it durable and affordable, but it has a smooth finish and a resistance to glue, which makes it perfect to act like a vise. In woodworking, glue is often used instead of nails and screws, and you won’t have to worry about your wood being glued to the vise jaws.
Ashwood
ASIN: B01EO3SINE
Ashwood is a commonly found hardwood that comes in many different species, white ash wood, black ash wood, green ash wood, and many more. Ashwood is known for its durability, lightweight, accessibility, and workability. One of the best features of ash wood that makes it desirable for vise jaws is its shock resistance, making it less likely to move or jolt out of place. You can rely on ash wood to keep your wood piece in place when working.
Our Final Thoughts
If you are constantly changing out your vise jaws or have to work with different kinds of thickness along that way but cannot be bothered to keep multiple jaws with varying thickness, then it would be best to use pine wood. Pinewood is softwood, so it is easy to work with. You can change the thickness and size of the softwood on the spot without much trouble, allowing you to work continuously with a single vise jaw without having to change it. To increase the thickness, you can simply nail together different pieces.
However, if you are looking for a more durable, easy to work with, and affordable piece, we recommend using Oakwood. Not only is it highly durable, but oakwood is also easily accessible and affordable. So even if it chips, you don’t have to worry too much about getting a new one. Being one of the most durable kinds of hardwood, you can easily rely on this type of wood to get the job done, keeping your wood in place without marring it, allowing you to work freely.
We assure you will not be let down by our list of the best wood for vise jaws. Pick one of the woods mentioned above and work freely on your project. We are sure you’ll nail it.
