Protecting Wood

There are some vises available that come with protective pads. Usually made from a piece of thick rubber or softwood, the pads do not ease the pressure on the object in the vise, but they will not mark the object the way a vise's metal edge sometimes does. If you own a vise that does not have protective pads, you can easily make some. Cut two pieces of 18 mm (3/4 in.) thick wood equal in size to the vise jaws. Glue a magnetic strip onto the edges of the wood. The magnets will hold the cushion in place, and if needed they can be easily removed. Another option is to make an L-shaped lip by screwing two pieces of wood together perpendicular to each other. The pieces can then rest on top and over the side of the vise's jaws. Both methods will protect the objects placed in the vise, and give you access to the metal vise when you need it.