A rock-solid vise is probably your workbench’s most precious asset, so why take the chance of racking it into oblivion? When clamping small or narrow work pieces, it’s best to support both sides of the vise. This not only protects the mechanism, but also provides your work piece with a much firmer grip.

Scott Cullen of Edina, Minn. does this by using a set of simple spacers made from a small length of threaded rod and several 1/4-in. plywood shims. When you’re ready to clamp, simply select the number of spacers which, when added together, form a shim of approximately the same thickness as your work piece.

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