has anyone ever built a pedistal for a c-clamp vise …i got a (wal-mart)vise for beginers…an wondering to put a ped. on it for my road trip kit
no, but I had the kids in my school’s metal shop make me one for each of mine. The second one has a threaded upright piece, so it can be broken down flatter for transport. They just used scrap flat steel and bar stock…bonus is that I magnatized it and hooks don’t get away so easy, and all my tools stay within reach.
well i got the nice rotary at home an will use this one for my road trip tying bag…i just am lookin for a plan …you know? have a great day
http://www.bobmarriottsflyfishingstore.com/prod-Flat_Pedestal_Base-37757.aspx
The bigfoot is nice: http://www.bobmarriottsflyfishingstore.com/prod-Big_Foot_Base-37762.aspx
You only need two holes drilled in a square sheet of steel. One for the shaft of the vise and a smaller one that is taped for a set screw to hold the shaft. Simple to make, if you have a piece of steel the right size and a way to cut it. Me, for the small savings, I would shop for something on sale.
Making a base is extremely easy, but keeping it stable for a traveling vise and keeping the weight down complicate things. To start with, a simple chunk of flat steel with a countersunk hole on the bottom side will allow you to use a screw from the bottom to hold the post rather than a post which enlarges the problems of stowing the base.
Drilling the base to receive the bottom of the post will strengthen it a great deal, also.
A friend and occasional poster here, BobF, and I have been working at the idea of the perfect travel kit base. He uses a wood base that extends just barely beyond the end of the jaws. Threads about how to add stability to commercial bases are really kind of funny when you think about how much force that indicates one is using to tie a fly… and in the wrong direction. 
I am trying a small Griffin with a clamp and intend to add a lag screw with a base attachment. Then I can screw the lag into a log or chunk of firewood, clamp or crew the vise shaft to the lag and tie with a very solid arrangement.
art
You do not have to use metal to make a pedastal, although it is the best way of making a stand with a small footprint. I know a couple of people who made pedestal/stand/tying station sort of affairs based on the commercial model sold by Al Beatty: http://www.btsflyfishing.com/catalog/page4-5.htm.
You can’t quite see the design on that web site, but it is a hole drilled through some stock, then a cut is made lengthwise and a bolt with a wingnut is used as the tightener. Here’s a better picture of an Oasis pedastal: http://www.oasisbenches.com/images/PedestalBasemedium.jpg.
You can make one out of wood easily that employs your current clamp, thus you can have either a pedestal or the clamp along with you. The trick is to start with a base that is about 8" x 12" and about 3/4" thick - or larger if you want one the size of a small tray so you can also tie on your lap.
Create a ‘bridge’ at one end that is about 4" long and 1" off the base. This bridge can be about 3/4" thick and about 2" wide. Tighten your clamp on the bridge upside-down (screwbolt up) and the vise hole on the inside (over the base). Insert your vise in the now upside-down clamp and you are good to go.
You could put rubber feet or matting on the bottom to keep it from slipping and also put a wooden lip around the back/sides with holes for tools, or even route a divot for hooks if you want, but that all depends on your skills and tools. I would think you could make a plane one in about 1/2 hour.
I made one for my Danvise from a discarded floor lamp base. The base is metal, fairly heavy and about 8" round. The upright tubing for the lamp, also of metal had just about the same inside diameter as the outside diameter of the Danvise shaft. I cut the tube to abut 4" overall length and drilled & tapped the tube for a wingbolt. It’s very stable but a little on the heavy side.
Wayneb
I am a home-made freak…Mostly because I cant afford to buy new!!!
This one is made of large Channel Iron. It has a rod welded in to put the vice. However the beatury of channel Iron is you can still use your C-clam. So go to a local metal yard, Obtain a large peice of channel Iron. Sand & paint it. Put knock on rubber trim on the bottom to prevent slippage, then attach you c-clam to the side (upside down - Like the one in the pic)…Instant base. Not lightwight, but I dont use it to travel much!!! Also large fridge magnets glued to the base, makes holding hooks very easy!
Brannon
One thing to remember when trying to make a c-clamp vise into a pedestal is that the stem will most likely be way too long and needs to be cut. Thus making the c-clamp worthless.
Learned this from experience.
Cal E. Batis
I like my vise higher than others. My Montana Mongoose from Griffin came with both pedestal and c-clamp with an extension for the c-clamp. I added the extension to the pedestal. I like it that high. So…you may not have to cut the shaft after all. I guess a matter of personal choice.
Also just give Griffin a call. They sell pedestal bases. Surely you can just make you vise fit one of their pedestal’s. You just have to make threads on the shaft to screw into the Griffin base.