Sometimes when making or fixing something you wish you had something to hold the item. Not just a " 3rd hand"( although those are handy), something more steady.
I came up with this. Please bear with me as this is my 1st Instructable.
When my friends LCD monitor died I raided it for parts,one being it's stand. It has a wide base, the hinging is stiff and it has some weight. I figured with a little modding I could make a small Hobby/Crafting vise. This is the result.
Bear in mind it is not all the way finished really(just made it about a hour before sharing this.). I plan to flatten out the wood screw heads on 2 sides and flatten out washers on them so I don't have to use a screwdriver to turn them. I didn't do it now because I just made this with what I could scrounge in my room at the moment of inspiration. lol

Step 1: Things You'll Need

!) A stand from a dead monitor.
2) a piece of 1"x1" wood you can cut to length of your choice( I did 6" jaws). you can also bevel a corner if you like.
3) wood screws, two 1" and two 3"

Tools
A pen or pencil
Philips screwdriver
saw
Adjustable wrench or a pair of needle nosed pliers
Dremel with a drill bit or a drill

Step 2: Defeating Swing Limiter

I want to be able to adjust my vise to various angles. To do that we have to defeat the swing limiter. To gain access to it take off the the back panel( on this stand anyway), take a flat screwdriver and press in along the seam around it, this will disengage the holding clips. Don't press too hard or you will break the tabs and it won't clip back together!
With that off you can see the hinge bolts, pick one and back the nut off, remove the spacer and friction washers, then remove the next washer and flip it over. this is the swing limiter, with it flipped over the tang on it won't hit the stop. Put the washers you removed back on and the nut.
Now do it all again with the other side.
That all being done, now tighten or loosen the nuts so the hinge swings as hard or easy as you want it to.
While you have the back off you may want to cut slots where the hinge arms are so it can swing back . you may think you won't need to swing it back but who knows? so do it now and save some aggravation later.lol

Step 3: Jaws

If you haven't already done it,cut your wood to length you want.I used 6 inches.
Now hold up one of the jaws against the hinge plate, mark the holes with your pen or pencil. drill a pilot hole( to be sure you don't split your jaw). put the jaws back up to the hinge plate,install your 1" screws.

Step 4:

Now take the unattached jaws, hold it up against the mounted one, take your drill and drill pilot straight through in 2 places you want. next put a lager drill bit in and widen the hole in the unattached jaw so it will slide on the screws.
Put wide flat washers on the screws, hold jaws together, install screws, not all the way so you can check that the front jaws slide( I prefer it this way. I hold the jaws against what I'm clamping and adjust the screws. you can do it differently if you like.), if so you are done. :) :)

Step 5: Finished! :) :)

There you have it. A lightweight, portable Hobby/Craft vise. Hope you like it.
And before someone points it out..... no, it wasn't meant to be heavy duty, if I needed that I'd go out and buy a small metal vise, or use big vise grips.lol
If you are this far, Thank you for reading!! and may everything in your life be "Kilter". :) :)
( hate being outta kilter!! ;) )