Vise understop

A method for defining a repeatable reference position for a work piece held in a machine vise, comprising:

• attaching an understop body to a first hard jaw attached to the fixed vise jaw of a machine vise;
• selecting a preferred location for a relocatable stop on the understop body;
• connecting the relocatable stop to the understop body at the preferred location;
• selecting a first vise parallel having a height greater than a height of the understop body and less than a combined height of the understop body and relocatable stop;
• placing a large face of the first vise parallel in contact with the understop body and the relocatable stop;
• selecting a second vise parallel having a height the same as the height of the first vise parallel;
• placing a large face of the second vise parallel in contact with a face of a second hard jaw;
• placing a bottom surface of a work piece in contact with a top surface of the first vise parallel;
• placing the bottom surface of the work piece in contact with a top surface of the second vise parallel;
• adjusting a position of the workpiece on the top surfaces of the first and second vise parallels until an edge of the work piece contacts a side of the relocatable stop;
• and
• adjusting a separation distance between the first and second hard jaws until the work piece is held securely against the first hard jaw, the second hard jaw, the first vise parallel, the second vise parallel, and the relocatable stop.