Go to the photo gallery,pics of historic engravers.
Starting on pg.4, Sam,Lynton,FN SHop, etc..
Neil Hartliebs book has several options.
I trie JJ's , but didnt work for me,floor is not stable enough.
Piece of 3" sched.40 pipe fits inside 4",with set srews(bolts) =telescoping.
put an bracket and attached to the bench.
Dave, H&C work is best done standing, it's easier for scrolls, the vice should be chest high (it's easier that way) and you should be able to walk about half way around it. Push work can be done sitting. I did it for around twenty five years.
Dave,With my pedestal set up you can walked around the work and cut a scroll in one pass,no wasted motion.I stand over the work when using an Airgrave for good control so the scrolls come out with out any flat areas. It all about control,work smart not hard. J.J.
Dave
My buddy, Terry Theiss, cut a hole in the floor of his shop, dug out 3 feet of dirt and then installed an oak post. The wooden post absorbs the hammer blow vibrations, just like it would for a blacksmith's anvil. Terry studied in Germany under Erich Boessler and does beautiful DEEP!!! relief hammer and chisel work.
Dave: Here's my setup from my New Orleans Arms days. The shaft turned on a single ball bearing mounted in the floor. The vise has adjustable slides for centering under the microscope.
Note the homemade microscope stand. We sand cast the base in bronze