A few times recently I tried to do some work with my hand tool collection. My DIY vise mounted on the side of my garage cabinet countertop is less than ideal and I was immediately frustrated with every task I attempted.
I had been considering building a workbench for a long time and this weekend I made the commitment by buying a bunch of lumber from Home Depot.
I've heard several sources comment that pine or fir are sufficient for a bench and a few others that claim that such a bench won't last. For my budget and design, Home Depot dimensional lumber fit the bill and I lugged it all home on Sunday afternoon in my little SUV. I believe it's doug-fir.
I'm starting this thread as a motivator for me to make progress on this build since my ambition can sometimes disappear mid-project :D
I like the Roubo style benches with the legs flush against the side of the bench. I have a rough design in my head and a few doodles in a notebook. A few months back I bought what I believe is an old leg vise from a flea market which i'll mount on one side. I'm still uncertain what to do about a tail vise. I'd like a twin-screw vise that stretches the width of the end of the bench, but I don't think I've seen that done so I'm not sure if there are any issues with that idea. Not to mention the fact that some nice twin screw hardware costs a fortune. I don't like the hole in the benchtop that a wagon vise creates. Options still open since it'll be a while before I'm ready for it.
Right now I have the lumber stacked in my garage. I've heard/read that the dimensional stuff from HD is very wet. I'm using mostly 2x6s, which I read are often the wettest (quick turnover?). I don't have a moisture meter and don't think I'll want to add that to my workbench budget. I'll probably just let them sit in the garage for the next week or so until I have time to start work.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~134.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~135.jpg)
popcorn_smiley
My bench is 20 years old-pine, 3/4 plywood top. Held up great and I beat the snot out of it....burn it, smash it, drill into it and it is preserved with plenty of oil. Rebuilt every ram on my tlb on it, and in the vise bolted to it, among a bazillion other projects. I could rip the vise out if I really wanted to push it.
Which brings me to my question, what is a vise with a leg/tail? Believe that's what I have bolted to it. Has a leaf spring on it with stem going to the floor about 2.5 feet long. My pop got it at a flea market and said it was for blacksmithing and was to be mounted in concrete?
Anyways, make sure you put plenty of outlets along your bench.....trust me....or be lazy like me and throw a power strip on there ;D
Oh, I've never ever had a problem with wet 2x6's from The Home Chepot.....quite the opposite actually.
popcorn_smiley
Quite a stack of lumber there for a work bench. How long and deep? Are you doing the 2x6 on edge to make a butcher block type top?
D-fir will make an excellent bench, it should be kiln dried coming from H-D. I built mine using 4x4 posts and spruce 2x4 held together with lag screws. Carriage bolts would probably be better but I didn't have any and too lazy to go to the hardware store. The top is cut down from a 4' x 8' platform that had been used to raise a truck camper above the cab, it is plenty heavy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11763/bench2_001_28350x23429.jpg)
The power bar on the front is very useful. I put a kick panel (which needs to be fixed) under the shelf . Anything I drop will roll underneath and disappear forever into a great void. ;D
Kiln dried, yes, but to only 19%.
Put a box fan blowing on the sticker stack.
Quote from: WDH on September 14, 2015, 09:02:59 PM
Put a box fan blowing on the sticker stack.
:D......
with a POWER BOX.
4 X 4's work best for legs, but if you brace the 2 X 6's good they will work.
The first workbench I built nearly 50 years ago used 2 X 6 legs. I moved soon after getting it built. Drug it across the garage floor and one leg caught on the rough floor and a big piece split out of the leg. Had that bench painted nice and I was proud of it until that stupid trick.
Every since than when I built a bench I attached feet to the legs that presented flat grain to the floor. Made it easier to drag and no more splitting out a leg. Glue it on and use a couple of 1/2" dowels to hold in place.
Quote from: WDH on September 14, 2015, 09:02:59 PM
Kiln dried, yes, but to only 19%.
Put a box fan blowing on the sticker stack.
Huh, never knew that. I know the p.t. is gosh darn wet, you'd think they were trying to sell it by the pound!
Warped - glad to hear your pine bench has held up. The leg vise I'm talking about is the type that goes on a woodworking bench - I'm not sure if it's related to the type you're talking about. It runs up one of the legs of the table with the leg being the inside jaw and generally has one screw near the top and then a board at the bottom that sticks into the bench leg and has adjustment pins to prevent racking. I've also seen some sort of scissor hinge used in place of the lower board, but that might be a newer invention. I just snapped a few pics of what I've got:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~138.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~139.jpg)
WHD - thanks for the tip about the fan. I had heard it in a video somewhere so I set one up as soon as I finished stacking the boards :). I'm not sure how long I will let them sit, but I suppose every little bit helps. And i'll second Warped's comment about the pressure treated lumber. I bought some 4x4s last year and they were practically dripping. don't know if that's part of the treatment.
Sawguy21 - bench looks good. I completely forgot about shelf. I'll have to work that into my build somehow. The powerstrip attached to the bench might be a good idea too. I have 2 industrial type powerstrips I got dumpster diving a long time ago. One is currently unused but maybe i'll find a home for it on the new bench 8)
Larry - thanks for the warning about the leg break-out. I remember hearing/reading someone else recommend making risers for a garage bench because the end grain of straight legs would wick up moisture. Both very good points. I had not planned on making risers but i'll have to think more about it now.
I never thought about the legs wicking up moisture, mine are pressure treated so should be alright.
A little more info about the plan. I bought (20) 2x6s and (6) 2x10s, all 8' long.
I was planning on an 8' bench, but after doing some measuring, it's just not practical for the space I have. I'm thinking i'll probably end up with a 6' bench.
After removing the roundovers from the 2x6s, I think they'll end up near 1.5 x 5 or slightly less? I plan to glue them edge-wise and make a butcherblock type benchtop.
My plan is to laminate (3) layers of 2x10s to make the legs. This should give stout support and a nice beefy surface for the leg vise to clamp against.
This reminds me of a question I had for you guys - why is there such an aggressive roundover on dimensional lumber? Removing it wastes so much wood. Why is there any roundover? Just barely breaking the sharp edges seems like it would be fine.
Also, Paul Sellers commented that the UK has larger 2x4s than the US - I forget the exact dimensions he quoted, but they're a bit fatter/wider. Anyone know why? Are we wasting wood over here when cutting down from rough sawn to dimensional?
Quote from: sawguy21 on September 14, 2015, 10:55:48 PM
I never thought about the legs wicking up moisture, mine are pressure treated so should be alright.
Me either. I heat my pool with a hydrostove in the garage and when it drains/ leaks it floods under my bench...
Also I have no rear legs, just screwed a 2x4 ledger across the studs to carry the plywood. Also thought about formica but figured it'd be too slippery.
Holy smokes, just what are you working on? Aircraft carriers? :D
Quote from: lowpolyjoe on September 14, 2015, 10:57:46 PM
This reminds me of a question I had for you guys - why is there such an aggressive roundover on dimensional lumber? Removing it wastes so much wood. Why is there any roundover? Just barely breaking the sharp edges seems like it would be fine.
One reason is it has to do with combustion. The rounded edge is slower/more difficult to catch fire. There may be other reasons as well.
Thanks for the insight Jemclimber.
My first thought was to maybe reduce the sharpness of corners to limit fraying of wire or anything else that might contact the edges.... but I couldn't think of a case where wires or anything else of consequence should be rubbing the corners.
Maybe i'll put a little communications tower on my bench and make it into an aircraft carrier :D
They have a good book called "Work bench design book" By Chris Schwarz. The benches in it are mainly for traditional woodworking, but you could use it for whatever you wanted. The Roubo type is presented in the book in good detail. They seem to be the Cadillac of wood working benches. There are a lot of tips in the book that may be helpful. You may get some good designs while that lumber is drying out. The book is available from Amazon. Hope this helps.
Keep in mind the tools that may need to be on a shelf between top and bottom. Having two shelves is nice but once you buy planers, sanders, chop saws, etc you quickly run out of space.
That much time stickering cheapo lumber you have the itch. No worries, built two full sheet bches from cheapo with 2x6 and 4x4, just make sure the base is sturdy if you wanting use the vice properly and avoid shaking.
Good luck and send pics
Thanks for the book reference Lane - I have watched many workbench videos on YouTube in the past couple years and several people have referenced that book. I just ordered it :-)
Chris - I'm definitely looking to make a heavy bench with a Sturdy base to avoid shaking when I work on it. I'll probably try to design one low shelf on the bottom. Don't think I'll try to fit two. I was just thinking it might be nice to permanently store my antique hand tool box below the bench. I would probably have to remove the lid hinge and make the top come off completely but it might work. Have some measuring to do. Have to make the most of my tiny garage shop space
Make your shelf about 13" or so off the floor, then you can slide plastic milk crates under it. They can hold a lot, slide easily and are pretty indestructible! If you get them with all the same color, that will even look better ;)
lowpolyjoe, I have utilized concrete in several things I have made when I wanted stability. I have considered it for a future workbench. Each base below is filled with concrete.
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(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/40721/090.JPG)
Machinist vise is on concrete.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/40721/DSC_0440.JPG)
That shop is too clean and well organized. Do you actually use it? ;D
Sawguy,Right now it's not so clean. I have an automatic transmission all apart on the bench. However, it will probably be there for a couple of months. The wife broke her leg and now I am a nurse.
We had planned to be in Murry Ky. for a GTG. and then leave for Utah but here I sit.
49er - I'm real jealous of your shop. I'm confined to half of a 2 car garage.
Concrete sounds good for stability. I expect my bench will weigh enough to be stable, but I'll keep that trick in mind, thanks
I got the Schwartz book a few days ago. Nice hardcover book with great pics. Couple of great tips on how to change the bench height and add casters without ending up with a bench that won't stay put.
Been too busy to do any work in the shop but I'm hoping this weekend I'll make some progress
Had some unexpected free time this afternoon so I started ripping down my 2x6's. I took 1/4" off each side to get them square at 5" wide.
I had a hard time holding the boards tight against the fence to get a consistent cut for all 8'. The wooden clamp at the infeed side helped a lot to keep things in line. It looks like my board is feeding into the blade and away from the fence, but it's the fence that's crooked :-[. I always have problems with this fence. I tried to square it several times but the far end just kept wandering. Luckily it wasn't pinching the cut. The cuts seemed relatively straight even with the fence problems. Really need a new tablesaw. Don't think it's worth throwing a good fence on this one.
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40 cuts later, the squared lumber is restacked
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Lots of thin offcuts. I'm trying really hard to think of something clever to do with them :).
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They may be thick enough for tomato stakes. If not put a little glue between 2 of them and they then will be.
i had that exact table saw and had trouble with the fence too, i made due with it for 2 years i think then i upgraded to a sawstop contractor saw(not the jobsite one). its a lot bigger and not mobile, but it is a good solid saw, and it gives me peace of mind, because i love my fingers just the way they are....
i still have that table saw in my garage, i had intended on giving it away when i upgraded, but i actually feel bad giving to someone else when i know the problems with the fence will make it hard for them to get good results, so its just been sitting there since i upgraded...
Lane - good plan, maybe i'll glue a few together and see how stable they are. Don't think they could do the job as singletons.
Jueston - My goal is to get a SawStop as soon as I upgraded electrical outlets in my garage (and some extra money ;). Funny, I had a similar thought about getting rid of the Crasftsman. How could I advertise it for sale: "awful saw for sale"? Then I was thinking about giving it to a friend of mine, but was just thinking about the headaches it might cause him.
exactly.... it was my brother in law who i was going to give it to... but then i know every time i see him he will be complaining about how he can't get a decent cut out of his free saw and its all my fault... :D
I followed Paul Seller's suggestion and hand-planed the 2x dimensional lumber to remove imperfections to improve the glue-up surface. There are plenty of blights on these boards. I tried to pick the best ones of the lot at HD, but they were all pretty bad.
Before
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After
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~143.jpg)
I stopped short of going deep enough to completely remove the mess on this board (and others). In some cases I felt I was doing more harm than good as I was getting some tear-out. I sanded the end of my chip breaker for tighter contact and then adjusted it very close to the blade edge and than helped a good deal. Still not perfect though.
Today I glued up my first few boards. I have a plan to glue up the benchtop in several stages.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~144.jpg)
One thing I was not careful about was taking consistent material across the width of the boards during my cleanup passes with the plane. In several places, I took a bunch of shavings off the edge of a board and it was enough to give it a bit of a curve or chamfer in that spot. Result was that these locations produced large gaps in the glueup, regardless of how tight I made the clamps. The center of the board was in solid contact, but the edge was a bit thinner and couldn''t close up. Very frustrating. I know now to be very careful. I may give up on the planning altogether going forward. It's a ton of work and may be causing more problems than it's fixing.
Don't give up now. You are doing fine. It may not be perfect, but you will learn a ton and you will end up with a useable bench. If it is tearing out, have you tried it from the opposite direction? If not try that. Also like someone on here informed me one time, try to keep all the grains in 1 direction. Hope it helps and carry on. You will do fine.
Yeah - I'm learning a lot and getting good practice with some hand tools. I have tried planing in both directions to determine which produces less tear out, thanks for the tip. I think my handplane setup skills still need some work even though I've spent quite a bit of time trying to get the iron sharp and sole flat. I recently read that the frog-adjustment screws are there to allow you to move the cutting iron closer to the front of the mouth, which could help my problem. I haven't looked into that yet - not sure if the mouth my plane is too wide. I didn't think to align the grains of the boards. Next time :)
Today I glued up the second segment of the benchtop (same as the one previously pictured). Then I started work on a center planing stop board. I've seen this feature on a few benches and think it's an excellent idea. I didn't research how you're supposed to build one, I just sorta thought about how it could work and started at it. It will consist of 2 boards, one that slides into the other and is hidden most of the time, but can be popped up and rest on ledges to allow it to be used as a plane stop. I'm a little worried about the glue-up process when I try to sandwich this between the other pieces of the benchtop because only the bottom piece will be glued in place. If it doesn't look like it's going to glue up square, there's a chance i'll ditch the idea. But I'm hoping I can pull it off
Marked up 2 boards
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Started sawing an rough-chopping. Gonna take a lot of cleanup.
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Got my first serious use out of my home-made mallet :)
I thought I had a brilliant design for my plane stop board that would allow me to set it at several different heights by sliding different tenons into different mortises.... but after a few screw ups I decided its operation would be simplified. Now it should sit flush with the top and then I can flip it over and it will stick up a bit. I may make a replacement board at some point and try to get my original design working, but it was taking too much time
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This will get glued down the center of the table top
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Crazy (and somewhat disturbing) was all this mold that appeared the day after I glued on this board :(. I wiped up the glue squeeze-out with a wet rag and left the wood pretty wet, but didn't expect this to result.
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Starting on the lazy man's joinery. Instead of cutting mortises for the legs, I just leave a gap in the 2x6 board in this location. This is not an original idea, I've seen several people on the web do it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~159.jpg)
Since things tend to slide around during glue-up, I predrilled for some alignment screws during dry fit. I then used them to help keep things in place for the glue-up and removed them afterwards. Don't want any metal in the benchtop since i'll be drilling for hold-fast holes eventually.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~161.jpg)
The squared up 2x10's came out to near 8 5/8" wide. I made the gap about 8 1/2" and planed 36" lengths of 2x10s to fit. These are the first layer of a 3 layer lamination that will make up the legs. I debated how complex I should make the joint and went with the easiest possible configuration. I expect it will be weaker than some alternatives, but I really want to make some progress on this bench :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~164.jpg)
That joint will work just fine. You are making good progress.
It will all work out in the end , Don't fret ,push forward.
Jim
Preliminary flattening of half of the benchtop. My lamination glue-up was pretty ugly and before I worked any more on the joinery for the legs I wanted it flattened on the bottom . Also made it square to the face that will attach to the other half of the benchtop - well, tried to.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~0.jpeg)
And finally, the outer layer of the lamination
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~2.jpeg)
This is the profile of the leg joint
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~1.jpeg)
The more I work on this project, the more I despair about the quality of this lumber. So many knots, machining blemishes, cupping, bowing, warping, etc...
The store bought stuff can be a real pain to work with unless you are slapping up a frame. Even then, it is a pain to work with.
I find the best thing to do with store bought is to right-away get it on stickers to air dry evenly on all sides. Then as it dries, the bad actors show up and can be culled out (I usually buy extra and take back those bad actors).
I have some flat sawn sycamore I have been thinking about building a bench with. If turned on edge and glued up into a table top... It would be quarter sawn sycamore!
Flatsawn sycamore causes nightmares :D.
Important lesson. Take care when construction the lamination. During glue up I kept thinking, "i'll just flatten it afterwards". Well... the amount of time I spent planing this has been crazy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~3.jpeg)
A prime example of how bad the lumber was. I didn't realize how bad the cupping was in this piece until I had glue applied. I cranked down a ton of clamps and actually got the surfaces to mate almost flush. When I removed the clamps I heard a funny noise. I guess the glue didn't hold all the way to the far side and it looks like the internal stresses pulled up the edge and cracked the board. I've got some epoxy on order. I'm gonna have a lot of gaps to fill :(
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~4.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~5.jpeg)
Began work on square dogs as part of one of the lamination layers. From what i've read, and the little bit of experience I have, it seems that having dogs close to the table edge is beneficial. These will be 1 layer of lamination from the edge (~1.5"). I'm also angling them slightly, which I think I've seen before and seem like a good plan to combat the inevitable deflection under clamping force. If these don't work as well as I hope, I can always just drill for round dogs too.
Markup
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~6.jpeg)
Cut and arrange the static pieces of the lamination layer
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Cut the dogs
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Cut the stop ledge into the dogs
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~10.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~9.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~11.jpeg)
Complete the cuts with handsaw
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~13.jpeg)
Then cleanup with chisel
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I'd call them 7's, but I faced them the wrong way for their portrait :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~14.jpeg)
Cutting the ledge into the static lamination pieces
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~15.jpeg)
Alignment was so-so. Somehow the angle of the cuts didn't line up precisely, which I found odd since I don't think I changed the blade angle between cuts.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~17.jpeg)
Alignment of all the pieces, including registration screws for the static pieces. This process took a lot longer than I expected
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~19.jpeg)
And finally the glue-up
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~18.jpeg)
You are definitely paying your dues on this build :D I am sure you are learning a lot from the University of Experience ;D. You will love it when you are done, if you ever get done with it. By that I mean after you start using it, you will probably add little things here or there that make it suitable to you. Great job by the way and thanks for sharing the build.
Quote from: lowpolyjoe on October 18, 2015, 08:36:58 AM
Important lesson. Take care when construction the lamination. During glue up I kept thinking, "i'll just flatten it afterwards". Well... the amount of time I spent planing this has been crazy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~3.jpeg)
A prime example of how bad the lumber was. I didn't realize how bad the cupping was in this piece until I had glue applied. I cranked down a ton of clamps and actually got the surfaces to mate almost flush. When I removed the clamps I heard a funny noise. I guess the glue didn't hold all the way to the far side and it looks like the internal stresses pulled up the edge and cracked the board. I've got some epoxy on order. I'm gonna have a lot of gaps to fill :(
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~4.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~5.jpeg)
You are doing very well, albeit a lot of extra work, making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The lumber you are working with is fast growth (wide rings as shown) and at or near the pith center of the log. That limits your chances of success when laminating and expecting glue and lots of clamping to solve the wood destined to move a lot when it dries.
In the future, you will know to select wood with better quality for laminating and then have less frustration. But am sure your bench will be a joy to use.
Thanks for the feedback guys.
I am definitely growing to appreciate that good lumber must be worth the extra cost :). I have worked primarily with MDF and veneer in the past since speaker cabinets was my main hobby - solid wood is a completely different experience with unique challenges.
Can anyone comment on whether Epoxy can be planed? I'm still waiting for my order to arrive (West System 105/205 epoxy) but when it does, I was considering filling all the gaps in my lamination as soon as I can (ie before I complete flattening, etc...). I'd like to reduce further wood movement in some of these giant gaps. But I'm worried that the epoxy won't plane well or will cause me other headaches later.
Can be planed, but may be hard on the knives.
Also, don't think that epoxy is going to stop further wood movement... if I understand your comment about expectations.
I was hoping the epoxy would reduce further wood movement. No, eh? :-\ :'(
It will help for as long as it holds. As long as it ends up flat when you finish it, I don't think a crack or two will be a serious issue. Filled with epoxy less crud will get stuck in the cracks. You will get there. ;D
Quote from: lowpolyjoe on October 20, 2015, 03:43:39 PM
I was hoping the epoxy would reduce further wood movement. No, eh? :-\ :'(
I wouldn't think so when the epoxy will only be in contact with the surface of the wood.
Now if you are talking of complete saturation (which cannot happen), then you may have control over the wood movement. ;)
But as MB says, don't think some checking will be serious issue.
It was quite an effort to glue to the two halves of the benchtop together. They looked like they lined up pretty well at first (this picture wasn't the final alignment - a fairly big gap is visible here)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~26.jpeg)
I applied the glue to both surfaces
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~27.jpeg)
I torqued down clamps on one side and realized that it forced the other side apart :(. I had to pull out every clamp i had (that would fit) and crank away. I broke 3 clamps in the process :(. Finally got it mostly flush. Gonna leave it a day or so and cross my fingers
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~28.jpeg)
Giue-ups can be very stressful.
Looking very good. Thanks for keeping us posted.
Hey Joe, just thought I'd drop in and offer a word of encouragement. You're doing great, and I'm enjoying following along! You gotta step out of your comfort zone if you want to expand your skills, and you'll be twice the woodworker that you were before when you get this thing finished - not only will you have some slick new skills, but a fine workbench to practice them on! Keep on keepin' on. :)
Well put. ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) :snowball:
Thanks for the advice and encouragement.
Some family issues arose this past weekend so I haven't had too much time to put towards the bench.
I removed the clamps after 2 days and was met with tons of creaking and cracking sounds. I fully expected one (or both) sides of the joint to pop open, but they seem to have held - for now, at least. Bunch of time spent flattening the bottom
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~30.jpeg)
To prevent tear-out during cross-grain planing I plugged the inner mortise holes and clamped/screwed a sacrificial board against the far edge. They both helped a lot, but I was too lazy to custom fit plugs for the outer leg joint and dog holes and got some issues as a result. The biggest chip can be fixed with glue and other issues were minor
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~31.jpeg)
The overall result wasn't bad and I think the bottom is pretty flat now. The #6 plane I picked up recently was good to have for such a big job.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~29.jpeg)
Working on the legs. Each is 3 layers of 2x10. One provides the through tenon, one sits flush agains the bottom of the bench top and the outer one is the odd shaped half exposed tenon like joint.
First I slid the tenon layer through the bench top. Because my bench top lamination was such a mess, the mortise wasn't square. I did a hack job to allow me to tilt the leg to be square. Then I clamped on the middle layer and put some temporary screws to align it to the first layer. Then I clamped on the outer layer
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~35.jpeg)
Then I marked the odd shaped joint on the end grain
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~36.jpeg)
Then I extended the markup
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~37.jpeg)
I cut the shoulders with a saw. I thought I would have to cut the cheeks too but the grain cooperated and I was able to chop them out with some chisel work
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~38.jpeg)
Ready for a test fit
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~39.jpeg)
After a few rounds of adjustments, it's not looking too bad
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~40.jpeg)
Obligatory blood stains resulting from unskilled chisel work :D
Nice work. It's always a treat when the wood cooperates and you can chisel out the tenon cheeks instead of sawing :)
Stick to it Joe, You will learn from every project so the next will be easier.
If they weren't too warped having the 2x run through a jointer then a thickness planer would have really helped.
Just a thought...
I mount class 3 hitches on all my work benches.
Then I mount my tools on recivers.
All my tools are under the bench.
I just pull what I need out and plug it in.
Hitches can be had cheap from the junkyards.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/39553/class_3_bench_attachment.JPG)
Interesting idea with the hitches Kbeitz - thanks for the suggestion.
I'm hoping to buy a nice tablesaw in the next year or so and make this workbench double as an outfeed table :)
These legs are really taking a lot of time.
I cut out a mortise for the long stretchers in the middle lamination layer of each leg before glue-up
Layout
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~41.jpeg)
Cut down the sides with a backsaw, then rough across the bottom with a coping saw
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~42.jpeg)
Then pare down to depth with chisel from each side
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~44.jpeg)
Spent some time trying to cleanup the laminated legs. They were really an uneven mess
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~46.jpeg)
Got them looking fairly clean, but still lots of gaps due to the poor lumber and uneven lamination job
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~45.jpeg)
Haven't yet cut them to length.
Starting to actually look like a bench :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~47.jpeg)
The leg on the right is being difficult and won't seat properly even after a bunch of chisel work. Leg missing from the pic is currently being glued. Can't wait to get this thing operational 8)
Wow, that thing is a tank! Looking good.
Once you get all the legs fitting, are you then going to cut them to length? When you do, be sure to chamfer the bottom edges. Otherwise, when you move the bench (slide it in place), it will split off part of the legs. Nothing serious, but you'll kick yourself because it will be ugly. As they say, don't ask me how I know... Oh, and be sure to seal the ends real well so they don't soak up any moisture.
Yep, set them in 5gallon buckets when you first flip it over and add a gallon of oil to each bucket . let em soak for a few,lot or bunch of days.
Nice work on the mortises. I probably woulda made it easier on myself and used through-tenons instead - since this is one of the few situations where through-tenons are actually easier! ;D
Another consequence of the poor lamination job was that after I flattened the bottom of the benchtop, it ended up out-of-square with the edges. Did a little work to bring everything back into square, planning the sides
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~49.jpeg)
I later realized that there was also some twist in my benchtop. Took a lot of work to get it out. Edges may have gone slightly out of square again now that I think about it.
A little work on the short stretchers. I haven't cut the mortises yet, but a test fit outside the joint actually worked out pretty good
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~53.jpeg)
Despite measuring as carefully as I could, I still managed to cut the short piece of the laminated stretchers a little short. Just glued on a small shim. A later test fit showed it's still a tiny bit small - maybe i'll drive a small wedge in the gap during glue-up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~54.jpeg)
Dry fit
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~51.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~50.jpeg)
Did some looking around on Amazon but only found a couple holdfasts for sale and I think they all had mixed reviews. I ordered one of the larger ones I found. Looks pretty nice to me, but I've never used one before. I'm looking forward to playing around with it. Anyone have a preference for where to order a good holdfast? If this one works out well, i'll order a second from the same place. If not, i'll have to find another provider.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~55.jpeg)
Next up I have to work on the short stretcher mortises and possibly a deadman. I was considering buying a set of cheap mortise chisels but I couldn't find an sae set on Amazon and i'll like to stay with English units to match my bench chisels. I been looking out at the flea market but haven't seen any.
Quote from: lowpolyjoe on November 13, 2015, 09:17:57 PM
Did some looking around on Amazon but only found a couple holdfasts for sale and I think they all had mixed reviews. I ordered one of the larger ones I found. Looks pretty nice to me, but I've never used one before. I'm looking forward to playing around with it. Anyone have a preference for where to order a good holdfast? If this one works out well, i'll order a second from the same place.
Joe, the Gramercy holdfasts (https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-HOLDFAST.XX/Holdfasts_by_Gramercy_Tools) from Tools for Working Wood are excellent and inexpensive. I bought a pair of cheap Chinese holdfasts when I first built my workbench, and they snapped within a week. The Gramercy's are forged, not cast, and they will last long enough for you to pass them on to your great-grandkids. Holdfasts are a critical workholding tool in my shop, so it pays to spend a couple bucks more for something that will last.
Quote from: Dodgy Loner on November 16, 2015, 01:52:56 PM
Quote from: lowpolyjoe on November 13, 2015, 09:17:57 PM
Did some looking around on Amazon but only found a couple holdfasts for sale and I think they all had mixed reviews. I ordered one of the larger ones I found. Looks pretty nice to me, but I've never used one before. I'm looking forward to playing around with it. Anyone have a preference for where to order a good holdfast? If this one works out well, i'll order a second from the same place.
Joe, the Gramercy holdfasts (https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-HOLDFAST.XX/Holdfasts_by_Gramercy_Tools) from Tools for Working Wood are excellent and inexpensive. I bought a pair of cheap Chinese holdfasts when I first built my workbench, and they snapped within a week. The Gramercy's are forged, not cast, and they will last long enough for you to pass them on to your great-grandkids. Holdfasts are a critical workholding tool in my shop, so it pays to spend a couple bucks more for something that will last.
Excellent link - thanks a lot! I will definitely be picking up a pair of those. Looks like they're only maybe 30 miles away from me (and maybe only ~5 from my job).
Some mortise work. Nothing beautiful, but I'm definitely improving over my previous efforts :). Chopping out 4 of these, each 2" deep, was a good amount of work.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~62.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~63.jpeg)
Next up, work on the slots for the deadman. Working first on the stretcher. I was eager to try to use my plow plane. I had a hard time getting it working properly. At first it was chattering something awful - then I realized I had put the iron in backwards :D. Especially embarrassing since there's an alignment groove on the cutter. Even after flipping it, still had a hard time. I'm not very good at dialing in the depth-of-cut on these older wedge-based planes. I think I need a dedicated tiny hammer to prevent my ogre like adjustment whacks from throwing the iron too far with one shot. Also would probably help if I was able to get the irons sharper
Setup
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~61.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~60.jpeg)
Early progress
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~56.jpeg)
Finally ended up with something reasonable, but it's quite loose (wider than expected) because the plane wandered a bit and I had to go back in and ensure I had cut up to the intended inner and outer lines - which widened the slot.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~65.jpeg)
After I got the plane cutting well, I ended up with some clogging, which surprised me
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~64.jpeg)
I also cut the legs to length. I didn't trust myself to cut them straight by hand, so I did the majority of the cut on the power miter saw.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~59.jpeg)
It wouldn't finish the cut so I had a little hand saw work to do
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~57.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~58.jpeg)
I'm a bit worried about how I'm going to level the legs. There's no chance they will all be level once everything gets assembled. The table will probably weigh a few hundred pounds so it's gonna be tough to constantly flip it on it's side, plane a leg, flip it back up to check, etc... I guess if I add side-grain feet on the bottom of the legs as some have suggested, I could just lift a leg, slide the foot in place, check for level, remove the foot, plane, replace, repeat. I leveled all my garage cabinets by setting them on large lag screws which could be screwed in or out to easily level them out. Don't really want to do that for these.
Your clogging looks to be from going against the grain.. not with it...
lowpolyjoe,
Great job on the bench! The more you use those great old hand tools, the better the results you will get. Loving the progress and the pictures. The Gramercy holdfast is a really good option, and will never break or crack. Beenthere summed it up about clogging of the plow plane. Try swapping ends to get a shaving rather than chips. Practice the sharpening, and soon, you will have shaving edges on all your tools. Just takes a little time and patience. When you finish this bench, it will really be a great tool to help you utilize all your other hand tools. Keep up the good work, and pictures. 8) 8) 8) Andy
Quote from: beenthere on November 17, 2015, 11:22:26 PM
Your clogging looks to be from going against the grain.. not with it...
Hmmm - I hadn't thought of that. Unfortunately I can only plane in one direction in this instance due to nature of the fence offsets. Unless the fence is reversible? I don't know, I'll have I investigate
The plane itself needs some restoration. The guide rail is rusted - I removed most but could use a better job. Maybe waxing the contact surfaces a bit will help.
You are getting better at this all the time. ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) :snowball:
Thanks for keeping us updated. I am sure you are learning a lot. The bench looks real nice. Don't forget to put your "mark" on it while it is upside down. That is if you want. A lot of folks put their name and date somewhere inconspicuously on the piece.
With the bench on its top, and legs up... then use some story sticks to level the legs (and maybe some good long levels). Should come pretty close..
Or if it will fit, haul it to a band mill and put it on the bunks with legs in the air and saw them all off in one pass. ;)
Good work. There are a few things you can do to improve the performance of that plow plane. First thing I would do is take a rag and some mineral spirits and clean off as much gunk as you can. Then buff it with some paste wax. You don't have to overdo the cleaning, just get everything clean and slick, especially where the fence meets wood. This will reduce friction and make things easier. The skate needs to be de-rusted and oiled as well. You might be able to tackle that with steel wool, but I wouldn't hesitate to use some fine sandpaper on it as well. It's a tool, not a museum piece. Be as gentle as you can with the restoration while still ending up with a functional tool.
The wedge looks to be your problem with the clogging. Check that it mates well with the iron on the end. Anywhere that a shaving can get stuck will cause a chain reaction and every other shaving will get stuck after that. It should have a beveled edge that directs the shavings out of the mouth. Sometimes those wedges get butchered or modified by someone who doesn't know better. Look at some pictures online to see that your wedge has the appropriate shape.
Finally, it's not always possible, but if it is: Make sure to orient your piece so you're cutting with the grain, not against it.
Practice makes perfect, but sometimes the practice you need is restoring your tools rather than trying to make do with a tool in sub-optimal condition. If you get things working smoothly, the shavings should spill out in long, perfect goldilocks curls. Eventually, I sold my wooden plow and upgraded, but not before I learned how to use it. :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15533/Recent_077.JPG)
Thanks everybody.
Lane - I do like the idea of marking the bench when it's done. I don't have a set of punches. I did get a couple of gouges with my antique woodworking toolchest - maybe i'll just carve my initials in it somewhere. Or maybe i'll break down and buy some punches.
Beenthere - I hadn't thought of leveling it while upside down. Although I don't think I have a level long enough for the task. Wish I had a bandsaw mill for the other approach :D.
Thanks for all the tips Justin. It's funny, I was thinking that even though the wooden plow is an awesome historic piece, I'd rather have a Stanley 45 to actually do work with. Looks like you have something even nicer :). I hope to see shavings like that one day
It's the Veritas plow plane (http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=69788&cat=1,41182). Bit pricey, but worth every penny.
If you're looking for a vintage metal plow plane, don't discount a dedicated tool, like a Record 43 or 44 plow plane. I've not used the Stanley 45 or other combination planes myself, but I've heard lots of criticism about them being more finicky to set up due to their jack-of-all trades nature.
lowpolyjoe,
If you watch ebay you may be able to pick up a good Stanley #50 with cutters. It does a fantastic job on beads, tongue, and grooves, and can cut fillisters and rabbets also. Just make sure all the attachments are there. This one uses a geared lever to adjust the cutter depth. Much easier to use. The #45, and 50 are pretty expensive, and are real bear's to setup. Andy
Don't be too worried about getting those legs absolutely perfect. Remember the floor may not be perfect either. You can always wedge one of the legs if you are close.
Thanks for the advice about the alternative plow planes.
Did a bit more work today and it went smoother. I sharpened the iron again and waxed the skate and fence on the plane. And I think the grain was cooperating a bit better in these pieces I worked on this morning. Not perfect, but miles ahead of my first effort
I'm preparing for a deadman on both sides of the bench in case I switch up the placement of my vises at some point.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~66.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~67.jpeg)
Challenging glue-up this afternoon.
To make up for my poor joinery, I had to get creative to try to hold everything square(ish) while the glue dries. Looking forward to flipping this thing up on its legs sometime soon 8)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~69.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~73.jpeg)
Will you be pegging the joints?
I wanted to try out the drawbore technique on this joinery, but since things didn't line up so well (or so square) I figured it would be a nightmare. Maybe I can add pins later but I hadn't thought too much about it.
I've been getting some grief from my wife lately because I keep telling her "don't buy one of those, i'll make one"... but meanwhile I've been working on this workbench for months now. Need to get it upright asap so I can start using it :)
I totally understand that. I spent the better part of a month making tools for my Windsor chair, and I still to make a travisher! I tend to peg or drawbore everything now though, makes me feel better about the joints.
Assembly video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0V8zue1qH4
:o That was fabulous!! smiley_thumbsup 8)
Thanks Magicman :)
I threw on some temporary feet today to avoid splintering the legs as I slide the bench around (thanks for feedback on that guys). I will (should) do something more permanent eventually.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~78.jpeg)
Then I flipped it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~79.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~80.jpeg)
How does one scrawny novice flip a bench that weighs several hundred pounds by himself? Let's just say, the bench passed the 'drop test' and I'm lucky to not be in the hospital this morning. I filmed that debacle and hope to post it as well.
Can't wait to flatten the top and get some use out of this thing :).
Nice job, and looks well done.
What is the camera used for the video?
Quote from: beenthere on November 24, 2015, 11:13:51 AM
Nice job, and looks well done.
What is the camera used for the video?
Thanks.
I'm using a GoPro to film. It's pretty old - I think it's a "Hero2" model, from maybe 3 or 4 years ago. It has a pretty wide field of view and sometimes looks like it adds fish-eye distortion, making things look bent even though they're straight.... but in all honesty, sometimes, my stuff is just bent :D
That has turned out to be very nice. I hope you get to build a lot of things on it. Great job.
i've filmed a few woodworking operations, and i filmed the assembly of the CNC router, but after i do the filming i never find the time to edit and publish because i'm always faced with the question of weather to spend my free time in the shop or working on a video of the shop...
someday i'll find some downtime and i'll publish lots of time lapses. i could spend days on youtube watching time lapses of people building things.
but the bench looks great, someday i will build a good workbench too, right now all of mine are made of OSB and some of them are just sawhorses and OSB....
That thing is a tank :o 8)
Nice work. Try not to kill yourself next time you flip it over ;)
That thing is starting to look like a workbench. ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) :snowball:
Jueston - I've had the same issue. I film a ton but then I'm too lazy to edit and post. Nice thing about timelapse is that even without any editing it's still somewhat entertaining :). Throw a Youtube music track in there and you're done. I just looked at some comments for one of my videos the other day and all the negativity on the internet is hysterical :D. "How many times did this guy say 'ummm'?! What an idiot!". Lol. I admit - it was quite a few ;D
The accidental table drop doesn't look nearly as dramatic in timelapse as it felt in real time. The ground shook. Lol. I worked on flattening the top for a while this afternoon. good grief - I knew it would be a lot of work but I planed for maybe 2 hours and I'm still not even close. Next lamination piece I do, I will be MUCH MUCH more careful to keep things aligned and square
https://youtu.be/nNgIvFUMC54
Looks really nice. I am hoping to build one like this in the future. Love the dovetailed legs!
Thanks Haggis. I really like the look of that style leg joint. I'm considering making a table for the house that has a similar look - though obviously not quite as beefy :)
After 2 serious planing sessions I thought I was making good progress with on the benchtop. I had flattened and removed twist from the bottom face previously, so I figured I could use that surface as a reference with a marking gauge and ensure my top was flat and not twisted.
Sadly - this is what I found. Thinnest point on the benchtop
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~81.jpeg)
Thickest point on the benchtop
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~82.jpeg)
And there were a lot of places that far off. 1/2" to 3/4" difference. Such a bummer. There was so much twist in the lamination that I guess I should have expected this, but it was still a shocker.
Seems like you should make a router sled to flatten it. Any twist or bow will most likely show up in all your projects. Thanks for sharing your build. :)
Quote from: 21incher on November 28, 2015, 09:59:30 AM
Seems like you should make a router sled to flatten it. Any twist or bow will most likely show up in all your projects. Thanks for sharing your build. :)
Thanks, I was considering that. I've used a little router setup I built to flatten some horribly cut chainsaw mill lumber so I already have a planing bit. I don't have a jointer so getting flat rails might be challenging. only lumber I have is crappy construction grade stuff
I've started a project to make a router sled/slab flattening tool. I'm using some 1.5" angle to make some 10' long rails, some angle "bed rails" for the cross sled and router sled. I picked up a bunch of ball bearing sliding door wheels to mount on the parts. I picked up a 3" 'cleanup' router bit to put in my Porter Cable. The goal is to be able to flatten a 40" x 100" project.
The only issue I have right now is the 10' sticks of angle have a little bow in them. I straighten them pretty well but need to make a way to pull them straight (like with a turnbuckle) to fine tune them. I'd like them dead on!
If you don't have a jointer you could use some 1/2" square tube steel as twist sticks and get it pretty close. ;D 8) 8) 8) :snowball:
I started work on a simple router sled setup the other day using some 2x lumber I had laying around. It will not be perfectly straight but should get me in the area of flat and I can finish with hand planes, straight edges and winding sticks.
No pics yet, but i'll take some next time I get to work on it
Router sled worked better than expected. I did virtually no planning or design. Just screwed pieces of wood together until it did what I wanted. I did throw a rear-fence on the sled after these pics which help when dragging the router back after a cut pass
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~87.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~86.jpeg)
Edge of the end grain didn't like the router. For this and other reasons, there's a lot of epoxy in my future
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~88.jpeg)
Near side done. It's close to 3/4" lower than the far side at this point
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~90.jpeg)
Unfortunately the router was not happy, and after a spectacular lightning show through the vents to the motor, it gave up. One brush is pretty fried.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~89.jpeg)
Aggravating to find that Sears does not stock this. I will have to order it. I like this little craftsman router but was considering upgrading to a nicer one. Wonder if there are any Christmas deals
Our small tool repair place, even though they advertise Porter-Cable, repair anything. They have a huge stock of brushes, many discontinued. If I talk nice they will even make a brush. Prices are higher than online but no shipping charge so it works out well.
You might check around, as it is a whole lot easier than ordering something that doesn't quite fit.
I think your workbench build is going well and should be worth the effort. Every project has its quirks. :D
Makeing aa brush is real easy. Just buy oversize and lay it on a wood file and sand to the right size.
I was feeling adventurous so i tried to fix the broken brush. the lead sort of charred and disconnected from the contact end. the carbon was completely misshapen.
I soldered the remaining bit of the lead back onto the contact.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~92.jpeg)
Then i used a razor to shave the carbon back into a reasonable shape. A file is a great idea KBeitz... wish i thought of that.
The spring was now compressed a lot more than originally, so i had to play with it a bit before it would work - but it got me through the second half of the table. Looking pretty flat now.
I started on the epoxy work. very tedious.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~93.jpeg)
joe
I'd use that bench just as it is... skip the epoxy. Let the openings fill with fine sawdust, paint, whatever from your bench exploits.. the patina it will take on will enhance it, no end.
As long as it is reasonably flat, use it.
x 2
Cutting the bench ends square today.
One pass with the circular saw
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~98.jpeg)
Finish up by hand
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~95.jpeg)
Cleanup with some planes
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~96.jpeg)
I also sanded my epoxy crack filling. Not thrilled with the outcome, but a few gaps were near 1/4" wide and really needed attention. Worst offender was the leg joint on the far left - it was a complete disaster. A few gaps running half the length of the bench were also a bit wide.... they show up as dark lines in this pic.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~97.jpeg)
Looking too good to use now! 8)
It's fun to go back and read the entire build. smiley_thumbsup
very interesting read, this thread. Great work!
That bench is finer than a frog hair(old saying) It is really nice. Did you make your mark underneath, or did you forget :) ;D?
Thanks everybody :). Next up I have to add my vises.
LaneC - I did actually stamp my initials in one of the legs a while back... but to be honest, I forget exactly where and it may have gotten hidden during the glue-up. I bought a set of stamps from harbor freight. I'm not too happy with them because the letter cutout is relatively shallow and the rim of the stamp easily contacts the workpiece when you whack it, effectively stamping a circle around each letter. I had planned on returning the set but completely forgot about it until your question :D. The Doug-Fir is pretty soft - it may be less of an issue with harder wood.
That's coming out really nice, gaps and all :)
its good to have a few gaps and cracks in a workbench, then you won't get too upset when you drill through your work piece into it, or slip with a chisel and gouge it...
someone on the forum once posted a picture of a beautiful and amazing work bench made out of blood wood which looked far nicer then my dining room table, and i could never use that as a work bench...
but the important part is how does it work? go and build something and tell us how you feel about it then....
Took more work than I expected to plane down the dogs to fit properly. I destroyed one in the process by planing it completely out of square.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~100.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~99.jpeg)
Because each dog hole is slightly different, I used my new harbor freight stamp kit to mark the holes and the corresponding dogs so I don't mix them up down the road
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~101.jpeg)
Your attention to detail on your bench build has been impressive. What a great project and you will appreciate it every time you work on something. Thanks for the pics and story.
Thanks Rasman. I have a love-hate relationship with this project. It's fun as a project in itself, but I also want it done so I can start using it for work on other stuff :)
Can I get some votes on whether I should apply any finish to this workbench or leave it raw?
From what I've read, a bit boiled linseed oil is often recommended for workbenches. I'm unsure if it's worthwhile. Will it protect against water damage if I get the bench wet (say, with my waterstones) ? That's the only real benefit I could think of. Don't think it will protect against wayward chisel blows :D
I am a fan of Sanding Sealer for the workbench. It leaves a nice finish plus prevents a spill from soaking in.
I would paint the indented numbers white for future readability.
I assume the sanding sealer is a shellac product.
Going a bit further one of my favorite finishes is Zinsser Bullseye Shellac. It comes clear and amber. Out of the can its too heavy of a cut and needs thinning by a third to half with denatured alcohol only. I also add a splash or two of mineral oil. The mineral oil aids application as it lubricates and keeps the shellac from dragging. The oil does not mix so one has to shake before application. I wipe on two or three fast coats with a rag. It dries almost instantly. Fairly cheap and extremely easy application.
It gives a excellent appearance but provides limited protection from liquids, maybe better than oil. No protection from alcohol products. Very easy to renew the finish when it begins looking shabby.
A good workbench is like a hunting vest or pair of boots....... they are much more comfortable and easygoing when they are not so new anymore. Use and experience adds great character! I would seal it up and go to work. As it gets used it will take on character and be much more than the new build. If you choose to put on some application you will be pleased to see the remarkable difference even in that construction grained wood.
That's funny - I use Zinsser sanding sealer all the time :). Shellac is my finish of choice because it doesn't stink like a lot of other finishes. Does feel nice to the touch and looks nice too. Last year I finally tried French polishing with shellac (not Zinsser's) and mineral oil... it did not go well :D
I wasn't sure that shellac was a good choice for a workbench, but maybe i'll give it a shot. I had some in my garage but I think it's really old at this point (I've heard shelf-life is fairly short for shellac products). I haven't done any projects that require finishing in a long time.
Heading into the garage now to work on one of the vises - not sure which one yet.
Quote from: lowpolyjoe on December 19, 2015, 01:57:52 PM
I've heard shelf-life is fairly short for shellac products
Yes it does have a short shelf life. Try it on a piece of scrap. If it dries hard in less than 5 minutes its probably ok to use.
Thanks Larry.
Got to work on the leg vise this afternoon.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~106.jpeg)
There was a lot of crud in the threads, so I hit them with a wire brush on an angle grinder
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~108.jpeg)
Threads cleaned up pretty nice. I didn't clean up the hardware that will show. I'm just gonna leave it it looking old :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~107.jpeg)
Drilled the hole in the leg slightly off from where it should have been so I had to do some chisel work that would let me shift the screw down slightly. There's also a counter-sink relief to fit part of the screw hardware
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~109.jpeg)
Screw fits pretty well
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~110.jpeg)
Of course my forsner bit wasn't long enough to go through my 4 1/2" thick legs, so I had to improvise. I drilled as far as I could, then popped through the back with an regular bit in an extender. Then I used the exit hole to align the forsner from the back.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~111.jpeg)
Honestly, I was shocked at how well the alignment worked out 8)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~113.jpeg)
Ran out of time. Hoping to get it working tomorrow.
Got a little time in on the bench today
The nut that the leg vise screws into is a sort of tapered cone with a slot/key to keep it from spinning. I had a hard time forming the rebate to house it. I'm a little worried it might spin when in use, but i'll keep my fingers crossed for now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~114.jpeg)
I had to knock out a mortise in the leg vise so i figured i might as well make my bench useable for the task. I put my new dewalt 20v drill to work and bored out a ton of 3/4" holes for the hold fasts. I'm very impressed with the drill so far. Even has a magical chuck that you can tighten and loosen with one hand.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~115.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~116.jpeg)
I got the mortise done in the bottom of the leg vise. Next up i need to make the peg board. Hope to get to work on that tomorrow.
That thing is starting to look like a real workbench. ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) :snowball: Way nicer than mine. :(
lowpolyjoe,
The bench is really looking good. You will have a great work surface for sure! It looks like you decided to go with the Gramercy holdfasts. A good choice, and great product at a good price. I love mine! You will have that thing finished soon, and it sure will be nice. Thanks for sharing this build. 8) 8) Andy
Thanks guys.
Yeah Andy, I've got a pair of the Gramercy holdfasts. They're really nice :). Such a simple, elegant design.
I did notice that some of my holdfast holes i drilled were not square to the table top. That upset me. Wish i was more careful with that.
Maybe you will need to embed a 2015 penny on the underside such as Kevin (Logrite) did with the prize bench.
I'll have to look into that Magicman
Put together an ugly backer board to keep the nut in place
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~118.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~117.jpeg)
I cut down the chop for the leg vise and beveled the edges. Looking pretty good, i thought :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~119.jpeg)
Then i realized my mistake :(. Beveled the wrong side
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~120.jpeg)
Drilled the stop holes in the pegboard or whatever it's called. Drilled half way through, flipped and drilled the rest to try to reduce tearout from the spade bit. still had a little mess, but not too bad
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~122.jpeg)
I flipped the chop around because of the bevel debacle. Had to make a new rebate to fit the screw hardware but it call came together ok.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~121.jpeg)
Quote from: lowpolyjoe on December 18, 2015, 08:43:08 PM
Took more work than I expected to plane down the dogs to fit properly. I destroyed one in the process by planing it completely out of square.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~100.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~99.jpeg)
Because each dog hole is slightly different, I used my new harbor freight stamp kit to mark the holes and the corresponding dogs so I don't mix them up down the road
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~101.jpeg)
what are the pegs and the grove down the center for ???
The pegboard (don't know if it has a formal name) is attached to the bottom of the moveable part of the leg vise (chop) and extends through a mortise in the table leg. It has holes at different locations to accommodate different thickness of workpieces. If you're going to clamp a 1" thick workpiece, you put the peg in the hole that's close to 1" away from the chop and then when you tighten the screw, the peg presses against the leg of the table and prevents racking, keeping the chop square.
Regarding the 'groove down the center', I assume you mean the groove in the benchtop? That is supposed to get a piece of wood that will sit flush with the benchtop during normal use. Then I can flip it upside down and thick 'prongs' will stick up out of the bench and I can push stock against them as a planing stop. I had a 'brilliant' design that was supposed to let the plane stop sit at different heights depending on how I positioned it in the groove, but when I started building it, I immediately realized it wouldn't work as I planned. I have the piece of wood that goes in that slot but I still have to rip it to the proper height and plane it to the proper width. The groove has actually proved somewhat useful as a tiny 'well' - which is a common workbench feature that people build into their benchtops to store small tools below the surface so they don't interfere with laying workpieces on the benchtop.
thanks for the info :) i have my bench planed and ready to glue up but i was just going to make a big solid slab but maybe i need to rethink my plans ??? :D :D :D yours looks great btw :)
Quote from: sandsawmill14 on December 27, 2015, 12:17:47 PM
thanks for the info :) i have my bench planed and ready to glue up but i was just going to make a big solid slab but maybe i need to rethink my plans ??? :D :D :D yours looks great btw :)
Thanks :).
This Christopher Schwartz book was recommended to me and it has a lot of good info in it if you want to read something written by an expert
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440310408?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00
Working on my tail vise
I meticulously chiseled out a rebate for the stationary jaw
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~139.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~138.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~140.jpeg)
Afterward I thought I would prefer having the metal jaw level with the top of the bench. So I sawed off the top of this piece so the top of the metal jaw almost poked through the top. Then I realized that would mean I would have to chisel out an ENORMOUS slot from the bottom for the bench to properly mount the vise itself. So I had to then glue the off-cut back on to the top of that piece. Very frustrating. lol :D. Glue'd up a double-wide chop at the same time
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~133.jpeg)
Need a dog hole in the chop
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~134.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~135.jpeg)
Mounted
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~136.jpeg)
In use. Finally 8)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~137.jpeg)
I tested some old shellac I had laying around (sanding sealer). It seemed like it was drying fine in a short time, so I sanded the benchtop and threw on a coat. I'll probably add a few more coats but dinner was calling
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~131.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30795/image~132.jpeg)
smiley_thumbsup
Great job, thanks for sharing the build with us. smiley_applause
Looks really nice! Good job! Does it move when you plane the face of a board?
Now we're looking forward to all the purdy furniture you're going to build on that bench!
That bench is finer than a frog hair (old saying). Great job.
Thanks everybody. :)
Overall I'm happy with the result. Still have a few things to finish up (deadman and shelf) but other stuff is taking up my time right now.
I'm very much looking forward to learning to make furniture 8)