Building my Workbench #10: Home Stretch Baby!

Okay, so let’s say this blog sucks, at best. Or at least the author sucks at keeping it updated. It’s just hard when I squeeze in an hour here and there and next thing I know, it’s almost done and I haven’t taken any pictures :-0

But, I said I was going to blog the build so I’m not giving up no matter how sporadic the updates!

I got a lot of shop time this weekend and made great progress on the bench. I still have it upside down but the day when I can flip it over is in sight :-)) I finished mortising all the legs into the top a while back. I also installed my end vise prior to that but I don’t believe I ever took a picture. Well, here’s the bottom of it:

Over the last week I got all of my stretchers milled and got the short ones mortised in.

Yesterday evening I wrapped up the weekend by getting one of the long stretchers mortised in.

So when I went to bed last night I was feeling pretty good. Only 2 more mortises to chop then my bench will be functional! I need to make some drawbore pins and drive them in but I can do that after it’s upright. On the plus side, I did, by some fluke, end up with really good, tight M&T joints so even just dry fit it’s pretty rock solid. I figured once I have it upright, I’ll fit a shelf in and install my leg vise then I can make storage to go underneath when time permits.

But I woke up this morning and cursed a little. It dawned on me what a PITA it would be to install the leg vise with the bench on it’s feet. Boring the hole for the screw will be much better on the drill press but that could be done with a brace and bit. But the mortise for a parallel guide is a different story. I am definitely doing the bulk of that work with the drill press! I am so sick of chopping mortises that I’m tempted to throw all my chisels away so I’ll have a good excuse to never do another one. Only kidding of course. Sort of.

So, that’s the state of the never-ending bench build. I should get the last stretcher finished up and do a final dry-fit this week. Then I’ll get the leg vise under way. Hopefully it’ll be a painless process but we shall see.

Until next time I make any significant progress…

-- Kenny, SW VA, Go Hokies!!!