Project Information
This workbench replaces my first one, built with 2×4s and plywood then mounted on wheels for a small shop. I got a lot of use out of my original, but the minute I got into hand planning, I realized I could not have a bench that did a hula dance when I applied the smallest amount of elbow grease. This is a step up.
So, here it is. 80"x 31" (#4.5 and #7 Bailey's shown) top made from 1.25" x 2.75" laminated strips of soft maple set on edge. Each end of the top is 1.75"x 3.5" hard maple, breadboarded with pins. The front three courses are 1.75"x 3.5" hard maple to accomodate the wagon vice and I figured this area will get the most wear. All perimeter edges are beveled save a 17" area to the left front left square in anticipation of a face vice. I am concerned I will lose my nice long runway for planing with a vice there. Any thoughts or comments?
The top is mounted on 3.75"x 3.75" legs and bases. All mortise and tenoned, including the 1.75"x 6" stretchers with hardware. I am able to knock it down in case I get crazy enough to move it.
The top was laminated in small sections, using 10 K Besseys, assorted quick, pipe & Jorgensen wooden clamps for alignment. I built it up in small sections until I had two sections that had become too wide to run through the power planer. Finished it with the handplanes, the two Baileys and a Lie Nielsen #5.5 (sweet). Three coats of tunge oil gave it a nice patina.
The vice hardware is pretty straight forward, though I reverse mounted the flange on the right, the one closest to the handle, so as the resistence on the end of the bench increased it would not strip out the screws that held the flange. Now the flange and the screws move in the same direction as the load, with the pressure against the end piece. I am not sure how clear that will be in the photo.
All in all a worthwhile project that I must admit took longer than I thought, but a project I should have done 8 years ago. Thanks for looking.
Langski93
So, here it is. 80"x 31" (#4.5 and #7 Bailey's shown) top made from 1.25" x 2.75" laminated strips of soft maple set on edge. Each end of the top is 1.75"x 3.5" hard maple, breadboarded with pins. The front three courses are 1.75"x 3.5" hard maple to accomodate the wagon vice and I figured this area will get the most wear. All perimeter edges are beveled save a 17" area to the left front left square in anticipation of a face vice. I am concerned I will lose my nice long runway for planing with a vice there. Any thoughts or comments?
The top is mounted on 3.75"x 3.75" legs and bases. All mortise and tenoned, including the 1.75"x 6" stretchers with hardware. I am able to knock it down in case I get crazy enough to move it.
The top was laminated in small sections, using 10 K Besseys, assorted quick, pipe & Jorgensen wooden clamps for alignment. I built it up in small sections until I had two sections that had become too wide to run through the power planer. Finished it with the handplanes, the two Baileys and a Lie Nielsen #5.5 (sweet). Three coats of tunge oil gave it a nice patina.
The vice hardware is pretty straight forward, though I reverse mounted the flange on the right, the one closest to the handle, so as the resistence on the end of the bench increased it would not strip out the screws that held the flange. Now the flange and the screws move in the same direction as the load, with the pressure against the end piece. I am not sure how clear that will be in the photo.
All in all a worthwhile project that I must admit took longer than I thought, but a project I should have done 8 years ago. Thanks for looking.
Langski93