| Project by tkh | posted 09-18-2010 07:49 PM | 2849 views | 6 times favorited | 14 comments |  |
 |
Last year I decided to finally make a tradtional woodworkers bench, so I used the Fine Woodworking article that featured a workbench shootout with 8 well known manufactures bench’s with pictures and spec’s. I tailored the bench to fit me. I have a portable bandsaw mill, and decided to use Ash hardwood that I milled, as my wood to build this. Because of my nature, and belief to buy American products, I just couldn’t purchase a bench vise that was made in China. So I searched for used bench vice’s. The two pictures don’t show the bench vices installed. I have since installed two Richards Wilcox bench vice’s with quick release capability, I believe from the 1920’s era. I cleaned these up, and they work just fine. I still need to drill 3/4 inch holes in the top because I plan on using the Veritas brand brass bench dogs. I know what you are going to say, they are not American made, well they are made in Canada, we have to compromise sometime. Now that the bench is a year old, and I have some dents and scratches, I guess I can drill the holes.
I used tradtional joinery techniques, mortise and tenon joints. I joined the top with yellow carpenters glue, with biscuits every 6 inches. Bench is 6 ft long, 24 inches wide, 36 inches tall. Bolted together with 1/2 inch bolts, threading into 1 inch aluminum rod that I drilled and tapped, and trued on the lathe. This bench is rock solid, and made a firm believer out of me using mortise and tenon joints throughout the construction of this bench. Thanks for lettilng me show this, Tim Heming.
14 comments so far
Popsnsons
home | projects | blog
416 posts in 3546 days
#1 posted 09-18-2010 08:11 PM
That’s a great looking bench! Welcome aboard…
-- Pops ~ In So Cal...
Rick Dennington
home | projects | blog
6784 posts in 3758 days
#2 posted 09-18-2010 08:34 PM
Greetings Tim, and welcome to Ljs…hope your stay here is a pleasent one, and a good learning experience.
A good, solid workbench is just about a “must-have ” in a woodshop…one that is rock-solid, dead-flat,
and won’t rack on you from pounding on it, etc…... You come through, looks like, all all accounts…..
A good bench will last you for years, but this may not be your last one to build….lol. I’ve built 5-6 benches…
-- " There's a better way.....find it"...... Thomas Edison.
tkh
home | projects | blog
9 posts in 3371 days
#3 posted 09-18-2010 09:06 PM
Thanks for the comments. I forgot to mention that after gluing the top, I had access to a SCMI industrial belt/drum sander at work. This helped in making this top flat and true. For Rick, you are right, I will probably build a couple more benches, or at least help my son’s build theirs.
Woodwrecker
home | projects | blog
4237 posts in 4140 days
#4 posted 09-18-2010 11:09 PM
Great looking bench Tim.
Welcome aboard!
Richforever
home | projects | blog
757 posts in 4284 days
#5 posted 09-19-2010 12:00 AM
Nice looking bench! Welcome aboard! This is one project I have yet to tackle.
-- Rich, Seattle, WA
Cantputjamontoast
home | projects | blog
416 posts in 3996 days
#6 posted 09-19-2010 02:18 AM
Very nice
-- "Not skilled enough to wipe jam on toast!"
PurpLev
home | projects | blog
8553 posts in 4213 days
#7 posted 09-19-2010 03:05 AM
great looking bench. looks very well made!
-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
dorran
home | projects | blog
140 posts in 3798 days
#8 posted 09-20-2010 04:54 PM
In the event of earthquake, go under this. Good work.
-- Life is about choices. You can spend a lot of money on furniture and have really nice furniture; Or you can spend a lot on tools and have even more expensive, crappy furniture. I made my choice.
helluvawreck
home | projects | blog
32086 posts in 3431 days
#9 posted 09-20-2010 04:59 PM
There ain’t nothing wrong with that bench and it will serve you well. You did a great job with it and congratulations on your work.
-- helluvawreck aka Charles, http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
sawblade1
home | projects | blog
754 posts in 3591 days
#10 posted 09-20-2010 05:01 PM
Are you a pro ? that bench is professional grade:)
Thanks for posting ;)
-- Proverbs Ch:3 vs 5,6,7 Trust in the lord with all thine heart and lean not unto your own understanding but in all your ways aknowledge him and he shall direct your path [email protected]
Walt
home | projects | blog
262 posts in 3403 days
#11 posted 09-20-2010 05:02 PM
Great looking bench I just finished a mobil one that does not look as pretty but it serves me well. You will not believe how much better you get when using a good bench
-- Walt Wilmington Delaware, http://[email protected]
Beginningwoodworker
home | projects | blog
13345 posts in 4237 days
#12 posted 10-17-2010 09:55 PM
Nice looking bench.
a1Jim
home | projects | blog
117793 posts in 4141 days
#13 posted 10-17-2010 10:18 PM
Great looking bench good job.
groland
home | projects | blog
221 posts in 3976 days
#14 posted 03-05-2017 05:04 PM
What a beautiful bench! Congratulations.
I drilled 3/4 inch holes in my bench top and countersunk their edges about 1/8 inch. I use the brass bench dogs from Lee Valley that you mentioned. I also use Gramercy Tools Holdfasts from, Tools for Woodworking. I have an ash workbench top about 3” thick and these items work very well indeed to cover my needs to fix stock to my workbench for a variety of operations. I have both long and short Lee Valley brass dogs and fine the shorter ones work well. The longer ones go all the way through the top and are sometimes blocked from use by vise parts, leg supports or other under-bench items. The Holdfasts need quite a few inches of clearance under the bench.
Good luck!
George
Have your say...