| Project by tkh | posted 09-18-2010 07:49 PM | 3072 views | 6 times favorited | 14 comments |  |
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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
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459 posts in 4439 days
#1 posted 09-18-2010 08:11 PM
That’s a great looking bench! Welcome aboard…
-- Pops ~ In So Cal...
Rick Dennington
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7228 posts in 4651 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
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9 posts in 4264 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
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4240 posts in 5033 days
#4 posted 09-18-2010 11:09 PM
Great looking bench Tim.
Welcome aboard!
Richforever
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#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
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#6 posted 09-19-2010 02:18 AM
Very nice
-- "Not skilled enough to wipe jam on toast!"
PurpLev
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8654 posts in 5106 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
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140 posts in 4691 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
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32122 posts in 4324 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
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754 posts in 4484 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
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264 posts in 4296 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
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#12 posted 10-17-2010 09:55 PM
Nice looking bench.
a1Jim
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#13 posted 10-17-2010 10:18 PM
Great looking bench good job.
-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos
groland
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#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
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