Work bench smack down

Someone please give me one of those quotes about success being built on a mountain of failures….

I kept tapping the threads deeper and deeper hoping it would fit but it wasn't the diameter of the whole, it was the thread pitch, its off a little, and since the leg is pretty thick there are a lot of teeth that engage the nut so it has to be right on. The screw makes it through the leg but then gets stuck. I have no idea why this is happening…

There is a ray of hope though. One of the very first practice screws I made from fire wood fits perfectly. I will get another blank ready and use the very first jig I made.

I'll do a blog with the details. Thanks for the support guys, still a little bummed.

Maur, no inspiration here, just hard reality. You can't quit now, my friend… You're almost finished, and it is the finish that lasts forever. Get it right, you can do it. Good luck, I'm rooting for you!

Thanks Smitty, there is no way I'm quiting, couldnt live with myself…

mbs, how did you make that bench? Did you weld the parts together? I really like it.

^It looks like some serious angle iron. A guy made a wheeled stand for my bandsaw. I don't know which is heavier. He was 6'6" and I am not. I had to get rid of it, else I'd have to stand on a stool. I didn't want my tall friends seeing that.

This should solve all the vise problems ;-)

Thanks for that link Tomamax, Thats pretty cool, if it wasn't for the really large hole you have to drill in your bench I'd go try it out.

I don't care what they say about Schwarz, he introduces you to some pretty cool little nuggets of information on old school woodworking.

So I was reading the latest issue of WoodenBoat magazine and there was an article about gondolas. They are fascinating in their own right but one of the photos shows a man carving a "forcole" that is the arm that holds the oar and is the fulcrum that they push against. I have been intrigued by them for years but never thought about how the were made. Check out this vise.
Dang photobucket is not loading my album so fall back to YouTube.

Al, does Lake Eerie recommend any particular finish on their wooden screws? I'm thinking just some BLO and Wax.

Wow, fascinating video Jim, that screw looks like its about 3". The only power tool I saw in there was a jointer and a band saw.

Yea I thought of you Mauricio, the photo I wanted to show was neat in that the end of the screw was turned like a finial, the threads didn't just end. Actually if you google "forcola" and click on images you will find what I wanted to share. That is the great thing about these forums (this one in particular) so many like minded people with different backgrounds and resources accessing areas other people might not go. I've also got a lot of those old gems like on the Schwarts blog. Too bad the vise thread I tried to start lost steam. I'll pull a couple out later. One is from 1929 I believe and they are complaining about the pin in the leg vise and how to get around it. Some things never change.

Great pic but I can't see the finial on my phone. Ill look closer at home.
I was all about that clamping thread you started, I'm sad it didn't catch on, let's try to revive it if you have more stuff to share. I like all that McGuiver shiit.

Freestanding wooden-screwed leg vise. Phenomenal!
Maur, I'm not sure, as my Eeries are gathering dust.

Those videos are incredible, Jim. That guy's really working the smoother in the first one. I think that's a Butcher plane, too.
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Check out the skew on that stroke.

I like that giant wing nut on the screw, I see what you mean about the little dome on the end of the screw, looks nice, I'll have to do that on my next one, I already removed the spur marks form my screw so I can't put it back on the lathe.

I googled Focola, amazing stuff, I love how it's a functional work of art. I've been to Venice, before I was a woodworker, wish I would have paid more attention.

Now I need one of those and I don't own a boat. I just love seeing woodbodies at work. I love that he chose those. Much respect.

For those of you that have made benches out of Beech, how easy is it to work? I know that several companies make workbenches out of beech so I know it is a good wood to use. Where I live, I found a wood dealer that sells 8/4 s2s european beech for not much over #2 a bf where as hard maple is running almost $5 a bf for the same 8/4 s2s. So it would be way more affordable than maple for a bench top.

Also, I asked this question earlier but didn't see any replies. On the leg vise versus a twin screw vise in a similar location, can someone fill me in on the advantages/disadvantages of each. I like the idea of a twin screw vise but the leg vise looks more versatile in both capacity and usability.

Thanks.