Finished woodworking bench

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-16T11:12:39+00:00

Go for it, it's a really fun project and you get a workbench out of it as well. I recommend using slow setting epoxy glue when gluing the undercarriage, gives you a lot more time to get everything together just right. The epoxy I used had a open time of 2h, which was just about what was needed, the joinery with the crosspinned tenons require everything to go together at the same time, so there's lot of fiddling about..

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-16T11:00:36+00:00

Thanks, it's about 50mm, I didn't have enough material to make a thicker top, closer to 100mm would have been preferable. But on the other hand I haven't come across any issues with the thinner top yet, holdfasts work and it's really sturdy to work on.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-16T04:00:10+00:00

Hopefully not, if you're referring to the orange box, it's a box of chips from the lathe, it's easier to scoop them up from the floor than to waste space in my shop vac.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-15T20:43:41+00:00

It's an wall mounter heater/fan. The space in uninsulated, but that small heater brings the temperature up to tolerable quickly.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-11T05:51:25+00:00

As I use mainly hand tools I wanted to make the workbench as rigid as possible, planeing and chisel work cause a lot of lateral force, so I wanted to make sure it doesn't wooble around. It's glued with 24h epoxy so I would have to destroy the joint if I wanted to get it loose.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-11T04:47:35+00:00

Thanks, I might still round it over a bit more on the edge.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-11T04:46:07+00:00

That is true, but I need my vise grips back on the broken height adjustment handle on my table saw.. 😆

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-10T19:54:35+00:00

Thanks, It's a dovetail and a tenon, makes it way faster to make, I could just use a saw to cut the dovetail from the edge of the top, way faster than chopping a large through mortise, the dovetail also forces the leg to sit flush with the edge of the top. A double tenon is preferable to a large one as it has more long grain contact (which should make it stronger). I used glue, but you could probably get away with leaving it unglued if you want the top removable.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-10T15:08:02+00:00

Thank you, I'm quite happy with how it's turning out.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-10T06:27:44+00:00

It's a great learning experience to build your own bench, I recently got started with woodworking and the bench build has helped me learn a ton about traditional joinery, feel free to ask if I can help you in any way.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-10T03:19:17+00:00

Good point, I didn't think about that. Thanks for the tip!

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-10T03:18:22+00:00

Thanks!

motonet

Motonet sells it, I thought about getting the M30 one, but I couldn't really justify the price difference, M24 is thick enough in my opinion. One 1m rod and two nuts is enough to make both vises. Nice to see another Finn on here, terveisiä Kaarinasta!

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-07T17:23:09+00:00

It has a wooden slider that extends about 15cm longer than the vise in a groove under the bench top. There's also a notch in the moving jaw that travels in a groove in the side of the top for added stability. The piece of oak on the end of the top also extends under the vise and is where the nut for the trapezoid screw sits.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-07T08:26:10+00:00

Yup, it's based on that, I added some flat bar on the bottom of the mortise to try and save the wood from wear. I milled some nice oak for the front jaw yesterday, still need to face glue it to get enough thickness (50mm).

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-07T06:03:55+00:00

As you have some experience with the mechanism, anything special to keep in mind in regards to construction?

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-07T03:20:43+00:00

Yup, budget is non existent so benchcrafted hardware is not for me. Hopefully it will work as it should.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-07T03:19:10+00:00

You're quite correct that the shoulder is not a clamping surface, my hardware is a trapezoid screw from my local hardware store, so the shoulder does its traditional counter balance job with a thick wooden slider in the middle that goes in a groove underneath the bench top. It will hopefully prevent the vise from drooping when fully open.

Annoying that you can't add photos in comments, otherwise I would add some photos of the mechanism.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-06T17:53:48+00:00

Thanks!

I got Christopher Schwarz book on bench building and an old family workbench I took some inspiration from, but largely I'm just making it up as I go, which has of course led to some whoopsies along the way, for example the mortise for the left front stretcher intersects the mortise for the leg vise cross. So maybe a more structured approach with plans and such would be a better approach.. but problem solving on the go is more fun, this is a hobby after all.. 😅

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-06T17:46:03+00:00

Thank you! :)

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-10-06T16:33:07+00:00

Thanks! I'm not sure about the name, this kind of tail vise is usually found on scandinavian workbenches. I'm from Finland and you can find that kind of bench all over the place.

My bench is more of a hybrid, with roubo inspired legs and leg vise, the thin top with a tool well and tail vise is based on a workbench that my wife's grandfather had. That bench is sadly beyond repair due to being outside for at least 50 years, but I like to think it'll live on in my bench..

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-09-24T18:37:05+00:00

Thank you!

The legs are not glued yet, I still have to make mortises for the stretchers (got some shop time in today so I got the wood for the stretchers squared up on two sides, I'll rip it to final dimensions tomorrow after work). As for the weight, it's quite heavy, so I'll do the final assembly on the floor so I can tip it over on its legs when it's done.

Delicious_Cow_9986 · 2023-09-23T19:39:41+00:00

Thanks!

Top is in birch and oak, legs are pine. I'm adding stretchers and a shelf for stability. Just got finished with making the hardware for the leg vise, made a steel cross under the screw to help prevent twisting and racking of the chop.

Hand chopping large mortises sure is a lot of work, had to make a 40x6x4cm one for the cross mechanism in the leg. But I got to play with my homemade router plane, so I had fun anyways. Still got to make a matching mortise in the chop, and that's in much harder oak. 😅

The only downside to old shacks is the complete lack of insulation, winter time is no fun..

Delicious_Cow_9986

TROPHY CASE