Building a new workbench #1: The top is glued up and the components are rough cut

Great write up and pics. I have building a similar workbench on my bucket list.

-- Seldom wrong, but never in doubt

Great idea for the lamination of the tops. I’ll have to remember that one when I build my bench.

-- Computer programmer by day, fine woodworker by night. Custom made joysticks for Console Systems and Personal Computers.

This is very cool. I finsihed a Holtzapel work bench out of hard maple about three weeks ago – 3” x 24” x 96” top. It is marvelous. the top was a bear to handle after all the glue up. I love it and know you will love yours as well.

Are you going to use the Veritas twin screw vise? It is a little tricky to get the two handles aligned. I had to deviate from the directions to get the handles aligned. The directions say to install the two screw fixtures, then install the chain and then screw the two handles in together. Well I did that and the two handles were not even close in alignment – off by 180 degrees. I the took the chain off, turned each handle to close the chop on the bench and had to reinstall the screw fixtures. It would have been much easier to install the screw fixtures after having gotten the handles aligned. I hope this makes ssense because it was a hassle to redo it. I read another on-line blogger had the same issue.

If you are going to use the 7” Lee Valley quick close vise, I ran into an issue there as well. On the rear attachment bolts, I had to add a washer shim between the vise plate and the bench underside. Otherwise, the vise was canted a bit.

Finally, the beeswax/turpentine/boiled linseed oil mixture as a bench finish covered in Woodworking Magazine as the best bench finish is indeed wonderful. It does smell while drying so keep a window open for several hours. It is 2 ounces beeswax (e.g. old candle) to 16 ounces turpentine to 16 ounces boiled linseed oil. My wife shaved the candle on a grater to get fine particles that would dissolve in the turpentine. I heated the mixture in a bath of hot water to get it to totally dissolve. It is a gel at room temperature. i heated it in warm water before applying it and applied three coats over three days.

Mark,
Great start so far. I appreciate your insight into glueing up the top one board at a time. I have my Roubo top boards glued up into 3 board sub assemblies right now. They are pretty flat, but I will be jointing and planing then individually before glueing them together. I was worried about the glue up for this 28” wide slab but I think tackling it one piece at a time will be so much easier. Thanks for the tip. Love that quality Groff & Groff Ash! Our benches will almost be related when I get mine done!

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UVA, Thanks for the words about the Veritas Twin Screw, that is indeed the vise I’m using. The end vise will be a Jorgensen 10” model. I had to shorten the base 6” to allow enough clearance for the vise. Do you remember which issue of Woodworking that the workbench finish formula was published in? I must have missed it, but I’d like to read that.

-- Mark

Shannon, One additional thing about the glue up. In photo above you’ll notice that all of the clamps are on the same side of the slab – this is the first slab. On the second one I alternated the clamps. I don’t know why I didn’t do it on the first one, but it also helped keep things square. Even though the clamps are supposed to be parallel, they still tended to pull the board toward the clamp ever so slightly. Alternating them completely eliminated that tendency.

-- Mark

The bench finish article is Autumn 2005, page 30, Woodworking Magazine.

That is a great idea regarding the glue up for the top. I will give it a try. I look forward to watching your progress.

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