858 days ago
by Jeff |
13 comments »
Hullo, folks. I’ve been sneaking in a little more time on the bench and have an update. In the last entry I mentioned a snaffu with my chamfers. I got those all done in short order on the router table. I even took a chance on the leg I had already assembled. The fit with the lag bolt was of course a little looser when I reassembled the leg but nothing to get uptight about. This was pleasing.I put the legs together and then drilled my holes for the lag bolts in the ends of the stretcher....
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866 days ago
by Jeff |
15 comments »
This is my interpretation of this cleverly designed bench by Fine Woodworking’s shop manager, John White. There have been a few mentions of this bench on the site and I have been eagerly anticipating having the time to build my version of the bench.
I’ve had the lumber for about a month but had to sacrifice time in the shop to get our condo ready for sale this summer. Those preparations are all behind KT and I now and I can finally work in the shop when I want to. We’ve h...
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901 days ago
by mot |
6 comments »
Well, I got the vise installed. I used red oak for the vice face for two reasons. The primary reason is that I’ve never installed a vice before and it was my test piece. The second reason is I liked the way it eventually worked so it graduated to my workpiece and the finished product.
A quick test drive of the system for cutting some tails and it’s 100% success. The vice racks more than I hoped, but this procedure doesn’t involve extreme vise pressure and a like t...
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909 days ago
by TheGravedigger |
9 comments »
As requested, here is my basic plan for the workbench base. This was my first (semi) successful drawing with Google SketchUp, so please pardon the crudeness. I plan on starting on this phase in the next week or two (after payday).
The wood will be southern yellow pine dimension lumber. With the exception of the 2x6 lower stretchers, the rest will be 2x4's. The upper stretchers will be single thickness, the outside legs and feet will be glue-lams of 2 studs, and the center legs and ...
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911 days ago
by TheGravedigger |
7 comments »
After the holes were bored and the jaws were shaped, it was time for installation. Every vise hardware set is probably a little different, so I won’t get too technical here. The bottom line is that the mount assembly is positioned on the underside of the benchtop and screwed or lag-bolted into place. Then, the jaw is threaded onto the guide rods and screw, which are then run through their respective holes in the mount and secured. The screw is then tightened to snug the jaw up again...
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912 days ago
by TheGravedigger |
7 comments »
I decided at this point that I should install the front and end vises with their wooden jaws prior to surfacing the top. So, my son and I (remember, 150 pounds or so) flipped the benchtop on its back, and I made sure the vise mounting spots were relatively flat and square to the edges. Then it was time to construct the wooden jaws, and obviously, whitewood would never do for this application. The only logical choice seemed to be maple, which is not available as a locally-produced wood.
...
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914 days ago
by TheGravedigger |
7 comments »
In the beginning were the catalogs, and in the catalogs were beautiful workbenches, and attached to the workbenches were not-so-beautiful prices.
Is there a single one of us that has looked at a catalog and not drooled over the incredible workbenches therein? Some may have unlimited funds, but I have trouble dropping a grand on a work surface. There are too many areas that have a greater demand on my hard-earned dollars. On the other hand, trying to edge-plane a board on a 6-foot foldin...
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923 days ago
by mot |
8 comments »
Yeehaw! I anticipated this step all day. I had originally planned to use Dowelmax to join these pieces because I was more comfy with the jig and this has to align perfect. I then though, phooey! I’ll use Domino and give it a good test drive.
The first picture shows the Festool Domino fitted with the Trim stop. This fitting allows you to “center or off-set the Domino joiner on narrow work pieces for perfect positioning.”
HA! If anyone can screw this up, I can! I d...
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925 days ago
by mot |
1 comment »
I've just started stock preparation for this little auxillary bench. I'll keep a construction photo log going at my Picasaweb Album.
I'm thining I'd like the tressel base, legs and stretchers to be about 1 1/2 inches thick. I've only got 4/4 maple so I've laminated some pieces together.
The picture shows my laminations. I decided to use some of those Somona clamps that I chastised in my shop tour. I felt bad for them. They hold such premium wall space I thought I'd give the...
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978 days ago
by gizmodyne |
11 comments »
Some of you were interested in how I built my workbench. Here are a few more details.
The TopThe top is 1 3/4” x 24” x 60” prelaminated maple. Super cured infrared style. From woodcraft. $200
The LegsHere you see the legs. They are made from 4×4 home depot material fir. I passed them trough the planer for a crisp look. They are biscuited with #20’s. In this pic. Witness me drilling out for the lag bolts and screws.The short one is setup material.Here I brea...
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