my workbench is finally finished...well almost

Super nice bench

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

It looks really nice!

Bill

Greetings Mike: You did good on the bench. It looks really nice. Stout and strong, it will serve all your needs for many years. The 3 layers of MDF will give it a dead-flat top… What are the final diminsions? You still have enough room underneath for some drawers or storage if you decide to use it that way. Very impressive.

-- " Don't ever wrestle a pig in a mudhole....he'll be having more fun than you..!!

Nice work

-- GO DAWGS!

Mike,
Great job…the oak is nice…............

-- Terry, Fredericton, NB Canada

A nice workbench indeed!

-- "Heaven is North of the Bridge"

thats to nice to work on mike.well done.

$10 vise, nice pick-up there, just think of all the great projects that will come off that bench. Nice clean lines.

-- Jim, Nebraska

nice bench, good work

-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop, http://www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com

Nice bench. Looks like it is made to work on, rather than just to show off the craftsmanship of the maker. I really like that quality as opposed to some benches that are too beautiful to dent, scratch and other wise damage.
I notice the blocks near the cross-members. Do they cover bolts? The reason I ask is that I have a bench that is made using exposed j-bolts, simpson ties and bowling alley t-n-g for the top. It is uuuggggllllyyy but like an old friend, stable, reliable, and forgiving of my mistakes.

-- Abe Low, Fine furniture, Sacramento, CA

Looks Great! it does take a lot of time to put something like this together. but look at the results. Job well done!

-- Tim, Tallahasse FL

Thanks to all for the nice compliments.

Rick, You asked what the final dimensions are….Just a little over two feet wide by 6 1/2 feet long and just under 3 feet off the ground. I debated long and hard about the top, even had the oak for it but decided on the MDF partly out of your recommendation. I intend to use the bench, it is not intended to be just a showpiece and wanted something both sturdy as well as reliably flat. As it turns out the bench is perfectly flat and level. Now my only concern is as to how well the MDF will hold up under hand tool usage. Don’t know yet if I will be doing drawers or not, but the shelf is there so I will use it.

Abe, Yes those blocks that you see do in fact cover the bolts used to connect the stretchers to the legs. Originally I had bought four bolts from Highland Tool designed for workbenches the problem that I encountered was that when tightening the last one, I broke the bolt. The barrel nuts have a different thread and rather than order another set I went to Lowes and purchased a half by six inch bolt with lock washer. I liked how it went in and ended up using the same on all four legs/stretchers. I didn’t need the blocks to cover up the sides or the ends for that matter, just did it because I thought it made the bench look nicer. They are screwed on with brass screws so they are removable if I ever need to retighten anything.

-- When all else fails...buy a new tool !!

looking great from here Mike
and I´m glad to see you back
in the shop again

Dennis

A Wilton vise for $10! Nice…

Very nice work bench

-- Weatherswoodworking@gmail.com