# Weekend Bench



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Getting Started*

Okay, I should probably preface this by stating that I started this bench about 2 months ago. I have been gathering lumber and vise hardware as economically as possible. So before anyone tries to duplicate this bench in a weekend they should seed out the lumber and acclimate it to their shop as well as purchase the vise hardware.

That said, you need a bench to build a bench. Sorry, I haven't come up with a way around this yet. To date I have a fairly well equipped shop, yet I still feel helpless when it comes to dealing with work holding. I could start in by laminating up a benchtop, but that becomes a difficult task without a place to deal with the rough stock I have on hand. So in this case necessity is the mother of invention. I need a bench. I don't want to spend 6 months or even 1 month building it. I have been boning up on work holding strategy and think I have a good handle on things.

The plan:
laminate MDF top 3in thick
Poplar legs
twin screw front vise
quick release end vise

The goal:
Heavy
stable
quick construction
use rough lumber without surfacing 
meet 90% of my holding needs

Okay, so let's dive in:

Laminate away

Okay, so there is more than meets the eye. Applying glue to 32sqft at a time is not a walk in the park. By the third lamination I had it down to about a 5min process, but the first one was not as easy. First step was roughing out the sheet goods. In the end none on the pieces had perfect rips. I trudged on and laminated up 1 sheet at a time. I found the best edges and used these for the front. Glue up was a race against time. I found that pouring glue on the board and then rolling from there was the fastest way to get full coverage. Once glued I would flip the boards face to face, align, and then clamp. I added the sand bags for additional pressure in the middle. Full width cauls would work better I imagine.

One item to note. My garage is no level surface. I used a couple of 2×4 boards to level the trimmed out sheets. It worked well. I did not joint or go to any great lengths to get 100% flatness over the 8ft length. I did verify that I had flatness to 6ft with my aluminum level. A good Jointed edge would likely get a little more flatness, but for all intents and purposes the 6ft flat is better than any other surface in my shop, so I think it is good enough for me. You decide for yourself how flat you want to be or obsess over.

Okay, so I mentioned that less than perfect rip situation. Say hello to my little friend…

The 2.5in Bosch bit gets most of the way there. If the top were only 3 layers deep it would be the cats meow.

In with the straight edge. I just used a scrap of 3/4in ply.


Here is what we are looking like after a straight pass.



On the ends I used a scrap of maple I had. Be sure to check for square to the front edge here.


Flip the top over. Install a bearing guided flush trim bit and clean up.


Let your daughter or other small mammal bounce on your 4 square laminated mdf top.


No, it is not done and no it is not all roses. I did bobble the router a few times on the rear face. The bit was dulled after the front face and I tried to fight it. In the end I stopped and sharpened the bit. In retrospect I should have sharpened it before starting despite it being a brand new bit.

Sharp bits work wonders. A 2.5in tall and dull bit is a lot to handle. Fortunately only the rear ended up with any issue.

Okay, so now I an ready for edging and vise mounting. Stay tuned.


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## Andraxia (Oct 16, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting Started*
> 
> Okay, I should probably preface this by stating that I started this bench about 2 months ago. I have been gathering lumber and vise hardware as economically as possible. So before anyone tries to duplicate this bench in a weekend they should seed out the lumber and acclimate it to their shop as well as purchase the vise hardware.
> 
> ...


I assume you are going to use bench dogs. I have been holding off trying to work out how to drill the holes as they need to be uniformly layed out. Any ideas?

I too have often found my offspring utilising my hard work for purposes other then intended.

Looking good I am awaiting further posts.


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting Started*
> 
> Okay, I should probably preface this by stating that I started this bench about 2 months ago. I have been gathering lumber and vise hardware as economically as possible. So before anyone tries to duplicate this bench in a weekend they should seed out the lumber and acclimate it to their shop as well as purchase the vise hardware.
> 
> ...


Looks pretty good over all. Are you planning on putting an apron or anything around it? If so, I'd think that would hide the goof, even if the back were visible.


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## TheCaver (Nov 21, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting Started*
> 
> Okay, I should probably preface this by stating that I started this bench about 2 months ago. I have been gathering lumber and vise hardware as economically as possible. So before anyone tries to duplicate this bench in a weekend they should seed out the lumber and acclimate it to their shop as well as purchase the vise hardware.
> 
> ...


Hah, your small mammal is a riot!

As for the holes in the top, its pretty simple actually. Lay out your lines across the width of the bench square to the front (the short direction). Once you have this, take a small block of 2×4 and drill a 3/4 hole through it on the drill press (this step is important since it will be used to guide the bit). Next, mount it to a thin (1/2in or so) scrap about as wide as your bench (screw it down, don't glue it). Now get your drill and complete the 3/4" hole through the jig. Next, decide where you want your first row of holes and mount another scrap block to the underside of the thin piece (screws only, you'll need to remove it to do the next row! You're making a large bench hook here.) Now simply slide the jig along the bench clamping it down and drilling away.

This thing takes about 10 min to make and needn't be accurate at all, it really is foolproof. If you need a pic, PM me, I think I may still have it lying around from my bench….

JC


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting Started*
> 
> Okay, I should probably preface this by stating that I started this bench about 2 months ago. I have been gathering lumber and vise hardware as economically as possible. So before anyone tries to duplicate this bench in a weekend they should seed out the lumber and acclimate it to their shop as well as purchase the vise hardware.
> 
> ...


Hi guys (gals). Yes, the top will have round dog holes lined up with the vise dog of the end vise. The carver pretty well nailed the easiest method to install them.

I am going to mount the end vise first. Kind of goes with the theme of needing a bench to build a bench. If I was dealing with straight s4s then I could install the aprons first. However since I am working rough lumber I need the vise and dogs in place to aid in hand planing the wood to size.

The legs will be quick and dirty construction. I would like to do a knock down base, but I think that gluing it up will give more rigidity and it will be less prone to racking. I started this series to show a quick bench. I needed something WWer specific and just can't justify the time or expense to do anything too refined. There is a whole gamut of styles of this "quick bench" theme. Most seem to have issues, limitations, and design issues I don't want to incorporate. I want to pick my favorite features of a Holtzapfel or Roubo style bench and incorporate those into my quick bench.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting Started*
> 
> Okay, I should probably preface this by stating that I started this bench about 2 months ago. I have been gathering lumber and vise hardware as economically as possible. So before anyone tries to duplicate this bench in a weekend they should seed out the lumber and acclimate it to their shop as well as purchase the vise hardware.
> 
> ...


How many of the neighbors will it taketo get that top on the bench?? I had to get a couple to help me with mine. I agree with the quick and dirty. Get'er done and work wood.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting Started*
> 
> Okay, I should probably preface this by stating that I started this bench about 2 months ago. I have been gathering lumber and vise hardware as economically as possible. So before anyone tries to duplicate this bench in a weekend they should seed out the lumber and acclimate it to their shop as well as purchase the vise hardware.
> 
> ...


Nice start, Doug.


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting Started*
> 
> Okay, I should probably preface this by stating that I started this bench about 2 months ago. I have been gathering lumber and vise hardware as economically as possible. So before anyone tries to duplicate this bench in a weekend they should seed out the lumber and acclimate it to their shop as well as purchase the vise hardware.
> 
> ...


I'm looking forward to seeing more. I've heard interesting things about using mdf for tops when combined with vises of any kind, but I think most people are talking about a single sheet of MDF. This sounds like it will be really stable. I'm hoping to build a bench of my own down the road so I'll enjoy following along with you.

Notice how I'm trailing along behind you on many of your projects? You must be a faster worker than me and I don't even have any kids yet! lol.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting Started*
> 
> Okay, I should probably preface this by stating that I started this bench about 2 months ago. I have been gathering lumber and vise hardware as economically as possible. So before anyone tries to duplicate this bench in a weekend they should seed out the lumber and acclimate it to their shop as well as purchase the vise hardware.
> 
> ...


Thos, that is a good question and one I will have an answer for sooner or later. I have been man-handling it around the shop so far by myself, but it is getting heavier.

Hokie, glad you can join in another of my whirlwind adventures in learning. Keep chacking back on the series. I have 2 updates from todays adventures.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Rough lumber*

Rough lumber

Could be worse, but without a proper bench it is pretty hard to deal with.

My secret weapon (s)

Cheap Harbor Freight clamp on vises. They are barely functional stock. However with a few small alterations they can work quite well. I use hard maple cauls with sand paper for better grip to make them hold to the bench better. I lined the jaws with 1/8in plywood adhered with double sided duct tape. Not going to win any awards or admiration, but these vises will do in a pinch and the pair only set me back about $35-40. I do think that getting a pair is the key to stable clamping and also for working longer boards.

For long boards you will need support in the middle. I clamp a couple of parallel clamps to the bench and put a board on top of them for additional backing. Here is my setup for cleaning up a 98in long board.


My rough lumber buddies

The scrub is my new best friend. Today was my first heavy use. I can tell we are going to get along splendidly. The scrub takes about 1/16-3/32in per swipe, but it leaves a bunch of troughs behind that need to be cleaned up. Enter the No5. I start it at 45* and smooth out the scrub marks. Then I transition to working with the grain. Then out comes the No8 to flatten. Once flat I may take a lighter pass with the No5 to smooth out any blade marks from the No8.

In the end it ends up something like this. It takes me about 30 minute to flatten a face. I hope to get faster, but it may just depend on the material needing to be removed.


From here I can go to my planer and the tablesaw to 4 square the board.


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Rough lumber*
> 
> Rough lumber
> 
> ...


I'd love to get better at my handplaning but my practicing has caused an unexpected problem. The planing motion is causing me to quickly tear apart my cheap workbench! So right now, I need to limit my planing until I can get some type of stable work surface to plane on. I sometimes use the floor, but that does get really cold in winter.

A better workbench is in the work for the future, but how to build a workbench without already having one? LOL.

Considering you just got into handplane restoration, I'd say this was a pretty good effort with some great results. I'm sure it is just going to get easier and easier down the line when the new bench is done. I'm off to read post #3.


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## marcb (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Rough lumber*
> 
> Rough lumber
> 
> ...


Hokie,

When I built my bench most of the hand planing was done on saw horses. I made the horses with carriage bolts so I could re tighten things as the wracking forces played havoc.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Rough lumber*
> 
> Rough lumber
> 
> ...


Nice progress, Doug!


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Rough lumber*
> 
> Rough lumber
> 
> ...


Funny CJ 
This is just a hurdle that I have to put up with to make progress. It is not too bad, but I can't wait to have a bench so that I can work bigger boards easier.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Aprons for the MDF top*

I should refer to this entry as "more work than I had anticipated"...

I put in close to an 8hr day today and about all that I have to show for it is aprons around the mdf, a bit of new knowledge, and a few mistakes. I will run through this step by step. Again for the most part this is a keep it simple bench. There are other ways of doing most everything here. I am just going to lay out my method here.

The first hurdle of the day was figuring out how to deal with my rough cut, slightly cupped, lumber. Check installment number 2 of the series for the details http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/dsb1829/blog/6852

With that part figured out I moved onto mocking up the aprons.



I decided to dovetail the side aprons. Well, let me say that I am not the first nor the last to cut my tails the wrong direction. So I went with plan-B.

This was a fairly quick recovery. My rabbit and shoulder planes got a good workout.

I chose to glue the front apron on by itself to reduce the chance of error and also so that I wasn't scrambling too much to get everything covered in glue.


After letting the glue cure I double checked the mortises to make sure they were absolutely flush with the sides of the MDF. Then onto the side aprons. Glued and clamped. Those Bessey K-body extenders do come in handy when things get long (the 50in clamps don't hurt either). I used additional clamps to draw the side aprons into the front apron.



The rear apron is nothing fancy. I didn't even bother to surface it's outer face. Maybe if I get bored some day, but for the most part this side of the bench will be against a wall or only pulled out far enough for use. No overlapping joinery, just face glued to the mdf and but jointed on the ends. I used my block plane to trim it to length.



That's a wrap for today. I am pooped, but I had fun, used lots of my tools, tuned my new miter saw and my planer infeed, and learned a few things along the way. Without the errors, tool setup, and a solid game plan the work I did today could likely be done in half the time.

Time log: 10.5 hours compiled so far.


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Aprons for the MDF top*
> 
> I should refer to this entry as "more work than I had anticipated"...
> 
> ...


looking good. I'll keep checking in whenever you add new stuff.


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## kiwi1969 (Dec 22, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Aprons for the MDF top*
> 
> I should refer to this entry as "more work than I had anticipated"...
> 
> ...


I will be embarking on a workbench project soon myself so I will be interested to see how this works out. Good luck.


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Aprons for the MDF top*
> 
> I should refer to this entry as "more work than I had anticipated"...
> 
> ...


It's looking good so far. And the experience you've gained with worth a fortune, right?


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## FlWoodRat (Sep 12, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Aprons for the MDF top*
> 
> I should refer to this entry as "more work than I had anticipated"...
> 
> ...


DSB, I am enjoying your posts on this project. Looks like you will have a fine work top to use in the near future. By the way, does anyone else have "clamp envy?"


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## sry (Jul 9, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Aprons for the MDF top*
> 
> I should refer to this entry as "more work than I had anticipated"...
> 
> ...


It's amazing how a "simple" project like a workbench can teach you so many lessons.
And I have to say after building a shorter and thinner version of what you're working on, I'm very impressed that you can even move that massive MDF slab around the shop to work on it. My 5' double thick top was tough enough to move. Great work!


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Aprons for the MDF top*
> 
> I should refer to this entry as "more work than I had anticipated"...
> 
> ...


Nice work so far!


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Aprons for the MDF top*
> 
> I should refer to this entry as "more work than I had anticipated"...
> 
> ...


Hey everyone, thank you for the comments. Steve, that top is getting pretty heavy. It has to be getting up on about 160lb now. Definitely takes a bit of planning to move it around by myself. I will probably have to find a neighbor to right the bench once the legs, shelf, and vises are on it.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Rounding 2nd*

Okay, so another 8hr day in the books. Again I am humbled by what I can get done in a day. And again I see that a better plan would have taken a lot less time to accomplish the tasks I did today.

Well, the day started with some remorse over yesterdays hasty apron glue up and lumber sizing. I had intentionally left the aprons proud of the bench to flush trim. This isn't normally a problem on a light duty bench. But for this weekend warrior bench I have to flush trim aprons that are 1.5-1.75in thick. I don't know about you, but I don't have a bearing bit for my router that can handle anything over an inch.

No problem…

For the top I used a No4 and worked my way around gingerly. It flushed out quite well.


The bottom…
Ever hear of out of sight out of mind. Well, out came my new friend the scrub.

It made short work of getting rid of about 1/8th inch of material. It does leave a carved up mess behind, so I ran clean-up with the No4 and a No78. In the end we are sitting pretty despite a few hacks along the way.


I laid out the end vise, but that is as far as I got on the vise front today.


I need some legs. Here is the plan.



Here I am laying out the top stretcher. It will through bolt to the bench top. One benefit of mdf is that I can bolt the table down with little regard for seasonal movement. I did drill out the clearance holes a couple sizes big for wiggle room, but I don't think it is going to be necessary.


Gluing up the foot pads.


My high tech lumber ripping jig.

No really, that's it. No need to get stressed out. Just draw a line. Put a rip blade in the skill saw and follow that line. If you have a steady hand this actually provides decent results. I am a little embarrassed to admit that I get straighter rips on these 9ft boards this way than on my tablesaw.

Mocking up the milled leg parts.



Lots of pocket holes. I ended up using 8 screws per leg.

This may be overkill, but it was easier than trying to figure out a middle position with my 2-hole kreg jig. I just set the jig to the outside edge and drilled 2 holes, move it to the other edge and drop 2 more in. While I was drilling I dit the holes for the top mounting as well.


Glue up. I am not a fan of glue and screw. Usually things go sliding all over while the screw drives in. Not this time.

Between the Kreg geometry and utilizing some parallel clamps things stayed right where they were supposed to.


And a parting shot.

Again, I am pooped. I managed to find time to round over the feet. I still need to chamfer the bottom edges. Overall things are looking good. Tomorrow I should be able to bang out the lower shelf and mount the end vise. Maybe if I get froggy I can get the twin screw planned out.

Time log: 18.5hr accumulated (this is starting to look like a bit much to bite off for a single weekend)

I should mention that all lumber for the legs has been surfaced and squared. I had intended to use rough and only clean up the joinery, but I am a neat freek and just couldn't handle it. Also joinery becomes a nicer subject with s4s lumber. I cheated a bit more today. For the most part I got away with minimal hand flattening and skip planing to clean things up. Since all my parts are under 30in skip planing the 9ft boards yeilds pretty flat boards when it is trimmed down.

So yet again my vanity has cost me time. I also had an hour long run to the HW store for the screws and vise hardware. My other time sink today was sharpening planes and opening up the mouth on my No5. The No5 kept getting clogged. It does much better now. I am actually considering opening up one of my No4's as well. Since adding Hock irons the mouths are a bit tight for all this rough work.


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## oldskoolmodder (Apr 28, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Rounding 2nd*
> 
> Okay, so another 8hr day in the books. Again I am humbled by what I can get done in a day. And again I see that a better plan would have taken a lot less time to accomplish the tasks I did today.
> 
> ...


You could really use a workbench to make that on, ya know… oh wait…


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Rounding 2nd*
> 
> Okay, so another 8hr day in the books. Again I am humbled by what I can get done in a day. And again I see that a better plan would have taken a lot less time to accomplish the tasks I did today.
> 
> ...


Despite the number of hours it's taking, you seem to be making some really good progress on it just the same. I'm sure it'll be done before you know it 

I, for one, am looking forward to the final product!


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Advice*

Okay, more like add vise. Not much doing today. I spent a good 4 hours in the garage, but only got as far as mounting the end vise and the legs.

Using the predrilled holes on the legs and a transfer punch allows me to position the holes in the top.


I used a block jig to keep the holes lined up. I drilled the hole in the block using the drill press.


Next comes mounting the tail vise. I wavered back and forth on this. In the end I decided to just drop it into the end apron. 


Using the 1/2in spiral upcut bit I can get most of the way there.

I had to finish up with my 1/2×2.5in straight bit to get full depth. In the end you have something like this…



I took liberty to flip the bench today.

Not much new there other than that I have bolted the top to the legs.

Add a chock to the vise and call it a day.


Time log for project: 22.5hr


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## davidroberts (Nov 8, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Advice*
> 
> Okay, more like add vise. Not much doing today. I spent a good 4 hours in the garage, but only got as far as mounting the end vise and the legs.
> 
> ...


Nice looking bench. Just wondering, are you going to add stretchers to the legs to prevent side to side racking.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Advice*
> 
> Okay, more like add vise. Not much doing today. I spent a good 4 hours in the garage, but only got as far as mounting the end vise and the legs.
> 
> ...


Excellent question and a topic that I had intended to discuss. I have 4 kids running around and yelling at the moment, so please excuse any randomness.

The racking isn't too bad, but it is there. That comes with the territory of putting that much mass above realatively thin legs w/o braces. I am still not done with the bench. It will receive a lower shelf and additional leg bracing before all is said and done. I decided to work on the vises and get the top bolted today. Stay tuned for additional updates and completed project posts. I probably have 2-3 more installments before completion.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Advice*
> 
> Okay, more like add vise. Not much doing today. I spent a good 4 hours in the garage, but only got as far as mounting the end vise and the legs.
> 
> ...


Nice progress, Doug.


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Advice*
> 
> Okay, more like add vise. Not much doing today. I spent a good 4 hours in the garage, but only got as far as mounting the end vise and the legs.
> 
> ...


Doug,

You're definitely getting some serious progress made on that bench! Some stretchers on those legs, whatever front vise you're planning on using (if any), and some dog holes, and I'd call that bad boy done! It looks like it's going to be seriously sturdy and will give you some good service.

Nice job!


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Getting a little closer to being done*

I had to take a couple of days off for Holiday travel. I got back at the bench yesterday for about 6 hours and batched out the dog holes and lower shelf.

I am not overly thrilled with how the dog holes worked out. In the end I used an Irwin boring bit and this jig.
 
I found that using just one clamp allowed the board to wiggle some as the bit drove in. Doing it this way the second and third clamps secure the board better. A backing board is necessary.

or you will get blowout at the bottom…


Overall the boring bit didn't leave a great finish and it was constantly clogging. It also wobbled a bit due to runout. I don't think the bit was ever intended for nice work. Forstner bits are also pretty prone to clogging. I also found the forstner very hard to keep aligned. I think if I were to do it on a nicer bench I would use the router for the top inch and then a standard brad point bit to get full depth. I went cheap. It did work out, but again it was another learning experience.

I added a temporary stretcher to reduce racking so that I could use the bench to surface the boards for the bottom shelf.

This worked fairly well. racking was there, but not so bad that it affected my work.

The shelf is constructed with but joints. Since it is captured between the legs there isn't really a need for a stronger joint. Time will tell if that assumption was correct. As it is the bench is knock-down, so I could easily build a new shelf if it came to that.

I also had a scrap laying around that I mitered to fit on the diagonal. I don't think it does much, but I had the scrap and extra bracing never hurt anyone.


To finish up I moved the temporary stretcher to the rear and bolted it up. 


So there you have it…



Time log:24.5hr so far

Next up front twin screw construction and laminating up the front of the legs to flush them to the front apron.


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting a little closer to being done*
> 
> I had to take a couple of days off for Holiday travel. I got back at the bench yesterday for about 6 hours and batched out the dog holes and lower shelf.
> 
> ...


Sweet. It is really looking good.

I went through the dog hole thing this summer. It can be nerve racking. I bought a 3/4" spiral upcut router bit ($$$) and it cut like butter, but did not go all the way through. So I had to finsh drill with a bit such as yours. I admit, I have not finished all of them yet.

Amamzing how the time goes, huh?

Steve


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## thetimberkid (Apr 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting a little closer to being done*
> 
> I had to take a couple of days off for Holiday travel. I got back at the bench yesterday for about 6 hours and batched out the dog holes and lower shelf.
> 
> ...


Looking good!

Thanks for the post

Callum


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## DerekL (Aug 18, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting a little closer to being done*
> 
> I had to take a couple of days off for Holiday travel. I got back at the bench yesterday for about 6 hours and batched out the dog holes and lower shelf.
> 
> ...


Twenty four hours - shoot, you've got a whole day left in that weekend!


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting a little closer to being done*
> 
> I had to take a couple of days off for Holiday travel. I got back at the bench yesterday for about 6 hours and batched out the dog holes and lower shelf.
> 
> ...


Nice progress Doug.


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting a little closer to being done*
> 
> I had to take a couple of days off for Holiday travel. I got back at the bench yesterday for about 6 hours and batched out the dog holes and lower shelf.
> 
> ...


Looks good Doug. I can't wait to see the finished product, which can't be to far away, can it?


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Getting a little closer to being done*
> 
> I had to take a couple of days off for Holiday travel. I got back at the bench yesterday for about 6 hours and batched out the dog holes and lower shelf.
> 
> ...


Hey guys, thanks for the comments. I am thinking that this bench is more like a 2 weekend project 

Design as you go is a bit time consuming. With a plan in hand things would have gone faster. Also pre-milling all lumber to dimension would have been much less time than the mill as you go approach that I used.

Hey Steve, where did you find a 3/4in spiral upcut bit? I did a quick look at the usual suspects (rockler, woodcraft, mlcs, eagle) and didn't stumble on anything.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*A bit of reflection*

Okay, I am nearing completion on the bench.


I am currently working on the front vise. I will save that story for the finished product.

I am sitting here today having a bit of a reflective view of the project. So I am going to break it down here.

*Costs:*
$100 - about 100BF of rough 8/4 poplar (I will likely only have gone through about 40BF during this build
$81 - 3 sheets of 3/4in MDF (still have over half a sheet, I could have used some of the poplar for the lower shelf but was saving time)
$20 - 2 vise screws (usually these are about $30ea, but I got mine on closeout)
$35 - QR end vise (again, closeout price)
$100 - Glue, screws, nuts, bolts (I have a lot of extras here, with a plan there would have been less waste here)
$10 - 3/4in and 1in oak dowel rods
$25 - 3/4in S4S oak for front vise (2X 1×4x8ft, 1X 1×8x6ft)
...okay, so that is $371 by my math
I could have saved money here and there. I think you could repeat this project with better planning for around $250-300. I have erred to the side of time savings and over-bought on supplies.

*Things to do differently:*
1) Dog holes. I have mentioned this before. If doing this again I would invest in a good brad point bit. If cost were no object I would also use a 3/4in upcut spiral router bit for the initial bore.
2) Milling lumber. In the end I have milled most of my lumber to 1.75×3.5in. Had I dedicated a day upfront to just dimensioning the rough lumber I am sure it would have saved me time in the end.
3) A better QR vise. Honestly, I cheaped out. I couldn't stomach paying $150 for a good QR vise. Now I am saddled up to spend the next couple of years using a vise that I am no terribly fond of. It is a Bessey, but otherwise is not worth squat. It doesn't rack or sag, but it does rotate in torsion which may be more obnoxious.
4) A more substantial leg system. The bench is pretty solid. Maybe by the time I am done it will be rock solid. Some of the wiggle I am sure is due to the knock down construction. Glue and screw would be a more solid joinery approach.

*Things I did right:*
Open for discussion, but overall there are several aspects of the bench that I really like.
1) Size matters. While not going overboard I worked with full sheets of mdf and wrapped apron around the trimmed pieces. The bench top ended up at 27in wide and 101.5in long. It can handle just over 9ft long boards.
2) Mass for stability. By going a full 3in thick on the top it is solid. There is no sensation of give like my 1.75in thick plywood workbench.
3) Knock-down base. While I am still working to make the base 100% solid I am still very pleased with how it has turned out. Within about 20 minutes the bench can be broken down into small and manageable blocks. Of these blocks the benchtop itself is the only one that requires 2 people to move around (depending on how far it is going even this is debatable as I have been able to wrestle it around the garage myself thus far).
4) Right tools for the job. Chicken or the egg debate here, but in all honesty without the tools that I have at my disposal it would have been very difficult if not impossible to make this bench. There are some equivalents of course, but for the most part my hand planes and miter saw were life savers on this bench. I will take a minute to discuss tools below.

*Tools (must have, nice to have, worthless):*

*Must haves* (you could probably build the entire bench with just these tools and some perseverance)
- Circular saw
- Router (edge guide, edge bearing bits, long straight bit)
- HD drill (forstner bits 3/4 & 1-1/4, 3/4in bit for boring dog holes, 7/16in bit for thru holes for all 3/8in hardware)
- Jigsaw and or handsaws
- Clamps (lots of them, not much way to get around this one)
- work surface (I alternated between rubbermaid tubs and a 2×4 frame, keeping the top low to the ground allowed me to flip it and move it as I worked. Saw horses would have worked, but I couldn't have flipped the top without help if it had been up that high)

*Nice to haves* (I found several tools had me smiling and wondering what I would have done w/o them)
- 1/2in Spiral upcut and 2.5in straight router bits
- No4, No5, No8, and block planes, some things are just so simple with good planes
- 13in lunchbox planer (this is more of a must have if you start with rough lumber)
- Bandsaw
- Shoulder plane
- Clamp extenders (it is nice to have the option to clamp the aprons all the way across the benchtop)
- belt sander (for smoothing out the rounded over feet)
- Tablesaw (good for straight line ripping and getting repeatable widths on all parts)

*Worthless*
- Irwin boring bit (feeds too fast, clogs, leaves a rough hole behind)
- bevel gauge (some would say operator error, but I am sure it was my bevel gauge that laid my dovetails out backwards)
- 3/4in forstner for boring dog holes straight (don't bother it won't turn out well)

Okay, thanks for reading. Hopefully this is helpful to those looking to build a similar bench.


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## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *A bit of reflection*
> 
> Okay, I am nearing completion on the bench.
> 
> ...


Thanks, Doug. I have a need for a quality bench in my shop as my 4×8 melamine table is (1) too large for my shop and (2) not very stable. This series has been a help to me since I need to build a workbench to replace the assembly table.


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## PetVet (Nov 7, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *A bit of reflection*
> 
> Okay, I am nearing completion on the bench.
> 
> ...


I hate it when those bevel gauges act up! 
Great looking bench and very thoughtful and thorough post. Appreciate it!


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *A bit of reflection*
> 
> Okay, I am nearing completion on the bench.
> 
> ...


Looks great, Doug.


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *A bit of reflection*
> 
> Okay, I am nearing completion on the bench.
> 
> ...


Good write up. Thanks.

We had chatted before about 3/4" router bits. I had to go home and make sure I knew what I was talking about. The one I bought is an Onsrud 40-141 3/4" upcut spiral. Amazon has them for $36. I think I bought this from the rack at our local Woodcraft. Those guys know what we want. It is short though (but still wicked looking). It cut like a dream. It is HSS and not carbide, hence the reason it is not $150.

I took a pic of it along with the other bits that I had tried. Just for the fun of it:









Take care,
Steve


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *A bit of reflection*
> 
> Okay, I am nearing completion on the bench.
> 
> ...


Hey Steve, thanks for posting that here. I didn't see that bit listed on their site, gonna have to check again. The price isn't really that bad in HSS and it would likely only be used for dog holes and dados, so the HSS would likely still be a good investment. Just have to keep it away from the mdf, that stuff is murder on router bits.


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *A bit of reflection*
> 
> Okay, I am nearing completion on the bench.
> 
> ...


Doug,

I love reading about workbench builds, and will have to detail mine when I actually start as well. Trials and Tribulations are always great to hear about in any build, especially a workbench build, and yours has been no exception. I look forward to seeing the finished piece and seeing it put to work!


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *A bit of reflection*
> 
> Okay, I am nearing completion on the bench.
> 
> ...


Glad some are enjoying the journey with me. I will have an update on the front vise in a day or two. Just working evenings as time allows now that I am back on the 9-5 grind.

I ended up returning the Irwin boring bit. I told the Manager my thoughts on it and that I had indeed used it. He was fine to accept it back. Ordered up a set of giant brad point bits from Grizzly ( http://grizzly.com/products/Giant-Brad-Point-Bit-6-Pc-Set/H7695 ). The 3/4 in there should get me through the rest of the dog holes I need to do on this bench.

Stay tuned for more updates as I get them out…


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *A bit of reflection*
> 
> Okay, I am nearing completion on the bench.
> 
> ...


Okay, just came up on some information.
Woodcraft does infact carry the Onsrud 40-141 3/4in hss upcut spiral bit
WC PN: 03K53
$39

Might come in handy next time woodcraft has a good special running or coupon.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Front twin screw vise*

Okay, with most of the headaches behind I figured it was time to dive into the twin screw for the front. This should be easy right. I look at the lumber pile. It is much smaller than a lot of the other jocks here, but it does have a couple of options. I had planned to use poplar, but was thinking it may just be too soft. I had picked up some 3/4in oak at the HD for a project that I haven't gotten to yet. I figure the oak is a better choice for the vise.

So I mark out and do my cutout for around the leg. I wanted to keep the front layers solid to aid with alignment and also give even clamping pressure.


Glue it and clamp it. Straight forward here. That $2 foam roller has been serving me well for all my glue-ups, just have to keep it bagged before it dries.


Front chock V1

I second thought this design near as soon as I cut the wood. But I glued it up anyways. A little later natural selection kicked in…

...in the form of low quality wood screw from the borg. Guess it is for the best. I would have wanted to redo the chock sooner or later.

Enter front chock V2

It is just 3 pieces of 3/4in x 8in red oak from Lowe's. Cost way more than it should have and I had to dig through the whole pile to locate a straight board. I skipped a few steps in haste here, sorry for the poor documentation.

I had located and drilled the screw locations in the mounting block earlier.

I used a forstner bit to transfer these locations to the front chock. I sized the chock to the mounting block and drilled the screw holes in it.

I used the vise screws to clamp the chock and mount together and transfered all of the mounting holes to both parts. Next I drilled pilot holes (a bit size bigger this time around). I also used parafin wax on the screws to aid in thier installment. Between the hole size relief and the wax things went together much easier this time around.


A final test fit.

I am going to have to get some longer bolts to attach the vise mounting block. I have decided not to glue it to the bench, so some big bolts are in order. I may just wait for my giant brad drill bits before drilling, so I can punch through bench top and block in one shot. Accuracy is a bit hard to maintain with these deep bores.

I also took a few minutes to cobb together my temporary vise handles. Nothing pretty. Maybe down the line I can bribe a fellow woodworker to turn me something nicer. For now the 1in oak dowel is capped with some left over closet rod held on with no6 screws. It gets the job done and I don't worry too much about the kids coloring on them.

I did a quick check to see where I stood with respect to sag.

Doesn't look too bad. It is less than 1/8in. I had feared it would be more of an issue using these budget screws and loose bore diameters. Time will tell, but for now things are pretty tight.

The vise gives just under 20in of capacity between the screws for dovetail work. I didn't measure the depth to the screws, but I imagine it is about 5in deep. I get about 6in of clamp at either end. The max open width looks like just over 10in. Anything wider than that I will put on the bench and use dogs to secure. I am excited to get this thing bolted to the bench and see just what it can do. My only disappointment is that the skew is fairly limited. By bolting the chock to the vise screws it has a limit to deflection, probably only 5-10 degrees. If I wanted more I would have to release the 2 screws on the front of each vise. Honestly I don't see many wedged projects in the near future, so it is not much of a setback.

Stay tuned for completion of the bench.
Time log: Dunno? I have probably dropped 6 hours into messing around on the vise so that puts our total to about 30hr


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Front twin screw vise*
> 
> Okay, with most of the headaches behind I figured it was time to dive into the twin screw for the front. This should be easy right. I look at the lumber pile. It is much smaller than a lot of the other jocks here, but it does have a couple of options. I had planned to use poplar, but was thinking it may just be too soft. I had picked up some 3/4in oak at the HD for a project that I haven't gotten to yet. I figure the oak is a better choice for the vise.
> 
> ...


Not to shabby Doug. It looks like the end in near!


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Front twin screw vise*
> 
> Okay, with most of the headaches behind I figured it was time to dive into the twin screw for the front. This should be easy right. I look at the lumber pile. It is much smaller than a lot of the other jocks here, but it does have a couple of options. I had planned to use poplar, but was thinking it may just be too soft. I had picked up some 3/4in oak at the HD for a project that I haven't gotten to yet. I figure the oak is a better choice for the vise.
> 
> ...


Definite progress. You will use it a lot longer than you waited for it.


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Front twin screw vise*
> 
> Okay, with most of the headaches behind I figured it was time to dive into the twin screw for the front. This should be easy right. I look at the lumber pile. It is much smaller than a lot of the other jocks here, but it does have a couple of options. I had planned to use poplar, but was thinking it may just be too soft. I had picked up some 3/4in oak at the HD for a project that I haven't gotten to yet. I figure the oak is a better choice for the vise.
> 
> ...


I have to admit, I'm more worried about the vise instalation than creating a flat top for my workbench. I'm so anxious to get started on my own after watching this, but I've still got a few things to wrap up first.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Front twin screw vise*
> 
> Okay, with most of the headaches behind I figured it was time to dive into the twin screw for the front. This should be easy right. I look at the lumber pile. It is much smaller than a lot of the other jocks here, but it does have a couple of options. I had planned to use poplar, but was thinking it may just be too soft. I had picked up some 3/4in oak at the HD for a project that I haven't gotten to yet. I figure the oak is a better choice for the vise.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments guys.

Hokie, I found that there was always something else higher in my personal list. I took advantage of having some time off over the holidays to get 3 near full days of shop time. That really kicked it up because I had to design and move quick to make things come together in the time I had. The vise installations had me a bit apprehensive too. In the end they really are quite straight forward. There are things I could have done better and some redo and refinement work, but overall for a newbie attempt I would call the results perfectly functional. Also a lot better than what I have been limping on with.


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Front twin screw vise*
> 
> Okay, with most of the headaches behind I figured it was time to dive into the twin screw for the front. This should be easy right. I look at the lumber pile. It is much smaller than a lot of the other jocks here, but it does have a couple of options. I had planned to use poplar, but was thinking it may just be too soft. I had picked up some 3/4in oak at the HD for a project that I haven't gotten to yet. I figure the oak is a better choice for the vise.
> 
> ...


Looking good. This is fun watching someone else do all the work.

Careful when you try out your new large bradpoints. Best to practice on some scrap first. That is a huge hole for a hand held drill. You can certainly do it, but if it catches you will probably spiin around like in one of those guys in the cartoons. Then again, it maybe a piece of cake.

Steve


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Front twin screw vise*
> 
> Okay, with most of the headaches behind I figured it was time to dive into the twin screw for the front. This should be easy right. I look at the lumber pile. It is much smaller than a lot of the other jocks here, but it does have a couple of options. I had planned to use poplar, but was thinking it may just be too soft. I had picked up some 3/4in oak at the HD for a project that I haven't gotten to yet. I figure the oak is a better choice for the vise.
> 
> ...


I hear you Steve. I use the auxiliary handle on my milwaukee for big bits. I can keep a handle on it. I actually blew out a set of brushes while wrangling a dog hole in 3in of poplar with the Irwin boring bit. Anything that can grab I use the extra handle with. Last thing I need it to wrack my wrist drilling holes. My drill is only 5.5A, so it isn't too scary. I did some construction and wiring with one of my dad's rt-angle boring drills. When that thing caught it would just about pull your arms off and pull you right into the adjacent wall before you could even let off the trigger.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Front twin screw vise*
> 
> Okay, with most of the headaches behind I figured it was time to dive into the twin screw for the front. This should be easy right. I look at the lumber pile. It is much smaller than a lot of the other jocks here, but it does have a couple of options. I had planned to use poplar, but was thinking it may just be too soft. I had picked up some 3/4in oak at the HD for a project that I haven't gotten to yet. I figure the oak is a better choice for the vise.
> 
> ...


Nice work, Doug.


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## topspin (Jan 15, 2009)

dsb1829 said:


> *Front twin screw vise*
> 
> Okay, with most of the headaches behind I figured it was time to dive into the twin screw for the front. This should be easy right. I look at the lumber pile. It is much smaller than a lot of the other jocks here, but it does have a couple of options. I had planned to use poplar, but was thinking it may just be too soft. I had picked up some 3/4in oak at the HD for a project that I haven't gotten to yet. I figure the oak is a better choice for the vise.
> 
> ...


HI. What are the dimensions of the chock?


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Front twin screw vise*
> 
> Okay, with most of the headaches behind I figured it was time to dive into the twin screw for the front. This should be easy right. I look at the lumber pile. It is much smaller than a lot of the other jocks here, but it does have a couple of options. I had planned to use poplar, but was thinking it may just be too soft. I had picked up some 3/4in oak at the HD for a project that I haven't gotten to yet. I figure the oak is a better choice for the vise.
> 
> ...


Off the cuff, 30inx7.5inx2.25in ;-)


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Some comments on the twin screw*

In my last installment I ran through my basic install criteria for the twin screw and how I chose to build the bench mount and vise chock. I left off waiting for some brad point drill bits and some longer bolts to mount the vise with.

Brad point bits arrived yesterday.

They are huge! Near 8in of fluted cutting capacity. Can't wait to try these things out. First I have to clean off the cosmoline or whatever they shipped them covered in.

I had already jumped the gun and mounted the vise the day before. I got some good ideas from Kem's blog ( http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/kem/blog/5211 ) and from the LeeValley twin screw instructions on their site ( http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=45114&cat=1,41659 ). I had not considered using wear blocks, but I think I will install some shortly to minimize sag. I also really like the steel pins used to keep the wood from contacting the twin screws. That will avoid damaging edges and remove the posibility of thread lube transfering to the piece.

I gotta say, this vise is a beast.

No problem what so ever holding this 9ft board with 6ft+ unsupported. I did discover one flaw to my bench though. With this long of a lever arm you can actually flex the benchtop! Not expecting that one. It actually uses the screw locations to flex the benchtop over the leg. Pretty wild. I may hve to take a video of it before I reinforce against it. Not that I would ever work this way but I still think I am going to pull the bench top and add stringers from leg to leg to prevent this sort of flexure.

Another design issue.

Not sure it really photographs well but here it is none the less. The screws actually pull the mounting block. Serious leverage on those puppies. I used 4 1/2in x 7in bolts to mount the vise block to the bench. When cranked down the screws pull the block untill all slack in the bolt hole is used up. I am going to try using 3M supper 77 to tack the block. If that doesn't work, then I will be forced to actually use a permanent glue. I can't have this block moving around on me.

The last issue I encountered was on the chock itself.

The vise screw collars that the chock is mounted to have a fair amount of play. How much? I dunno, I didn't get out the calipers. I knew that this one was coming, but figured I would put it up here for the crew. Basic fix is to taper the chock so that when clamped it is flush at the top and the bottom gap closes as additional pressure is applied. The Veritas instructions mention this as well and give an number that agrees with how much play their vise has.

Okay, on a brighter note Zoe is getting to be a big girl.

Before long she won't be leaving puddles in the shop 

Time log: 33hr


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## BarryW (Sep 15, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Some comments on the twin screw*
> 
> In my last installment I ran through my basic install criteria for the twin screw and how I chose to build the bench mount and vise chock. I left off waiting for some brad point drill bits and some longer bolts to mount the vise with.
> 
> ...


just reading this and seeing this bench makes me want to build my own soon…since I just finished a wood storage system…I now can bring in enough wood to do just that…great bench…


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Some comments on the twin screw*
> 
> In my last installment I ran through my basic install criteria for the twin screw and how I chose to build the bench mount and vise chock. I left off waiting for some brad point drill bits and some longer bolts to mount the vise with.
> 
> ...


Had I not lost the gazebo/shop in the storm a few days ago, I'd probably be picking up the wood for my bench today. Alas, it wasn't meant to be just now. Still, your bench has come along well! It certainly seems functional right now.

Any plans to put an vise on the end?


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Some comments on the twin screw*
> 
> In my last installment I ran through my basic install criteria for the twin screw and how I chose to build the bench mount and vise chock. I left off waiting for some brad point drill bits and some longer bolts to mount the vise with.
> 
> ...


end vise was added in pt.6
http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/dsb1829/blog/6876
Just a cheap QR for dirty work and for dog hole use.


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Some comments on the twin screw*
> 
> In my last installment I ran through my basic install criteria for the twin screw and how I chose to build the bench mount and vise chock. I left off waiting for some brad point drill bits and some longer bolts to mount the vise with.
> 
> ...


Just one bit of advice. Never include photos of a dog with your projects. They steal all your thunder, no matter how well you did. Thanks for this information. I hadn't really considered that the vises could be strong enough to pull apart the bench. Something I'll ned to consider.
Thanks!


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Some comments on the twin screw*
> 
> In my last installment I ran through my basic install criteria for the twin screw and how I chose to build the bench mount and vise chock. I left off waiting for some brad point drill bits and some longer bolts to mount the vise with.
> 
> ...


Hey Hokie, yep screws apply a lot of force especially with 12" lever arms. There are some compromises that need to be made to have a knock-down bench. Not willing to compromise on the work holding though.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Some comments on the twin screw*
> 
> In my last installment I ran through my basic install criteria for the twin screw and how I chose to build the bench mount and vise chock. I left off waiting for some brad point drill bits and some longer bolts to mount the vise with.
> 
> ...


Looks good, Doug!


----------



## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Some comments on the twin screw*
> 
> In my last installment I ran through my basic install criteria for the twin screw and how I chose to build the bench mount and vise chock. I left off waiting for some brad point drill bits and some longer bolts to mount the vise with.
> 
> ...


Sorry about that Doug. I must have forgotten about that one. Oops


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Finishing Touches on the twin screw*

I spent a couple more hours on the twin screw this morning. I had a few details to straighten out.

I went ahead and split the vise. I decided that the front leg lamination should run top to bottom. So I pulled the vies and split the block. I mentioned slipping in my last entry. So when I remounted the blocks I used a liberal coating of 3M super77 spray adhesive. Seems to have done the trick. Now the blocks are rock solid to the bench top, yet if need be I can still remove them.


Next detail to attend to is the taper on the chock. I placed a thin scrap at the top of the vise and closed it down snug. I measured about .10" deflection top to bottom on the chock. So I transfered that measure to the bottom of the chock, struck a line, and then used my hand planes to remove the material.

I started with my no78 rabbit to establish a good depth on the low end. Then I swapped over to the no5 for bulk removal.
Winding sticks are your friend for an operation like this. I imagine it is pretty easy to introduce a twist doing this taper.

After getting roughly where we needed to be I pulled out the no608 and evened it all out.

Next up was the carrier pins. Not sure if that is what to call them or not. Basically a borrowed idea from the Veritas twin screw. These 3/8in steel pins keep your work piece from coming in contact with the vise screw. I had to run mine inboard of the screws, they would be better served outboard but my mounting bolts were in the way. Who the heck is in charge of this design anyways???
Note: I used the drill press to make the mounting holes. These holes should be tight tolerance so the pins press fit into them. They are also perpendicular to the tapered face. The easiest way for me to achieve this setup was to put the chock taper down on the DP and drill all the way through it.

I then used a transfer punch to mark the mounting block. I used an oversized brad point drill to make the mating clearance hole in the mounting blocks. Easy peasy.


That pretty much wraps up the twin screw. I will flush plane the mounting block to the leg and apron tomorrow. As it is, it is up and operational. The flush trim is for improved grip, aesthetics, and just a finishing touch.

time log: 35hr


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Finishing Touches on the twin screw*
> 
> I spent a couple more hours on the twin screw this morning. I had a few details to straighten out.
> 
> ...


Doug you make great progress on the bench.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Flushing up the front legs*

Okay, started the afternoon with a very rough and checked 9ft x 8in poplar board. Oh, it was cupped and warped too. Good excuse to get out some hand planes. In the end I am looking to laminate onto the front legs another vertical member that will be flush to the front apron.

Kinda like this. Savvy?

Nothing too noteworthy. Chop, hand plane, bandsaw to width, clean up by plane, bandsaw to thickness, clean up with hand planes. Sorry, didn't detail that out. I kind of cover most of that in my rough lumber posting 
The hole bored near the bottom is a clearance hole for the shelf hardware.

After resaw we have something that looks like this.

I remove about 1/16in by hand plane so that the apron is just thicker than the legs. In theory this will make flushing out everything a bit easier tomorrow.

Okay, final dry fitting.

I crept up on the length with my block plane. I am really becoming fond of that little bugger for end grain. With gauge lines on the part I can actually stay pretty darn square. Without gauge lines I am still a bit rough around the edges. Hopefully my skill there will improve.

Glue it up, clamp it, and call it a day.


time log: 38hr

Stay tuned for flushing out the front of the bench tomorrow and hopefully a completion of the workbench series.


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## douginaz (Jun 11, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Flushing up the front legs*
> 
> Okay, started the afternoon with a very rough and checked 9ft x 8in poplar board. Oh, it was cupped and warped too. Good excuse to get out some hand planes. In the end I am looking to laminate onto the front legs another vertical member that will be flush to the front apron.
> 
> ...


Looks like you about have this project Nice job and great commentary. Thanks for sharing. 
Later, 
Doug in AZ.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Flushing up the front legs*
> 
> Okay, started the afternoon with a very rough and checked 9ft x 8in poplar board. Oh, it was cupped and warped too. Good excuse to get out some hand planes. In the end I am looking to laminate onto the front legs another vertical member that will be flush to the front apron.
> 
> ...


Looks great, Doug.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Stick a fork in me*

Took about 3 hours this afternoon. I am going to close out this series. Yes, still have a few more items that I need to do like seal the top and drill some more dog holes. But, by in large, the bench is complete.

First item of the day, hand plane the legs, vise mount, and apron flush. Minor issue, this bench is getting heavy. I managed to get it down without much strife. I went to pick the thing back up when done and failed. Took 2 more attempts to right this beast. Amazingly enough I have managed to move this bench around without assistance through the entire build. But gravity almost won today ;-)

So I ran the block plane over the legs to flush them up and remove the glue squeeze-out. I then used the no608 to run everything flush. I will use that term lightly. It isn't perfect, but it will do.

My biggest flaw:

Yep, ended up with one of the feet off by over 1/4in. Oh well, call it a learning experience and move on. I may fix it at some point but the only real reason to do so is for vanity-sake.

Here is what it should look like, not a prefect mate but much better…


I added a t-nut and 3/8in bolt for a leveler on the rear foot. Nothing fancy, just makes life easier with an uneven garage floor. So now I can tripod and then use this screw to locate the 4th foot.


The twin screw is back together. I flushed the top with the bench top. Here you can see the mounting blocks and leg flushed as well as the carrier pins.


The end vise:

I think I will make an oak chock for it out of the mistake chock from the twin screw. Maybe later, I am going to use this one for a bit longer first. Here is a birdseye view of the end vise dog holes stretching the entire bench. I can handle up to just over 9ft boards between the dog holes, that should hold me for now.


Remember that sand used for the top lamination??

That is mass that we can use. Put it in tubs so it doesn't continue to leak sand in the shop. Then put those tubes on the shelf. 

Instant 200+lb to the bench. It is pretty good without it, but that mass really anchors the bench and gives it a rock-solid feel. Only dissadvantage I see is that you have to remove the tubs to move the bench around the shop. No biggie.

Parting shot, smile and wave…


Time log: 41 hours


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Stick a fork in me*
> 
> Took about 3 hours this afternoon. I am going to close out this series. Yes, still have a few more items that I need to do like seal the top and drill some more dog holes. But, by in large, the bench is complete.
> 
> ...


Nice workbench!


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## JustBuildStuff (Jan 5, 2009)

dsb1829 said:


> *Stick a fork in me*
> 
> Took about 3 hours this afternoon. I am going to close out this series. Yes, still have a few more items that I need to do like seal the top and drill some more dog holes. But, by in large, the bench is complete.
> 
> ...


The bench looks incredible and I am sure many more incredible projects will be built upon it.
Thanks for taking the time to post about it.


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Stick a fork in me*
> 
> Took about 3 hours this afternoon. I am going to close out this series. Yes, still have a few more items that I need to do like seal the top and drill some more dog holes. But, by in large, the bench is complete.
> 
> ...


Good job Doug! Thanks for sharing this with us


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Stick a fork in me*
> 
> Took about 3 hours this afternoon. I am going to close out this series. Yes, still have a few more items that I need to do like seal the top and drill some more dog holes. But, by in large, the bench is complete.
> 
> ...


Hey guys, thanks for the kind words. I am glad that you were able to follow along on this project. It was fun to be able to share the victories and the errors associated with the build.

I will be sure to post the final glamour shots over in the projects forum once I get a couple coats of shellac on the thing.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Stick a fork in me*
> 
> Took about 3 hours this afternoon. I am going to close out this series. Yes, still have a few more items that I need to do like seal the top and drill some more dog holes. But, by in large, the bench is complete.
> 
> ...


nice bench!

you can always replace those sand-bags-in-crates with tool drawers later on which will anchor the bench with it's weight - and also make great use of that space under the bench - plus, you'll have your hand/other tools close by when needed….


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Stick a fork in me*
> 
> Took about 3 hours this afternoon. I am going to close out this series. Yes, still have a few more items that I need to do like seal the top and drill some more dog holes. But, by in large, the bench is complete.
> 
> ...


I will get a tool cabinet of sorts under there eventually. For now I gotta get back to working on furniture. Thanks for reading along.


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## Quentin (Jan 18, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Stick a fork in me*
> 
> Took about 3 hours this afternoon. I am going to close out this series. Yes, still have a few more items that I need to do like seal the top and drill some more dog holes. But, by in large, the bench is complete.
> 
> ...


Nice blog! I loved reading it and I'm very jealous of your workbench!


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## trucker12349 (Nov 9, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Stick a fork in me*
> 
> Took about 3 hours this afternoon. I am going to close out this series. Yes, still have a few more items that I need to do like seal the top and drill some more dog holes. But, by in large, the bench is complete.
> 
> ...


Why not replace the sand bags with a few bags of kitty litter so you have a spill material handy. I recently had someone spill a half can of stain and used the litter to clean it up. I had a long talk with me, myself, and I, but no one will own up to the spill, lol


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Stick a fork in me*
> 
> Took about 3 hours this afternoon. I am going to close out this series. Yes, still have a few more items that I need to do like seal the top and drill some more dog holes. But, by in large, the bench is complete.
> 
> ...


You really should do something about those shady caracters horsing around in your shop 

Kitty litter cleanup storage. Hmmm, not a bad idea. I picked up the sand to help with the lamination of the top, so I already had it. That's the only reason I used it. I don't really need the extra mass, but since it is paid for and would just be taking up room around the house somewhere I put it to use.


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