# Non-square apron on new workbench



## MichaelJames (Jan 20, 2010)

I"ve been completing a "Matt's Monster Workbench" over the past few weeks. I've glued up the top and glued on the apron. The holes for the vise are drilled and all was going well. I just finished flattening the top last night and realized that the apron is not square to the top anymore. I believe my mistake was waiting until I had both the apron and the top glued up and then flattening. Anyway, it's a mistake - one of many that I will make through my life - but the trick is fixing it. From what I can see, I have 3 options:

1. Leave it - but I'm thinking if I edge planing a board, it may throw of the squareness of that edge? Is that correct?
2. Fix it on the bench - I'm thinking either trying to hand plane it square or, with the help of a 6 pack and a few buddies, muscle it across my little jointer. If I do fix it, what method would work? How will this impact the operation of the vise (if at all)?
3. Replace it - somehow cut that bad-boy off, get some new stock and start over.

Any thoughts on this? I could use your help…


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## dontrushme (Jul 23, 2012)

Deleted---


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## MichaelJames (Jan 20, 2010)

@Ralph - not sure that's the right post you replied to.


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## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

Hand plane it square.


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## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

This is a job for a hand plane. Which one depends upon how much stock is to be removed. How's about a photo?


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## shampeon (Jun 3, 2012)

Yeah, hand plane it. Get a square, run it along the entire apron and mark the high spots. Knock them down, repeat.


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## MichaelJames (Jan 20, 2010)

I was kind of thinking the same thing. I guess my biggest concern in the the operation of the twin screw vise once I've squared up the apron. The holes won't be perfectly square the to front of the apron anymore. I guess I'll try it and see. Thanks folks.


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## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

There must be a little extra play in the holes, no? A bit oversized? If not, just make them a little bigger if they cause binding or such.


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## RichardHillius (Oct 19, 2013)

How far out of square is it? It will affect the clamping ability of your vise as the jaws won't come together flat unless you adjust the vise face to match but than as you mentioned you will have a angle to everything you clamp there which might very well throw off your work on the bench.

If it's way out of square you might have to cut off the apron and square the underlying base than reattach it but that's going to depend how much room you have to plane away the apron and how far out of square it is.

I am kind of in the same boat right now with a 4" thick X 14" X 5' slab and I need to square up the front face to the bottom where the vise mounts. I wouldn't even think of trying to safely put that thing on my jointer and it's to thick to run though the table saw and to bulky to run though a bandsaw so I think hand planes is going to be the best option. A power planner would also be a good option but mine isn't that far out of square so I think I'll just do it by hand.


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## MichaelJames (Jan 20, 2010)

@Richard - I may have to adjust the front vise jaw a bit. I think I'm far enough along that I can square the face, put the vise on the bench and see what happens. Unfortunately, it's out almost 1/8" so it may cause a bit grief.

@Buckethead - there may be a bit of play there so I might be able to shim the vise thread nuts to compensate for the planing…

You guys rock…I have some good ideas. If all else fails, I just cut the stupid thing off and start again, I guess!


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## exelectrician (Oct 3, 2011)

Use a circular saw with a 7 1/4" or larger blade, tight against a dead square clamped on fence, shave off the out of square portion. Then hand plane the remainder.


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