# Workbench



## CartersWhittling

*Design Plans*

Hello. These are the plans I have for a new workbench. I think I have decided that now is the time to build a bench I won't need to remake. I have done lots of studing on workbench designs and could not decide between the German bench and the Roubo because of the leg vise. I had some thoughts in mind to making a double sided bench and incorporating both bench designs. I soon came across the Edwards bench. http://woodtreks.com/design-build-traditional-woodworking-workbench-tail-shoulder-leg-vises/1651/ My design is not a reproduction of his bench, only based off the same concept of a double sided German/Roubo bench.

I am going to use hard maple for the entire bench and 2" wooden screws with internal garters on the legvise and tailvise. I will use splines and 4 bolts through the end caps to hold the bench top together. My bench has a 3/4" gap between the two bench sides, instead of a tool tray which I think will collect wood shavings quickly and add too much width to the bench. This gap will allow the top boards to move and provide similar abilities as the bench Bob Rozaieski built http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html The base will be built with pegged and through mortise and tenons and attached to the top with bullet dowels. The top is designed at 72" long (without the tailvise length) 42" wide at the should vise and about 30" wide across the bench top. I'm a short guy and I do a lot of hand planing so the bench will be about 31" high. When I get material for the bench I am willing to change some bench dimensions to use the most of the the lumber I have.

In the drawings I made the top, base, and moveable parts 3 seperate colours for easier viewing. The bench has a should vise, tail vise, crochet, leg vise, sliding deadman and the removeable spacer between the bench top. The drawing does not include some of the joinery or fasteners like the bolts and rods, aswell as holes for hold fasts in the roubo side of the bench and dog holes along the tail vise.

If anyone sees anything that may be a design flaw or something that should be changed please let me know.


----------



## therookie

CartersWhittling said:


> *Design Plans*
> 
> Hello. These are the plans I have for a new workbench. I think I have decided that now is the time to build a bench I won't need to remake. I have done lots of studing on workbench designs and could not decide between the German bench and the Roubo because of the leg vise. I had some thoughts in mind to making a double sided bench and incorporating both bench designs. I soon came across the Edwards bench. http://woodtreks.com/design-build-traditional-woodworking-workbench-tail-shoulder-leg-vises/1651/ My design is not a reproduction of his bench, only based off the same concept of a double sided German/Roubo bench.
> 
> I am going to use hard maple for the entire bench and 2" wooden screws with internal garters on the legvise and tailvise. I will use splines and 4 bolts through the end caps to hold the bench top together. My bench has a 3/4" gap between the two bench sides, instead of a tool tray which I think will collect wood shavings quickly and add too much width to the bench. This gap will allow the top boards to move and provide similar abilities as the bench Bob Rozaieski built http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html The base will be built with pegged and through mortise and tenons and attached to the top with bullet dowels. The top is designed at 72" long (without the tailvise length) 42" wide at the should vise and about 30" wide across the bench top. I'm a short guy and I do a lot of hand planing so the bench will be about 31" high. When I get material for the bench I am willing to change some bench dimensions to use the most of the the lumber I have.
> 
> In the drawings I made the top, base, and moveable parts 3 seperate colours for easier viewing. The bench has a should vise, tail vise, crochet, leg vise, sliding deadman and the removeable spacer between the bench top. The drawing does not include some of the joinery or fasteners like the bolts and rods, aswell as holes for hold fasts in the roubo side of the bench and dog holes along the tail vise.
> 
> If anyone sees anything that may be a design flaw or something that should be changed please let me know.


Very nice design


----------



## Rileysdad

CartersWhittling said:


> *Design Plans*
> 
> Hello. These are the plans I have for a new workbench. I think I have decided that now is the time to build a bench I won't need to remake. I have done lots of studing on workbench designs and could not decide between the German bench and the Roubo because of the leg vise. I had some thoughts in mind to making a double sided bench and incorporating both bench designs. I soon came across the Edwards bench. http://woodtreks.com/design-build-traditional-woodworking-workbench-tail-shoulder-leg-vises/1651/ My design is not a reproduction of his bench, only based off the same concept of a double sided German/Roubo bench.
> 
> I am going to use hard maple for the entire bench and 2" wooden screws with internal garters on the legvise and tailvise. I will use splines and 4 bolts through the end caps to hold the bench top together. My bench has a 3/4" gap between the two bench sides, instead of a tool tray which I think will collect wood shavings quickly and add too much width to the bench. This gap will allow the top boards to move and provide similar abilities as the bench Bob Rozaieski built http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html The base will be built with pegged and through mortise and tenons and attached to the top with bullet dowels. The top is designed at 72" long (without the tailvise length) 42" wide at the should vise and about 30" wide across the bench top. I'm a short guy and I do a lot of hand planing so the bench will be about 31" high. When I get material for the bench I am willing to change some bench dimensions to use the most of the the lumber I have.
> 
> In the drawings I made the top, base, and moveable parts 3 seperate colours for easier viewing. The bench has a should vise, tail vise, crochet, leg vise, sliding deadman and the removeable spacer between the bench top. The drawing does not include some of the joinery or fasteners like the bolts and rods, aswell as holes for hold fasts in the roubo side of the bench and dog holes along the tail vise.
> 
> If anyone sees anything that may be a design flaw or something that should be changed please let me know.


Very interesting design. I'm curious, what functions can you perform on this bench that you cannot on a Roubo with the tail vice, leg vice and the sliding deadman?


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Design Plans*
> 
> Hello. These are the plans I have for a new workbench. I think I have decided that now is the time to build a bench I won't need to remake. I have done lots of studing on workbench designs and could not decide between the German bench and the Roubo because of the leg vise. I had some thoughts in mind to making a double sided bench and incorporating both bench designs. I soon came across the Edwards bench. http://woodtreks.com/design-build-traditional-woodworking-workbench-tail-shoulder-leg-vises/1651/ My design is not a reproduction of his bench, only based off the same concept of a double sided German/Roubo bench.
> 
> I am going to use hard maple for the entire bench and 2" wooden screws with internal garters on the legvise and tailvise. I will use splines and 4 bolts through the end caps to hold the bench top together. My bench has a 3/4" gap between the two bench sides, instead of a tool tray which I think will collect wood shavings quickly and add too much width to the bench. This gap will allow the top boards to move and provide similar abilities as the bench Bob Rozaieski built http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html The base will be built with pegged and through mortise and tenons and attached to the top with bullet dowels. The top is designed at 72" long (without the tailvise length) 42" wide at the should vise and about 30" wide across the bench top. I'm a short guy and I do a lot of hand planing so the bench will be about 31" high. When I get material for the bench I am willing to change some bench dimensions to use the most of the the lumber I have.
> 
> In the drawings I made the top, base, and moveable parts 3 seperate colours for easier viewing. The bench has a should vise, tail vise, crochet, leg vise, sliding deadman and the removeable spacer between the bench top. The drawing does not include some of the joinery or fasteners like the bolts and rods, aswell as holes for hold fasts in the roubo side of the bench and dog holes along the tail vise.
> 
> If anyone sees anything that may be a design flaw or something that should be changed please let me know.


Traditional Roubo benches don't have tailvises, and I'm not too fond of newer mechanical tailvises. Although I could make a bench more like the Shaker bench with a tailvise and legvise. Without a Moxon's twin screw or an apron with holdfast holes you can be limited to extra clamping methods to do work on the end grain of large boards, so the shoulder vise provides a way to hold wide boards, aswell as pieces that taper. Although another sliding legvise could be used in such a case. I suppose with these 3 vises most clamping situations should be possible. And like Mr. Edwards style of work his shop revolves around his bench so each vise serves the tasks it is most excellent at.


----------



## JessieinMO

CartersWhittling said:


> *Design Plans*
> 
> Hello. These are the plans I have for a new workbench. I think I have decided that now is the time to build a bench I won't need to remake. I have done lots of studing on workbench designs and could not decide between the German bench and the Roubo because of the leg vise. I had some thoughts in mind to making a double sided bench and incorporating both bench designs. I soon came across the Edwards bench. http://woodtreks.com/design-build-traditional-woodworking-workbench-tail-shoulder-leg-vises/1651/ My design is not a reproduction of his bench, only based off the same concept of a double sided German/Roubo bench.
> 
> I am going to use hard maple for the entire bench and 2" wooden screws with internal garters on the legvise and tailvise. I will use splines and 4 bolts through the end caps to hold the bench top together. My bench has a 3/4" gap between the two bench sides, instead of a tool tray which I think will collect wood shavings quickly and add too much width to the bench. This gap will allow the top boards to move and provide similar abilities as the bench Bob Rozaieski built http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html The base will be built with pegged and through mortise and tenons and attached to the top with bullet dowels. The top is designed at 72" long (without the tailvise length) 42" wide at the should vise and about 30" wide across the bench top. I'm a short guy and I do a lot of hand planing so the bench will be about 31" high. When I get material for the bench I am willing to change some bench dimensions to use the most of the the lumber I have.
> 
> In the drawings I made the top, base, and moveable parts 3 seperate colours for easier viewing. The bench has a should vise, tail vise, crochet, leg vise, sliding deadman and the removeable spacer between the bench top. The drawing does not include some of the joinery or fasteners like the bolts and rods, aswell as holes for hold fasts in the roubo side of the bench and dog holes along the tail vise.
> 
> If anyone sees anything that may be a design flaw or something that should be changed please let me know.


So, did you build this yet? I just hit the ground back in the states and I need to build a new workbench as well.

Jessie


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Design Plans*
> 
> Hello. These are the plans I have for a new workbench. I think I have decided that now is the time to build a bench I won't need to remake. I have done lots of studing on workbench designs and could not decide between the German bench and the Roubo because of the leg vise. I had some thoughts in mind to making a double sided bench and incorporating both bench designs. I soon came across the Edwards bench. http://woodtreks.com/design-build-traditional-woodworking-workbench-tail-shoulder-leg-vises/1651/ My design is not a reproduction of his bench, only based off the same concept of a double sided German/Roubo bench.
> 
> I am going to use hard maple for the entire bench and 2" wooden screws with internal garters on the legvise and tailvise. I will use splines and 4 bolts through the end caps to hold the bench top together. My bench has a 3/4" gap between the two bench sides, instead of a tool tray which I think will collect wood shavings quickly and add too much width to the bench. This gap will allow the top boards to move and provide similar abilities as the bench Bob Rozaieski built http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html The base will be built with pegged and through mortise and tenons and attached to the top with bullet dowels. The top is designed at 72" long (without the tailvise length) 42" wide at the should vise and about 30" wide across the bench top. I'm a short guy and I do a lot of hand planing so the bench will be about 31" high. When I get material for the bench I am willing to change some bench dimensions to use the most of the the lumber I have.
> 
> In the drawings I made the top, base, and moveable parts 3 seperate colours for easier viewing. The bench has a should vise, tail vise, crochet, leg vise, sliding deadman and the removeable spacer between the bench top. The drawing does not include some of the joinery or fasteners like the bolts and rods, aswell as holes for hold fasts in the roubo side of the bench and dog holes along the tail vise.
> 
> If anyone sees anything that may be a design flaw or something that should be changed please let me know.


I am in the process. If you go to my next blog entries you can see the build in progress. I currently have 14 entries and am now working on the base.


----------



## SeaWitch

CartersWhittling said:


> *Design Plans*
> 
> Hello. These are the plans I have for a new workbench. I think I have decided that now is the time to build a bench I won't need to remake. I have done lots of studing on workbench designs and could not decide between the German bench and the Roubo because of the leg vise. I had some thoughts in mind to making a double sided bench and incorporating both bench designs. I soon came across the Edwards bench. http://woodtreks.com/design-build-traditional-woodworking-workbench-tail-shoulder-leg-vises/1651/ My design is not a reproduction of his bench, only based off the same concept of a double sided German/Roubo bench.
> 
> I am going to use hard maple for the entire bench and 2" wooden screws with internal garters on the legvise and tailvise. I will use splines and 4 bolts through the end caps to hold the bench top together. My bench has a 3/4" gap between the two bench sides, instead of a tool tray which I think will collect wood shavings quickly and add too much width to the bench. This gap will allow the top boards to move and provide similar abilities as the bench Bob Rozaieski built http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html The base will be built with pegged and through mortise and tenons and attached to the top with bullet dowels. The top is designed at 72" long (without the tailvise length) 42" wide at the should vise and about 30" wide across the bench top. I'm a short guy and I do a lot of hand planing so the bench will be about 31" high. When I get material for the bench I am willing to change some bench dimensions to use the most of the the lumber I have.
> 
> In the drawings I made the top, base, and moveable parts 3 seperate colours for easier viewing. The bench has a should vise, tail vise, crochet, leg vise, sliding deadman and the removeable spacer between the bench top. The drawing does not include some of the joinery or fasteners like the bolts and rods, aswell as holes for hold fasts in the roubo side of the bench and dog holes along the tail vise.
> 
> If anyone sees anything that may be a design flaw or something that should be changed please let me know.


May I ask 2 questions? How big is the gap that the shoulder vise travels? and how do attach the wood plate to the screw (on the shoulder vise) so that the plate swivels/articulates?

It's a pleasure to watch your videos and read your blog.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Design Plans*
> 
> Hello. These are the plans I have for a new workbench. I think I have decided that now is the time to build a bench I won't need to remake. I have done lots of studing on workbench designs and could not decide between the German bench and the Roubo because of the leg vise. I had some thoughts in mind to making a double sided bench and incorporating both bench designs. I soon came across the Edwards bench. http://woodtreks.com/design-build-traditional-woodworking-workbench-tail-shoulder-leg-vises/1651/ My design is not a reproduction of his bench, only based off the same concept of a double sided German/Roubo bench.
> 
> I am going to use hard maple for the entire bench and 2" wooden screws with internal garters on the legvise and tailvise. I will use splines and 4 bolts through the end caps to hold the bench top together. My bench has a 3/4" gap between the two bench sides, instead of a tool tray which I think will collect wood shavings quickly and add too much width to the bench. This gap will allow the top boards to move and provide similar abilities as the bench Bob Rozaieski built http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html The base will be built with pegged and through mortise and tenons and attached to the top with bullet dowels. The top is designed at 72" long (without the tailvise length) 42" wide at the should vise and about 30" wide across the bench top. I'm a short guy and I do a lot of hand planing so the bench will be about 31" high. When I get material for the bench I am willing to change some bench dimensions to use the most of the the lumber I have.
> 
> In the drawings I made the top, base, and moveable parts 3 seperate colours for easier viewing. The bench has a should vise, tail vise, crochet, leg vise, sliding deadman and the removeable spacer between the bench top. The drawing does not include some of the joinery or fasteners like the bolts and rods, aswell as holes for hold fasts in the roubo side of the bench and dog holes along the tail vise.
> 
> If anyone sees anything that may be a design flaw or something that should be changed please let me know.


The should vise travel is around 7 inches, but the chop is about 2 inches thick. So the vice can clamp a piece around 5 inches thick. To attach the screw to the chop I have a hole cut about 3/4" into the chop with a kind of "external garter" that captures a knob turned into the end of the screw. I am going to make a video soon going over my entire bench, and I will make sure to show exactly how it works.


----------



## jackcamino

CartersWhittling said:


> *Design Plans*
> 
> Hello. These are the plans I have for a new workbench. I think I have decided that now is the time to build a bench I won't need to remake. I have done lots of studing on workbench designs and could not decide between the German bench and the Roubo because of the leg vise. I had some thoughts in mind to making a double sided bench and incorporating both bench designs. I soon came across the Edwards bench. http://woodtreks.com/design-build-traditional-woodworking-workbench-tail-shoulder-leg-vises/1651/ My design is not a reproduction of his bench, only based off the same concept of a double sided German/Roubo bench.
> 
> I am going to use hard maple for the entire bench and 2" wooden screws with internal garters on the legvise and tailvise. I will use splines and 4 bolts through the end caps to hold the bench top together. My bench has a 3/4" gap between the two bench sides, instead of a tool tray which I think will collect wood shavings quickly and add too much width to the bench. This gap will allow the top boards to move and provide similar abilities as the bench Bob Rozaieski built http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html The base will be built with pegged and through mortise and tenons and attached to the top with bullet dowels. The top is designed at 72" long (without the tailvise length) 42" wide at the should vise and about 30" wide across the bench top. I'm a short guy and I do a lot of hand planing so the bench will be about 31" high. When I get material for the bench I am willing to change some bench dimensions to use the most of the the lumber I have.
> 
> In the drawings I made the top, base, and moveable parts 3 seperate colours for easier viewing. The bench has a should vise, tail vise, crochet, leg vise, sliding deadman and the removeable spacer between the bench top. The drawing does not include some of the joinery or fasteners like the bolts and rods, aswell as holes for hold fasts in the roubo side of the bench and dog holes along the tail vise.
> 
> If anyone sees anything that may be a design flaw or something that should be changed please let me know.


Hi there, I know you have more entries, and I have not checked those,yet. Here, I am planning on the design of my new workbench and because I am no really familiar I am trying to understand all about screws and vises. I like the concept of the wagon vise I've found some pictures on the internet, anyway, assuming you know about vises and workbenches my question is how different a wagon vise would be compared to the tail vise?. Is a good idea using a wooden screw for a wagon vise.


----------



## pavelkraus

CartersWhittling said:


> *Design Plans*
> 
> Hello. These are the plans I have for a new workbench. I think I have decided that now is the time to build a bench I won't need to remake. I have done lots of studing on workbench designs and could not decide between the German bench and the Roubo because of the leg vise. I had some thoughts in mind to making a double sided bench and incorporating both bench designs. I soon came across the Edwards bench. http://woodtreks.com/design-build-traditional-woodworking-workbench-tail-shoulder-leg-vises/1651/ My design is not a reproduction of his bench, only based off the same concept of a double sided German/Roubo bench.
> 
> I am going to use hard maple for the entire bench and 2" wooden screws with internal garters on the legvise and tailvise. I will use splines and 4 bolts through the end caps to hold the bench top together. My bench has a 3/4" gap between the two bench sides, instead of a tool tray which I think will collect wood shavings quickly and add too much width to the bench. This gap will allow the top boards to move and provide similar abilities as the bench Bob Rozaieski built http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html The base will be built with pegged and through mortise and tenons and attached to the top with bullet dowels. The top is designed at 72" long (without the tailvise length) 42" wide at the should vise and about 30" wide across the bench top. I'm a short guy and I do a lot of hand planing so the bench will be about 31" high. When I get material for the bench I am willing to change some bench dimensions to use the most of the the lumber I have.
> 
> In the drawings I made the top, base, and moveable parts 3 seperate colours for easier viewing. The bench has a should vise, tail vise, crochet, leg vise, sliding deadman and the removeable spacer between the bench top. The drawing does not include some of the joinery or fasteners like the bolts and rods, aswell as holes for hold fasts in the roubo side of the bench and dog holes along the tail vise.
> 
> If anyone sees anything that may be a design flaw or something that should be changed please let me know.


I can buy somewhere in your plans for this workbench? tnx Pavel


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Materials Obtained*

Good day. I now have the wood for my new workbench. My friend (who is also building a workbench) and I, drove to Exotic Woods in Burlingtion Ontario a few weekends ago to get the wood for our benches. I have regular hard maple at 8/4 and 12/4 thicknesses.



















The piece of walnut in the picture I got from a friend and I will be using it for my sliding dead man. I also want to try and aquire some walnut for the leg vise chop and the shoulder vise pad, for added visual interest.

I also got some glue while at exotics.









We got Titebond I for most of the glueing and Titebond III if we need the longer opening time.

After going over the timber I made some modifications to the bench dimension to use as much of the wood as possible, such as the legs will be 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" instead of 4" x4" and my end caps may be 4 1/4" x 3 1/2" instead of 4" x 3 1/4". I have already roughly cross cut all the parts and ripped the leg pieces. Many parts have been thickness planned and the end cap lamenations have been glued. When it comes time for the joinery, the tailvise components and making the 2 1/2" diameter wooden screws I will get a lot more pictures.


----------



## Bertha

CartersWhittling said:


> *Materials Obtained*
> 
> Good day. I now have the wood for my new workbench. My friend (who is also building a workbench) and I, drove to Exotic Woods in Burlingtion Ontario a few weekends ago to get the wood for our benches. I have regular hard maple at 8/4 and 12/4 thicknesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The piece of walnut in the picture I got from a friend and I will be using it for my sliding dead man. I also want to try and aquire some walnut for the leg vise chop and the shoulder vise pad, for added visual interest.
> 
> I also got some glue while at exotics.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We got Titebond I for most of the glueing and Titebond III if we need the longer opening time.
> 
> After going over the timber I made some modifications to the bench dimension to use as much of the wood as possible, such as the legs will be 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" instead of 4" x4" and my end caps may be 4 1/4" x 3 1/2" instead of 4" x 3 1/4". I have already roughly cross cut all the parts and ripped the leg pieces. Many parts have been thickness planned and the end cap lamenations have been glued. When it comes time for the joinery, the tailvise components and making the 2 1/2" diameter wooden screws I will get a lot more pictures.


I can hardly wait. I'm assembling my wood as well. The walnut should add great contrast. I'm shooting for hard maple myself. Did you say 2.5" diameter wood screws?! Wow, that's monstrous. I'm pumped.


----------



## RGtools

CartersWhittling said:


> *Materials Obtained*
> 
> Good day. I now have the wood for my new workbench. My friend (who is also building a workbench) and I, drove to Exotic Woods in Burlingtion Ontario a few weekends ago to get the wood for our benches. I have regular hard maple at 8/4 and 12/4 thicknesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The piece of walnut in the picture I got from a friend and I will be using it for my sliding dead man. I also want to try and aquire some walnut for the leg vise chop and the shoulder vise pad, for added visual interest.
> 
> I also got some glue while at exotics.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We got Titebond I for most of the glueing and Titebond III if we need the longer opening time.
> 
> After going over the timber I made some modifications to the bench dimension to use as much of the wood as possible, such as the legs will be 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" instead of 4" x4" and my end caps may be 4 1/4" x 3 1/2" instead of 4" x 3 1/4". I have already roughly cross cut all the parts and ripped the leg pieces. Many parts have been thickness planned and the end cap lamenations have been glued. When it comes time for the joinery, the tailvise components and making the 2 1/2" diameter wooden screws I will get a lot more pictures.


European?

Look forward to seeing this come along.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Materials Obtained*
> 
> Good day. I now have the wood for my new workbench. My friend (who is also building a workbench) and I, drove to Exotic Woods in Burlingtion Ontario a few weekends ago to get the wood for our benches. I have regular hard maple at 8/4 and 12/4 thicknesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The piece of walnut in the picture I got from a friend and I will be using it for my sliding dead man. I also want to try and aquire some walnut for the leg vise chop and the shoulder vise pad, for added visual interest.
> 
> I also got some glue while at exotics.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We got Titebond I for most of the glueing and Titebond III if we need the longer opening time.
> 
> After going over the timber I made some modifications to the bench dimension to use as much of the wood as possible, such as the legs will be 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" instead of 4" x4" and my end caps may be 4 1/4" x 3 1/2" instead of 4" x 3 1/4". I have already roughly cross cut all the parts and ripped the leg pieces. Many parts have been thickness planned and the end cap lamenations have been glued. When it comes time for the joinery, the tailvise components and making the 2 1/2" diameter wooden screws I will get a lot more pictures.


The screw for the tailvise will be 2" diameter and the shoulder and leg vise will have 2 1/2" diameter screws. Today I finished planning the lamenations for my legs and I have a few legs glued together. And to answer RGtools' question it is a Roubo/Scandinavian bench. Just go to the first Workbench entry to see the design. http://lumberjocks.com/CartersWhittling/blog/23792


----------



## RGtools

CartersWhittling said:


> *Materials Obtained*
> 
> Good day. I now have the wood for my new workbench. My friend (who is also building a workbench) and I, drove to Exotic Woods in Burlingtion Ontario a few weekends ago to get the wood for our benches. I have regular hard maple at 8/4 and 12/4 thicknesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The piece of walnut in the picture I got from a friend and I will be using it for my sliding dead man. I also want to try and aquire some walnut for the leg vise chop and the shoulder vise pad, for added visual interest.
> 
> I also got some glue while at exotics.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We got Titebond I for most of the glueing and Titebond III if we need the longer opening time.
> 
> After going over the timber I made some modifications to the bench dimension to use as much of the wood as possible, such as the legs will be 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" instead of 4" x4" and my end caps may be 4 1/4" x 3 1/2" instead of 4" x 3 1/4". I have already roughly cross cut all the parts and ripped the leg pieces. Many parts have been thickness planned and the end cap lamenations have been glued. When it comes time for the joinery, the tailvise components and making the 2 1/2" diameter wooden screws I will get a lot more pictures.


That refreshed my memory. If you have the floor space that is a great design.


----------



## SeaWitch

CartersWhittling said:


> *Materials Obtained*
> 
> Good day. I now have the wood for my new workbench. My friend (who is also building a workbench) and I, drove to Exotic Woods in Burlingtion Ontario a few weekends ago to get the wood for our benches. I have regular hard maple at 8/4 and 12/4 thicknesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The piece of walnut in the picture I got from a friend and I will be using it for my sliding dead man. I also want to try and aquire some walnut for the leg vise chop and the shoulder vise pad, for added visual interest.
> 
> I also got some glue while at exotics.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We got Titebond I for most of the glueing and Titebond III if we need the longer opening time.
> 
> After going over the timber I made some modifications to the bench dimension to use as much of the wood as possible, such as the legs will be 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" instead of 4" x4" and my end caps may be 4 1/4" x 3 1/2" instead of 4" x 3 1/4". I have already roughly cross cut all the parts and ripped the leg pieces. Many parts have been thickness planned and the end cap lamenations have been glued. When it comes time for the joinery, the tailvise components and making the 2 1/2" diameter wooden screws I will get a lot more pictures.


I'm wondering if you have enough glue? ;o)


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Milling Mostly Done*

Hello. This is another update on my bench build. I have had almost two months off working on it because my friend has been in my shop working on his bench. But just over a week ago we took his almost done bench to his house for him to do the final fitting of parts and such. After doing a little organizing and sharpening I got back to work on my bench. So right now I have the legs and parts for the top all milled to thickness and width.









This is the slab for the roubo half of my bench. Its 2 11/16" thick and 10 1/4" wide and 62" long. The total length of my bench will be about 70", plus the extension of the tail vise.









This is a pile of the leg parts and top parts.

I still need to go get some more lumber for the stretchers, leg vise, and other small parts for the tail vise.









This piece of 8/4 walnut will make a nice sliding deadman.

I did most of the jointing of the parts with hand planes until I got a cheap 6" jointer (although the blades were dull so I didn't end up using it much). I used a neat little trick I found by Matthias Wandle, as seen here http://www.youtube.com/user/Matthiaswandel#p/u/40/XdDo3OEtjhc , to elimenate planer snipe, which is almost impossible any other way.









When the planer is lowered to the final thickness you want, the edges of the planer will rest on the wooden blocks which were planed to a predetermined thickness. To get the thickness, lower your planer to the final thickness you want the wood your planing to be, and then measure the distance from the planer table to the edge of the moveable planer. See Matthias' video for a better description of how it works.

Next week I will probably get the lumber I still need and start working on the bench top.


----------



## PurpLev

CartersWhittling said:


> *Milling Mostly Done*
> 
> Hello. This is another update on my bench build. I have had almost two months off working on it because my friend has been in my shop working on his bench. But just over a week ago we took his almost done bench to his house for him to do the final fitting of parts and such. After doing a little organizing and sharpening I got back to work on my bench. So right now I have the legs and parts for the top all milled to thickness and width.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the slab for the roubo half of my bench. Its 2 11/16" thick and 10 1/4" wide and 62" long. The total length of my bench will be about 70", plus the extension of the tail vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a pile of the leg parts and top parts.
> 
> I still need to go get some more lumber for the stretchers, leg vise, and other small parts for the tail vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This piece of 8/4 walnut will make a nice sliding deadman.
> 
> I did most of the jointing of the parts with hand planes until I got a cheap 6" jointer (although the blades were dull so I didn't end up using it much). I used a neat little trick I found by Matthias Wandle, as seen here http://www.youtube.com/user/Matthiaswandel#p/u/40/XdDo3OEtjhc , to elimenate planer snipe, which is almost impossible any other way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When the planer is lowered to the final thickness you want, the edges of the planer will rest on the wooden blocks which were planed to a predetermined thickness. To get the thickness, lower your planer to the final thickness you want the wood your planing to be, and then measure the distance from the planer table to the edge of the moveable planer. See Matthias' video for a better description of how it works.
> 
> Next week I will probably get the lumber I still need and start working on the bench top.


Looks like good progress. thats one mighty slab there!


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Top Glue Up and Dog Holes*

Hello. I have just finished joining and glueing up the two doghole strips and the top slab.

First I milled the 8 3/8" wide slab top to length by crosscutting it roughly and using a router with a straight bit and straight edge to square it up nicely. With the two doghole strips I crosscut them on the table saw. I was impressed to find the saw made an almost perfect finish on the endgrain. I then marked where the threaded rod will go and marked out the position of the dog holes which are on 4" centers. I then drilled slightly oversized holes through each piece for the rod.

I joined the first strip to the 8 3/8" wide slab with a plywood spline, mostly to help with alignment during glue up.



















I made the groove slightly under 3/4" so that I needed to plane the splines to fit nicely. I then used a plywood template to route the dogholes in. They are 7/8" deep and 1 3/8" wide. I also routed two splines to join the two doghole strips to each other, also to help with alignment.









Note the further distances between the first and last doghole, this is to avoid the legs beneath the top. It also turned out to provide more space with the splines.

I lastly looked everything over and proceeded with the glue up. I glued the first strip to the top and let it dry for maybe 45 minutes and then glued the final strip on trying not to get too much glue squeeze-out in the dog holes.


----------



## RGtools

CartersWhittling said:


> *Top Glue Up and Dog Holes*
> 
> Hello. I have just finished joining and glueing up the two doghole strips and the top slab.
> 
> First I milled the 8 3/8" wide slab top to length by crosscutting it roughly and using a router with a straight bit and straight edge to square it up nicely. With the two doghole strips I crosscut them on the table saw. I was impressed to find the saw made an almost perfect finish on the endgrain. I then marked where the threaded rod will go and marked out the position of the dog holes which are on 4" centers. I then drilled slightly oversized holes through each piece for the rod.
> 
> I joined the first strip to the 8 3/8" wide slab with a plywood spline, mostly to help with alignment during glue up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I made the groove slightly under 3/4" so that I needed to plane the splines to fit nicely. I then used a plywood template to route the dogholes in. They are 7/8" deep and 1 3/8" wide. I also routed two splines to join the two doghole strips to each other, also to help with alignment.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note the further distances between the first and last doghole, this is to avoid the legs beneath the top. It also turned out to provide more space with the splines.
> 
> I lastly looked everything over and proceeded with the glue up. I glued the first strip to the top and let it dry for maybe 45 minutes and then glued the final strip on trying not to get too much glue squeeze-out in the dog holes.


You are really starting to hit your stride.

Nice bandsaw.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Top Glue Up and Dog Holes*
> 
> Hello. I have just finished joining and glueing up the two doghole strips and the top slab.
> 
> First I milled the 8 3/8" wide slab top to length by crosscutting it roughly and using a router with a straight bit and straight edge to square it up nicely. With the two doghole strips I crosscut them on the table saw. I was impressed to find the saw made an almost perfect finish on the endgrain. I then marked where the threaded rod will go and marked out the position of the dog holes which are on 4" centers. I then drilled slightly oversized holes through each piece for the rod.
> 
> I joined the first strip to the 8 3/8" wide slab with a plywood spline, mostly to help with alignment during glue up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I made the groove slightly under 3/4" so that I needed to plane the splines to fit nicely. I then used a plywood template to route the dogholes in. They are 7/8" deep and 1 3/8" wide. I also routed two splines to join the two doghole strips to each other, also to help with alignment.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note the further distances between the first and last doghole, this is to avoid the legs beneath the top. It also turned out to provide more space with the splines.
> 
> I lastly looked everything over and proceeded with the glue up. I glued the first strip to the top and let it dry for maybe 45 minutes and then glued the final strip on trying not to get too much glue squeeze-out in the dog holes.


I am getting 8-10 hours a day on the bench so things are going quicker now. I think I should have the bench top, minus the tailvise, done in another week.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Holdfast Holes and Spacer Block*

Hello. This morning I took the clamps off the glue up assembly and scraped the glue squeeze-out off. The joint turned out nice and the top surfaces are all within a 1/32" of being flush. I then chamfered the dog holes and laid out were I wanted the holdfast holes to be.





































I placed all but the first and last holes, flush to the front of the dogholes, so I can place a batten across a bench dog and holdfast. They are also positioned so the holdfasts reach the edge of the bench and cross over a couple inches onto the other side of the bench.

I then glued up the spacer block for the shoulder vise. I didn't have a block of maple at least 2 1/2" thick so I laminated two pieces, and got a block 2 3/4" thick.



















I then clamped the spacer block to the assembly and transfered the line for the threaded rod and drilled it out with a 1/2" diameter hole instead of a 3/8" which is the rods diameter. Because the direction of the grain in the spacer block will expand sideways, the larger hole will accomodate the wood movement.









This is how I drilled the holes in the other pieces as well. I drilled through both sides of the piece with my best brad points and if the holes did not connect I used one of my longer, cheaper, bits to connect them.









In this picture you can see the threaded rod going through part of the bench top. This is one reason why the bench has a gap between the top, to allow space for the nut on the rod, and to give the bench tops a place to expand into. You can see my first blog entry on the bench design to see the gap I am talking about here http://lumberjocks.com/CartersWhittling/blog/23792

Next I will be routing the grooves for the spacer blocks spline and dovetailing the shoulder vise endcaps.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Dovetailing Endcaps*

Hello. Today I've been working on endcaps for the shoulder vise. I started by routing the grooves in the spacer block and in the doghole strip for the spacer block.



















I then squared up the end of each end cap for the shoulder vise and laid out and cut the tail on the long end cap with the bandsaw. I then transfered the tail and cut the pins with a jig on the bandsaw.



















And after a little fitting…










I then put the rod through the top and clamped the spacer block on to layout the location for the splines.









I used red marker to better identify the end of each cut.

Next I put the top on end to route out the splines. They are 3/4" wide by 1" deep. I use a 1/2" straight bit and make the groove slightly undersize, and plane the plywood spline to proper thickness to get a good fit. I also routed the grooves in the end cap at the same time so the router fence had the same settings.





































Tomorrow I should be able to get the shoulder vise done, minus tapping the endcap for the vise nut.


----------



## JL7

CartersWhittling said:


> *Dovetailing Endcaps*
> 
> Hello. Today I've been working on endcaps for the shoulder vise. I started by routing the grooves in the spacer block and in the doghole strip for the spacer block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then squared up the end of each end cap for the shoulder vise and laid out and cut the tail on the long end cap with the bandsaw. I then transfered the tail and cut the pins with a jig on the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And after a little fitting…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then put the rod through the top and clamped the spacer block on to layout the location for the splines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I used red marker to better identify the end of each cut.
> 
> Next I put the top on end to route out the splines. They are 3/4" wide by 1" deep. I use a 1/2" straight bit and make the groove slightly undersize, and plane the plywood spline to proper thickness to get a good fit. I also routed the grooves in the end cap at the same time so the router fence had the same settings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I should be able to get the shoulder vise done, minus tapping the endcap for the vise nut.


That is a mighty fine looking bench - nice job on the dovetails - looking good. You are getting a pretty good workout moving that slab around the garage!

Looking forward to seeing the completed bench.

Jeff


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Dovetailing Endcaps*
> 
> Hello. Today I've been working on endcaps for the shoulder vise. I started by routing the grooves in the spacer block and in the doghole strip for the spacer block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then squared up the end of each end cap for the shoulder vise and laid out and cut the tail on the long end cap with the bandsaw. I then transfered the tail and cut the pins with a jig on the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And after a little fitting…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then put the rod through the top and clamped the spacer block on to layout the location for the splines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I used red marker to better identify the end of each cut.
> 
> Next I put the top on end to route out the splines. They are 3/4" wide by 1" deep. I use a 1/2" straight bit and make the groove slightly undersize, and plane the plywood spline to proper thickness to get a good fit. I also routed the grooves in the end cap at the same time so the router fence had the same settings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I should be able to get the shoulder vise done, minus tapping the endcap for the vise nut.


It is a pretty heavy top so far. Once I get the endcaps on and both sides of the bench top together it will be a beast. Its only about a 6' long bench, but the top alone will weigh about 150+ pounds I am guessing.


----------



## donwilwol

CartersWhittling said:


> *Dovetailing Endcaps*
> 
> Hello. Today I've been working on endcaps for the shoulder vise. I started by routing the grooves in the spacer block and in the doghole strip for the spacer block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then squared up the end of each end cap for the shoulder vise and laid out and cut the tail on the long end cap with the bandsaw. I then transfered the tail and cut the pins with a jig on the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And after a little fitting…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then put the rod through the top and clamped the spacer block on to layout the location for the splines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I used red marker to better identify the end of each cut.
> 
> Next I put the top on end to route out the splines. They are 3/4" wide by 1" deep. I use a 1/2" straight bit and make the groove slightly undersize, and plane the plywood spline to proper thickness to get a good fit. I also routed the grooves in the end cap at the same time so the router fence had the same settings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I should be able to get the shoulder vise done, minus tapping the endcap for the vise nut.


That's going to be a pretty nice vise.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Top Almost Done*

Hello. I am now almost done the bench top. The tailvise still needs to be made and I need to glue the shoulder vise together, but the majority of work is done. Since my last post I finished the splines for the shoulder vise and tapped the nut for the vise, and cut the detail out.









This is a 2 1/2" diamter nut with 2 tpi. I am making a video of the process of tapping the nut.

I also finished the splines for the end caps and drilling the holes for the bolts.









The bolts and splines are centered on the ends of each top.


















I just realized the gap might be handy as a type of tool tray.

Next I will glue up and finish the shoulder vise and screw, tap the nut for the tailvise, trim the endcaps, and start work on the tailvise. If anyone has any questions or would like pictures or a video of anything, just leave a comment.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Top Almost Done*
> 
> Hello. I am now almost done the bench top. The tailvise still needs to be made and I need to glue the shoulder vise together, but the majority of work is done. Since my last post I finished the splines for the shoulder vise and tapped the nut for the vise, and cut the detail out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a 2 1/2" diamter nut with 2 tpi. I am making a video of the process of tapping the nut.
> 
> I also finished the splines for the end caps and drilling the holes for the bolts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bolts and splines are centered on the ends of each top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just realized the gap might be handy as a type of tool tray.
> 
> Next I will glue up and finish the shoulder vise and screw, tap the nut for the tailvise, trim the endcaps, and start work on the tailvise. If anyone has any questions or would like pictures or a video of anything, just leave a comment.


I just finished glueing up the shoulder vise.


----------



## PurpLev

CartersWhittling said:


> *Top Almost Done*
> 
> Hello. I am now almost done the bench top. The tailvise still needs to be made and I need to glue the shoulder vise together, but the majority of work is done. Since my last post I finished the splines for the shoulder vise and tapped the nut for the vise, and cut the detail out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a 2 1/2" diamter nut with 2 tpi. I am making a video of the process of tapping the nut.
> 
> I also finished the splines for the end caps and drilling the holes for the bolts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bolts and splines are centered on the ends of each top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just realized the gap might be handy as a type of tool tray.
> 
> Next I will glue up and finish the shoulder vise and screw, tap the nut for the tailvise, trim the endcaps, and start work on the tailvise. If anyone has any questions or would like pictures or a video of anything, just leave a comment.


looks real massive.


----------



## hhhopks

CartersWhittling said:


> *Top Almost Done*
> 
> Hello. I am now almost done the bench top. The tailvise still needs to be made and I need to glue the shoulder vise together, but the majority of work is done. Since my last post I finished the splines for the shoulder vise and tapped the nut for the vise, and cut the detail out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a 2 1/2" diamter nut with 2 tpi. I am making a video of the process of tapping the nut.
> 
> I also finished the splines for the end caps and drilling the holes for the bolts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bolts and splines are centered on the ends of each top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just realized the gap might be handy as a type of tool tray.
> 
> Next I will glue up and finish the shoulder vise and screw, tap the nut for the tailvise, trim the endcaps, and start work on the tailvise. If anyone has any questions or would like pictures or a video of anything, just leave a comment.


OK, 
After seeing how you used the gap between the slabs, I am coping your idea.
I have glued up two 12" slabs of maple (planner llimit). I can't get the slabs to joint correctly.
There's always a gap. I toy with the tool tray but like you said, it collects dust.

I am following your blog from the beginning.
My bench is more basic. Looks like there is plenty of ideas to borrow.

Thanks.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Progress Video 1*

Hello. This is a video I made to show the details and construction of my bench so far. I go over the shoulder vise construction and joinery. I hope it may be useful to those who may be contemplating bench designs. I will make a few more videos as I progress, and I will have a video or two on making wooden screws and nuts aswell.


----------



## Brett1972

CartersWhittling said:


> *Progress Video 1*
> 
> Hello. This is a video I made to show the details and construction of my bench so far. I go over the shoulder vise construction and joinery. I hope it may be useful to those who may be contemplating bench designs. I will make a few more videos as I progress, and I will have a video or two on making wooden screws and nuts aswell.


Nice details on your workbench build. It looks like you have done a wonderful job so far. Thank you for sharing it with us.

It would be nice to see a video on your wooden screw maker. Do you have any more details about it?


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Progress Video 1*
> 
> Hello. This is a video I made to show the details and construction of my bench so far. I go over the shoulder vise construction and joinery. I hope it may be useful to those who may be contemplating bench designs. I will make a few more videos as I progress, and I will have a video or two on making wooden screws and nuts aswell.


I am making a video of the screw making jig, and a video on the tap for the nuts. Should be on here in a few days.


----------



## TheBossQ

CartersWhittling said:


> *Progress Video 1*
> 
> Hello. This is a video I made to show the details and construction of my bench so far. I go over the shoulder vise construction and joinery. I hope it may be useful to those who may be contemplating bench designs. I will make a few more videos as I progress, and I will have a video or two on making wooden screws and nuts aswell.


Amazing details, craftsmanship and ingenuity. I certainly wish I had gotten serious about woodworking when I was your age. Great work.


----------



## exelectrician

CartersWhittling said:


> *Progress Video 1*
> 
> Hello. This is a video I made to show the details and construction of my bench so far. I go over the shoulder vise construction and joinery. I hope it may be useful to those who may be contemplating bench designs. I will make a few more videos as I progress, and I will have a video or two on making wooden screws and nuts aswell.


You are doing a great job on your bench, it will be a scource of pride for years to come.


----------



## garyprott

CartersWhittling said:


> *Progress Video 1*
> 
> Hello. This is a video I made to show the details and construction of my bench so far. I go over the shoulder vise construction and joinery. I hope it may be useful to those who may be contemplating bench designs. I will make a few more videos as I progress, and I will have a video or two on making wooden screws and nuts aswell.


That bench looks like it can hold anything you throw at it. Very nice…


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Progress Video 1*
> 
> Hello. This is a video I made to show the details and construction of my bench so far. I go over the shoulder vise construction and joinery. I hope it may be useful to those who may be contemplating bench designs. I will make a few more videos as I progress, and I will have a video or two on making wooden screws and nuts aswell.


This is a super ambitious project carter, very inspiring. Good job.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Making Wooden Screws*

Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


----------



## AttainableApex

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


should put some wax on that screw


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Yeah. There is nothing on it in the video. Straight from the router.


----------



## PurpLev

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


bottom line - looks like the vise has some good holding power which is what's important.

a few things:
1. you should wax the screw to make is slide smoother and quieter in the nut
2. have you tried taking lighter passes before reaching the final thread size to address the chipouts you are getting on your screw (when making screws on a lathe you never do it in 1 pass..)?


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


To answer you:
1. I will wax the screw, I just havn't yet.
2. If I use a good dense hardwood I don't get chip out, its just the screw that I made in the video was a practice, so I used a piece of wood from the firewood pile. The wood was still green and was softer, so it chipped out alot. I usually put the screw back on the lathe after and sand a small flat on the tip of the screws aswell, which when there is minimal chip out, it gets sanded out. I have thought of the idea of taking more than one pass but it would require some modifications to the jig because the screw would not enter the nut as its cutting because the threads on the screw would not be cut to full depth yet. Any more ideas or modifications would be appreciated. I have some ideas floating around in my head but I will wait to try them until my bench is done and I have some time. One thing about making your own vises that is nice, is you can remake and modify things any time. I always enjoy optimizing.


----------



## PurpLev

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


yeah, after I posted the question it came to me that if you took a smaller pass on the the first pass you won't be able to get through the nut - DOH!


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


haha. I thought the same thing before and realized it wouldn't work. You can still edit your comment and remove that part, haha.


----------



## PurpLev

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


nah, I'm a believer that what's said is said and better left as is (I will sometimes edit to ADD something on top, but not to remove). nothing to hide here but humanity in fullest. besides- this doesnt leave any excuses to the next person to ask the same question


----------



## rance

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Nicely done on the screw and nut. I wait with baited breath on your videos for making the tap & die. I think I could figure most of it out from these videos but I'll wait for the dedicated videos to make it easier. No sense in making the same mistakes someone else might make, right?

As for multiple passes… You could probably redesign the follower to be spring loaded to accomodate differing depths of cuts. It would always push to the deepest depth of the existing groove. One more suggestion would be to soak the threads with CA glue before your last pass. That might help to eliminate chipout but yours look pretty good as they are.

Oh, and the obligitory "You should wax that screw" comment. LOL!


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Thanks for the comment rance. My friend and I made about 5 taps before getting it right. You could probably make the tap and screw jig from looking at the videos, with better results then we did the first few times. I have to consider your suggestion for the screw jig when I work on optimizing them. I acually just finished the 2" diameter screw for my tail vise and it turned out great. No tear out and no burns. I think my 2 1/2" screw jig isn't set up properly.


----------



## bobwohlers

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


How did you go about laying out the spiral for the threads?


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


You wrap a piece of paper that wraps once around the screw blank and make marks every 1/2" for 2tpi threads up each edge of the paper. Then connect the lines on a diagonal. I will shortly be making a tutorial on making the tap and screw jig.


----------



## MShort

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


I am looking foward to see your video on making the tap and screw jig. Thanks for posting this. I still have to make a bench and this blog will give me great guidance when I start it.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Hi Carter, I'm not clear on why you cut off 3/16 of the first thread?

Also, to make this jig do you:
1st, cut the 2.5" whole
2nd, cut the 2" whole through the first 2.5" whole
3rd, tap that 2" whole
4th, use the 2.5" bit again to cut of 3/16 of the first thread?

Thanks!


----------



## Bertha

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


^I've got a stake in this, so I'm just here to support Mauricio


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Mauricio,

If you do not cut out half of the first thread, then the thread will prevent the dowel from contacting the router bit.

To make the jig I use two pieces of wood. One has the 2.5" hole, the other has the 2". If you layout the center of the hole on each piece, wrapping the layout lines around the part, and use a fence on a drill press, it will make aligning the pieces easy. So the first step would be to drill out both those holes. Then you tap the 2" hole. Then line up to two pieces together and screw them together. Then using the 2.5" hole as a guide for your drill bit, drill through it into the 2" tapped hole until you drill halfway into the thread that the router bit lines up with. You will also need the cut out a gap in the top of the threaded part (to allow for the router bit to be lowered into the jig) before screwing the two pieces together.

If that doesn't make much sense in words, it will be thoroughly explained in the video series.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Carter, it makes total sense, thanks!

and Al, thanks for the support!


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Hey Carter,

I made my thread cutter, with mixed results. I fed my hand carved one through it and it got totally messed up for some reason. But, I fed a leftover uncut piece through it and got this which is not terrible. 

















I originally used my had carved screw as a "Set Up Block" to set the depth and location of the bit but I think it was too deep. You can see the gaps in the thread in that second pic. And the thread tips are a chewed up.

Any other ideas of what I might be doing wrong?

Now I need another dowel…. Time for a lathe…


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


The router bit was probably too deep. If the bit is too deep it will make a loose fitting screw and will chip the top edges of the threads.


----------



## JoeLyddon

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


*Carter*, do you think it would work to cut the threads in say two passes… instead of trying to hog it all out in one pass?

Just wondering… If a hole were cut in the side, *as shown here*, *wouldn't that enable chips to get out easier?* 
Would it hurt the normal operations at all?
I think he cut the hole more from an autopsy standpoint… to see the insides…


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


No I didnt do an autopsy, in hindsight my hole might be a little to big. My thinking was that since I had already carved a portion of thread by hand that I would be able to use that as a set up block for the bit so I didn't need to sight the bit right next to a portion of thread. My carved threads fit pretty tight so I'm not sure why it cut so much deeper than I expected.

You can't do two passes because the first shallow pass wouldn't let the screw pass through the full depth threads.

I'm surprised I didn't have any router burn.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Mauricio is right, you cannot do too passes because the dowel will not fit the nut. I am sure you could make another hole for chips to come out, but I have found that the hole the router bit comes down through allows the chips to come out fine. My router has dust collection, so the vacum helps to remove chips.

Setting up the router the first time can be very frustrating, especially if the jig isn't made properly to begin with. When I begin making the videos about the screw jig, perhaps then you may find out why yours is not working properly.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Ok, I got a lathe, learned to turn, gave the wooden screw another go and finally got some acceptable results. Sorry for the bad picture. 









I did get some chipped threads but not much and this is firewood.

-Carter, a couple of questions. Is some chipping unavoidable?
-When you cut your threads, is there any flattness left at the top of the threads or is the goal to have a sharp point?
-If you do get a sharp point do you sand them down at all?

Thanks again man!


----------



## Bertha

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


^what about the router speed? what about bit selection? I'm wondering if more flutes would help.
.
What do I know, I'm just here to support Mauricio He's currently working on reverse pitch screws


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Al, I knew I left out a question I had!

Yes! What about router speed, I am getting no router burn like you did Carter, neither on Maple nor Oak. You might be spinning faster than me. Have you found an ideal router speed. We are not taking multiple passes here, taking it all off in one pass, so is a faster speed better?

Revers pitch? Now there is a niche market I could go after!

Thanks!


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


I've never seen a V Groove bit with more than 2 flutes. A bit with two spiral flutes would be da' Bomb!


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


One more question I left out. Sorry for all the questions.

How much wiggle do you have between your screws and nuts? Do they fit pretty tight or do you leave a little play in there so there is no future issues with wood movement and binding? I any case the screws work fine with wiggle.

So to recap:
-Is some chipping unavoidable?
-When you cut your threads, is there any flattness left at the top of the threads or is the goal to have a sharp point? (Same goes for the threads in the nut, do you leave any flatness?)
-If you do get a sharp point do you sand them down at all?
-What router speed?
-How much play between screw and nut?

Carter, Thanks again for sharing your wealth of knowledge!


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


1. Chipping is avoidable. My first screw I made was with a piece of firewood that wasn't fully dry, so it chipped like crazy but didn't burn either. Perhaps that was the same with your test.
2. There is either no flatness, or a very very slight flatness. If you do shoot for a very slight flat it may help keep your screw from chipping. I found if you cut too deep with the router bit it can cause chipping. 
3. No matter what I have left, flatness or not, I mount the screw on the lathe at a very low speed and sand the edges lightly too remove any sharpness.
4. I don't know exactly what speed, but I know my router wasn't very high, maybe set to half its capability. The faster it spins the faster you need to turn the screw to avoid burning, not ideal, and the slower it goes the slower you need to turn. The only problem with turning too slowly is it can be easier to wobble while turning the screw, getting inconsistencies in the threads. I think the slower speed could cause chipping too if you are turning the screw too fast.
5. If you are talking about the nut in the jig, there can be some wiggle room, although the more wiggle the better the possibility of an inconsistent screw. So try to get a fit that doesn't allow a lot of wiggle, but doesn't require more than light hand pressure to turn the screw into it. I have a fit too loose with my 2 1/2" jig which needs to be rebuilt. 
If you are talking about a nut that the screw is meant to be used with, then it depends what kind of fit you want. Whenever you plan on making a nut and screw for something, build the screw first and then make the nut. That way you can tap the nut, test the fit, tap a bit more, test the fit, etc… until the screw fits as tight or loose as you want. It is a lot harder to make a nut and try to set the screw jig to cut a screw to fit that nut.

By the way my router bit has two flutes as well.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Great! Thanks for the additional info man!


----------



## Bertha

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Awesome! I'm waiting for someone to design a big geared crank to turn the screw (literally).
.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


That would be a good idea Al.


----------



## Sylvain

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Al,
I don't find the link anymore but one woodworking magazine once published an ornemental lathe looking like this :









Except the acme thread and the various axle it is in wood.
it is a long horizontal router lift (if I may say so) with the router mounted horizontally perpendicular to the "lift".
Turning the handle make the router move horizontally while at the same time make the blank turn.
Changing the gear ratio would change the pitch of the spiral.
With the 3 gear the spiral would be right hand threaded (if the acme is right hand threaded), to obtain a left hand thread an additional intermediate gear is needed.
For wooden gear look on Matthias Wandel blog : http://woodgears.ca/

Poopiekat also made an "ornemental lathe" 
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/29458


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Yeah, i've seen poopiekat's post on that, I wonder if his can make wooden scews?


----------



## Sylvain

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Mauricio,
I asked him (on which post?) and he answered yes. 
But I don't know if he actually used it for other then ornemental purposes.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Making the tap to cut the nut (and ensure that it matches the screw) is key. I'm guessing he may not be into wooden screws and hasnt made that piece.


----------



## Sylvain

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


I agree,
the the difficulty with a screw made on the lathe hereabove is to make the matching nut.

But, keeping the same gear ratio, you might replace the router by a pencil to mark the line on the dowel to make the tap as described by CartersWhittling.

The thicker the nut the greater the chance of mismatch with the screw.

Taking into account that it is supposed to be screwed and unscrewed all the time, a good thickness of the nut is probably 6 to 10 X pitch.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Check out Davinci's screw cutting lathe.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


I have seen that contraption before. I wonder how well it works. I could see the dowel chattering if it is too thin.


----------



## Sylvain

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


I would not do it like Da Vinci.
He uses two advance screws to also guide the cutter.
If the gears and two advance screws are not perfectly the same it is susceptible to jam.
It is best to separate the two functions: guidance (gliding along a dovetail or along rods) and advance (with the screw).

Although I think I have seen such a mecanism (two advance screws) in some traction testing machines.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Yeah you know fancy pants DaVinci had to make it look cool with a twin screw. He also invented a lot of stuff that he never made because they didnt work. I wonder if this is one of those idea.

He also intentionally included errors in his designs so that no one could steal them.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Carter, in you and your friends research into wooden screws, what do you know about soaking the blank in BLO first before cutting the threads? That must help greatly reduce chipping. However it might swell the wood and make it to tight for the jig.

Sylvain pointed out that McGuire in the UK soaked his blanks in Lindseed Oil for several days before cutting them. http://www.rm-workbenches.co.uk/html/vices_for_sale.htm

However he says he is using a traditional Tap and Die so he doesn't have the danger of router burn and combustion.

SASmith reached out to me about his method of infusing wood with paraffin under high temperature. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/51804

Just wanted to put it out there in case anyone know anything about it.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


I have read about using oil to soak a piece before threading but haven't tried it. It may help chipping, not sure though, but I could see it building up mushy clumps of wood if you use the router.

I have tried making screws and nuts with threaded steel rod before (about 1" diameter) and I soaked them in oil. I found it kept the dowel from chipping, but it did build up a lot of mushy wood.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


I wonder if it would clump once the oil is cured. I've got a dust collector attachment for my router on the way, I'll try that out before using oil.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


If the oil has cured would it make any difference? Would it be just as brittle as if there was no oil? Questions I think only experiments will answer.


----------



## Sylvain

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Making a thread is always more or less end grain work.

Some recommend wetting the wood in some way
Smittycabinetshop in Roubo Cabinet #9: Framed Backpanel said :
"I applied mineral spirits to the end grain and waxed the plane a few times to help things along / get the best results."_
I think I have seen somewhere : "turn always green". I don't know what people with experience in turning think about it.

So it might be interesting to experiment with other substances than linseeed oil to avoid mushy crumps.
What do you think about it?


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


I think the cured oil would add a little more durability to the grain and help hold the fibers together. Your right an experiment might be in order.

Cutting the Nut involves a lot of end grain but that's not a problem because its an incremental scraping action.

With the screw you are going perpendicular to the long grain the whole time which is what tends to cause the chipping.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


I haven't tried mineral spirits on end grain, but I do turn and it is much easier turning with green wood. I don't know that it translates into thread making, at least with a router. I have used the router to make a screw out of green wood before and there was major chipping. Plus when the wood dries it will warp out of shape. But perhaps soaking an already dry piece in oil or something else might work.


----------



## Sylvain

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Just a thought I had afterwards
Mineral spirit may be nice with a slow cutting handplane but might be problematic with a high speed router bit due to temperature rising.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


true Sylvain, I had the same concern which is why I though cured BLO would be the best bet.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.












We need this episode to come out, I'm buying it when it does.


----------



## JoeLyddon

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


LOL DITTO!


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


...wow


----------



## neilh

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Carter, think this might work?
Instead of tapping one piece, drill 2.5" hole in both. Make input piece with sheet metal guide like for the tap.
Spiral dowel just like for tap, then you can thread into router bit, adjustung bit depth from shallow cut to full depth.
The spiral cut can be just a little shallower than full depth of thread. The final pass would remove what remains of the spiral cut.

great tutorials, easier than any others I've seen.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Awwww Snap! Roy's episode on wooden screws from season 6 just became available at PW. 
https://shopclass.popularwoodworking.com/c-64-season-06.aspx


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Bought and watched the episode today, Not sure I learned anything new. Underhill cuts the nut like Carter but with a 60degree angle, he didnt demonstrate cutting threads on his bench screw (about 2") but I it looks like he uses a thread box. But in any case its Roy and he is always entertaining.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Sylvain, I was just curious, didnt you post a link for the German company that sold large tap and dies that cost like 1000 euros? Could you repost the link? I just wanted to look at the pictures.


----------



## tjehrns

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Hello Carter,
These are excellent videos. I watch all of your available videos. I've been wanting to build a real work bench and I really want to use wood screws for the vises. Your videos are very clear, and I appreciate you sharing your methods. I think I'll start with a 1" screw, and make some clamps. I'll let you know how it goes.


----------



## davg

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Hi everyone this is my first post to ask a question and it is in response to post #15. I have attached a hand drawn sketch (not into Cad) of what I understand Mr Carter is saying and was hopping he might verify wither or not it is correct??

http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/davgr/media/TapandDie1_zps0d1e73c5.png.html


----------



## Samfly87

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


So I have been away from my shop for a long time (over 6 months). At my last post I had some questions about cutting the threads for the nut. Eventually I decided that the nut was fine, so I started working on the jig to cut the screw. Finally tried my first test piece today and at first I was ecstatic! It makes threads and seems nice and strong. Then I realized that it was cutting 4 tpi. My nut is cut at 2 tpi. Any idea what went wrong? Do I just need to push harder as I advance the dowel?








!


----------



## Samfly87

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Screws*
> 
> Hello. This is a video showing the process I go through to make wooden screws. I briefly try to explain how it is set up and show the jig making the screw. I will soon have a video on making wooden nuts aswell. I will eventually make a video showing how to make the tap and screw making jig and explain how to create the size of screw you want. I'm sure there are many other ways to make nuts and screws but this is how I do it and it works fairly well, the main downside being that I can get burn marks in the screw from the router bit from when I stop turning the screw. If anyone else has any jigs for making screws or nuts I would like to see them. My set up could still use optimizing.


Answered my own question! Months ago, before I took my hiatus, I had built the jig, and I intentionally drilled the outer diameter hole a bit shallow- which is to say the first thread behind the bit wasn't quite cut halfway through. Once I drilled it just that tiny bit more, it worked perfectly! Please excuse the chipping, this was a block I made up from a scrap of 2×4 I had laying around. Next up, two pieces of 2.5" hard maple dowel.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Making Wooden Nuts*

Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


----------



## Brett1972

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Thanks Mr. Carter for the videos! Did you find the idea in a book or did you come up with them on your own?


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


A friend and I did research on the internet and looked at some books to get the info we needed to make a tap. The idea for the screw making jig was mainly due to the Beall Wood Threader. I used the same concept, just made it myself and enlarged it for the size of screw I wanted.


----------



## rance

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


VERY cool, and VERY clever. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## StumpyNubs

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


I love the video- very informative! Keep them coming!


----------



## Bertha

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


This is really cool. I'm fond of your voice for some reason. It's got a soothing, craftsman sound to it. You should probably get into the TV business


----------



## jeth

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


A clever technique very clearly explained. Thanks for that, got me thinking. 
What would you (or anyone else with experience of wooden thread cutting) say is the minimum diameter for a screw made this way?
I am findeing it impossible to get my hands on left hand acme threaded rod down here for a wagon vise I am wanting to build. A 1" to 1 1/4" screw would be ideal, but is that going to thin?


----------



## Northwest29

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Excellent video, good camera work and explaination of your processes. How did you go about laying out and cutting the groove in the 'tap' dowel?

Ron


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Thanks for the comments. I find it a little weird talking to a camera but I might get more use to it in some time.
To answer jeth, I think a 1" screw would still be possible. Instead on 2 tpi though I would probably do 4. I am accually going to make a tap for a smaller screw in the future for bar clamps. I am not sure what size yet, but between 1"- 1 1/2".
To answer Northwest29 I will eventually do a video on making the tap and figuring out the pitch of the screws. To lay out the lines I wrap a piece of grid paper around the dowel with the lines marked on the paper. Then I mount it on the lathe, only to hold the work, while I use a handsaw to cut the kerf for the spiral following the lines on the paper.


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Nice video, great idea. You are right up therre with Roy ;-))


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Thanks for the complement, but thats almost Roy Underhill heresy claiming I'm close to equal with him, haha. We did look at one of Roy's books that talk about making taps to get some of the info we needed.


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


I saw Roy doing this on PBS. It is on the to do someday list. Glad someone proved it really works ;-))


----------



## JulianLech

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Great video and great job on the workbench. There's something intriguing about making a wooden screw. Keep the vidoes coming, there great.


----------



## timber715

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Mr. Carter you are a genius, thank you for sharing your video. May I ask the angle you have set for the pitch, is it 3 degrees? we will try to replicate it in our country for our personal use amongst freinds.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


I don't know what the angle is. I used grid paper wrapped around the tap with the lines drawn on the paper. It all depend on the diameter of the tap and the number of threads per inch. I will soon this week make a blog on how to acually make a tap and screw jig, so if you wait you can see. And feel free to copy the idea, thats why I posted it here. Its not my idea anyways, its based off traditional taps.


----------



## timber715

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


if you do have a protractor and the guide I would appreciate it can check it sooner, but all is well as I can wait for your blog if ever.
Thank you again for imparting the knowledge.


----------



## hhhopks

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Excellent, A simple solution to a complex problem.
Great job!


----------



## hhhopks

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


My math son claimed that formula is:

angle from the axis is = tan -1(2 PI A/P)

A is radius (amptitude)
P is the pitch length (period).
PI is PI (3.14…..)
Tan -1 ( ) is inverse tangent.

I am not sure if he is right but is coming from a Math Genius that came up with a in 5 min.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


sure, I don't know haha.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Carter, thanks for posting this, I have been researching this for a while and have roy's book so I recognize your plans. But, no one has made a video on the process that I could find until I found this. Thanks!!!

Are you making any screws and nuts to sell?


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Well thats why I posted the video, glad it has helped. I can always make screws and nuts if someone seriously wants one, but I am not advertising them yet at all. Check out my Tap and Screw Jig Tutorial to learn how to make your own.


----------



## JoeLyddon

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Carter, you're doing a great job with your videos, etc.

Thank you very much!


----------



## Ed_Wilcox

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Carter, I can't thank you enough for sharing your knowledge. After watching your videos I am encouraged to do my own for my workbench. I was wondering, what process you did you use to make your blade for the nut tap? I have talked to a local blacksmith and he wants way too much for a 2 inch knife. So I am considering making one from a file. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Hi Ed. If you go onto my youtube channel you will see a playlist called How to Make Wooden Screws and Nuts and in there a have a few tutorials on most of the process. In it I cover some of the process to make the cutter for a tap.

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCartersAccount/videos?view=1&flow=grid

Part 4 is the video in which I show how to make the cutter.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Ed, I used stainless steel for my cutter and it has worked very well, holds a edge nicely.


----------



## Ed_Wilcox

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Thanks Carter and thank you Mauricio.

I thought I had seen the video where you described making your knife. The second time through I just kept guessing which video it was and completely missed it. You and your videos are truly a Godsend. I would love to see some videos on your tool chest or how you handle dove tails. I have not braved that talent yet.

I immediately searched online and found a company that sells prepared tool steel along with a ton of other baubles, knobs, and things I will be looking at for other projects. For 18" they only charge about $9, so I am ecstatic. After forming the blade I will only have to harden and sharpen it. I am going to play around with a couple ideas to see if I can avoid getting a router right away, but with a Harbor Freight close by, I may just have to upset the wife.


----------



## Buckethead

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Ummm… AWESOME….


----------



## schu777

CartersWhittling said:


> *Making Wooden Nuts*
> 
> Hello. In this video I show you how I make wooden nuts for my bench with a tap my friend Chris Legendre and I built. I explain some of the details about the tap and show you how its used and set up. Again like I mentioned in my last blog entry, I will be making a video later showing you how to acually make the tap.


Ed_Wilcox - what company did you find? Does this company have a website, if so, please post it as I'm looking at making hand planes and what you described is part of making some of those "special" hand planes.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Tail Vise Has Begun*

Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.









This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.

I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.


















You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.

After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.









I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.









If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.










I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.


















The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.

I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.










I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.










To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"

I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.


















Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.

I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.










I also finished the guide rod for the vise.



















It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


----------



## Brett1972

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Has Begun*
> 
> Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.
> 
> I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.
> 
> After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.
> 
> I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"
> 
> I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.
> 
> I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also finished the guide rod for the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


"demystify the details behind this bench" 
I'm already confused. Haha Nice job anyway.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Has Begun*
> 
> Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.
> 
> I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.
> 
> After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.
> 
> I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"
> 
> I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.
> 
> I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also finished the guide rod for the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


haha. As things come together it will make more sense. I can already see the finished bench in my head. After I complete the bench I should take it all apart and describe it. Its probably easier understanding it backwards after seeing the final product first.


----------



## JGM0658

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Has Begun*
> 
> Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.
> 
> I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.
> 
> After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.
> 
> I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"
> 
> I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.
> 
> I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also finished the guide rod for the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


Ok, I saw how you made the female threads, but how did you make the male threads on the dowel?


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Has Begun*
> 
> Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.
> 
> I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.
> 
> After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.
> 
> I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"
> 
> I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.
> 
> I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also finished the guide rod for the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


If you go back to my 9th Workbench blog post called Making Wooden Screws http://lumberjocks.com/CartersWhittling/blog/25851 you can see how I make the screws.


----------



## JGM0658

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Has Begun*
> 
> Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.
> 
> I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.
> 
> After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.
> 
> I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"
> 
> I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.
> 
> I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also finished the guide rod for the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


Thanks a lot! Very clever I wish I had seen your videos before I bought the LN vises, I would have gone for the wooden screws, they look great.


----------



## Smitty_Cabinetshop

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Has Begun*
> 
> Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.
> 
> I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.
> 
> After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.
> 
> I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"
> 
> I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.
> 
> I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also finished the guide rod for the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


What an amazing level of craftsmanship going into this build! Simply outstanding, thanks for sharing!


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Has Begun*
> 
> Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.
> 
> I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.
> 
> After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.
> 
> I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"
> 
> I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.
> 
> I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also finished the guide rod for the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


Thanks again for the comments.


----------



## AgentTwitch

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Has Begun*
> 
> Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.
> 
> I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.
> 
> After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.
> 
> I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"
> 
> I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.
> 
> I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also finished the guide rod for the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


Beautiful work! Your signature block is more than fitting.


----------



## SeaWitch

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Has Begun*
> 
> Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.
> 
> I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.
> 
> After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.
> 
> I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"
> 
> I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.
> 
> I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also finished the guide rod for the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


I also enjoyed the "demystify the details." That's what I need! Demystification! hahaa beautiful work. I haven't finished reading all the blog, but I am interested in the sketchup file if you make it available. Thanks for sharing. Onward!


----------



## bravozulu

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Has Begun*
> 
> Hello. Since my 7th workbench post I got the shoulder vise done and started work on the tailvise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of the vise from underneath. I have the bench top upside down while I am working on the tailvise.
> 
> I first tapped the nut in the endcap for the vise. If you look at blog post #10 you can see me making the nut for the tail vise at the end of the video.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can see the 1 inch deep notch cut above the nut which allows for the covering of the tailvise to slide over.
> 
> After I made the nut I used a handsaw to crosscut the chuncks off where one of the guide blocks will go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the rip cuts already made before glue up, so that after assembly all I needed to do was crosscut the blocks off. I used a shoulder plane to get the surface flush and parallel to the end cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If have one of the guide blocks here with my winding stick on it and one on the end cap to make sure they are parallel. This will be crucial in making sure the vise runs smoothly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then cut the parts for the vise to size and laid out the dovetails on the side piece of the vise, cut them out on the bandsaw and laid out and cut the pins. When you are milling the parts for your vise make sure the side piece for the vise is the same width as the front lamenation for your bench to make sure the dogholes are all inline. Also make sure the thickness of the vise parts are the same thickness as the end caps for your bench. Otherwise you will need to modify the position of the guide blocks. The Sketch Up plans for the Frank Klausz Replica Workbench have 4" thick endcaps, but mine are 4 1/4" inch so the 3 parts for the vise are also 4 1/4" thick.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The joints didn't turn out as perfect as I would have liked. So I will need to put some thin shims in when I glue the joints together. But the strength of the joint is incredible none the less.
> 
> I then cut out the space on top of the front piece with the bandsaw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then used my block plane and shoulder plane to true up the surface. I would continually check my progress by putting the piece in place on the bench and checking with my winding sticks to make sure it was parallel to the end cap, just like the place for the guide block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To get the proper amount cut off the vise part depends on the thickness of the bench top and the thickness of the covering on your vise. The plans call for a cover 1" thick and the bench top thickness is 1 3/4" thick so the amount needed to take off was 3/4"
> 
> I then used the router and the template to cut the dogholes. Make sure to face them towards the dogholes in the bench top. I made a small mistake routing the dogholes in the vise because I had the cutout positioned too far down. In the bench top the cut out is placed 1 1/2" down from the top, which is what I did in the vise, but I forgot to take into account the 1" thick cover. So the cut out will be 2 1/2" from the top. All it means is I will need bench dogs slightly longer than in the bench. I plan on making a dog for every hole anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the simple template I made for the dogholes.
> 
> I then made the 1/4" thick cover to go over the dogholes, and glued it down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also finished the guide rod for the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't be too long before I have the vise working. I realized while writting this that I had some difficulting trying to describe all the parts and give them names. So I am thinking that when I have the bench done I will make a Sketch Up drawing available and do a video summerizing the bench. When I started this blog I wanted to thoroughly explain the joinery and the tailvise in particular, because I found it hard to get good pictures and especially a good source to explain the process of making the vise. I am hoping that through this blog I can give you a better look into the construction of this style bench so you can decide on your benches design. When I first looked at bench designs I wanted a tailvise in this style, but thought it would be very complicated to build, which was mostly due to the lack of info I could find on it. So hopefully this series provides someone with the info they need to understand and demystify the details behind this bench, and the vises.


I haven't carefully read your blogs. Did you mention somewhere the source of the plans you used? Not for the whole bench, but for the Tail Vise section?

Is it digital or online somewhere?


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Bench Dogs*

Hello. This weekend had I finished up my tailvise and made the bench dogs for my bench. I am currently making up a video to show you the tailvise, so when that is done in the next day or two I will post the finished vise.

I made one dog for each hole in my bench.










Aswell as a special dog that fits in the first hole in the tailvise for when I need to clamp work that would be to short otherwise.









I have a thin strip glued with the grain in the opposite direction to give the extension extra strength.

I also put some wood aside that I can use to make custom bench dogs in the future if a specific need arises (such has tall dogs with pins for clamping turnings).

I begin be tracing a template I had made, with the back edge flush to the work piece I will be making the dog out of. I then cut it out on the bandsaw so that I am splitting the pencil lines, but I leave a 1/4" or so extra on the top of the bench dog.










The material I am cutting the dogs out of is just slightly thicker than needed, so I use my plane to trim the dog down until it fits the hole it will go in nicely.










Then if I slide the dog down and it is hitting the ledge inside the hole, I trim the back edge of the dog until it slides nicely past the ledge.










Then if the front of the dog will not fit down the hole I trim the front edge.









I will probably be putting a piece of leather on the front of each bench dog later. In that case you can skip this step by cutting the front of the dog thinner to accomodate the thickness of the leather.

Next place the dog in its specific hole and use a pencil with its bevel rested on the bench top to mark a line on the dog flush with the bench surface.










Then I used the bandsaw to cut the waste off, used my block plane to lightly chamfer the top edges of the dog, placed the dog in its hole, and planed the top edge flush with the bench top.










At this point the bench dog is usable, but it will not stay up without a spring mechanism. I decided to go with a wooden spring to apply pressure, but you could also buy bullet catches which would be more simple to install. The spring allows you to push the dog up to whatever height and hold it there so you can take your hands off. I used my mortising jig on the side of my table saw (but you could use a router) to make a slot along the edge of the dog. It is about 3/8" wide and maybe 3/16" deep. The groove only needs to be deep enough to allow your spring to be pressed in the groove and not stick proud of it.










In the picture above you can see two pencil marks, one about an 1/8" below the groove and one about 3/4" from the bottom edge in the groove. These are to indicate where I will chisel out a slope in the end of the groove.









Here you can see where I have chiseled out the slope which is where the spring will be glued.

I then had made up the spring material out of some hickory, though I am sure many other species would work fine. The springs where about a 1/16" thick and wide enough to fit in the groove. Then I put a light amount of glue on the slope in the groove and clamped the spring to the slope.










After the glue dries the bench dog is finished. The only thing you can still do is apply some finished if you like.


----------



## RGtools

CartersWhittling said:


> *Bench Dogs*
> 
> Hello. This weekend had I finished up my tailvise and made the bench dogs for my bench. I am currently making up a video to show you the tailvise, so when that is done in the next day or two I will post the finished vise.
> 
> I made one dog for each hole in my bench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Aswell as a special dog that fits in the first hole in the tailvise for when I need to clamp work that would be to short otherwise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a thin strip glued with the grain in the opposite direction to give the extension extra strength.
> 
> I also put some wood aside that I can use to make custom bench dogs in the future if a specific need arises (such has tall dogs with pins for clamping turnings).
> 
> I begin be tracing a template I had made, with the back edge flush to the work piece I will be making the dog out of. I then cut it out on the bandsaw so that I am splitting the pencil lines, but I leave a 1/4" or so extra on the top of the bench dog.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The material I am cutting the dogs out of is just slightly thicker than needed, so I use my plane to trim the dog down until it fits the hole it will go in nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then if I slide the dog down and it is hitting the ledge inside the hole, I trim the back edge of the dog until it slides nicely past the ledge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then if the front of the dog will not fit down the hole I trim the front edge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will probably be putting a piece of leather on the front of each bench dog later. In that case you can skip this step by cutting the front of the dog thinner to accomodate the thickness of the leather.
> 
> Next place the dog in its specific hole and use a pencil with its bevel rested on the bench top to mark a line on the dog flush with the bench surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I used the bandsaw to cut the waste off, used my block plane to lightly chamfer the top edges of the dog, placed the dog in its hole, and planed the top edge flush with the bench top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At this point the bench dog is usable, but it will not stay up without a spring mechanism. I decided to go with a wooden spring to apply pressure, but you could also buy bullet catches which would be more simple to install. The spring allows you to push the dog up to whatever height and hold it there so you can take your hands off. I used my mortising jig on the side of my table saw (but you could use a router) to make a slot along the edge of the dog. It is about 3/8" wide and maybe 3/16" deep. The groove only needs to be deep enough to allow your spring to be pressed in the groove and not stick proud of it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the picture above you can see two pencil marks, one about an 1/8" below the groove and one about 3/4" from the bottom edge in the groove. These are to indicate where I will chisel out a slope in the end of the groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see where I have chiseled out the slope which is where the spring will be glued.
> 
> I then had made up the spring material out of some hickory, though I am sure many other species would work fine. The springs where about a 1/16" thick and wide enough to fit in the groove. Then I put a light amount of glue on the slope in the groove and clamped the spring to the slope.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After the glue dries the bench dog is finished. The only thing you can still do is apply some finished if you like.


I like the way you produced the spring in the wood. I will be stealing that.


----------



## woodzy

CartersWhittling said:


> *Bench Dogs*
> 
> Hello. This weekend had I finished up my tailvise and made the bench dogs for my bench. I am currently making up a video to show you the tailvise, so when that is done in the next day or two I will post the finished vise.
> 
> I made one dog for each hole in my bench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Aswell as a special dog that fits in the first hole in the tailvise for when I need to clamp work that would be to short otherwise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a thin strip glued with the grain in the opposite direction to give the extension extra strength.
> 
> I also put some wood aside that I can use to make custom bench dogs in the future if a specific need arises (such has tall dogs with pins for clamping turnings).
> 
> I begin be tracing a template I had made, with the back edge flush to the work piece I will be making the dog out of. I then cut it out on the bandsaw so that I am splitting the pencil lines, but I leave a 1/4" or so extra on the top of the bench dog.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The material I am cutting the dogs out of is just slightly thicker than needed, so I use my plane to trim the dog down until it fits the hole it will go in nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then if I slide the dog down and it is hitting the ledge inside the hole, I trim the back edge of the dog until it slides nicely past the ledge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then if the front of the dog will not fit down the hole I trim the front edge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will probably be putting a piece of leather on the front of each bench dog later. In that case you can skip this step by cutting the front of the dog thinner to accomodate the thickness of the leather.
> 
> Next place the dog in its specific hole and use a pencil with its bevel rested on the bench top to mark a line on the dog flush with the bench surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I used the bandsaw to cut the waste off, used my block plane to lightly chamfer the top edges of the dog, placed the dog in its hole, and planed the top edge flush with the bench top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At this point the bench dog is usable, but it will not stay up without a spring mechanism. I decided to go with a wooden spring to apply pressure, but you could also buy bullet catches which would be more simple to install. The spring allows you to push the dog up to whatever height and hold it there so you can take your hands off. I used my mortising jig on the side of my table saw (but you could use a router) to make a slot along the edge of the dog. It is about 3/8" wide and maybe 3/16" deep. The groove only needs to be deep enough to allow your spring to be pressed in the groove and not stick proud of it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the picture above you can see two pencil marks, one about an 1/8" below the groove and one about 3/4" from the bottom edge in the groove. These are to indicate where I will chisel out a slope in the end of the groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see where I have chiseled out the slope which is where the spring will be glued.
> 
> I then had made up the spring material out of some hickory, though I am sure many other species would work fine. The springs where about a 1/16" thick and wide enough to fit in the groove. Then I put a light amount of glue on the slope in the groove and clamped the spring to the slope.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After the glue dries the bench dog is finished. The only thing you can still do is apply some finished if you like.


Lookin' good !! 
This is just what i needed, I'm adding a maple top to my bench and have to cut the dogs and dog holes. Can't wait to see your tail vise vid.


----------



## exelectrician

CartersWhittling said:


> *Bench Dogs*
> 
> Hello. This weekend had I finished up my tailvise and made the bench dogs for my bench. I am currently making up a video to show you the tailvise, so when that is done in the next day or two I will post the finished vise.
> 
> I made one dog for each hole in my bench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Aswell as a special dog that fits in the first hole in the tailvise for when I need to clamp work that would be to short otherwise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a thin strip glued with the grain in the opposite direction to give the extension extra strength.
> 
> I also put some wood aside that I can use to make custom bench dogs in the future if a specific need arises (such has tall dogs with pins for clamping turnings).
> 
> I begin be tracing a template I had made, with the back edge flush to the work piece I will be making the dog out of. I then cut it out on the bandsaw so that I am splitting the pencil lines, but I leave a 1/4" or so extra on the top of the bench dog.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The material I am cutting the dogs out of is just slightly thicker than needed, so I use my plane to trim the dog down until it fits the hole it will go in nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then if I slide the dog down and it is hitting the ledge inside the hole, I trim the back edge of the dog until it slides nicely past the ledge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then if the front of the dog will not fit down the hole I trim the front edge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will probably be putting a piece of leather on the front of each bench dog later. In that case you can skip this step by cutting the front of the dog thinner to accomodate the thickness of the leather.
> 
> Next place the dog in its specific hole and use a pencil with its bevel rested on the bench top to mark a line on the dog flush with the bench surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I used the bandsaw to cut the waste off, used my block plane to lightly chamfer the top edges of the dog, placed the dog in its hole, and planed the top edge flush with the bench top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At this point the bench dog is usable, but it will not stay up without a spring mechanism. I decided to go with a wooden spring to apply pressure, but you could also buy bullet catches which would be more simple to install. The spring allows you to push the dog up to whatever height and hold it there so you can take your hands off. I used my mortising jig on the side of my table saw (but you could use a router) to make a slot along the edge of the dog. It is about 3/8" wide and maybe 3/16" deep. The groove only needs to be deep enough to allow your spring to be pressed in the groove and not stick proud of it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the picture above you can see two pencil marks, one about an 1/8" below the groove and one about 3/4" from the bottom edge in the groove. These are to indicate where I will chisel out a slope in the end of the groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see where I have chiseled out the slope which is where the spring will be glued.
> 
> I then had made up the spring material out of some hickory, though I am sure many other species would work fine. The springs where about a 1/16" thick and wide enough to fit in the groove. Then I put a light amount of glue on the slope in the groove and clamped the spring to the slope.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After the glue dries the bench dog is finished. The only thing you can still do is apply some finished if you like.


That is one sweet looking bench! Also I noticed a nicely tuned Baily #5? plane in the background did you hand carve the tote?


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Bench Dogs*
> 
> Hello. This weekend had I finished up my tailvise and made the bench dogs for my bench. I am currently making up a video to show you the tailvise, so when that is done in the next day or two I will post the finished vise.
> 
> I made one dog for each hole in my bench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Aswell as a special dog that fits in the first hole in the tailvise for when I need to clamp work that would be to short otherwise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a thin strip glued with the grain in the opposite direction to give the extension extra strength.
> 
> I also put some wood aside that I can use to make custom bench dogs in the future if a specific need arises (such has tall dogs with pins for clamping turnings).
> 
> I begin be tracing a template I had made, with the back edge flush to the work piece I will be making the dog out of. I then cut it out on the bandsaw so that I am splitting the pencil lines, but I leave a 1/4" or so extra on the top of the bench dog.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The material I am cutting the dogs out of is just slightly thicker than needed, so I use my plane to trim the dog down until it fits the hole it will go in nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then if I slide the dog down and it is hitting the ledge inside the hole, I trim the back edge of the dog until it slides nicely past the ledge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then if the front of the dog will not fit down the hole I trim the front edge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will probably be putting a piece of leather on the front of each bench dog later. In that case you can skip this step by cutting the front of the dog thinner to accomodate the thickness of the leather.
> 
> Next place the dog in its specific hole and use a pencil with its bevel rested on the bench top to mark a line on the dog flush with the bench surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I used the bandsaw to cut the waste off, used my block plane to lightly chamfer the top edges of the dog, placed the dog in its hole, and planed the top edge flush with the bench top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At this point the bench dog is usable, but it will not stay up without a spring mechanism. I decided to go with a wooden spring to apply pressure, but you could also buy bullet catches which would be more simple to install. The spring allows you to push the dog up to whatever height and hold it there so you can take your hands off. I used my mortising jig on the side of my table saw (but you could use a router) to make a slot along the edge of the dog. It is about 3/8" wide and maybe 3/16" deep. The groove only needs to be deep enough to allow your spring to be pressed in the groove and not stick proud of it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the picture above you can see two pencil marks, one about an 1/8" below the groove and one about 3/4" from the bottom edge in the groove. These are to indicate where I will chisel out a slope in the end of the groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see where I have chiseled out the slope which is where the spring will be glued.
> 
> I then had made up the spring material out of some hickory, though I am sure many other species would work fine. The springs where about a 1/16" thick and wide enough to fit in the groove. Then I put a light amount of glue on the slope in the groove and clamped the spring to the slope.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After the glue dries the bench dog is finished. The only thing you can still do is apply some finished if you like.


Thanks. The plane is a #5 1/2 Record that was giving to me, but I did refinish the handles. I scraped off the old finish and just put a simple oil/wax finish on them.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Tail Vise Is Complete*

Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.









Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.









Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.









This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.









Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.

Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.









Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.









Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.









Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.

Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.









Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.

Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.










Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.










Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.









I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.

Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.

Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


----------



## tsangell

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


I'm not sure how I haven't seen any of this blog before, but this is some really fantastic work.


----------



## AgentTwitch

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


great looking bench top! I have enjoyed following your build tremendously! I would love to see you teach a class on lumberjocks for laying out and building that clever tap and die setup that you have demoed in videos 9 and 10 (I think).
The only thing that this video was missing was the reversing action you talked about, I was looking forward to seeing it in action. Great job


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


Thank you. When I was talking about reversing action I meant when you unscrew the screw, it will slide out of the vise unless something (the garter) pulls the vise back with it. And thanks for the idea of teaching a class. I am going to do a blog or something on making the tap and screw jig but perhaps a class would be better.


----------



## AgentTwitch

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


Ah, okay, my mistake. I was envisioning quick release action by lifting up the garter and pulling back on the handle. Still wicked awesome bench my friend


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


Oh haha. That would be pretty cool though, I am not quite sure how it would work. Next time maybe…


----------



## Northwest29

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


You are an amazing craftsman! This workbench looks like it was made by a master with many years of experience. I am enjoying all these videos and learning a great deal in the process. Thanks for taking the time to share your journey with us.

Ron


----------



## RGtools

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


Ok I will admit I had my doubts about the design at first but you have sold me, this is an absolutely amazing design carried off in a great way.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


Thanks a lot for the complements. I've had my doubts as well and have had to work out design issues along the way, but as the project has come along so far I am very pleased. Now that the top is done it seems a lot more simple than I thought at first, haha. I had just finished figuring out exactly how the base will be joined and how it will be attached to the top and I think it will turn out well. Its been a challenge trying to combine both the Roubo and German bench but in the end I think it will be very versitile. But I would never be building this bench if it were not for my good friend who has given me many of the machines I now have, so I believe a lot of the credit goes to him.


----------



## missingname

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


that is really sweet. good work.


----------



## rance

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


Very nice work and thanks for sharing but NO, NO. Do 'The Taming of the Screw' BEFORE the Bench class. Pretty please?


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


haha Rance. I have had quite a few requests to do a more in depth explanation on making the tap and screw jig, so I think I will do it sooner than later.


----------



## Rubenfromcolombia

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


Hey!
this is an excelent job.
I am just starting here in canada and all of these projects are incredible.
I hope i can do something as beautifull as this bench.
saludos.
Ruben


----------



## dakremer

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


What a great looking Vise! You do very good work! I also really enjoyed the bolt and screw made out of wood - i agree you need to make a class out of it! Would love to learn how to do that! Thanks for sharing!


----------



## JulianLech

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


Where did you learn woodworking? Your woodworking skills are comparable to a master craftsman. This is one awesome looking workbench. This bench should last you a life time.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


I taught myself most of what I know from books and the internet. But my skills are nowhere near a master craftsman. Any natural artistic talent I have came from my Creator, though I appreciate the compliment.


----------



## bravozulu

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


What plans did you use in crafting the Tail Vise? Are they available for sale or posted on a forum? I'm sitting here with a nearly completed bench. Waiting for a Leg Vise - with a design I know. And a Tail Vise, which is a dream in a cloud.

The hardware for a Lee Valley Tail Vise sits in a box, ready for eBay. I want a large diameter threaded wood screw variety much like yours. If you have printed plans, I'd be willing to pay for Xeroxing and mailing. I wouldn't go to the extent of making the screw/nut/garter, but the rest of the dimensions are fine.


----------



## jackcamino

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


Hi, is the garter in some way glued in the mortise?


----------



## helluvawreck

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


Wonderful. The Master Carpenter is the best teacher of all. Your bench is looking really good.

helluvawreck
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


The garter is not glued in. It is held in the mortise with friction.


----------



## JoeLyddon

CartersWhittling said:


> *Tail Vise Is Complete*
> 
> Hello. I have now finished the tail vise, and today I had acually started work on the base. After I had got the dovetails for the tailvise fit and the pins on the guide rod I cut out the place for the pins to be inserted in the vise assembly. I then started work on getting the notches cut in the guide blocks for the sliding parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the guide rod in place, with the one guide block attached to the end cap with a notch for the guide rod to slide through aswell as a small notch where the 1/4" doghole cover is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the second guide block with the guide rod attached between them. There is also a notch cut in the tail vise so it can slide through the guide rod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a view of the bench while it is the right way up. You can see the notch cut out in the top of the end cap which the vise cover will slide over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the cover is on the vise but not glued down yet.
> 
> Then I took the vise apart and drilled the 2" hole out for the screw to pass through and mortised the hole for the garter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the hole is drilled out with the mortise for the garter. In my hand is the garter which goes into the hole and will catch a groove in the screw. The garter pulls the vise back when you reverse the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have the detail cut out in the end of the vise. I do not know if this serves anything practically, maybe reduce weight, but it looks nice anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I've got the 2" diameter 2tpi screw for the tailvise. This was only going to by a practice screw because I can only fit a 14" length on my lathe, and the threads could be an extra 2" longer and the hub an inch or two longer aswell. The groove in the screw is for the garter to engage.
> 
> Next I glued the tail vise together and planed the joints flush. I also attached a 3/4" x 3/4" piece to the bottom of the doghole cover. This acts as extra support and guidance while the vise moves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the 3/4" x 3/4" piece is attached and the vise all glued together. After you put this piece on you need to go back and lengthing the notch in the end of the guide block for it to slide through.
> 
> Then I glued the cover onto the tailvise. Before its glued on clamp it in place and make sure as you move the vise in and out the cover is not binding and everything slides nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I took the vise off and began work on chiseling out the holes through the cover for the dogholes. I flipped the vise upside down and put a drill bit through each doghole and drilled through the cover. I then flipped it upright and used the hole as a guide to start chiseling. I also used a square and marked 2 lines along the cover to mark the edges of the holes. Then I just chiseled until the sides of the holes were flush and beveled the top edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put the whole vise assembly together and clamped the vise shut and planed the cover flush with the top and put the bench on edge and planed the side of the vise flush with the bench side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also roughly flattened the whole bench top at this point.
> 
> Then I began work on the bench dogs which are in the previous blog post.
> 
> Here is a video where I explain how the vise works and show you how it moves.


COOL work!

Good stuff!

Thank you!


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Starting The Base*

Hello. I am now working on the base for my workbench. I have changed some of the design details since my first concept, but not by much. The main difference is that the two legs on the Roubo side of the bench have tenons that will go into the bench top. The base was going to attach to the top the way most trestle bases do with bullet dowels, but then I realized that when I use the leg vise, all the pressure will be placed on the dowels! So I redesigned the front legs so that they have a tenon going into the top so that it is firmly attached and will handle the pressure from the leg vise. This is the where the task of combining a Roubo and German style bench became a little more complex. I will still have a bullet dowel above each trestle to help align the base and keep it from twisting since there are only 2 tenons along one side of the bench holding the top to the base unlike a traditional Roubo with 4 tenons, one on each leg. I am not sure yet, if I will glue and drawbore the tenons to the top. I may leave them and see how the bench holds without glue in those tenons, because it would be nice for the top to be removable for easier moving, if strength and rigidity are not compromised. The workbench I have now has a trestle style base that is attached to the top with bullet dowels and I have had no issues with rigidity so far.

Anyways, after figuring out the base design I went ahead and thickness planed all the leg parts and trestle parts to proper thickness. I had already jointed the parts previously so all I needed to do was mill them all to thickness. I do not yet have the wood for the 3 stretchers, so I will need to get it some time this week. Then I cut the parts all to length making sure to take in account the length of the tenons.










Then I laid out all the tenons on the parts. Since I thicknessed the lumber to the thickest the material would allow, the parts are slightly thicker than the plans called for. So some of the lay out work required tweeking and using the lumber itself to lay out the joinery properly. Though like all wood working, its more accurate to use marking gauges and transfering lines from one part to another, rather than using a ruler. Then after I had the tenons laid out, I used the bandsaw to cut the tenons since I do not own a tenon saw yet and they were identical repeated cuts. When you have the fence on your bandsaw set properly, and a good blade, you can make cuts that do not require clean up.









This is a picture of a piece of wood I used to set the fence drift, and you can see the quality of the cut is really flawless.









Here I have all the parts cut to length with the tenon cheeks cut on the bandsaw. I have not cut the shoulders yet.

Next I will finish up the tenons and start the mortising.


----------



## RGtools

CartersWhittling said:


> *Starting The Base*
> 
> Hello. I am now working on the base for my workbench. I have changed some of the design details since my first concept, but not by much. The main difference is that the two legs on the Roubo side of the bench have tenons that will go into the bench top. The base was going to attach to the top the way most trestle bases do with bullet dowels, but then I realized that when I use the leg vise, all the pressure will be placed on the dowels! So I redesigned the front legs so that they have a tenon going into the top so that it is firmly attached and will handle the pressure from the leg vise. This is the where the task of combining a Roubo and German style bench became a little more complex. I will still have a bullet dowel above each trestle to help align the base and keep it from twisting since there are only 2 tenons along one side of the bench holding the top to the base unlike a traditional Roubo with 4 tenons, one on each leg. I am not sure yet, if I will glue and drawbore the tenons to the top. I may leave them and see how the bench holds without glue in those tenons, because it would be nice for the top to be removable for easier moving, if strength and rigidity are not compromised. The workbench I have now has a trestle style base that is attached to the top with bullet dowels and I have had no issues with rigidity so far.
> 
> Anyways, after figuring out the base design I went ahead and thickness planed all the leg parts and trestle parts to proper thickness. I had already jointed the parts previously so all I needed to do was mill them all to thickness. I do not yet have the wood for the 3 stretchers, so I will need to get it some time this week. Then I cut the parts all to length making sure to take in account the length of the tenons.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I laid out all the tenons on the parts. Since I thicknessed the lumber to the thickest the material would allow, the parts are slightly thicker than the plans called for. So some of the lay out work required tweeking and using the lumber itself to lay out the joinery properly. Though like all wood working, its more accurate to use marking gauges and transfering lines from one part to another, rather than using a ruler. Then after I had the tenons laid out, I used the bandsaw to cut the tenons since I do not own a tenon saw yet and they were identical repeated cuts. When you have the fence on your bandsaw set properly, and a good blade, you can make cuts that do not require clean up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a picture of a piece of wood I used to set the fence drift, and you can see the quality of the cut is really flawless.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here I have all the parts cut to length with the tenon cheeks cut on the bandsaw. I have not cut the shoulders yet.
> 
> Next I will finish up the tenons and start the mortising.


You are so close to the finish line. I cannot believe how smooth your band-saw cuts.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Base Mortise & Tenons*

Hello. I have now finished the mortise and tenons for the base and have them all fit.









Here are the two base assemblies put together. The assembly closest to view still needs a thin leg installed on its right side. You can see the tenons on top of each assembly which will be going into mortises in the bench top.









Here is a view of the leg assemblies from the Roubo side of the bench, with the front legs that will be flush to the bench top side and the tenons that will be mortised into the bench top. The leg on the left is the leg which will be tapped for a 2 1/2" nut for the leg vise. When I was laminating all the leg parts I had one which was an inch wider than the rest, so I used it as the leg which will have the leg vise.









Here is a close up of the tenon and a better view to see the extra width on the leg vise leg. This leg is 5 1/2" wide instead of 4 1/2" like the rest.









This view will be from the German side of the bench where the shoulder vise will be.

The design for my bench's base is different from any other trestle style base I have seen, because since the back side requires the legs be flush to the bench top edge. So the design has the joinery in different locations and the stretchers and trestles arranged differently. The tenons will all be drawbored with proabably two pegs each.









The leg on the left is the leg that will be on the Roubo side of the bench and have the leg vise. So you can see, instead of the trestle going over the leg, the trestle has a tenon that goes in the leg. This way the entire face of the leg is exposed without the trestle being shown. I'll mention again this assembly still needs a stretcher between the legs.









The leg on the left is the leg that will be on the Roubo side of the bench. Again like the previous picture, the trestles go into the leg instead of the leg inbetween the trestles like most trestle bases. I'll mention again this assembly still needs a third thin leg on the right.

If anyone needs a better visual of the bench design, go back to my first Workbench blog entry where I have pictures posted of the bench's design. The pictures are not exactly the same as the final bench because some dimensions have changed since then. I still need to go out and buy more material for the three stretchers, a thin leg under the shoulder vise, the leg vise chop, and a strip that still needs to be added to the bench top. From this point there is not much left to do.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Base Complete*

Hello. At this point in time I have the workbench finished, but this post will be about the base. I will make a video going over the completed bench and then post my last blog entry of the bench.

Shortly after the last blog post I bought the last portion of wood I needed for the bench. The first piece I worked on was for the underside of the bench top. I made a piece 4 1/2" wide and about 1 1/2" thick to glue to the back edge of the top to make the edge the same thickness as the end caps.










Then I laid out and cut the mortises for the leg assemblies in this piece.









I also had to drill out two holes to get access to the nuts for the end cap bolts.









I also routed a 1" x1" groove for the sliding deadman.

After this point a started work on the base and the stretchers. The parts for the stretchers are about 2 3/8" thick and about 5 3/4" wide. I cut the tenon cheeks on the bandsaw and the shoulders by hand. I got the distance between the tenons by placing the leg assemblies into the mortises in the bench top and marking the distance between the legs.










I first fitted the short stretcher between the one leg assembly.










Then I mortised the side stretchers into place. The stretchers are flush to the front of the legs and are 5" above the ground.










I then worked on the spacers that go between the top of the legs and the bench top.










Make sure that the spacers sit flat on the bench surface and that they are both parallel to each other.










I also have two holes in the spacer blocks (that I forgot to get pictures of) which accept a dowel in the top of the leg assemblies. The blocks are attached to the top with two bolts each (which I also forgot to get a picture of).









Here you can see the dowels glued into the leg assemblies. These fit into the holes in the spacer blocks. The dowels help keep the base from racking and twisting while doing heavy work on the bench.









In this picture and the one above you can see the pegs in the joints. All the mortise and tenons were draw bored with 3/8" white oak pegs I made using a dowel plate. You can also vaguely see the angled guide that is routed in the front stretcher for the sliding deadman.









The oak pegs for the base joints.

Before I permanently assembled the base in the pictures above, I hand planed all the surfaces on the leg assemblies flush and made sure the front legs were flush with the bench top edge.










After this all I had to do was place the top on the base and make the sliding deadman, the leg vise, and flatten the bench top. As I said earlier, the bench is currently done. Once I make a video I will post the finished bench.


----------



## superdav721

CartersWhittling said:


> *Base Complete*
> 
> Hello. At this point in time I have the workbench finished, but this post will be about the base. I will make a video going over the completed bench and then post my last blog entry of the bench.
> 
> Shortly after the last blog post I bought the last portion of wood I needed for the bench. The first piece I worked on was for the underside of the bench top. I made a piece 4 1/2" wide and about 1 1/2" thick to glue to the back edge of the top to make the edge the same thickness as the end caps.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I laid out and cut the mortises for the leg assemblies in this piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also had to drill out two holes to get access to the nuts for the end cap bolts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also routed a 1" x1" groove for the sliding deadman.
> 
> After this point a started work on the base and the stretchers. The parts for the stretchers are about 2 3/8" thick and about 5 3/4" wide. I cut the tenon cheeks on the bandsaw and the shoulders by hand. I got the distance between the tenons by placing the leg assemblies into the mortises in the bench top and marking the distance between the legs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I first fitted the short stretcher between the one leg assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I mortised the side stretchers into place. The stretchers are flush to the front of the legs and are 5" above the ground.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then worked on the spacers that go between the top of the legs and the bench top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Make sure that the spacers sit flat on the bench surface and that they are both parallel to each other.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also have two holes in the spacer blocks (that I forgot to get pictures of) which accept a dowel in the top of the leg assemblies. The blocks are attached to the top with two bolts each (which I also forgot to get a picture of).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the dowels glued into the leg assemblies. These fit into the holes in the spacer blocks. The dowels help keep the base from racking and twisting while doing heavy work on the bench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In this picture and the one above you can see the pegs in the joints. All the mortise and tenons were draw bored with 3/8" white oak pegs I made using a dowel plate. You can also vaguely see the angled guide that is routed in the front stretcher for the sliding deadman.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The oak pegs for the base joints.
> 
> Before I permanently assembled the base in the pictures above, I hand planed all the surfaces on the leg assemblies flush and made sure the front legs were flush with the bench top edge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After this all I had to do was place the top on the base and make the sliding deadman, the leg vise, and flatten the bench top. As I said earlier, the bench is currently done. Once I make a video I will post the finished bench.


A very detailed blog. I would be proud to own such a bench in my shop. I look forward to see the video of your build.
Great job.


----------



## SeaWitch

CartersWhittling said:


> *Base Complete*
> 
> Hello. At this point in time I have the workbench finished, but this post will be about the base. I will make a video going over the completed bench and then post my last blog entry of the bench.
> 
> Shortly after the last blog post I bought the last portion of wood I needed for the bench. The first piece I worked on was for the underside of the bench top. I made a piece 4 1/2" wide and about 1 1/2" thick to glue to the back edge of the top to make the edge the same thickness as the end caps.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I laid out and cut the mortises for the leg assemblies in this piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also had to drill out two holes to get access to the nuts for the end cap bolts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also routed a 1" x1" groove for the sliding deadman.
> 
> After this point a started work on the base and the stretchers. The parts for the stretchers are about 2 3/8" thick and about 5 3/4" wide. I cut the tenon cheeks on the bandsaw and the shoulders by hand. I got the distance between the tenons by placing the leg assemblies into the mortises in the bench top and marking the distance between the legs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I first fitted the short stretcher between the one leg assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I mortised the side stretchers into place. The stretchers are flush to the front of the legs and are 5" above the ground.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then worked on the spacers that go between the top of the legs and the bench top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Make sure that the spacers sit flat on the bench surface and that they are both parallel to each other.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also have two holes in the spacer blocks (that I forgot to get pictures of) which accept a dowel in the top of the leg assemblies. The blocks are attached to the top with two bolts each (which I also forgot to get a picture of).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see the dowels glued into the leg assemblies. These fit into the holes in the spacer blocks. The dowels help keep the base from racking and twisting while doing heavy work on the bench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In this picture and the one above you can see the pegs in the joints. All the mortise and tenons were draw bored with 3/8" white oak pegs I made using a dowel plate. You can also vaguely see the angled guide that is routed in the front stretcher for the sliding deadman.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The oak pegs for the base joints.
> 
> Before I permanently assembled the base in the pictures above, I hand planed all the surfaces on the leg assemblies flush and made sure the front legs were flush with the bench top edge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After this all I had to do was place the top on the base and make the sliding deadman, the leg vise, and flatten the bench top. As I said earlier, the bench is currently done. Once I make a video I will post the finished bench.


Really impressive.


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Completion*

Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.

Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.

After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.

I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.



















Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


----------



## Andy123

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


That is a very nice bench. I also like the video. You can tell you took your time with the project and it show in the finished product.


----------



## Woodbutchery

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Nicely done. Great bench, and it's obvious that a lot of care and passion went into it.


----------



## SeaWitch

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Beautiful work. I guess I'm going to have to go back and read all the bench entries. You are going to continue blogging, right? On other projects?


----------



## MartyBacke

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Great videos and run down of your bench design. I enjoyed listening to your explanation of the various design choices and details.

By 'last blog entry', I assume you mean last entry concerning the bench. You should definitely continue blogging your woodworking adventures.


----------



## StumpyNubs

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


I think there's a good audience for your blog here. You should keep doing it.


----------



## JimDaddyO

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Brilliant design and construction


----------



## Bertha

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


As close to my dream bench as I've seen.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


When I said possible my last blog entry, it meant concerning the bench. I will post more on my other projects, and in fact I am going to finish my chessboard project I started a year ago but postponed. So if anyone wants to check out the chessboard blog entries they can, as I will be finishing the project soon.

Thank you for the compliments, I hope it helped others get a better understanding behind my bench and possibly how they can construct theirs. Again I will say I am going to make a tutorial on how to make the tap and screw jig, but I am sorry they have not come out yet, I have been busy.


----------



## BrandonW

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Well done! Like Bertha said, that's basically my dream bench. I also love your planes.  May the serve you many many years to come!


----------



## RGtools

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Great bench and lovely shavings that you are making with those planes. Keep up the great work.


----------



## hhhopks

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Yes, the tap & screw jig. It would really make it simple for all the screws and nut out there ;-)
I am impressed.


----------



## SASmith

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Wonderful bench/series.
I am also looking forward to the screw and nut blog.
Thanks for sharing.


----------



## nobuckle

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Now that's a bench. I look forward to seing it use in future videos. Nice work.


----------



## Brit

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


One of the best blogs I have ever read on LJs. Thank you for your detailed explanations, I'm sure you will get many many years of use out of that bench. Enjoy every minute.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


I am glad you enjoyed the blog Brit.


----------



## sgood

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Not only is the bench a beautiful piece of craftsmanship the video is very well done. This would be a go to video for anyone considering the building of a bench. I for one will be going back and watching the rest of the videos. I'm particularly interested in the making of the wooden screws. The speed of those vices looks very nice. Thanks for all the work you put into the videos.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Your very welcome. I greatly appreciate your comments, and am happy people are finding the videos useful. With all the research and work I did on this bench I wanted to share the knowledge I gained to others.


----------



## RGtools

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Watched the video again. Glad to know I am not the only one who has a wedge under one of their bench legs because of uneven floors.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


sure is a great picturebook toturial serie you have made …. thanks for sharing 
been a pleassur to catch up on .-)
one thing though you said you wuold make a blog on how to make the tab and die tools 
is it me that just havn´t seen it or …....where can I find it if you have posted it

Dennis


----------



## hhhopks

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Fantastic.

If you ever decide to sell your house, let me know in advance, so I can prepare the move in (doesn't matter where it is), because I am buying the house. Surely that heavy duty bench of yours is not movable. Right?

Second thought, with your talent, you can move it.

Thanks so much.


----------



## JoeLyddon

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


*Carter…

You have an Heirloom bench that will last several Lifetimes!*

Great job!

Thank you very much!

Looking forward to seeing what you make on it!

*... so get busy! LOL*


----------



## benchbuilder

CartersWhittling said:


> *Completion*
> 
> Hello, this is probably my last workbench blog entry, now that my bench is complete! Like I said in my last blog, the workbench has been complete a couple weeks before this post on November 12. With my last post I had wrote about completing the base. After I had the base assembled, glued up, and drawbored I placed the bench top onto the base. Previous to putting the top on the base I had put one coat of boiled linseed oil on the underside of the top. The top is removable from the base, I decided not to drawbore or glue the tenons that insert into the bench top because I feel there is no need to, and it will make moving the bench in the future much more easy. After I had the top in place I did a final flattening of the top surface and a light scrapping.
> 
> Then I began work on the sliding deadman. I had a piece of walnut I had kept for this part and milled it to size. The deadman is around 2 3/8" thick. I then cut the angled groove in the bottom of the deadman with a router and 90 degree cutter. This took a lot of fine cuts to ease up to the final fit. I also cut the top portion out which goes into the groove in the bench top. Next I drilled the holes out which are spaced up and down every 1". Then I cut and shaped it. I am sorry but I forgot to get some pictures of the work in progress.
> 
> After the sliding deadman was complete I worked on the leg vise. This turned out more complicating than it should because I could not find a 2 1/2" drill bit. I attempted a try at a brace with an adjustable bit, but just as I thought, drilling a 2 1/2" diameter hole in hard maple by hand is impossible. I finally obtained a circle cutter to cut a template which I used to route out the hole in the legvise chop that I needed. Before routing the hole I used the largest drill bit I had to remove most of the waste. I then used my horizontal mortiser attatchment on my table saw to cut out the place for the internal garter. I also made a screw that fit nicely into the nut in the leg. Before shaping the leg vise chop I made the guide that goes on the bottom of the vise which has the holes drilled in it. After the vise was complete I made a handle for each of the 3 vises on my bench and applied the boiled linseed oil.
> 
> I was in a hurry the final week of the build so I forgot to get pictures of the legvise and deadman in progress. But here are two pictures of the completed workbench.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here are two videos I made going over the bench now that it is finished. The first is more technical, where I go over the reasons behind the design and construction, while the second I show how each vise works and performs.


Carter, you are without doubt the best i have ever seen on here or anywhere!!! Thank you sir..


----------



## CartersWhittling

*Thoughts and Changes*

Hello.

Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.

To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.










I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.









This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.









Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.

The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.



















I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.

Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.



















When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.










Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.



















Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.

When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.

The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.


















(At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)









I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.

Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.

I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.

The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.



















Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.

I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.









A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.

The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.



















I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.

I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?

People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.

I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.

My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.

The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.

If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


----------



## kenn

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


It is still a great looking bench, one that works. I don't have a planing stop on my bench so no input from me on its advantages. Plus I left off a crochet too so we must think/work alike. I need to flatten my bench before tackling my next big project.


----------



## JoeLyddon

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


SuperMan strikes again!

Super COOL!

Thank you!


----------



## Woodwrecker

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


Lots & Lots of really great information.
Thank you!


----------



## Brit

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


Thanks for sharing your thoughts on your bench Carter. Very useful information.


----------



## Sylvain

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


Wonderful bench
Thank you for the useful information.

"I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow."

What about clamping a small board in the tail vise to act as a planing stop?

Or using a board in the splitting as a planing stop and working perpendicular to the length near the end of the bench

other alternatives :
see eighth picture on :
http://www.closegrain.com/2010/09/portable-workbench-part-3.html

If I remember well there is also something like that in 
http://logancabinetshoppe.com/blog/2011/05/episode-34/
He also uses a removable board in the splitting.


----------



## AgentTwitch

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


Thanks for posting the update. You made a great observation about the hold fast holes in the leg aligning with the sliding deadman, something I would not have considered until I had a board that would have benefited from being supported by the deadman and the leg.

Also appreciate your input on which of the bench vises see the most use for your work.


----------



## MShort

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


Thanks for the follow up info. I enjoy reading your adventures and learnings in woodworking.


----------



## mochoa

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


Great tips, a lot of usefull info that I will use in my bench build


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


@Sylvain, I have used a small board that I can clamp in the tail vise for planing small pieces. I forgot about it though because I ended up needing the board to make something haha. I will probably make a new one and determine not to use it for something else. It worked well. Thanks for the reminder. And the planing stop I was referring to is like Bob's on the Logan Cabinet Shoppe.

You can plan out a bench as much as possible before building, but sometimes there are things you cannot foresee due to inexperience. So I hope you guys can keep these observations in mind so that your benches are closer to "perfection".


----------



## Bertha

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


The perfect bench.


----------



## Smitty_Cabinetshop

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


Outstanding bench, one of best on LJs for sure!

Re: Holes level between deadman and leg. Are those for times where you may want the piece being worked to only be supported at the bottom by dead and right leg? My leg vise is on the left, haven't had an instance where a piece needed more than one support to the right after being clamped on it's left end.


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


@Smitty, You don't really need the support from the left holdfast if you have a leg vise. But if you do not have a leg vise, but have a crochet it would be more useful. It is also nice to be able to rest a large piece on two holdfast just to keep the board level while you are tightening the leg vise. Like I mentioned in the blog its not a big deal, but if you can make sure they are level its nice to have.


----------



## phtaylor36

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


Great ideas and things to think about for when I get around to making one…


----------



## bonobo

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


Astounding workmanship.

You've probably come up with a solution for the turning dogs' height adjustment but if you haven't, I was going to suggest putting collets around them with thumb screws (like a couple of panel gauges)


----------



## CartersWhittling

CartersWhittling said:


> *Thoughts and Changes*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Its been 6 months since I finished my bench and I have spent over 1000 hours on it. Now that I have gotten a good feel for how the bench works and its ups and downs I thought I would write an update on it.
> 
> To start I'll mention the modifications I made. The first was to add leather to the pads on the hold fasts. With leather I no longer need to place scrap wood between the work pieces and the hold fasts to prevent denting. If you have hold fasts (which you should) I would recommend using contact cement to glue leather to them. I used some rough sand paper to scuff up the hold fast where I was going to glue the leather to help it adhere better. I don't think it changes the grip at all, for better or worse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also made a new bench dog in slot number 11 so that the dog dropped down lower.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the original. Because of the tail vise guide block this bench dog didn't stick down below the bench, which made it slightly annoying when popping it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the new bench dog sticks down about an inch like the rest.
> 
> The only other update I have made to the bench was to make two bench dogs for holding turnings. These are both 12" long and have screws with tips I have ground to a point. The only problem with these are that they do not stay at whatever height you place them because they do not have the little hickory springs my other bench dogs have. The only idea I have to solve it would be to put a few bullet catches every inch or two so there will also be one or two applying pressure, no matter what height they are set at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do have plans on making a new screw for my tail vise. At the time I made the one I have now I could only fit 14 inches on my lathe. Because of that, when the vise is fully extended there is only about an inch of screw grabbing the nut, which isn't ideal. Also because of the short length, the hub is too short and makes it awkward because the handle is too close to the vise. With the handle so close I sometimes hit my knuckles on the vise, again, not ideal. So I will eventually make a longer screw now that my lathe can handle about 3'.
> 
> Because I knew I planned on making a new screw I made the one "nub" on the end of the handle removable by not glueing it in place. This way when I make a new screw I can reuse the handle. It turns out its handy having the handle removable because it can get in the way while planing large boards. So even when I make a new screw I will keep the "nub" removable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I built the bench and drilled the hold fast holes in the one leg I made a lucky move. I didn't think about it the minute I was drilling the holes, but you want your hold fasts able to hang in the holes without hitting each other. It's no big deal if they do, it just looks nicer and you won't have them ding each other every time you put them there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another thing to keep in mind if you build a sliding dead man is to have the holes in the leg line up level with two of the holes in the dead man. I didn't think about this when I made mine so the holes aren't perfectly level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, its no big deal, but there are times when you can rest a work piece on a hold fast in a leg and on the sliding deadman, so its nice to have the board level. If for whatever reason I make a new sliding dead man I will make sure to have the holes line up.
> 
> When I had first built the bench I had it running parallel with my shop. This set up was OK, but I found myself always walking around the bench to get to the tools on the other side. So about a month ago I turned the bench so that it runs across the middle of my shop. This way I can get to the tools on the wall from either side of the bench fairly quickly. I left a little space between the bench and wall so that I can move through there to reach farther without walking all the way around. Opposite to the wall, by the tail vise is where I will have my tool chest when it is done. So again, I can get to the tools in the tool chest without walking around the bench.
> 
> The only downside to this set up is that if I have to edge plane a piece over 5 feet long in the leg vise there is little room to move close to the wall. I usually don't work with very long boards so I havn't run into that problem yet. If I do I can simply rotate the bench for the time to make more space, no big deal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (At the end of the tail vise is where my tool chest will go.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have most of my commonly used tools on the wall here, for now at least. When my chest is done my nice hand tools will go in there. I also have moved a light directly above the end of the bench so that no matter where I am around the bench, there will always be light.
> 
> Shortly after I built my bench I thought I might plug the centre of the bench with a strip to keep things from falling down. I haven't done it yet because I don't drop things through it (besides a few pencils). The gap is handing for holding chisels and other tools so I don't know if I would want to plug it.
> 
> I haven't built a shelf under the bench either, just because I haven't felt the need to. If I do ever build a shelf I will plug the gap in the top to keep dust/shavings from falling onto it. I do keep a few appliances, like shooting boards and bench hooks under the bench, but they just rest against a stretcher.
> 
> The bench has been holding up fine in general. I flattened the top a couple months ago, because it developed a slight hump in the middle, but only very slight. After I resurfaced the bench I put some more oil on it. (Note: try not to get oil in the hold fast holes, otherwise it will take about a week for it to dry, so the hold fasts won't grip). The shoulder vise and the tail vise have had no problems. The tail vise has broken in now so it runs smoother than at first, but it is not sagging at all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every month or two I loosen the bolts in the end caps and the threaded rod through the shoulder vise. I do this just to release any tension that there might be and retighten them again.
> 
> I don't worry if glue gets on my bench, I usually grab a handful of shavings and rub the glue dry, and then scrap any goo off with a dull card scraper. I try not to get any finishes or stains on the bench though (besides oil) just to keep the bench from looking too crummy. If I have to finish over the bench I put a drop sheet or sheet of crummy plywood over top.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little rough and dirty, but kept clean for the most part. I am still considering using a toothing plane to texture the top but haven't decided yet.
> 
> The leather on the vises and bench dogs have been holding up pretty good as well. I try not to clamp small or sharp objects without wrapping them in another piece of leather, to keep the vise leather from unnecessary marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have also considered making a crochet by the leg vise, but I don't think there is much advantage in doing so. If anything it keeps you from having boards extend further past the vise. With a bench only about 6 foot long it is nice to extend long boards a little further past the leg vise sometimes.
> 
> I have also considered adding a planing stop near the tail vise like many Roubo and Nicholson benches have. I sometimes have to plane a short piece that cannot be clamped between the two nearest bench dogs, and planing against a bench dog is less than ideal because its fairly narrow. Besides the work involved in mortising and making the stop, is there any downside to having this feature?
> 
> People have asked me about how long to make a leg vise screw. My screw is only 14" long including the hub, so there is only about 9 inches of thread. There is more than enough. I don't think I have clamped anything over 3" thick so far, so having 9 inches of thread is enough. One disadvantage to having a longer screw is it takes longer to unscrew when removing the vise. There have been many times where the leg vise was in the way so I removed it, and with a shorter screw it takes less time then with a long one. Only a small consideration though.
> 
> I haven't thought about building a sliding leg vise much, since the sliding dead man and holdfasts work quicker and probably just as good.
> 
> My thoughts in general about the bench after 6 months are very good. Each of the three vises has it's advantages and although I could do without having all three, it sure is nice having them there. Since I use the tail vise more then anything else I would say it is the most useful of the three. Its the only vise of the three that can hold work securely for face planing and with the traditional L-block style vise you can even clamp work between the jaws like a face vise too (of course the grip is side to side, not front to back). I also use it to pry things apart. I do furniture repairing and there have been many times where I used my tail vise to pull chairs apart. The leg vise would be the next most versatile vise. Unlike the shoulder vise it will not pivot so it can clamp small parts. And because the legs are flush to the bench, it is better at edge planing and holding wide boards firmly. Although the shoulder vise is quicker to use than the leg vise and doesn't have a screw in the way of clamping.
> 
> The weight of the bench keeps it from moving while doing anything. I have never had it move while working on it. The height is also very nice for planing and when sitting on a stool it is a good height for chiseling and detailed work. I can't say I would give it up for another other bench yet, except for a longer one if a had the space, although 6 feet really has been just fine.
> 
> If there are any other questions about how my bench has been holding up leave a comment and ask.


Thank you, and no I haven't. I honestly have not even used the turning dogs much. Using some sort of locking collet sounds like a good idea though.


----------

