No sooner did I start developing an affection for hand planes did I realize I'd benefit from a proper, heavy workbench to use them on. Christopher Schwarz Workbench book along with the many threads about the bench inspired me to get started sooner than later. I really wanted to use the Benchcrafted hardware yet I opted to save the money and bought LV screws for the leg vise and homemade wagon vise. I did however purchase the Benchcrafted glide rollers for the leg vise, and I'm glad I did. I was determined to have a split top however right before I began laminating the top I decided to go for the solid top. My main desire for the split top was the fancy tool rest in the middle which in the end didn't seem important enough in the long run. I satisfied my desire for a tool rest as you'll see on one of my end caps. The lumber is SYP and the leg vise, dead man, end caps and roller glides were made from Walnut that grandpa cut down about 40 years ago. It was a fun project, very satisfying and I learned a lot. Thanks for looking.
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Here is my wagon vise, and the opposite end cap I dadoed out enough space to hold some of my bench tools and even put a groove on the end to hold pencils.
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