Obscenely pleased with myself - bench update

[Pat Barry]

That table is so beautiful I'd be afraid to use it.

I agree. Maybe you could take some old chains and distress it a bit before you use it. You know, break it in a bit to take the pressure off. Seriously it's beautifully done!

[William Fretwell]

Dog Question
Dale I don't see the dog holes in the end vice? Are they so well fitted they vanish?
The fitted dogs flush with the top is a look I like as well and keeps the dust out. My concern was catching the back edge of the dog with a plane blade which will split off a chunk of the dog. Rounding the back edge to the same depth as the minimum dog raised height may save the dog without reducing holding power. Having a bunch of spare dogs works as well.

[Dale Murray]

Pretty:
In regard to its too pretty to use; Bentley knows every car they produce will eventually get dirty and maybe have a few scratches, but until then, it is going to be a rolling masterpiece.

I know I scratch it up. Until then, it will be my finest piece of cabinet work to date. BTW, those are the first dovetails I have ever cut by hand or machine.


Dogs:
You are correct, I have not installed them.
Both faces of the vise will receive some sort of sacrificial wood - Walnut, most likely, when I install those I will figure out the dog situation.

When I made the dogs I created a bunch of blank forms, just need to slice out a dog as needed. I dont intend to run the dogs so high that a plane can catch them. I may learn otherwise down the road.

[Dale Murray]

Its happened, I scuffed the top a bit sliding around the wood for the chop. No worries, I planed on one last coat of finish once the vise is installed.

Figured I would share two more photos.

My temporary drawer of planes. These will be relocated to a wall cabinet sometime down the road. Hopefully this area will occupied with drawers before spring.

PlanesBig.jpg

This shows the bottom of the dogs. I dont really see a need for them to be much higher than 2/3-3/4" above the surface.

BottomDogsBig.jpg

[Brent VanFossen]

Beautiful work. And congrats on your first dovetails!