Traditional European Workbench Build

[Kris Cook]

Turns out I was supposed to finish a built-in shelf in the bathroom so I haven't made as much progress as I would have liked. After 30+ years of marriage I am starting to develop a keen sense of what my wife is thinking. As an example - I was laying out the dog-holes for the bench, and my wife came out to the garage and said she was going to burn the work bench. I took this as a subtle hint I should get back on the bathroom project.

Anyway, here are some more pictures

Laying out the dog-holes
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I used the idea from the "Benchcrafted" site for the pattern and the method. I used a guide bushing and a spiral up-cut bit to hog out most of the material and then followed with a pattern bit in my smaller router to make the final shape. This worked very well. I did get a small amount of tearout on the bottom right-hand corners (in spite of climb-cutting). It was pretty minor and I just knocked off the corner with a chisel.
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Dog-holes
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I also got the hold fast holes drilled this weekend. Here is the slab in its current state. I got the filler block made tonight and purchased all-thread today. I will be cutting more splines and drilling the through-hole for the all-thread next.
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Kris

[Joe A Faulkner]

... After 30+ years of marriage I am starting to develop a keen sense of what my wife is thinking. As an example - I was laying out the dog-holes for the bench, and my wife came out to the garage and said she was going to burn the work bench. I took this as a subtle hint I should get back on the bathroom project. ...

Been married 32 years, and I can relate. Though my wife tolerated the workbench build okay; it was the tool cabinet build that nearly brought out the inner pyromaniac in her. I didn't do a very good job of explaining that a tool cabinet was a perfectly logical prerequisite to building a new bedroom suit. The bed is on my workbench now. . Good luck at balancing your priorities with her expectations. Keep us posted.

[Jim Becker]

Joe, the issue you faced was pretty much one of project timing and priority. IE, that bed better be the bee's knees! LOL

[Robert Engel]

Kris,

Word of advice don't be too quick to drill holes for bench hook til you actually start using the bench.

Let your work determine where the best place is.

[Kris Cook]

Robert - I drilled 5 holes across the back of the slab - spaced to accommodate the holdfasts I purchased from Grammercy. I don't plan to drill any more at this point. Thanks for the advice.

Kris

[Kris Cook]

I did get the bathroom cabinet painted and installed. Just a little tile trim to do. Hopefully I bought myself some time .

I got all of the dovetails cut and fitted in the aprons and the Shoulder Vise arm. I also finished all the splines, and I am just about ready for final assembly of the top.

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I also got the through-hole drilled for the Shoulder Vise arm.

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Headed to Denver tomorrow afternoon for most of the week. Going to try to get the slab sections glued up before I go.

Kris

[Kris Cook]

I got all of the slab sections glued up. I decided to include the planing stop in the slab. It is in line with one of the dog holes in front, and a holdfast hole in back into which I could insert a "Workmate" type stop - this gives me options to run a batten all the way across the bench if I want.

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Nice piece of walnut for the tool tray

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Back on the leg assembly - got the stretchers made up and fit.

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Decided to go with the LV "Bench Bolts" and got them installed last night.

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Now I need to round over the base and top ends, add feet to the base, ease some corners, and sand for final assembly.

Kris

[Robert Engel]

Looking good!

When you get ready to do the shoulder vise I can tell you a mistake I made.

[William Fretwell]

Kris,
You don't need to drill the holdfast holes before you assemble the top. You can make a jig on the drill press to guide the drill for the first couple of inches to keep it square then finish off after removing the jig. I made mine from scrap cedar. This works very well. You won't really know where to put them until later in the build. You will likely change your mind several times.

[Kris Cook]

William - thank you for that. I am fairly comfortable with the holes I have placed thus far and won't drill any more until I am sure of their use. When I do I will employ your excellent suggestion.

Robert - I would be interested to know what your "mistake" was so I can be thinking about it. I have already drilled the through-hole for the threaded rod and made the spacer block, and front arm piece for the vise, so hopefully it doesn't involve those steps.

Kris

[William Fretwell]

Kris, might be too late but if you countersink the whole bolt in the front arm then you can keep the spacer block smaller, the arm closer and still have the full 7" opening. You may need to make the arm thicker where the bolt is countersunk.
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You can see I added a dado for spacer blocks to stop wracking for small sizes just in the top of the vice. Where you put it requires some thought depending on apron size.
Spacer block grain direction? Vice face tab position? Clearance to spacer block? All good to think about.

[Kris Cook]

Kris, might be too late but if you countersink the whole bolt in the front arm then you can keep the spacer block smaller, the arm closer and still have the full 7" opening. You may need to make the arm thicker where the bolt is countersunk.

You can see I added a dado for spacer blocks to stop wracking for small sizes just in the top of the vice. Where you put it requires some thought depending on apron size.
Spacer block grain direction? Vice face tab position? Clearance to spacer block? All good to think about.

William - the grain of my spacer block is running perpendicular to the long axis of the bench slab so any expansion will go into the vise opening, and of course there is the added benefit of the long grain being much more resistant to compression.

I was planning to recess the "nut" into the face, and made my arm 3" thick which I hope is enough to retain the needed strength.

I saw your spacer block idea in another post you had made and I will be giving that some more thought along with the tab issue.

Thank you for the input.

Kris

[William Fretwell]

I had to make my arm about 4 inches thick just to accommodate the nut properly. As you can see this is just around the 'nut' area. My apron is 5" deep. I was not worried about the strength of the arm as the distance between the threaded rod and the screw is short.
When holding something very tight the arm does not even flex.

[Robert Engel]

Kris,

One of the downfalls of the shoulder vise is horizontal as well as vertical racking. It really only works if the piece can be clamped directly behind the screw.

With this in mind the tolerance of the ear that slides between support and filler block can be made in such a way as to limit this effect. My mistake was I rounded the ear too much think this would make the vise work more smoothly. The problem is a severe amount of wobble and racking that makes the vise useless unless the piece being clamped extends to right behind the flange. Of course, this can be remedied by reworking the vise face which to date, I have been either too busy or too lazy to do. I've found for the problem no big issue I can either use the tail vise or clamp between dogs.

Bottom line: If you keep the ear square and make the face nice and thick (2 - 2 1/4"), I think it will minimize this problem. Of course it may not be an issue for you and you will determine this when you actually start using the vise.

Good idea on countersink the threaded rod nut and washer. I wish I had done that.

I think my shoulder arm dims are 3 3/8 W X 4" H so you should be alright.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Kris, when you get done, be sure to ask a mod to post a pic of the finished project at the top of the thread.