My New Work Bench arrived today (sort of)

[David Keller NC]

Harry - If you've the time, I (and perhaps other Creekers) would be very interested in some close-up photos of the wagon vise design. There's a lot of variations on the way the guides are handled, and I'd be interested in your solution.

I've another bench design (number 6 for me) rattling around in my head, and I'm thinking "wagon vise" after the last bench with a tail vise. After I finished it I swore I'd never make another tail vise ever again - way too much PITA.

[harry strasil]

As to why so many vises, I guess I just like vises, but each one has it's uses, still have to finish the old style one and I have the screws for a face vise yet to make it.

As to some close ups of the wagon vise, they are already in the thread, I took pics as I made things. The only problem with making the W V screw so it doesn't move out when opened is that you have to turn it counter clockwise to close it and clockwise to open it, but I will get used to it.

Here are the pics again.

[harry strasil]

FWIW, if I were to make a tail vise, I would use a sliding dovetail for it to move in, using about 4 inch thick material to cut both the female and male section in, but then I have a Bridgeport Mill at my Blacksmith shop and a large metal cutting cutter to use. I used dowels for my slide to get around the slot getting sawdust etc in it and siezing up the movement.

But then as you may have noticed, I think outside the box a lot. LOL

[David Keller NC]

Harry - Forgive me for being lazy and not looking through the complete thread - one (small) disadvantage of the forum format is that threads that are good can get quite lengthy.

That's an interesting garter set-up. Never really occurred to me to make a garter arrangement - I had just thought of using the shoulder vise screw out of the box.

My objection to tail vises is that major pain they are to construct. I've built a couple that were completely wood except for a metal vise screw, and the last one (to save time, I thought) was a commercial screw/guide arrangement. The problem was that it was difficult to measure the proper dimensions for the infill, cap, and end-chop with the hardware laying on the bench, so most everything needed to be cut oversize, then carefully worked with chisels, rasps, etc... to get everything fitted up.

Considering that I don't pinch work between dogs to plane it (I plane against a stop almost exclusively), the only reason I wanted the tail vise was for the occasional dissassembly job or to hold a chair leg straight out from the bench. Neither purpose was worth all of the fussing to get the vise built up and mounted.

The next bench I build may have either a wagon vise, or no vise at all in the end position.

[harry strasil]

Well it was back to the Blacksmith shop to get a tool to work on the bench, (portable drill and press) then back again to get an auxiliary chuck to make the bit long enough to drill the dog holes. I am drilling the dog holes 13/16 as I use 3/4 Hot Rolled Round for the shanks of my dogs. Its oversize and has a more or less rough finish which holds in the holes better.

This is the set up I am using to drill the holes. The plywood has crosshairs drawn on the top, then a 13/16 hole was bored at their intersection. I line up the crosshairs with the lines drawn on the bench top then clamp in place, then position the drill in the hole and clamp it down, then drill. Boy that tight grained Pin Oak is some tough stuff.

[harry strasil]

April 15/09 update

The NuBench is nearing completion finally. I have most of the dog holes drilled and made 4 bench dogs this morning at the Blacksmith Shop, the holes don't show up very good in this picture, but there are 4 rows of holes up and down in the Apron with 6 holes to a row then a line was drawn from the top hole of one row to the bottom row of the next row and 4 holes drilled along this line in the same plane as the holes in between up and down.




Also the new style lock for the leg vise bottom slider works quite well, and I left out the metal part in the top of the slider.



I have always had a problem with one of the old green school bench vise Maple liners, it has never lined up well with the inside liner. I have tried planing it to fit several times to no avail and today I decided to Kert it in, and that worked quite well. I placed a thin sacrificial piece below the liners and used a D-8 Panel saw with 12ppi and of course lubed the blade up with a Paraffin candle.



A few more holes to drill in the top so I can use my Wedge Vise System and make and mount the Face Vise on the Apron side, and then to apply a Danish Oil Finish and I will be done.

[harry strasil]

Vise #6 is made.




The mounting.




It's a Light Tap Fit.




In use, with the old style leg vise holding the other end and Oak Dogs holding it up and one of the new Holddowns securing the middle.




BTW, the piece its holding is part of a floor joist from a 100+ year old house that was given to me for firewood for my shop. Part of it is going to end up as legs for our new Gateleg Dining Table.

And the Vise itself is Burr Oak from an Old Corncrib.

Jr.

[harry strasil]

Vise # 7 is made and mounted, NuBench is now done except for a few more holes to drill , a few more dogs and wedges to make.




Thanks for viewing this thread.


Jr.

[harry strasil]

The finished (maybe) Nu Bench with the 5 permanent vises on it, and a coat of neutral Danish Oil, all except the feet.

[Bob Easton]

Congratulations Junior!

That's a great workbench. It looks like you should be able to hold almost anything (except maybe 20 foot long boat planks ) Lots of interesting ideas to copy. I really like the removable crochet.

[harry strasil]

NuBench at Work, Wedge Vise in use.

[John Keeton]

BTW, the piece its holding is part of a floor joist from a 100+ year old house that was given to me for firewood for my shop. Part of it is going to end up as legs for our new Gateleg Dining Table.

And the Vise itself is Burr Oak from an Old Corncrib.

Jr.

Ol' waste not, want not, Harry!! The end is in sight. This has been a great journey, and a lot of knowledge to pick up on the way for us less experienced kids!

[harry strasil]

My idea for the bottom adjuster didn't work out as planed, so I went with a 1.5 inch screw and a knob like the steering wheel of a ship, I put 6 pegs around it, and its easily adjustable with my foot now.

[David Gendron]

You don't find it in the way? Keep us posted on how you like it on the long run!
Thank you
David

[harry strasil]

its been like that for a month, and I love it.