Hopefully my last bench question...

[john brenton]

My bench is basically the Dominy model with 10* back legs and a twin screw vise, with the only difference being that I've decided to mount the twin vise under the top instead of through it. I'll also be adding a tool tray just in case I don't like it positioned against the wall and move it to the center of the room. I also have a little curb in my garage that keeps me from butting the table against the wall, so the tool tray makes sense either way. So it's kind of a Holtzominy in that regard.

My vise screws should come in tomorrow, and I'm wondering whether to make the housing and chop out of the left-over SYP, or buy some hardwood. I'd rather do it in SYP just because I don't want to spend any more on it. I'd also like to avoid having four bolts running through the top down the vise mount, so I'd like to mortise or pin the sides of the mount to the legs, leaving only two bolts to run through the top.

Any thoughts?? You think I'd be pushing it? If it doesn't work I guess I could just make another mount and chop. Dang, I hate all this thinking.

[Jim Koepke]

I'm wondering whether to make the housing and chop out of the left-over SYP, or buy some hardwood. I'd rather do it in SYP just because I don't want to spend any more on it. I'd also like to avoid having four bolts running through the top down the vise mount, so I'd like to mortise or pin the sides of the mount to the legs, leaving only two bolts to run through the top.

If you do it with the SYP, will it be easy to change in the future to a hard wood if some just happens to fall into your shop?

I am also trying to figure why bolts have to go through the top of the bench.

Can lag bolts be used from the underside to hold the vise?

jtk

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi John,

Depending on the thickness of your top, the bolts through the top are not a problem. I have 2 on my bench and counterbored them 1" deep. Make sure to make the hole diameter large enough to allow a socket to fit over the bolt. After installing mine, I plugged the holes with pieces of dowel glued in place. It was a simple matter to block plane the plugs flush with the rest of the top.

[john brenton]

Not sure Jim. I thought about it of course, but the only ones I have seen are bolted in from the top. Dave doesn't seem to let it bother him, but I would be leary about sealing off access to the bolt's head. With my luck I would do that and not be able to tighten the bolt. I'm just going to go for it and see what happens.

If you do it with the SYP, will it be easy to change in the future to a hard wood if some just happens to fall into your shop?

I am also trying to figure why bolts have to go through the top of the bench.

Can lag bolts be used from the underside to hold the vise?

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Not sure Jim. I thought about it of course, but the only ones I have seen are bolted in from the top. Dave doesn't seem to let it bother him, but I would be leary about sealing off access to the bolt's head. With my luck I would do that and not be able to tighten the bolt. I'm just going to go for it and see what happens.

There are a couple of ways to get ahead of this. Carriage bolts will pull into the wood and not turn if the shaft hole is not over large.

With a hex bolt, just cut a mortise for the head to keep it from turning.

If the plug is only lightly glued in place, it will be easy to remove. Usually just driving a wood screw into the plug over the bolt head will pop it out.

jtk