My workbench project....

[Ed L]

After 1 1/2 years its finially finished.

Shop time hasn't been plentiful for a while, life gets in the way. Had issues with the bench itself, made we walk away for a while also. I just finished a baby changing table for LOML's daughter, it was a fight without a bench that functioned. Its been way to hot to do anything outside, I don't handle heat well. Sought refuge in the cool shop, made up my mind the damn bench was getting finished.


I didn't fell the trees for this, I milled, dryed and did everything else.

Wood is Honey Locust, hard, strong and has a mind of its own. Its 2' x 6', top is 4" thick, weighs something north of 300lbs.

Ed

42433424344243542436

[MasterBlaster]

That's mighty mighty fine! What's the turn handle for? And the thing in the middle, with the holes?

I'm not a shop bench expert. I'm happy if they have a nice vise.

[CurSedVoyce]

Oh man is that nice! Well done :thumbup:

[stig]

Slendid.
One of the best I've ever seen.

If you ever feel the urge to make another, I could probably find room for it in my shop.:)

Now it is time to knock some of that fine finish off of it.

[Ed L]

That's mighty mighty fine! What's the turn handle for? And the thing in the middle, with the holes?

I'm not a shop bench expert. I'm happy if they have a nice vise.

The holes are for "dogs", just a stop to clamp your work against. The handle on the end is for the wagon vise, (https://www.google.com/search?q=wagon+vise&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=) turn it and the block of wood in the slot moves.

Thanks guys!

Ed

[Reddog]

Nice!

[Burnham]

:thumbup: I'll echo Stig :).

[Dave Shepard]

Very nice! I've been collecting wood so I can build one. The problem with building benches is you need a bench so you can build a bench.

[cory]

Very Impressive!!

Nothing better than a good bench in a good shop.

[woodworkingboy]

Great job, Ed, beautiful bench! If you do a lot of woodworking and don't have one already, you will likely find that also having a machinists vise with wooden jaws will be an asset too for holding wooden parts for shaping or whatever, and perhaps at a preferred height. Putting one on an extended plate so it can hang over the edge of your bench is real good for having what you are doing right in front of you, and not having to lean over. A Wilton works splendid.

[Tucker943]

What an outstanding job! Id be upset to get it dirty for the first time. Well done.

[cory]

Good point, it looks too nice to work on.

[inbredJed]

Honey Locust! Man, that's amazing. Some pretty hard and heavy stuff. Really well done. Man, that's inspiring.

[MasterBlaster]

I wonder how many century's that thing will be around?

[flushcut]

VERY nice! I have always wanted one, you shouldn't have.:lol: So what's going to be the first project on that bad boy?

[Ed L]

Great job, Ed, beautiful bench! If you do a lot of woodworking and don't have one already, you will likely find that also having a machinists vise with wooden jaws will be an asset too for holding wooden parts for shaping or whatever, and perhaps at a preferred height. Putting one on an extended plate so it can hang over the edge of your bench is real good for having what you are doing right in front of you, and not having to lean over. A Wilton works splendid.

I've got a big Wilton on my metalworking bench. I use a pair of the rubber jaws, held on by magnets, works slick for holding about anything you don't want to mess up.


VERY nice! I have always wanted one, you shouldn't have.:lol: So what's going to be the first project on that bad boy?

A Frank Loyd Wright style table for my TV. I had made an end table for my mom, I "borrowed" it a while back....she wasn't happy about it then, still ain't.

Ed

[woodworkingboy]

Ed, are your rubber jaws sold by Wilton? I seem to remember seeing mention of them and trying to get a pair way back when, but it never panned out. They don't slip around being held by magnets?
Thanks.

[Ed L]

Nope, not Wiltons. They stay in place pretty good, I always use them when I sharpen chains, they hold the saw in place very well.

Got them from Reid Supply: http://www.reidsupply.com/sku/C-45/

Sadly they don't offer them anymore.

They do have the Wiltons: http://www.reidsupply.com/sku/WLT-60/

Ed

[woodworkingboy]

Ah, thanks.

[flushcut]

A Frank Loyd Wright style table for my TV. I had made an end table for my mom, I "borrowed" it a while back....she wasn't happy about it then, still ain't.

Ed
Cool!

[Jack]

Gorgeous workbench, Ed ... I'm jealous. I wish I had room for one ... maybe some day. :)


Ed, are your rubber jaws sold by Wilton? I seem to remember seeing mention of them and trying to get a pair way back when, but it never panned out. They don't slip around being held by magnets?
Thanks.

Jay, I got mine at Lowe's @ 8.68 (http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=209898-52800-BV-NVJ&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3070247&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=rel&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1).
You probably don't have a Lowe's nearby but they're, no doubt, made closer to you than to me. :lol:

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/091162/091162008393xl.jpg

[vharrison]

Wow, that is really nice!

[woodworkingboy]

Thanks Jack. I guess that they don't have to be made for a Wilton, as long as they fit. I've always made my own wooden jaws out of plywood, and using dowels to fit them to the holes in the cheeks. They hold fine, but after the wood gets banged up, they can scar whatever you are holding. A hard rubber, like some conveyor belt with a strong backing, seems like it would work too.

[surveyor]

Man that is a nice bench! love the look of the wood and look at all those nice tools in the background, beautiful.

[Al Smith]

I've got three Wiltons at my shop mounted on Kennedy tool boxes .Each one plus the tool boxes were salvage from work .One has soft copper jaws which just slip over the steel jaws .

Thinking about though I'd imagine nylon would make a nice soft jaw insert . Nice job on the work bench .

[mccauleytree]

Wow! That bench is awesome! I would hate to even use such a nice piece.