New Jarrah & Blackwood bench for the shed

**Auld Bassoon** · 11th February 2007, 08:31 AM

For the last couple of years I've muddled along with a crapiata bench that was my first project.

Unfortunately, whilst strong and rack-free, it's too high and too wide, so I decided that the time had come for a nice new bench

I already had some Vic Blackwood and some Jarrah, but bought a bit more 42mm Jarrah stock, plus a front & tail vice.

After perusing this forum plus a few pictures, sketches, on-line plans, etc, I came up with a fairly traditional design, but one without a tool till.

As can be seen, I've also elected to use a row of traditional square dogs, the holes for which are canted at 2o towards the tail vice.

The top is solid Jarrah, 40mm thick, and the front (and tail) vices are laminated Jarrah with a Blackwood outer face.

More to come as work continues.

Below are some WiP pics.

**zenwood** · 11th February 2007, 09:07 AM

It's gonna be awesome.

How did you make the curved ends on the vice jaw?

**Auld Bassoon** · 11th February 2007, 10:59 AM

Hi Zenwood,

Made a pattern (the same one that I'll use for the base upper & lower X-members), cut approximately to the line on the bandsaw, then rasps, files and a light sand.

**martrix** · 11th February 2007, 11:27 AM

Gday AUld B, looks like it will be a serious bench.
What is the bench vice your using? Looks big and wide.

**Driver** · 11th February 2007, 11:41 AM

Beautiful work, Steve. That's going to be an enviable bench. Greenie launched. Just out of interest, did you assemble the vices using the instructions on the Lee Valley website?

Col

**jow104** · 11th February 2007, 12:23 PM

Wish you many happy hours of work at your new bench, I have seen some workbenches on this visit to Oz. and it is also my intention to construct on on my return to the UK.

**Auld Bassoon** · 12th February 2007, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by martrix

Gday AUld B, looks like it will be a serious bench.
What is the bench vice your using? Looks big and wide.

The vice hardware is just standard Carba-Tec stuff.

The front vice is 440mm wide, 117mm deep and the face block is 95mm thick.

Driver: No, but as there were no instructions with the CT stuff, I just figured it out. Not too hard

**Auld Bassoon** · 15th February 2007, 04:43 PM

A few more WiP pics.

I've made up (mostly excepting for the lateral rails that will hold the tail vice in place and guide it) the tail vice assembly; fitted the back rail and also the two end cap rails. These latter are loose tenoned (Domino's

) to the front dog block, but just screwed to the back end of the sides of the top.

There's over 210mm inter-jaw space (at max) for the fron vice and about 180mm traverse for the tail vice. Should be enough...

Also to do on the top is make up and fit the rails that will be the meeting point for the base's upper transverse rails.

Of course, whilst trying to keep everything flush and level, there will still be a bit of hand planing to do to get evertything nice and flat.

Some pics...

**Auld Bassoon** · 15th February 2007, 04:45 PM

A few more pics...

You'll notice that as the dog block is deeper than the dog block backing rail, I've just glued some ply onto the back of the lower portion of the dog block to "close the gap" as it were.

**Andy Mac** · 15th February 2007, 04:48 PM

Hi Steve,
The bench looks really good so far, and that's only the underneath!

I look forward to more progress shots.

Cheers,

**martrix** · 15th February 2007, 05:19 PM

Going to be a ripper. What are you using to secure the vice to the underneath of the top? Looks like maybe M8 coach screws, or is it bolted through the top?

**Auld Bassoon** · 15th February 2007, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by martrix

Going to be a ripper. What are you using to secure the vice to the underneath of the top? Looks like maybe M8 coach screws, or is it bolted through the top?

G'day mate - just stout coach screws (M10 I think), and there are 5 of them so should be ok

**Auld Bassoon** · 20th February 2007, 04:49 PM

The Jarrah top is now about done, just a couple more coats of Danish Oil mixed with boiled Linseed Oil.

Next up is the trestle.

Some pics below.

I'm also debating about a few rows of circular dog holes as I have a goodly number of that type of dogs. Any thoughts?

**ozwinner** · 20th February 2007, 04:59 PM

Steve, it look too good to be used in the shed.

Al

**Groggy** · 20th February 2007, 05:02 PM

Steve, that's a beautiful bench! So, where are you going to work now?

I would be reluctant to mix round and square dog holes, but whatever. If you need both then go for it, there are no rules (other than The Code of Practice 6.4.3)

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