Thread: Frank Klausz/European Workbench WIP

Yup it's was old Mike the neighbour to the rescue yesterday that's for sure, it was fun playing with metal and I learnt how to drill/tap etc so it's good to know your neighbours people!

Project for today is to flatten the slab and then turn to the joinery for the end caps....

Ok today was a better result! The power option for flattening the top was the correct way, I had no problems although I admit setting the rails and sled up was a bit painfully.
I will sharpen up my no 6 or 7 come time for final flattening but it did come up a treat.

And, after I whacked the end caps back on I only lost 2mm so I thicky the end caps and tightened up my end cap bolts with the spacer block....mmmmmm...mmmmm she is looking sexy!!!! How's that grain!!!

Next is to dock the end caps, plus the face vice arm is ready to go Ian so get that Tap out and flex those muscles cause we are going to need them! Lol!

Sorry if some of the pics are upside down I turned them round but they still post them this way.....bloody apple iPad.

Onto the dovetails next....

Pleased with the progress.

Oh forgot to mention I worked on the tail vice block too, cut the dogs just need to dock them to size and then glue that sucker together.....

out did myself this weekend.....!

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A little progress - docked the end caps, tail vice and face vice arm. Thanks to bill for docking everything on his monster hammer!

Now I need to find time for the dovetails, fit the tail vice and on to the grand finale!

Milo

Lovely looking bench. It's going to be a beauty. In fact it already is .

Regards
Paul

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Well I won't say I am back but after a bit of family drama which I had to get back on track I really want to finish the bastard of a bench. Happy wife ....happy life they say!?

So the tricky bits - mark and cut the half blind dovetails for the back board, cut the massive through dovetail for the face vice. Having never cut a hand cut dovetail and with no more stock to use I didn't want to fudge it up, I turned to Ian W to give me a hand.

I milled up the back board but I couldn't quite get the concave out so I whipped out the trusty No 7 and got her sorted. Measured up everything and headed over to Ian's place.

I think Ian had forgotten how hard the wood is and it had him changing hand saws more than I have changed nappies in the last month...finally he got his trusty great white shark saw out and it had him huffing and puffing in no time! It was a pleasure to watch Ian mark out everything and I picked up some great techniques for hand cutting joints. We ran out of time to finish the blind dovetails so Ian cut them and I will knock out the waste and fit them, a job for the weekend. Thanks Ian, I hope you and the missus had a few nips on the porch....its port weather!

I also have to knock out the waste in the vice block which is going to be a tricky job...slowly getting there.

Who knows when it will end!

Bryan

Milo, this will be a really amazing bench.

I'd bet (post #1) even though you still have 1 year left, you must be really looking forward to making something ON the bench.

Maybe we should haul it away and put it in a design museum like the Sydney Art Gallery. Small children will ask their parents what heinous crimes those poor medieval peasants committed to be tortured by such a device... "Did they break bones with those vices daddy?"

"Yes son, this broke the poor man all right"

Envanism

Gosh you nailed it one! this bench has broken me....a few times! I leave it alone and then come back when I have the energy. Ian did warn me that now that I have children it would slow the build down.....I just didn't realise how much!

They will do forensic archaeology in a few decades time and the WILL find lots of my DNA impregnated into this bench.

I have ordered the face vice screw which should arrive by the time the woodwork show rolls around. I was hoping to use a 2inch wooden screw that Ian had as surplus but he gave me the Ron Swanson giggle when he spotted the thickness of my face vice block....its beefy!!!!

I have just resigned from my job and I am hoping as of next Wednesday the company will put me on gardening leave which will mean that I will have a week and a half free time before I start my new job. If that happens I will be going all out to finish.

Looking forward to the woodworking show!

A little more progress, I knocked out the waste in the blind dovetails on the short end cap side of things. Fitting the dovetails was a tad tricky as one shoulder was a little off and the board wanted to skew out of square. I concentrated on the left hand pin and slow but surely she tapped home. The other dovetail on the long end cap is perfect and with a little more pairing will tap home nicely.

I had to flip the top on its side with the end caps in place and OMG my back is a tad tight this morning.

Once the backboard is in I will rout out two grooves, one in the top and one in the backboard for the tooltray.

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It coming along nicely.

I have had small windows of opportunity to work on the bench and I have to say powering flat out for two days over the long weekend and I am nearly there.

The watershed moment for me is when I installed the tooltray, it actually is starting to look like the end product. I also added an extra bolt on the short end cap side.

Special Bunnings employees!!

I had a sheet of 6mm marine ply but took it back to Bunnings to swop it for 12mm. The guy in the yard wrote me the slip for the swop, I in tern handed it to my missus whilst I went off in search for swing parts for my daughter swing I was building. A sheet of 6mm ply is $44 and 12mm is $80, I go a call from the missus saying the woman on the trade desk at Oxley was giving her a really hard time and it was the yard manger who came into set her straight. I walked off in frustration but was even more surprised when the missus handed me the $36 back in change!!! what is with some of these special needs Bunning's people!! rant over!

on the home stretch now!

• Need to install the tail vice and face vice
• final fitting and glue up
• tidy up and final flattening
• oil her up!!

What finish to use??? Danish Oil? The Chris Swartz - linseed, varnish, turps combo?

Any ideas?

Originally Posted by Milo

...What finish to use??? Danish Oil? The Chris Swartz - linseed, varnish, turps combo?

Any ideas?

I prefer Danish simply because it dries quicker. But if you're not in a hurry to put the first saw cut or ding in your nice new bench, the Schwartz brew may be cheaper. (You've got a few acres of wood to cover on that baby.....!)

Cheers,

Originally Posted by Milo

.....I had a sheet of 6mm marine ply but took it back to Bunnings to swop it for 12mm. The guy in the yard wrote me the slip for the swop, I in tern handed it to my missus whilst I went off in search for swing parts for my daughter swing I was building. A sheet of 6mm ply is $44 and 12mm is $80, I go a call from the missus saying the woman on the trade desk at Oxley was giving her a really hard time and it was the yard manger who came into set her straight. I walked off in frustration but was even more surprised when the missus handed me the $36 back in change!!! what is with some of these special needs Bunning's people!! rant over! .....

I had to read this twice as I thought maybe you said(typed) it wrong.


I like the idea of the boiled linseed oil mix. Not tired it myself so can not comment other then I like the idea.


I should also add that Danish oil may contain Tung or Linseed oil. You have to research the particular brand before deciding.

I soaked mine in boiled linseed oil broken down with a bit of turps. Glue slides off it, it dries hard and if you ever you have a bad day you can drink the left over turps.

It looks like a nice bit of work. Your workbench, your marking knife and your square are the three most important tools you have, I think. Every time you use the new work bench it will give you pleasure especially when you remember all the fun you had making it. It looks like a fine bit of craftsmanship..