Thread: WIP - Groggy's Workbench

Originally Posted by Groggy

Who says my workshop is always clean and tidy

Is that an ex-kitchen bench and cupboards in the background Groggy? Or is your workshop that fancy?

I ask because we just had our new kitchen quoted and I'm deciding between selling the old one or turning it into shed benches and cupboards.(blackwood doors in the same pattern as yours). I'm leaning towards selling since my sister inlaw got $1000 on eBay for a pretty plain kitchen just last week.

Danny

Originally Posted by danny.s

Is that an ex-kitchen bench and cupboards in the background Groggy? Or is your workshop that fancy?

I ask because we just had our new kitchen quoted and I'm deciding between selling the old one or turning it into shed benches and cupboards.(blackwood doors in the same pattern as yours). I'm leaning towards selling since my sister inlaw got $1000 on eBay for a pretty plain kitchen just last week.

Danny

I'd say sell. That cupboard is where it is because I couldn't find another spot for it. It used to be in our dining area before I remodelled the place.

Getting excited yet? You're almost there! What's the total weight Groggy (accounting for the 10 kgs you've just drilled out)?

Still a long way to, lots of fiddly stuff to do yet. The bench weighs over 500kgs.

Looking good Groggy. Love the domi patch job on the end there.

Oh and can you pick up that piece of wood and sweep up that saw dust under the end of the bench There are standards that must be maintained.

What I don't understand is, you spent all that time patching holes, & now you've gone & made even more holes in it!

These woody types must be crazy.....

Sorry, I drooled on the left hand corner, just inside the tail vice

Using the deadman like that gives me the idea of drilling the insides of the front legs to hold various benchdogs, holdfasts, etc

So Groggy, I think I've just found another half dozen or so holes for you to drill.

Originally Posted by springwater

Almost fell in love with this shot, just in case you needed to know that

Absolutely Awesome Groggy!

See you have a pair of Veritas Bench-Pups on the deadman... so handy for securing odd shapes....

There's gonna be a void in my life when you're finally done , so thank Thor that SawDust-Maker is getting started on his WIP.

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

So Groggy, I think I've just found another half dozen or so holes for you to drill.

The legs already have holes for that purpose

Drilled out the eight skirt dog holes today. These are quite deep at about 230mm. They let me clamp something vertically with a *lot* of holding power. Next week I'll do the ones on the other side too.

The piece of pine was to check if the holdfasts would hold the ends whilst planing which they did easily. The holes do not interfere with the deadman as they sit about 10mm higher than the slot.

I said a while ago the plan for the dog holes would be unusual. Really, the unusual part is how they can be used. Once the holes are on either side a bar can be rigged across the bench and the bench itself can be used as a veneer press. The horizontal holes are to allow the bar to be anchored. Look at the holdfast sitting upright and imagine a hole in the pad through which a bar slides. Onto the bar will go some press screws. Such is the theory anyway.

Nice idea

Did you get any splintering into the dogholes in the top when drilling the side dog holes?

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

Did you get any splintering into the dogholes in the top when drilling the side dog holes?

It wasn't bad at all really. Only one hole I put the drill back through the vertical hole and that turned out to be a curly, not splintering.

Hey Groggy,

The bench looks great mate I'm thinking of ordering a benchcrafted tail and leg vice for my bench build. I was a little worried about the installation but iv'e done some research and it looks prety straight forward if you follow the instructions.

Just a question - what are you going to use for the bench dogs?


Andy

Andy, I have some brass Lee Valley type dogs, some that I have turned myself and I am yet to make some more that are flat on one side for benchtop use.

The bench has been used a bit of late - yesterday I made a shelf unit for a friend to take to his work and today I was putzing around with a dozen little jobs. I have found the bench to be extremely useful as I can clamp things in just about any position I need, and do it quickly. The holdfasts are the most used item on the bench so far.

I need to get my finger out and get on with making the leg vise, I did manage to pull the plans out an hour ago and sit them on the bench again.