Thread: My Xmas Bench

Great looking bench well done working within the constraints of the material to build to your needs. Are the lower stretchers (I think that’s what you call them) attaching to the legs via mortise and tenon and then a coach bolt or a butt joint and coach bolt?

Cheers
Nathan

Looks great, and an excellent use of recycled timbers

Lovely work and beautiful timber.
I'm probably missing something obvious, but what's the theory behind the ball catches in the dogs? I can't say I've ever had one fall out.

Originally Posted by delbs

Great looking bench well done working within the constraints of the material to build to your needs. Are the lower stretchers (I think that’s what you call them) attaching to the legs via mortise and tenon and then a coach bolt or a butt joint and coach bolt?

Cheers
Nathan

There is a stubby mortise and tenon. The tenon is only 12mm long. Mainly to help locating the connection better and prevent twisting. I don't believe it has any structural function.



I cut the mortise by drilling several shallow holes and the chiselled out the waste. I left the ends rounded and quickly rounded the ends of the tenons as well to fit. I found that was easier and quicker.

The connection is then tightened by bolt and nut. For the nut I just drilled 2 holes from the back of the stretcher and chopped the rest. That left an oval shaped hole big enough for the nut and a spanner to grab it. I did not drill through but left about 5 to 8mm of material before breaking through. That's just for optics. The original plans had these holes all the way through.

This is from behind.

Originally Posted by jack620

Lovely work and beautiful timber.
I'm probably missing something obvious, but what's the theory behind the ball catches in the dogs? I can't say I've ever had one fall out.

IanW had this described here somewhere, but I cannot find it at the moment. The ball catches are not there to prevent falling through, but so they stay up at the position I want them. Traditionally they have some kind of "wooden spring". A flexible wooden strip which prevents the dog sliding down back into its hole. The spring-loaded ball does the same trick.

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Well done. Looks good.

Originally Posted by Cklett

Just in time before Xmas I got my new bench done.

That's a Beauty
Nice to see a common sense good quality workbench being done with the two vices and a well.
That's all you need to build anything!

Rob

Originally Posted by Cklett

The ball catches are not there to prevent falling through, but so they stay up at the position I want them.

I suspected I was missing something obvious!

Gorgeous CK! Do you have any photos of the construction of the tail vise?

Are you going to make a free standing board jack ? Or build in a fitted sliding one later?
I have a good design for a free standing one that I made a fast copy of some years back which ill put a pic on if you like.
I saw what was a Vic rail workshop original I think and copied that in timber.

Fitting any drawers later under ?

Really great looking bench. Should be good for a lifetime of woodwork. I could not think of a better xmas present.
Regards
John

Really lovely workbench mate!.

Originally Posted by auscab

Are you going to make a free standing board jack ? Or build in a fitted sliding one later?
I have a good design for a free standing one that I made a fast copy of some years back which ill put a pic on if you like.
I saw what was a Vic rail workshop original I think and copied that in timber.

Fitting any drawers later under ?

I was thinking making something with left over timber. There is a design in Frank Klausz instructions, but if you have a good design, please share.

I will probably make some drawers later. For now, I am just adding a shelf underneath.

Originally Posted by Mountain Ash

Gorgeous CK! Do you have any photos of the construction of the tail vise?

Sure, I shall get to that a little later.

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Originally Posted by auscab

That's a Beauty
Nice to see a common sense good quality workbench being done with the two vices and a well.
That's all you need to build anything!

Rob

Thanks. I had to think about the tool well a little. I was worried about collecting crap. So far, I am glad I kept that aspect. Just working on it while finishing off the vices, it was very helpful.

You might have noticed that I did not incorporate the traditional ramps to sweep out debris.

I had a leftover board from an old shelf. Looks like tassie oak. It was too short for the entire length of the bench. I could have covered the remaining hole with the ramp. Instead, I opted to just make a lid. Now I can just put my big rubbish tub underneath and sweep everything through the hole.



Or I just use the shop vac [emoji6]

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Originally Posted by Cklett

Thanks. I had to think about the tool well a little. I was worried about collecting crap. So far, I am glad I kept that aspect. Just working on it while finishing off the vices, it was very helpful.

You might have noticed that I did not incorporate the traditional ramps to sweep out debris.

I had a leftover board from an old shelf. Looks like tassie oak. It was too short for the entire length of the bench. I could have covered the remaining hole with the ramp. Instead, I opted to just make a lid. Now I can just put my big rubbish tub underneath and sweep everything through the hole.

Or I just use the shop vac [emoji6]

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Nice touch.
The well does collect stuff . I use mine for shoving stuff out of the way as the next process being done is more important to start than putting everything away . Specially when I will be using some of the tools that are already out.
Its main use for me though is being able to clamp things to the bench front. I cant fit a clamp to the back of the bench because its always been up against a wall and the tool board and shelving also blocks access to the rear of the top. When your making drawers one end is in the vice, the other needs to be held tight against the bench and it cant be done without a well and a clamp. If its not clamped at the loose end, planing in the drawer front of any size to be matched to the carcase its going to live in becomes more difficult. Same with fine tuning the drawer sides and clamping the loose end for that. You cant plane things like that with things flapping around up one end.