Finished Workbench at last

[speedy]

Hi Everone,
I have finally finished the bench I started a year ago, and the garden table is in the garden where it should be.
Its made from Silky Oak, Pine, Kwila and Aussie Hardwoods. The length is 2100mm width 900mm height 870mm.
There is a series of 3/4 in dog hole and three vices, one of the photos shows the ply cover used to protect against glue and stray saws and chisels. All that remains is to build the cupboards for underneath, probably take another year.:C

[Cliff Rogers]

Good on ya. :2tsup:

Where have you been.... in the shed all this time? :D
Haven't heard from you in ages.

[Brown Dog]

Three vices....now thats luxury. Excellent job:2tsup: ,
Looks like a very practical design and very nice looking on top of that.

A year to build though...I can why they call you speedy:p :D

cheers
BD:2tsup:

[MajorPanic]

Your REALLY gonna enjoy the shoulder vice!!

If you've never had one before it just opens soooo many possibilities for clamping stuff!! :2tsup: :2tsup: :2tsup:

Well done! :2tsup:

[BrettC]

Yep, nice job. The shoulder vice is interesting and well designed too. The only thing I would worry about a little is whether the rails underneath are wide enough or whether another set of rails under the top to prevent rocking? Certainly looks like it's hefty enough so that it's not an issue. You've also given yourself more room for the cabinet underneath:U

Nice DT joints too. Good all purpose 'off the wall' workhorse should take pride of place:2tsup:

[Jedo_03]

Very nice speedy...
I wood'n have hidden that loverly top with that crappy crywood though...
If ya got it - flaunt it...
Good Job
Jedo

[thetassiebfg]

Great Job

Looks great and should be a pleasure to work at..

Andrew

[HappyHammer]

Great job Speedy. Wouldn't you want the odd nick here and there to give it some character?:o

HH.

[speedy]

Wouldn't you want the odd nick here and there to give it some character?:o

HH.

After a while I'm probably become tired of taking the cover off and I'll leave it off, like I've done with the guard on my table saw:o

[speedy]

The only thing I would worry about a little is whether the rails underneath are wide enough or whether another set of rails under the top to prevent rocking? Certainly looks like it's hefty enough so that it's not an issue. :2tsup:

Don't worry it is quite heavy and is solid as a rock. The top without vises weights 70 to 80 kg.

[Wild Dingo]

Good one speedy! :2tsup:

Now some questions
1) What made you decide to go with the timber flat across the top? rather than cutting it into strips and laying up side on?
2) how thick is the top (in inches if you can please)
3) How much thicker is the frame around the top?
4) Are you installing cupboards under or just leaving it open?

Im asking as Im presently doing a twofold job at the one time... dont ask she has demanded... a computer desk for inside the house Jarrah 6in x 1in and 8in x 1in boards joined side on face up as in your benchtop... as it doesnt isnt going to have any abuse or weight on it seemed the best way for that one... and a workbench Jarrah 6x1s cut down to 2 1/2 x 1in joined side on (2 1/2 to 2 1/2) this meant a fair few boards cut down to make it but seemed the best way to get a good thick top

My plan is to glueup 4 at a time and the 5th one I'll cut down and cut on an angle and glue up with an inch gap at the top to make the dog holes (going to go with the square holes due to seeing them on another forumites workbench and thinking what a bloody bottler of an idea!! (thanks ramps!!) thus having 4 full length strips 1in wide (surface) x 2 1/2in thick joined together and every 5th strip will be with dog holes in the glueup... does all this make sence?... anyways!! I was mucking about out there laying them in their places to have a gander at the approximate width it will be and I think I'll go 30in wide... so I will end up with a surface area of 30in wide x 5ft 6in long x 2 1/2 thick

Now Im at the stage of final thicknessing and then glueup Im wondering what the concensus is regarding the frame around the top... 4in? 5in? Im thinking of making the same end clamp as Derek has on his w/b that is a couple of screws set in to the end peice with another piece of same thickness width as the endpeice that will simply screw on with wing nuts... actually very simple setup... but Im not sure on what the frame for it should be width wise... okay its going to be 1in on the top side but down the edge what width? I may yet go wider at the top I have to have a gander at which lengths to cut for it yet so it may have a different timber as the frame or I may just make the whole thing out of Jarrah and be done... I will be making the front 20in at 2 1/2in and the back 10in at 2 3/4in as well... I was thinking as I cut them that it would give me a) enough bench space for the work in progress and the ledge would give me an easily accessable shelf rather than the usual drop down section which to me would be a magnet for every chip speck of dust nail screw splinter and whatever else and so not a good thing! so the 21st peice will be given a slight round over to the 2 3/4 shelf level... mmm of course this is going to mean Im gonna get fancy with the frame but hey this one is gonna be me "ANNUL" workbench!! you the one where you go nuts doin the ABSOLUTE most perfect job you can with the fine finish and all that the one you dare not touch for fear of marring the beautiful surface... yeah that one

Damn me Im dithering again!! If ANYONE can answer the above questions Id be grateful.. thank you

Again mate well done... ahem and get rid of the ply!! that workbench NEEDS and DEMANDS to be seen!!! :2tsup:

[speedy]

Good one speedy! :2tsup:

Now some questions
1) What made you decide to go with the timber flat across the top? rather than cutting it into strips and laying up side on?
2) how thick is the top (in inches if you can please)
3) How much thicker is the frame around the top?
4) Are you installing cupboards under or just leaving it open?
:2tsup:

(2) The top is approx 2ins thick with two full length 3x3 rails under the dog holes (the kwila strips in the top).
(3) The side frame is 4x2 ins dovetailed on all corners.
(1) Because of the above dimentions and the fact that I've used
10mm(3/8) splines to join all the top and the side frame the whole top and frames are bonded making a very solid top, without the need for the extra work involved in cutting the strips and a lot of gluing up.
(4) I will be building cupboards, but that is a future project.

The ply cover is only in place for gluing up and when I'm doing dirty jobs like repairing the lawn mower or chainsaw.

[munruben]

Really nice job. just too good to use though. wouldnt want to scratch that top.

[BobR]

Don't worry about taking a year to build it. Mine is still on the gunna list. I like the idea for 3 vices.