Thread: Time for another workbench

Have been able to spend a little more time on the work bench. Sure beats painting!!!

Wongdai, the choice of a twin-screw vice was a bit of a compromise. I looked at a couple of different tail vises and sholder vises and believed that any would satisfy the work that I do. I felt that the twin-screw would be a more simple implementation. Having installed it, I am now not so sure. Measurements and setup leave no room for error. Distance between screws must be accurate; if links are to be removed from the chain care must be taken as a 1/2 link can make a big difference. The holes for the screws must be at right angles to the end cap - not a little up or down, nor left or right. Can take a while to set up, but when all is well it is a beautiful vise.

Moving on. The first three images are conducting the test fit of the twin-screw vise.

Once the two vises were test installed, the next step was to cut the half blind dovetails in the left hand end of the front apron. Image four.

Nearly there. The two vises are installed for another test fit after having the front jaw of each shaped. In image five the half blind dovetail joint can be seen behind the Veritas vise. It is cut so that no exposed part of the dovetail is present on the face of the back jaw of the vise. The setup at the other end of the apron is opposite to this so that no part of the dovetail interfers with the face of the rear jaw of the sholder vise.

All going well I will start to apply the finish to the top tomorrow.

Looking good Bob.

Sensational!

Hey Bob,

Very nice bench! I am looking at a similar design for my bench that I am going to build, though will swap the front vise for the twin screw. Did you find the installation to be beyond a beginners level, or would it be better off to go for something a little easier to install for myself? I really like the idea of being able to clamp whole boards (nearly)in the vice, the one handed operation and the aesthetic properties of it.

Great workmanship, terrific effort.

Harlan.

Harlan, fitting the twin-screw vise is not difficult from a technical perspective. It just has to be accurate. Holes for the screws must be at right angle to the face. If there is any error, it must be the same for each hole, and in the same direction. That is, the holes must be parallel. As mentioned, fiddleing with the chain can be time consuming. Then again, you cold flum it the first time. If you have access to the Fine Wood Working subscription service, they have just started a video on building a workbench with the twin-screw as a front vise. Fitting the vise is most probably about 2 weeks away. They put up a new step every 4-5 days. Good luck.

OK Bob, just give us a call when it's done and I'll come and pick it up

Looks tops mate, I wants one!

That is quite something, Bob.

Looking better and better Bob.

You'll have to bring it to show and tell when we have the next get-together

That has turned out beautifully Bob.Plenty of grip in all the right places.

Great looking bench Bob, well done.

Finally finished the workbench, and its already lost its virginity. Since the last post, when I have not been painting, I have been trying to get the Veritas twin-screw vise working properly. It is beautiful vise now that it is set up correctly. But, as I have mentioned earlier, all work must be done accurately. At first the chain was skipping sprockets on the left hand thread. Checking everything indicated that all was as it should be. In the end I started a dialogue with Lee Valley support. Excellent service. They were prepared to send out a replacement sprocket after we had checked a few things. I was not sure that this was going to fix my problem. So over the weekend I tried a few things and ended up putting a shim under the top of the right hand thread nut. No more skipping!!! However, there was now a shudder as the front jaw moved out and in, occurring at different points of travel. After many variations I ended up putting a shim under the left hand nut, and also rotated the nut 180 degrees. Now move OK with only a slight shudder on the odd occasion. I trust that this will disappear as things wear in. Getting the handles parallel is a real bummer. It requires that one of the rear nuts be moved (rotated) on a trial and error basis until things line up. The problem is, the instructions tell you not to move the nuts once they have been screwed in place. Anyway, all is well now.

A true workbench for life!
well done Bobr
regards
the block

Top stuff Bob. I especially like all the dog holes-very handy. Enjoy your sweet new bench.

Originally Posted by BobR

Have been able to spend a little more time on the work bench. Sure beats painting!!!

Wongdai, the choice of a twin-screw vice was a bit of a compromise. I looked at a couple of different tail vises and sholder vises and believed that any would satisfy the work that I do. I felt that the twin-screw would be a more simple implementation. Having installed it, I am now not so sure. Measurements and setup leave no room for error. Distance between screws must be accurate; if links are to be removed from the chain care must be taken as a 1/2 link can make a big difference. The holes for the screws must be at right angles to the end cap - not a little up or down, nor left or right. Can take a while to set up, but when all is well it is a beautiful vise.

Moving on. The first three images are conducting the test fit of the twin-screw vise.

Once the two vises were test installed, the next step was to cut the half blind dovetails in the left hand end of the front apron. Image four.

Nearly there. The two vises are installed for another test fit after having the front jaw of each shaped. In image five the half blind dovetail joint can be seen behind the Veritas vise. It is cut so that no exposed part of the dovetail is present on the face of the back jaw of the vise. The setup at the other end of the apron is opposite to this so that no part of the dovetail interfers with the face of the rear jaw of the sholder vise.

All going well I will start to apply the finish to the top tomorrow.

Really nice bench bob, sure beats my crapPine and melamine one. My first thoughts with the spacing for the screws is that if the spacing is off you get un-even pressure across the face of the vice due to slack in the chain. Is it possible to fabricate a chain tensioner ala a cam chain in an engine to take up any last slack?