Thread: First workbench

Nice job. I hope you get to complete many enjoyable projects on that bench.

Bruce

You will have to post again once you have it completed with vices fitted

What was the reason for bolting the top together as opposed to gluing it together? Or did you do both?

Originally Posted by DustyBuilder

What was the reason for bolting the top together as opposed to gluing it together? Or did you do both?

I did both. At the time I only had 4 pipe clamps so I used some M12 booker rod I had lying around to help clamp it together. Seems to have done the trick nicely.

Hi All,
Seems like there are a lot of options for a vice for the bench. I would really like an old record vice but they are expensive and hard to find in good shape.
I've settled on this one from Sydney Tools, mostly out of convenience.


vice choice.jpg

Sydney Tools

Anything I've overlooked?

Looks great I used one of these vices on mine
https://www.timbecon.com.au/baladonia-front-vice-screw

ps - build the drawer, so good

I grabbed one the same as Sam has shown but in bright orange, I suspect an early Timbcom colour, whats the best paint to use on it?

About 20 years ago on a previous bench I bought a similar QR vice from carbatec. It proved to be a pain in the @#$e as the QR function played up after about a year. I nursed it along for a few more years but it put me off QR vices for good. I dare say the old Records or a Dawn would be fine if you could find one in decent condition. I find that a strait wind in and out vice does the job just fine and for the few extra seconds spent winding you have the security of knowing there is not much that can go wrong. These days I have one like Sam has shown. Its also a bit easier to fit to a bench.
Regards
John

That's a very nice first bench Sawdodger. Looks very practical, sturdy and robust.

Most first benches, like mine, are simple without the actual rigidity and skookumness that practical benches need.

Originally Posted by Sam

ps - build the drawer, so good

Is it really? I thought it was a lot of work for not a lot of space?

100%. Mines 300 wide x 130 odd and almost as deep as the bench.

Originally Posted by Sam

100%. Mines 300 wide x 130 odd and almost as deep as the bench.

That actually looks pretty damn good. What wood did you use for yours? Looks like tassie oak.

Yep - tassie oak/Vic ash. The frame is F17 KDHW and the top is 65x19 DAR that I buy a few hundred metres of every year or so for something I sell. If I had my time again I’d use pine or plywood, the F17 is way too expensive nowadays. The drawer is only 100 deep, measured it.

That looks amazing.
I really like your through tenons on the rails (really neat).

I'm building my first bench too at the moment, and it's taking me a heck of a long time (trying to be a perfectionist, when I don't have the skills....