Nicholson type bench build

[richarnold]

It's been about 6 months since I made my new Nicholson style bench, and I thought I might give you a bit of feedback as to how I have got on with it. My old bench was more of a cabinet makers bench, smaller and with an end vice. It also had a tooĺ well and was made of hardwood. I'm actually surprised how quickly I have taken to the new bench. I have not missed the features the other bench had at all, and I have found it quite liberating. One item I decided I could not live without was my Record 52 1/2 quick release vice. The only problem was I wanted to keep a traditional look to the bench, so I opted to enclose it with timber . The jaws are 24" long, and there is a wooden bar to support the far end. This has proved to be by far the best vice I have ever used.

 

[AndyT]

That looks an inspired blend of old and new - the capacity and grip of a wooden twin screw vice, with the speed and convenience of a quick release. An idea I expect to be widely copied.

 

[richarnold]

That looks an inspired blend of old and new - the capacity and grip of a wooden twin screw vice, with the speed and convenience of a quick release. An idea I expect to be widely copied.

Hi Andy. Thats sort of what I was aiming for. I lve the look of the old style horizontal vices, but as a working joiner I knew I would miss the quick release function. The record is also so reliable and predictable

 

[G S Haydon]

Looks great Richard, simplicity at its best.

 

[Bm101]

This is probably a daft question but what are the knobs/bumpers on the ends for Richard? Protecting the end grain from splitting when lifting heavy timber etc on?

You have me wondering about the advantages to fitting a full width end vice on my everlasting bench build. It's about 25" wide. A baby compared to yours and I thought it was quite big... I already have some wood cut for the vice facing as wide as I dared to go but nowhere near two foot. Stealing your idea would allow me go the whole width without racking and I really fancy the flexibility of that. Looks like Andy was right... Hope you don't mind.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[richarnold]

This is probably a daft question but what are the knobs/bumpers on the ends for Richard? Protecting the end grain from splitting when lifting heavy timber etc on?

You have me wondering about the advantages to fitting a full width end vice on my everlasting bench build. It's about 25" wide. A baby compared to yours and I thought it was quite big... I already have some wood cut for the vice facing as wide as I dared to go but nowhere near two foot. Stealing your idea would allow me go the whole width without racking and I really fancy the flexibility of that. Looks like Andy was right... Hope you don't mind.

Cheers,
Chris

Hi Chris, I don't mind at all. There are turn buttons at each corner of the bench. They are used as stops. I clean up a lot of doors and windows on the bench, and these help to hold them stable

 

[Bm101]

Ahhhhh... obvious now you explain it. Another good idea. Thanks Richard, much appreciated.

 

[Stanleymonkey]

That is a beast of a bench.

Stupid question - I can't see any dogs, holdfast holes or similar.

I can guess you can use conventional clamps at the edges - but do clamps and the large vice meet all your clamping needs?

 

[richarnold]

That is a beast of a bench.

Stupid question - I can't see any dogs, holdfast holes or similar.

I can guess you can use conventional clamps at the edges - but do clamps and the large vice meet all your clamping needs?

This was part of my reason in building this form of bench as I wanted to experiment with a traditional English style bench. I can find no historical record of holdfasts, or bench dogs being used in 18th and 19th century English benches, and was keen to see if I could cope without them. I have grown used to not being precious over the bench top, and frequently screw battens to it, drive bench knives into it, even nail things to it.
The whole thing has been quite liberating and I wish I had built it years ago. I can quite understand that it would not be to everyone's cup of tea, but this bench has to earn a living day in day out, and I need it to be as efficient as possible.

 

[DTR]

One item I decided I could not live without was my Record 52 1/2 quick release vice. The only problem was I wanted to keep a traditional look to the bench, so I opted to enclose it with timber .

How ingenious =D>

















You've put it at the wrong end of the bench though (hammer)