I have built myself a bench and it's rather solid!
Legs are 4 inch square, It's 64" long, 21" deep. The top is 38.5" from the floor and 3.5" thick.
Gluing up got difficult quickly, especially with the weight. Luckily the wife was visiting her mother so I did it all in the living room.
I'm using one of the upstairs bedrooms for my work area as I don't have a garage or anything, dragging
the top upstairs, alone, was not fun. Then I had to lift it onto the legs!
It doesn't move at all.
I've got stretchers on the legs front and back but nothing on the sides, I don't know if I need to add them
because it's rock solid as it is. I've tried shoving it from the ends and front and it doesn't give at all. Will that
stiffness wear off resulting in wobble? I haven't glued the stretchers in - they're' through 'tenons', you can see
the 'mortices' below, two for each leg. The top isn't glued or permanently attached to the legs as yet either.
Flattening the top is a task and a half,
Looking for a reasonably priced vice now, perhaps two, one for the end and one for the front. I'd appreciate any suggestions. (Budget is low).
I'm fairly pleased with myself, I had been toying with getting one of those £99 benches made from hardwood but I've seen enough reviews to
put me off them. One showed the vice ripping off the panel it was attached to. Glad I had a go myself.
Not sure what finish to put on, was thinking Danish oil. Any suggestions?
I'll try to get a half decent 'full picture' tomorrow.