I'm not a quick wood worker, that's for sure, and after much grafting, mostly with hand tools, but with a little help from a table router and MDF templates for cut-out recesses, here's the end result:
I covered it with BLO last night and it looks a lot better, less bleached.
Now I just need to work up the nerve to whack a load of dog holes in it.
It's based on the Steve Latta (popular woodworking) plans but I'm quite chuffed about a few things:
- It's made from a recycled oak block (I think?!) office desk.
- The clamp recesses are fully recessed into the legs rather than just cutouts. I did this to provide more strength in the legs as I was worried as it's block, not solid wood.
- The vice didn't come with a dog, so I made one, tapped it, and found a much better knob/screw (after loads of research!) than on my other vice.
Anyway, I receive a lot of advice and support on UKW, all of it very patient about my rather noob questions. I'm really grateful, and while many of you could rustle something like this up in an afternoon, I have to work really, really hard at it.