WIP - My First Workbench

[Boxer]

Hi Morfa

Yes mate .... I have been using your posts as inspiration for getting me started on my own bench. So thanks for all the updates.

Have you managed to fit your vice yet ?

This final step still seems a little way away for me and I am wondering if it will be an easy or complicated thing ?

 

[morfa]

The vice is fitted now and I've chopped a few inches off the legs. I've just got to tidy up the ends and then it's basically done.

Assuming you're doing it like me then it's not that hard to fit. I marked out the area, drilled it out and bashed the rest out with a chisel. it didn't fit well initially so I ended up taking it out and back in about 20 times to get it in. Which if you're not fit then I guess that could be a problem. I ended up putting the bench on it's back so I could see what was stopping it from going in. But yeah, it wasn't mega hard in the end.

 

[morfa]

So far final dimensions are:

5 feet long
19" wide (it's probably a tidge to wide really)
38" high (probably could do with being 36")

I've finally got round to chopping the ends off. The holdfasts are on their way. I've bought Richard T of this parish's holdfasts off Richard Maguire. I'll be drilling the dog holes this weekend. It's had a few coats of danish oil now as well.

Part way through the first end:

The left end:

The right end:

I'll post some close ups of the vice over the weekend.

The only thing that I'm really not happy about is that I've not fitted the vice flush with the apron. Other than that it's pretty good. The legs aren't 100% even, but then my kitchen floor is even wonkier. When I get it into the workshop, I'll try and get them properly level.

 

[Steve-O]

This is a great bench, thanks for sharing it, it's give me great inspiration for my bench.

Sorry if I've missed it but what is it made of? Pine?

I was thinking of making mine from CLS or Regs carcassing, do people think that would be ok?

Stephen

 

[morfa]

Yup, pine, standard two by four, PSE. Mostly bought from the local timber yard, but got some from Wickes as well. Probably about £100 or so all in (including the bolts and coach screws).

I really will post some pictures of the vice eventually, but it's a bit of a mess vicewise at the moment, so I'd rather fix it and then post pics of it once it's been sorted out.

 

[wcndave]

Did you ever get this finished in the end?

 

[morfa]

The vice has been refitted, but I'm still to cut the large bit of oak sitting next to it for the jaws. So yes and no. I've been spending the last few months in the garden, so haven't needed to use the workbench much, hence it not getting done.

 

[morfa]

Finally fitted the vice properly. Well it was on after a fashion for a while. But it's properly done now. Here's a few photos. Firstly I flipped the bench, took the vice apart and bolted it to the bottom of the bench. Put the vice back through the hole in the apron. Then put the bench upright again.

I then planed and tidied up the bit of oak I had earmarked for the vice.

Drilled a few holes in it and put a couple of small bolts through the wood to hold it in place.