billw
The Tattooed One
It’s a monster of a bench but it looks fantastic and that vice looks amazing! I hope it gets the use it deserves and post up your projects 
Yet another english style workbench build
- Thread starter SteL
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thetyreman
Established Member
that is an absolute beast of a bench, you should be proud of that, definitely a lifelong workbench, congratulations 
Cabinetman
Established Member
Really smashing bench, you obviously take pride in your work and have the patience to succeed – I sometimes think that patience is one of the most important thing a woodworker needs.
If you haven’t yet drilled all your dog holes for those rather nice bench holdfasts (Gramercy?), I read something that I thought was really good, and that was to wait until you want to hold something down and then drill a hole to do it with, some people drill regimented lines up and down their benches and never use 90% of them. Ian
Ps I think maybe you saw a YouTube video I recommended by Mike Siemens?
If you haven’t yet drilled all your dog holes for those rather nice bench holdfasts (Gramercy?), I read something that I thought was really good, and that was to wait until you want to hold something down and then drill a hole to do it with, some people drill regimented lines up and down their benches and never use 90% of them. Ian
Ps I think maybe you saw a YouTube video I recommended by Mike Siemens?
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Orraloon
Established Member
A great bench build ending in a great bench. I enjoyed watching this one.
Regards
John
Regards
John
clogs
just can't decide
nice bench but think I'd have fixed the top on from underneath.....or deep set screws.....
the nails don't look right and "nails" anyway.......
beside's an old bench will need the top planing down occaisionally......nails and planes ....ouch.....
I cant say much tho as my wood bench, 8x4, has a heavy steel frame with a thick plywood sheet for a top.....
I quite often place an old car on it for wood frame repairs.......
pract all my wood butchery is done on/with machines.......
have all the hand tools but cant be that bothered except for when making Ash body frames on antique cars n trucks....
guess nobody will talk to me now.....hahaha.....
the nails don't look right and "nails" anyway.......
beside's an old bench will need the top planing down occaisionally......nails and planes ....ouch.....
I cant say much tho as my wood bench, 8x4, has a heavy steel frame with a thick plywood sheet for a top.....
I quite often place an old car on it for wood frame repairs.......
pract all my wood butchery is done on/with machines.......
have all the hand tools but cant be that bothered except for when making Ash body frames on antique cars n trucks....
guess nobody will talk to me now.....hahaha.....
The idea is that since the bench will need planing down, the nails are well visible from the top. So less chance of surprises as would be in case if the top would be fixed from the bottom. If you need to plane the top, just check if the nails are set well below the surface and you are good to go.
Thanks, @clogs as @acxlll said, it's so you can see them and not get surprised by a nail from beneath. I was just following a video series without deviation and nails were part of it. I was going to use dowel but being a beginner I thought I best stick to the plan. I did end up liking the look of the nails. I must admit I clipped a nail head when flattening the apron. As a reward, I spent 20 minutes sweating at the diamond plate. After that, I checked them before each pass.
Thanks, @Jameshow - if you do, post it on here and make it a beauty!
Thanks, @Cabinetman. I've just looked back at the first post and this bench has taken me almost 4 1/2 months. I'd estimate that I worked on it 15 out of those 19 weekends, some days it might have just been a Sunday, so let's say 25 days of work... well over 200 hours has gone into it. It's the missus that must have the patience!
They are indeed Gramercy, I haven't drilled them all in the top yet. I've kept my wooden drilling guide for when I need it.
I did. It's a great video that I've bookmarked. I have already been standing at my bench thinking how the **** should I hold this down. There are so many options now it's hard to choose. Before my workbench, it was a clamp on a rickety garden bench!
Benchwayze
Established Member
Top hole Stel. I'd be happy to show anyone a job like that, were it in my shop. Looks like you didn't need Chris's book in the end!
Now... dovetails. That's a whole different pound of nails.
John
Now... dovetails. That's a whole different pound of nails.
John
Cheers. John. True! I'm just reading the build stage of his tool chest book and had a cold shiver when he mentioned his tool chest has 100 dovetails in! I don't even have a dovetail saw.... yet (that's a cold shiver just gone down the missus' spine'!)
Benchwayze
Established Member
CS has done a DVD describing a simpler, plywood construction for his tool chest. Nothing wrong with it and it will take you days rather than weeks. A tool chest that will serve you quite well while you sharpen your skills. I never got round to it myself due to hospitalisation last year so I will potter on! In any case the Gas engineers are under my feet at the moment.
John
John
Thanks for that. I've just had a skip through it on YouTube. The finished result looks very similar as well. I'm going to have a practice go at the dovetails before I buy materials. If it goes belly up and I don't improve I'll keep that version in mind.
Benchwayze
Established Member
Stel. With the number of d/t's in the chest you couldn't help but improve as you go through the job. But you want
make a good job so make a couple of small boxes, bìg enough to hold say a circular saw. You'll get a handle on dovetails. They might not be perfect but they will be ok to serve a purpose and you'll learn about dovetail procedure.
Softwood will be fine. Patience, practice and sharp tools!
John
make a good job so make a couple of small boxes, bìg enough to hold say a circular saw. You'll get a handle on dovetails. They might not be perfect but they will be ok to serve a purpose and you'll learn about dovetail procedure.
Softwood will be fine. Patience, practice and sharp tools!
John
@Benchwayze that's a good idea. A small box is an ideal starting point. I think I'll make one that holds the various sharpening bits and bobs. Cheers.
Benchwayze
Established Member
You'm welcome Stel!
John
John
pe2dave
Established Member
Or 25mm ply? Now twist in that. Quite workable as a top
I just used the redwood pine in the end. I didn't really consider ply because one of the aims of building the bench was to practice hand tool use and although flattening the top was a pain in the backside, it gave me a chance to have a go.
