Progress on Workbench

NOTW

Notw
Senior User
I don't do a lot of progress shots on things I work on, mainly because I get too focused on building and forget to take pictures. Here is the base mocked up for my new workbench. All joinery has been cut (mortise & tenon) and everything fits nicely, won't glue it together until I get the leg vise sorted and all the parts come in. Ordered the Yost screw this morning and trying to piece all the parts together to copy @pop-pop criss cross design. Base is all big box store #2 SYP, the stretchers are 2" x 4" and the legs are 5-1/4" x 3-1/2", so the base has some nice weight to it. The top has been glued in two pieces and is made of some heart pine I have had for years (yellow arrow top right)

Still trying to decide if when i am going to leave the bottom natural or I have seen some use chalk paint on the bases and i like that too.
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NOTW

Notw
Senior User
Looks awesome. What finish (if any) are you going to use on the top?
Thank you, leaning towards just using boiled linseed oil on the top, I seem to have a mild allergy to the heart pine (makes my hands itch but no rashes) so I want to put something on it to hopefully help with that allergy but don't want a plastic finish like a polyurethane either.
 

Yelverton

Mitch
Corporate Member
I'm thinking about doing the same with mine (BLO), but I have some Watco teak oil one step finish just sitting around. Not sure if there would be any issue with using that, but I don't think so.
 

Brian Patterson

New User
Bstrom
An oil based finish will allow for refinishing the top in the future so it's always a good choice if that matters. Looking very good at this point...
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Thank you, leaning towards just using boiled linseed oil on the top, I seem to have a mild allergy to the heart pine (makes my hands itch but no rashes) so I want to put something on it to hopefully help with that allergy but don't want a plastic finish like a polyurethane either.

Didn't you just finish making a Moravian style workbench? Now you're making a second workbench?
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
leaning towards just using boiled linseed oil on the top

I like to use pure Tung oil from the Real Milk Paint Co. This is tung oil on mahogany which would also look good on your heart pine top.
 

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NOTW

Notw
Senior User
More progress has been made on the workbench. the top is now on the bench, the stop gap has been installed (i like to use Bic mechanical pencils so i added a hole on each end for one of those), the leg vise is installed, I went ahead and made a sliding deadman out of some heart pine scrap, using some more of this heart pine for a bottom shelf. For the leg vise I used a Yost screw and then caved and bought the Benchcrafted crisscross solo. I wasn't happy with the action at first so i bought a piece of Delrin and a 30mm forstner bit and made a bushing for the front of the leg, action was dramatically improved. I don't get the spin action of a true Benchcrafted vise but it isn't bad either. I also tried hand carving for the first time and put my last name on the bottom stretcher, i was pleased for the first time carving and only using a knife and straight chisels.

Next steps will be to decide if i want to chalk paint the base or leave it natural?? still can't decide.

And the more important item is an end vise. I know i want a wagon vise but can't afford the one from benchcrafted, so i am trying to figure out the best course of action to make my own. I only want the dog block to move and don't want the screw to move out of the bench so if anyone knows of something around the $100 range i would be interested. I looked at the Veritas inset vise but don't really like the idea of the dangling handle (maybe a stupid reason not to like it) Once i have the end vise figured out and installed i can drill my dog holes and place an order for some holdfast, leaning towards the Gramercy ones.

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mdbuntyn

Matt
Staff member
Corporate Member
Reach out to Will Myers about his next run of vises:

 

NOTW

Notw
Senior User
Reach out to Will Myers about his next run of vises:


I really like that but i think if i were going to go up to $180 i would try out the Hovarter vise
 

mdbuntyn

Matt
Staff member
Corporate Member
I really like that but i think if i were going to go up to $180 i would try out the Hovarter vise
I haven't look at Hovarter stuff in a few years. Their wagon vise looks good at that price.
 

NOTW

Notw
Senior User
Well looks like the Hovarter vise is out as I would need more of an overhang and I really don't want to have to add a 2" tail cap to the end of my workbench. I reached out to Will Myers to see if he has any of his vises available.
 

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