Care to share pics of it beat up and used? I've stalked your bench design for many months now
. Would love to hear what you (and others) have learned from their design after months/years of use.
Dan
Here is my bench today. (after unloading most of what was on it so you could at least see it.)
The top is a little beat up, but still very flat. I have taken a plane to it a couple times and slopped on some linseed oil, and it is about due for that again.
The leg vise probably gets more use than the end vise. The Lake Erie Toolworks wooden screw combined with the Benchcrafted "criss-cross" works perfectly. That was not my first idea, but they combine to make an excellent vise.
For my use, the bench is rock solid and very functional. I have occasionally pulled the center insert up to use as a plane stop, and have taken it out a couple times to get clamps into the center of the bench. Mostly the center insert stays down in the gap and creates a nice flat surface. The size and weight of the bench overall is great for what I do. I can take aggressive cuts with a scrub plane in any direction and there is zero movement or wobble. The only down-side to the weight is that someone will have to move it when I am dead and gone, but that will be their problem not mine!
Since building it, I have added a couple rows of round dog holes, primarily so I can use hold-downs. The rectangular dogs work great for holding work. That is one of my favorite features of this bench.
I work primarily at the end with the vises, and have added a semi-permanent shooting board at the opposite corner. It attaches into a couple of the dog holes, and is in a convenient location for quick access. Plus, it can be lifted out easily when I need the full length of the bench.
Dan, if you want to drop by and check it out, just let me know.