Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

randy,
Its alright posting pics showing rough work..You really should build sawhorses..you may not be able to use your plane properly and your back might go which is never a good thing.

@violaine,

Post more pics of your workbench! Tapos na pala yan eh..

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

randy,
Its alright posting pics showing rough work..You really should build sawhorses..you may not be able to use your plane properly and your back might go which is never a good thing.

@violaine,

Post more pics of your workbench! Tapos na pala yan eh..

ahehe..

the wb was finished wayback since late last year..took photographs of the build but they were posted irregularly within the tipidpc forum so no one noticed its already done...ok should i have the time i will post the process and difficulties (and mistakes) i encountered so our buddies making their own wb like randy would benefit

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

dang Doc, thats a gorgeuos wb. the finger joints on the apron is perfect and the dogs... the dogs................ :rolleyes::rolleyes:
the tail vice installed very well... got pictures of the stages of that build?
finally we see you wb... and a stealth gloat on the ts extension from Dewalt... lol.
also is the ts the same height as the wb? seems you use the wb as an outfeed....
as for a lighter color, bleaching before finishing can bring you there...
again conratulations on the well made workbench...

thanks bro..but it is only actually 80% done..id still like to make drawers below the wb top but i am planning half of that space will be occupied by the 2012nb in the future..

the fingerjoints were made manually and true fitting. the fingers are 1.75 inch long but if you measure them accurately and cut slowly with the right tools then you can achieve a true fit (it took a while before i finished it..you will realise that the last board of the wb top needs to be free from the rest to make that fingerjoint apron)
i initially made the fingers stout for a tight fit and ease them bit by bit using the bastard file (but i see noticeable protrusion of the fingers last summer due to wood expansion..this i expected so no glue was applied during the build..and to date no screws are holding that apron)
i reckon i have not been able to document the process though..i think i was working on the floor and very akwardly it pained my back but pain turned into something.

what i would like to emphasize to randy and the others who would want to build their wb is that..the last piece of work to be the done i considered the trickiest is the installation of the tail vise..if you remember what i have been through when i posted my questions to you sa tipidpc...anyhow i was able to document the process step by step (which shall be seen anytime soon in this forum).

yes i am happy with my "dogs" but i still dream of the proper dogs that are commercially available (perhaps in our next big box).;)
below is the diagram of how my dogs bark err work.

the TS is about 1cm higher than the wb top...yes indeed, the wb becomes the outfeed table hahaha and also now a tool dock...hehe..i am lazy sometimes to return tools from their proper location.

@randy, your boards were glued on their narrow sides..one thing good for this move is economy..but what i fear with this is cupping of the boards in time unless you support them very well underneath.my wb top has about 16 pcs of 2 x 4 planks glued on their widest sides for strength (the exact final dimension is 1.75" x 3.5")
also id like to ask also the type of glue that you used..i am happy with elmer's carpenters glue..i have had experience with locally available glue like pioneer. weldwood etc but elmer is the best (locally ha).

but you know, this could just be your first wb..who knows you will still build the best some years soon!

btw i bought the screw vise from the store wher you got your front vise...i would have preferred the one with quick release.hehe

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

aw i posted a pic of the dog installation diagram without labels..i reformatted the harddrive i need to download again the sketch up software.

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

just like you i have no background on woodworking or carpentry.when i became interested in this kind of hobby.to tell you the trith randy,i think i've been in this hobby for more than a year..but to know this people,the very fined tuned in woodworking like timber,& add to the circles the likes of violane,moji beebeenetor,chisel& others,i think i'm still a beginner..its good that you are starting at the right path,good think that you came in this forum,getting advice from the experts early on...the very first tool that i collect was a circular saw,then followed by jig saw(although it dont produce a good cut,it sucks)& an electric drill(hand held)of course with assortments of bits,especially spade bits,clamps from japan home.then i go on to work on my gawang marino wb,hehehe,and because i really want to test my skills& gigil na gigil na makagawa ng project,thats the reason why i build that wb.when i have finished a project ,then its the time i have to upgrade my tools.the table saw came,then the fix & plunge router,& then the drill press,marami pang kulang,dahan dahan lang,salat din sa budget.lately ko lang nalaman tong forum,which is very helpful indeed,thats why i tell you,you are at the right path.just go slow,& dont get frustrsted when you make mistakes,it is there that you learn.practise makes things perfect,goodluck sayo sir randy,mabuhay!

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

Thanks everyone (timber, jonathanscruz68, moji, violaine) for the advice, suggestions and encouragement 🙂 . Been under the weather the past couple of days. Looks like I'm overdue for an update! Here's what's happened so far.

After my last post, I spent half of the next day planing the top (again, on the floor), then decided that this was going to end one of two ways:
1. I would do the heroic thing, eventually plane the tabletop to an unacceptable thinness, and burn about a couple thousand calories.
2. I would use common sense and call for help. This is what I ended up doing.

Of all the tasks that go into this project so far, planing is one that should not be done on the ground. I decided to save my strength (as well as the rest of the top) and take it to a local sash factory in Taytay to finish and clean up my work. I'm glad they did a good job. The top is now about 1-1/4" thick all around, level and flat. Original thickness of the 2x4s used was 1-3/8"

Next up for me is to lay out and install the vise. It's a Record 9" vise (not quick-action). After reading the Landis chapter on how to do this, it looks like I'm going to use an edge-mount. Upon measuring the vise, I'll need a thick spacer (3.25 inches) to allow the top of the vise jaws to sit 1/2" below the top of the wood cheeks. The tops of the wood cheeks will be flush with the top.

@moji: I dig the sawhorse idea, especially since I can set the bench top on them and work from there.

@violaine: Since my top is thin at 1-1/4" and I've got a vise to worry about too, I'm thinking of running several parallel 2x4s from the front of the bench to the back. These will function as support beams for the top and spacers for the vise. I'm currently using Pioneer Wood Work glue. Although I almost tried the brand at the "American Bazaar" store for P66!

Once again, I keep getting error messages when I try to attach pictures, so until I figure this out, please check out my photobucket to see them. Sorry about that, everyone!

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

just copy the IMG code and paste it to show the picture on your post...


looks very nice, but somehow you're cheating... hehehe :p

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

randy,

im good at your plan to install perpendicular supports underneath the top but i suggest to encircle the whole thing with 2x4s to further strengthen them (and for aesthetics).you can punish yourself (because you cheated..hehe) by fingerjointing the four aprons..you have more than enough tools to make them..you also need to realize that you are not in a hurry to make this wb..this is not somekind of a nice piece of furniture with a time limit like let say a baby crib.we have all the patience in this world to wait for the wips.you need to enjoy the craft and we are not telling you to hurry either.

btw, i suggest as well (though this might be your plan) you bury not only the rear jaw of the front vise but also the rear cheek of the spacer..in this way..any piece of stock gripped by the vise will be flushed to the sides of the wb top..it means that only the front cheek will be butting against the front apron...i regret this is not true with mine..see photo below.

i suggest you make use of stainless lag screws and stainless washers to mount the vise..with them, you dont worry about the remaining moisture in the wood to eat away the galvanized ones in time and discolor your wb top.of course they are more expensive but hey you spent a fortune on the front vise..the cost of the lag screws wont make a dent on your bank statement.hehe

and lastly, did you apply any wood protection? i wetted mine with clear solignum before gluing them...hindi naman aanayin yan but you know..you still have the bukboks to worry about..anyway, if this will force you to bring it again outdoors for the preservative application..the hardwood oil is as ok.

ok..need to snuggle now.

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

Cheated? Can't argue with that, and I'm not taking any credit for the appearance of the benchtop at this point. I just gave up on planing because I was getting tram marks and tearout everywhere, and even though I made adjustments as per the instruction manual, things kept getting worse as I continued. Planing on the floor without a table = big no-no. 😛

@violaine: I'm planning to use dovetails, but should I switch to fingerjoints? As for the vise and stainless steel screws, you've just described what I'm already going to do. 🙂 I'll probably need a router for this part. Finally, wood protection...I'll buy some tomorrow during my citywide scavenger hunt for the following:

Protractor (Panda)
Drill Guide (LYS along Recto near Arranque going to Divisoria [is that right?])
Lag Screws (forgot the name of the store, on T. Alonzo)
Dowels (To Suy)
Paste Wax (True Value? Ace? Handyman?)
Sadolin (I haven't seen this around. Where should I go?)

Thanks for all the tips. Please keep them coming!

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

i suggest as well (though this might be your plan) you bury not only the rear jaw of the front vise but also the rear cheek of the spacer..in this way..any piece of stock gripped by the vise will be flushed to the sides of the wb top..it means that only the front cheek will be butting against the front apron...i regret this is not true with mine..see photo below.

Not clear to me what is meant by burying 'also the rear cheek of the spacer', or what the problem is in the picture that is being regretted. I think the term 'rear cheek' is throwing me off. If cheek means 'side', then there should be a left and a right cheek, not a front or rear cheek? :confused:

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

@guad,

sorry i made you confused.

i forgot the term so for now i will refer to the wood that is screwed onto the metal jaws as the "inner" and "outer" jaw faces.

what i regret about my front vise is i completely forgot to make a deeper recess to bury both the inner metal jaw and its wooden face.
:rolleyes:

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

Vise jaw liner or pad. Definitely clearer, I understand now, lack of permanent embedded liner (although on the inner jaw, debatable/depends whether you really need one).

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

if you intend to use it on wood, you definitely need one (jaw liners)... :p

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

Vise jaw liner or pad. Definitely clearer, I understand now, lack of permanent embedded liner (although on the inner jaw, debatable/depends whether you really need one).

i went back to check an old issue of woodworkers journal (summer 2008) where the arts and crafts workbench made by the master woodworker Ian Kirby was featured...most of the ideas in making my wb was lifted from that article...and true to my recollection, he refers to the wood that is attached to the opposing metal jaws as "wooden cheeks"..i added the confusing words "outer" and "inner"...btw nowhere in the article did he specify which is which.:p

technically speaking, i would have named the cheeks as "wooden lips"...and more specifically, the outer and inner wooden lips since the front vise is not vertically oriented...you are correct in saying the cheeks is either the right or left.

comments are welcome.

cheers

Re: Work In Progress (workbench build)

or "front" or "rear" wooden lips! hehehe