How About $450 and 20 hours? Many Pics*
Garrett in Victoria
>I posted this on the other side about 5-6 weeks ago, but refrained from putting it up here because - avert your eyes - I used power tools to build it. However, it does have relevance to this thread, because the LN and other benches are also machine made. However, since this one could also be made easily with hand tools by anyone so inclined, here it is:
Like many woodworkers, I suffered from �bench envy�. I can�t count the number of articles and plans I collected, but almost every one was a variation of the traditional joiner�s bench with wooden shoulder and tail vises. Nevertheless, I continued to dither rather than build.
Why was I still using my MDF-topped-kitchen-base-cupboard bench that I�d quickly thrown together when we�d moved into a new home? Because sub-consciously I knew that what I wanted wasn�t what I needed. In truth, the joiner�s bench isn�t the most suitable for the way many of us work today. And why should it be? A 19th century joiner would recognize few of the tools and machines we use today. They have evolved to meet changing needs or were invented because of expanded technological possibilities. Since a bench is simply another tool, i.e. a clamping machine, why should it remain frozen in time?
Acknowledging three inescapable conclusions finally got me building. I use power tools as much or more as hand tools. I wanted an all-flat surface rather than a junk-collecting tool tray. And, innovation has also produced more practical, stronger, and versatile vises than the wooden beauties associated with traditional benches.
Those �truths� finally crystallized in a plan combining the best of old and new, a derivative bench that suits my approach to woodworking. As a bonus, it was easy to build and didn�t cost the earth, requiring about 20 pleasant hours in the shop and about $200 for materials. The new Emmert clone was $200 at Woodcraft, and the Record Clone was about $20 when I bought it.
After 6 weeks, it has passed an important test: it calls to me to keep it uncluttered and to work on it.
The dimensions will depend on each builder�s situation, especially height. Most experts recommend that the top be the distance from the floor to about the beginning of the wrist. However, unless hand tool use is the primary requirement, other objectives can trump that. In my case 70�x26�x35� high fits the available space and is �� lower than the height of my saw table. With a board clamped in the vise and supported on the bench assistant, it serves double duty as a sort of stationary sliding table for my Unisaw.
Whenever possible, I make from what I have, so the base of this bench is from a stock of a few hundred board feet of 5/4 kiln dried rough hard maple purchased at a very good price several months ago. However, any reasonably dense wood will do, so if you need to buy, look for local bargains. You�ll need 30 board feet for the base including a reasonable amount of waste. Not having thick enough stock, I used regular yellow glue to laminate the three layers required to make the 3�x3� legs, and two layers for the 2� thick upper stretchers.
This bench is a large object that is necessarily strong and heavy to function properly, so I made it easy to disassemble should it ever have to be moved. The frame members go together with 3/8� x 6� bolts � except for the two lower I� thick stretchers where the 4 bolts are 5/16� x 6� - available from any hardware store (my all-in cost for fastenings was $10.00). A 1�� Forstner bit makes the holes to accommodate the fender washers and nyloc nuts, and square one end of each hole with a mallet and chisel, but do use a backer board or cut in from each face to prevent tearout. A 1/8� roundover bit in a trim router smoothed the edges on both sides.
Before drilling the holes, I had marked center lines to the butt ends of the frames, and that made it easy to transfer the lines to the legs. I made a simple jig to ensure that the matching holes did match, and used a long brad point bit to drill both the legs and the frames.
It was a treat to assemble them and have everything line up.
I first assembled the end units and then added the two long top and bottom rails. A couple of pieces of 1� maple with square maple pads on each end were used to span the bottom of the legs to act as lower stretchers. The pads were cut to provide the correct final height, and simply screwed on to enable easy replacement in case any height change should become necessary. The extra holes in the first end unit in the photo above are for the rods and quick release arm of a Record vise clone. I�ve never felt the need for a tail vise because I use the Veritas bench top system. However, since I had a couple of these vises sitting idle, I installed one �just in case�. I haven�t yet drilled the �� holes for the Veritas bench top system since I�m still working out the ideal locations.
With the base complete, it was time to make the top. When I went into the garage to pick out enough maple to laminate the required 26 pieces, I spotted a sheet of 1� birch plywood I had earlier purchased on spec for $60. Suddenly, the prospect of laminating only 2 pieces of plywood seemed a lot more attractive. After cutting the sheet to size and choosing the face, I arranged about 10 clamps on either side and a couple on each end of what would be the bottom sheet, quickly spread yellow glue on both surfaces, sandwiched them together, and tightened the clamps. I then flipped it over and drove in about a dozen 1 �� screws down the center line. With the clamps and screws removed the following day, the alignment of the two sheets was good but not perfect, so I jointed one edge, ripped the other parallel, and used my sled to square the two ends.
When that was done, I edged the top with 1� of maple and had an excellent working surface. (Even so, I have to admit it doesn�t feel �proper� to me, so I�ll be making the solid maple top one of these days.)
A Record style vise is easy to mount, and doesn�t require any overhang. Removing the cotter pin and washer on the end of the rods enables the jaws to be separated from each other (although I had to use a mallet to persuade them to part). If you have an overhang, skip the next step, otherwise, measure carefully and use the end plate to draw the holes on the rail. With a piece of scrap clamped on the backside to avoid tearout, drill them somewhat over-sized with a Forstner bit as per the photo of the end units above. You can then slip the rods through the holes, and with the required spacer in place, lag screw or bolt the rear assembly to the bench and reassemble the parts. However, a more elegant approach would be to mortise the rear jaw into the face of the top.
That said, my current choice for face vise is a Taiwanese clone of the renowned Emmert patternmaker�s vise. Although massive with a lot of parts, and weighing more than 60 pounds, simply unscrewing the front jaw breaks it down into a couple of roughly equal pieces to make it much easier to handle. Installing it was far less daunting the second time around. The rear jaw of the vise is mounted to the bench via a large hinged casting that requires a 3/8� deep mortise in the bench�s top and front. I cut out a piece of scrap the size of the plate to make a template, clamped the half vise in position to mark its edges, and then replaced the vise with the template. A 3/4� straight pattern bit in a router made short work of it, and I squared off the corners with an inexpensive hinge chisel. A small dovetail saw and some chisel work took care of the front mortise.
The next job was to undercut the top for the Emmert�s short 4� diameter barrel. A tin can about the same diameter provided the arc, and some satisfying mallet and chisel work got rid of the waste quickly.
The Emmert�s industrial appearance and lack of gentility is balanced by its remarkable flexibility. Here it is with the auxiiary jaw for awkwardly shaped work.
To complement the Emmert, I made a bench assistant from a piece of 6� wide maple and ripped a piece of 1� maple to make a �French cleat� with a 15� bevel.
With one piece screwed to the face of the upper front stretcher, and a short piece of its mate on the back of the assistant, a spacer block on the back near the bottom holds it vertical by resting against the lower stretcher. The �� holes accept a Veritas bench dog. When not needed, the assistant lifts off and stores out of the way on the end of the bench, hanging from another piece of the cleat.
The finish is a couple of coats of thinned poly as a sealer, sanded to 150, and followed by 2 coats of buffed Minwax.
Of course, all that lovely space under the bench is an invitation to storage. About 6-8 months ago, I stopped at a Lee Valley store, and purchased one box each of their stamped metal toolbox trays. For a variety of reasons they were never used for the original project in my wife's sewing room. However, when I came across them again the other day, I realized they would serve well under my bench. (I like shallow drawers, because it's so much easier to see and find things.)
The instruction sheet that comes with the drawers demonstrates that this is a clever system. Run thin saw cuts in the gables at 1 1/4" intervals, and you can switch the drawers around to your heart's content. Even better, since my 3 boxes consisted of 5x1", 5x2" and 3x3" trays, they combined to fit exactly in 4 vertical rows as per the first photo in the series above. I used some of the 1" birch ply left over from the top for the uprights, and some scrap particle board faced with maple for the case. I set the case in place so that the faces of the drawer pulls were back just enough to provide clearance for the removable bench jack.
I still have to make 4 or 6 wooden drawers to take up the remaining space, but at least I no longer suffer bench envy!
Cheers, Garrett
