Popular Post Belle City WW Posted July 6, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted July 6, 2021 I am currently in the process of building a new LONG AWATED workbench for the Shop. I have been working on and IKEA slab bench and it has served me well, but I went to a Hand Tool Event at Lie Nielsen toolworks and used their benches and that was all she wrote. Couldn't buy one of theirs at the time, but I purchased their vises and the Hard Maple was given to me as a gift. Didn't have enough to do the base also so it is Sugar Maple, hard maple, and ash combined. The base is really heavy and sturdy. The bench top is 4" solid slab of hard maple. Here are some pics of the progress: Bringing the lumber home Rough layout before final milling Laid out in sections - to accomadate my 8" jointer Sections set for glue up 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Belle City WW Posted July 6, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted July 6, 2021 Then the base was started These are the sugar maple They stretchers are ash Dry assembly to check mortise and tenon alignment Jig for top of the legs Tops of the legs that will NEVER been seen again Base assembly all done with the bench bolts added Face vise under bench work Face vise hardware test fit install Hard maple is fun to chisel - NOT 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 Nice work! I always thought sugar maple was hard maple and all the others, like red and silver were soft maples? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 That bench will be a pleasure to work on, for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 Darn nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 Good work. How did you cut the top to length being 4" thick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belle City WW Posted July 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 3 hours ago, curlyoak said: Good work. How did you cut the top to length being 4" thick? curlyoak. I used a DeWalt Track Saw, cut half way through, flip, and repeat. Then I belt sanded the end grain. It came out better than I was expecting. Thanks to all for your kind comments 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 Bench is looking good. Hard maple really is a pain to work with at times. It's hardness and tenancy to have swirly grain makes it awfully difficult for hand tools as well as power tools. 13 hours ago, Mark J said: I always thought sugar maple was hard maple and all the others, like red and silver were soft maples? Sugar Maple = Hard Maple = Rock Maple These are all names for the same tree Acer saccharum. Any other Acer tree is considered soft maple, Red maple, silver maple, Norway Maple, Boxelder, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Belle City WW Posted July 10, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted July 10, 2021 Worked on the Face Vise yesterday. And got it glued up. Made sure to highlight my vise hardware parameters Usually I am not an Instruction guy but this is an exception, I find their instructions in dept and easy to follow Used a router plane and chisel for these and the power router for the larger section material excavation Marked the waste just so I don't get confused and take the wrong material out Glued up. Now I have to clean it up drill the prescribed hardware holes and install, then I will tackle the tail vise. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted July 10, 2021 Report Share Posted July 10, 2021 Moving right along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby W Posted July 11, 2021 Report Share Posted July 11, 2021 I am interested in how the tail vise goes for you. I have one sitting in my shop waiting for me to build my new bench. Getting close to starting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belle City WW Posted July 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2021 10 hours ago, Robby W said: I am interested in how the tail vise goes for you. I have one sitting in my shop waiting for me to build my new bench. Getting close to starting. I am going to tackle that last I will let you know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Belle City WW Posted July 11, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted July 11, 2021 Installed the face vise hardware....... I have a couple of minor adjustment to make before I drill and tap to secure the vise hardware. You can see that it is a little low on the left, I need to take just a little bit of material off the bottom of the bench in the hardware pocket and it should sit flush. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legenddc Posted July 12, 2021 Report Share Posted July 12, 2021 I like your use of the plastic sleeves to organize the plans. I always end up with them out of order and I can't stand the texture of sawdust on paper. Bench is looking good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Belle City WW Posted July 23, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted July 23, 2021 After a lot of fiddling and fussing the 24" face vise is completed. We are in the home stretch now, the sliding tail vise is the last phase........ No racking at all in this vise and it is a smooth operator, I am definitely going to be spoiled with this! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belle City WW Posted July 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2021 On 7/10/2021 at 7:54 PM, Robby W said: I am interested in how the tail vise goes for you. I have one sitting in my shop waiting for me to build my new bench. Getting close to starting. Robby, I will be starting that today! I will let you know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted July 23, 2021 Report Share Posted July 23, 2021 I've always been curious how those chain drives perform over time. Even though the opening is on the bottom it looks like it will collect a lot of sawdust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belle City WW Posted July 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2021 On 7/23/2021 at 7:52 AM, Mark J said: I've always been curious how those chain drives perform over time. Even though the opening is on the bottom it looks like it will collect a lot of sawdust. Mark, Lie-Nielsen has been making these for years now and I have never heard of dust being a problem with their chain drive mechanism. If I encounter any problem like that, I will just blow out the cavity with compressed air re-oil the chain and make a removable cover for it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted July 23, 2021 Report Share Posted July 23, 2021 On 7/23/2021 at 5:52 AM, Mark J said: I've always been curious how those chain drives perform over time. Even though the opening is on the bottom it looks like it will collect a lot of sawdust. My Veritas has been in use for about 4 years. Although there is a cover on this design it is hardly air tight. When I opened it to adjust chain tension after the first several months of use there was saw dust present. None of this effected the action and I would have never known had I not wanted to tighten up the chain a bit. It seems the same "non-air-tight" design that let's the spoil in, lets it out as you use the vise. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted July 23, 2021 Report Share Posted July 23, 2021 Awesome job!! That looks like it was a bit of work to get in there but will be so worth it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BelleCityWoodworking Posted July 23, 2021 Report Share Posted July 23, 2021 On 7/23/2021 at 10:31 AM, pkinneb said: Awesome job!! That looks like it was a bit of work to get in there but will be so worth it. Thank you! Yeah it took me 5 tries to get it just right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Belle City WW Posted July 24, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted July 24, 2021 Started on the sliding tail vise hardware installation yesterday. Had to mill out a 7/16" deep mortise for the main body of the internal slider to fit in. I used the LN Router plane and it worked great. This top is REALLY heavy Testing the fit to make sure the jaw will slide freely Now I have to hog out a 2" wide by 9" long by 3/4" deep dado on the bottom of the bench so that once installed the vise can be adjusted. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Belle City WW Posted August 16, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 The tail vise is being a bit more difficult than I had anticipated, but I should have it figured out soon and the final reveal pics will be posted 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted August 16, 2021 Report Share Posted August 16, 2021 On 8/16/2021 at 6:07 AM, Belle City WW said: and the final reveal pics will be posted Looking forward to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Belle City WW Posted August 17, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 17, 2021 Well, this has been one long (time wise) and very heavy project All that is left to be done is drill the 3/4" dog holes and put some finish on it. The Bench it replaced...... This vise is awesome to use..... I even got the grain to match up on the sliding tail vise which simply means I lucked out 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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