Benchs!!!!! Feeling Slow

[woodguy1975]

Well, I've been working pretty hard on the class benches over the last week. While Insomniac is wrapping up the other two bases I've been working on the tops. They are all sanded and are very flat even with my measuring means. :rolf: I've been working on the one apron to make sure I have everything figured out correctly before doing the other two. Since the patternmaker's vises arrived I was in good shape to move one with it.


I had a whole night just routing the recesses for the vise. Here is a quick pic of that. The middle releif is 16" long, 3" wide and required removal of just over an inch of material. I had to temp. clamp the apron to the bench to route the recess in one step for the top which is another 3/8" deep recess. All this material removal is required so the vise can rotate and pivot properly.

Here a quick pic of the apron clamped to the bench top.

Finally here is a detail pic of the dovetails. Yes, they were hand cut front and back. The dovetails took another night to complete.

All that is left for this particular top is a bottom for the tool tray, a quick handplaning of the apron flush with the bench, sanding, and vise installation.

Thanks for viewing.

John

 

[DaveO]

Man, that is looking good!!!! I might have to take one of your classes just to get a chance to check out that bench in person:-D
Dave

 

[McRabbet]

Nice job, John. Looks like you're gonna have a beautiful bench! Even though Monty is helping you build them, he'll be jealous when the bases leave his shop!

Rob

 

[D L Ames]

That is looking really good John. I like the hand cut DTs on the apron. What pattern maker vise did you get for the benches?

D L

 

[Travis Porter]

Looks Good!

Did you know you were going to have to do all this for the vices in advance?

 

[Canuck]

They're movin' right along, John. I too think that the dovetail work is a beautiful touch! Certainly look rock solid!

Great Work!!!:eusa_clap

Wayne

 

[woodguy1975]

Looks Good!

Did you know you were going to have to do all this for the vices in advance?

I got the patternmakers vises that Highland Hardware sells. It is a clone of the original smaller sized vise. They cost about $199.99 each right now.

I did expect to have to do some releif work for the vises. Because my top thickness is so thick, 3", I just had to do a little more. If the tops where only 1.75" thick I would have had a lot less work. It is a bit more than expected, but that is ok. The patternmakers is the only way to go for doing chairs. Clamping those spindles is a pain. With these it will be a very simple task.

 

[woodbutcher]

That is NICE!. Is that my birthday present???

 

[michaelgarner]

awsome job bro, make sure you get some pics of them all done so we can drool over them. Once agina top notch. Be blessed.

 

[JohnsonMBrandon]

This is going to make chair class really fun.

 

[woodguy1975]

This is going to make chair class really fun.

Last one there gets teh crappy bench.:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[DavidF]

Nice one John, once again you're putting the rest of to shame!!!

 

[Monty]

Looks great! Can't wait to put it to use! How will the tool tray bottom be attached?

 

[woodguy1975]

Looks great! Can't wait to put it to use! How will the tool tray bottom be attached?

I'll glue some cleats around the apron sides and back on the inside of the tray area. The tray will just drop in and lift out for cleaning. I'm using some nice 1/2" prefinished BB plywood for that.

BTW, that top is wrapped up for the most part I sanded it all up, drove in the lag screws for the back of the side aprons and even turned some custom Blackwood plugs. I've just to got apply some finish, permanently bolt on the vise and fix to the top to the base. I should be mostly wrapped up with all three by the end of the weekend.

Thanks,

John

 

[woodguy1975]

Corrected Drawings Pack UP

http://ncwoodworker.net/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=123

The correct drawings package for the bench.

Thanks,

John

 

[D L Ames]

Re: Corrected Drawings Pack UP

http://ncwoodworker.net/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=123

The correct drawings package for the bench.

Thanks,

John

John, that's a great set of plans. Thanks for posting those for us.:icon_thum What program did you us to draft them up with?

D L

 

[cpowell]

John that looks great...as usual!

I almost wish you hadn't posted the plans. I've been working without a bench for a very long time, using an assembly table of sawhorses and a layer of 2x4s with a mellamine top.

Now I wanna build a bench and LOML says she needs a DR table. :lol:

Chuck

 

[D L Ames]

pssst........hey Chuck. Build yourself a new bench and just put a table cloth on it and park it in the dining room.:icon_thum Just make sure you vacuum up the wood shavings after each use so you can keep it a secret.

D L

 

[cpowell]

pssst........hey Chuck. Build yourself a new bench and just put a table cloth on it and park it in the dining room.:icon_thum Just make sure you vacuum up the wood shavings after each use so you can keep it a secret.

D L

Geesh, I nearly spewed coffee when I read that reply! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Do you think she'd notice?

Chuck

 

[woodguy1975]

Re: Corrected Drawings Pack UP

John, that's a great set of plans. Thank for posting those for us.:icon_thum What program did you us to draft them up with?

D L

I use Inventor. It is a 3D modelling program that is made by Autodesk. The same folks that make AutoCAD and Mechanical Desktop. This their modeling software similar to Pro E.

Thanks,

John