Craftsman Workbench

[Bill Julson]

My 1st post guys, so take it easy on me. BTW, this group is great and I finally got up enough nerve to post something. I am a complete putz when it comes to woodworking, but I get a lot of enjoyment from working in my basement shop with the few tools I have. I have difficulty in drawing a straight line with a straight edge and get out of tune playing the radio, just so you all know where I am coming from. I have looked at the gallery of photo's of your shops, and "Lord, I feel so unnecessary"..but if I had any more fun doing what I am doing, I couldn't stand it!!!

My table saw is my father-in-law's, a Craftsman 1950 era, but it does a terrific job. You have to understand that he died so I could get the saw! It is the only Craftsman that is worth anything. I have a Jet 6" Jointer that I got cheap from a good friend of mine. I found a 6" X 48" X 9" Grizzly Sander & a 15" Craftsman Drill Press thru the Iwanna, a mountain newspaper. I purchased a Jet 14" Bandsaw, which I dearly love, even though I am still learning how to use it. Which brings me to the topic of this email.

About a month ago, I was at Smiley's Flea Market in Hendersonville and while walking thru the inside area, walked by a used furniture place. I went past it about 15'-20', and did a double take. There was a woodworking bench & did a 180!

It was a Craftsman Deluxe Woodworkers Bench, model # 9 10231, mfg. in 3-78. It appears to be solid maple and was in mint condition for the most part. Finish was excellent. 2 WW vises. $125.00! I bought it on the spot & took it home. Love it. The end vise is missing the 2 guide rods, so I googled it & Craftsman it, but found nothing. The front vise is super, no problems. Does anyone have any ideas what I can do for the end vise, besides buying a new vise.

Sorry this is so long, but I finally came out of the closet. Progress

Bill Julson

 

[mshel]

Bill,

It might help if you could post a picture of the vise and an up close view of where the missing rods go. There might be someone here who can steer you in the right direction. By the way, welcome and happy out of the closet day.

Mike

 

[clowman]

Bill... Welcome to the board! At least welcome to posting status! Dont' be afraid to ask anything. I'm sure you'll never get flamed or belittled by asking a question! I can't help you with you query, but I did want to pop in and welcome you!

 

[SteveColes]

Welcome, Bill. If you do as mshel suggest about posung a picture, I'm sure we'll get you some help

 

[DaveO]

Welcome Bill, everyone is wanted around here, irregardless of skill level, no one is born a skilled woodworker, besides Woodguy:lol: :lol: :lol: I also agree with the picture request, that will help to visuallize the situation. I would suspect that the guide rods could be replaced with round steel stock of the same diameter. Also have you tried www.owwm.com, guys there know the older tools and may be able to point you in a better direction. Well, I look forward to "seeing" you around here and you input. Dave

 

[Bill Julson]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. My Charter connection was down this morning, so have been down stairs working until now.

I will get a photo of the bench & the guide rods in the front vise, but need to clean up my shop first. I finished doing an arbor off our deck for my honey so she has a place for her herbs. At least it is one thing off the "Honey Doo" list. I also made a wine rack for my youngest son that he had seen on a web site, so the shop is a disaster. It will be later in the week before I can get to it. Even though I am retired (retarded), I work (3) 12 hr shifts Mon-Wed, so won't have time to do it now. I get up at 3:30 AM for work, there by 5, and back home by 5:50PM, to bed by 7 so doesn't leave me much time.

I think the guide rods in the front vise should work in the end vise, but will have to check it out. Will get the photo's thursday, fer sure.

Watching race right now and then have to help her bottle wine. She has a red & a white that we need to bottle and she is going to start a Port for the holidays.

Thanks again. Will get the photo's asap.

Bill

 

[SteveColes]

Bill, you don't have to clean up your shop. Have you seen the pictures of MY shop.:roll:

 

[Monty]

From another basement shop dweller - WELCOME!

I like that story about your workbench - that was a great deal! Keep on posting - we'd love to hear from you.

 

[DaveO]

Bill, making your own wine??? We need to talk, I brew beer, but my wife who likes wine has always wanted me to get into that. Would love to see some pics of the arbor and wine rack, when you get the chance. Sounds like you are one of those retired guys who are busier than when working, my parents are the same way. Dave

 

[sapwood]

Bill,

Welcome to another mountaineer! I guess, where there's wood, there's woodworkers ;-)
Look forward to you input. I already have claimed the title of "Worst Wood Whacker", but like you, I think it's great fun.

Later,
Sapwood

 

[Bill Julson]

I wrote up my response and tried to hook on an attachment, but can't figure out how to do it. While doing this, I lost my msg, so will redo it now and get it on to you.

Me wife / child bride took pictures of the bench, vises & guide rods and soon as I figure out how to do it, will send the pictures.

I removed the guide rods from the front vise and tried them in the end vise and they work fine, so looks like I need the same type. The steel rods are 5/8" dia X 10 3/8" long, with each end threaded for a 1/4" bolt. I need to check with a machine shop and see what they would charge me for it, but got scared last week when a couple of guys told me it would be really expensive.

Been making Beer & wine for many years although I have not done any beer since moving up here 5 yrs ago. I was a member of FLAB (Fort Lauderdale Area Brewers). Lost my brew buddy when I moved, but he bought a house in Hendersonville so will be moving up here permanent next year. It's a lot of fun. Besides, beer is good for you and it contains all the (4) major food groups!

If someone can send me directions on how to do an attachment (photo's) I will get them off before going to work. I know how in Outlook XP, but have not figured this out here.

Thanks a lot guys. Think I found a Home!

The bj

 

[DaveO]

Bill, I agree beer is good for you, in moderation, and it's proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy (stolen from Ben Franklin). The best way I know how to post pictures on the site, are to have them hosted somewhere (here is most convenient, Steve Coles can get you an album). Once your pictures are hosted. All you need to do is use the insert image function in the top tool bar (it's yellow with mountains and a sun-like thing. Then open your image from whatever gallery it's hosted in and right click on the picture to find the properties of it and copy/paste the URL into the blank in the window for inserting the image. I find it easiest to have both the site hosting your pictures, and the site your are posting them to open at the same time. My gallery is here so I open ncwoodworker twice to jump back and forth. Hope that helps, and Save the Ales, Dave

 

[SteveColes]

Bill,

Welcome to another mountaineer! I guess, where there's wood, there's woodworkers ;-)
Look forward to you input. I already have claimed the title of "Worst Wood Whacker", but like you, I think it's great fun.

Later,
Sapwood

You may have claimed the title, but I have earned it:saw: :rolf:

 

[clowman]

Worse Wood Whacker... I don't mess up. I make some of the finest precision cut firewood known to mankind.. and alot of it.

 

[Bill Julson]

Morning! I just finished up my 3-day swing and had a good night's rest, so ready to go. First of all, I attempted to upload some photo's of the workbech, & was successfull in getting one photo of the guide rods, which is located in the Gallery section/ Public Albums / Shop Pictures/Bill Julson/Workbench. Not sure how I did it and also not sure why the other (2) photo's did not show up, but will try again later.

Thanks to Dave O, I spoke to a couple of friends in Maint. Dept., @ work and would you believe, they made me (2) guide rods, which work perfectly. Problem solved.

Will get a couple of photo's of the bench uploaded as soon as I learn how. Will read the FAQ's later today and try again.

Thank you everyone for all your help. I really appreciate it.

bj

 

[chris99z71]

Welcome Bill! I'm sorry that I missed your post last week to welcome you....but a belated welcome anyway.

Those guide rods look great and proof that it's not what you know, but who you know that really counts.

A quick tip about pictures, if you go to the "Request Services" button in your tool bar at the top of this screen, you can click on "Request Photo Album". Once you've got your own album, you can click on the "Gallery" link and you should see the "Bill Julson" gallery listed. When you click on that, you should see the "Upload" button at the top. From there, it's pretty easy to upload any pictures that you'd like!

If you have any questions, please ask. No sense in beating your head against the wall!

 

[Bill Julson]

Thanks Chris, I appreciate that. It really pays to have have friends. It is ironic that they had a piece of 5/8" steel that they had just take off one of the machines, so they cut it to length, and tapped the threads. They had it done in about an hour, while still working on all the jobs they have at the plant. Great guys, fer sure. Also, thanks for the tip about the photo's...Will do that right away.


The bj

 

[Steve D]

Bill,


Welcome to the board. I'm also in Western NC near Hendersonville. Woodworking, wine and beer are 3 of my favorite subjects, we should get along great.

Steve D

 

[Bill Julson]

That's great you are in Hendersonville. My best friend & brewbuddy bought a home in Laurel Park last year and will be moving up here permanent summer '06, so will have you over when we start brewing beer again. Me wife enjoys making her wine and it is good stuff. We seldom buy wine any more. I am a putz at brewing just like my woodworking, but if I had any more fun, I couldn't stand it. Life is good!

bj

 

[Steve D]

Laurel Park is nice, I'm out in Horse Shoe. I used to brew but haven't done it in years. I'm remodelling our house so that is full time job that I'm doing part time. :lol: :lol:


Steve D