bench endcap fasteners-opinions?

[Jeff Bartley]

So I've seen both bolts and lags used to attach bench endcaps and was wondering what others have used.
One plan is to use bolts with captured square nuts set into mortices; the other plan is to use lags which engage a 1" dowel inserted into the bench perpendicular to the lag so the threads have some cross-grain engagement.
Bench will have a Benchcrafted wagon-vise so it'll see some force. Will lags hold or are they inviting failure?
Vice should be here tomorrow and I'm afraid I'm not gonna get much sleep tonight I'm so excited!
Thanks, Jeff

[Ron Brese]

Hey Jeff,

On my Shaker styled Bench we used Spax lags. One thing you have to consider with the BenchCrafted Wagon vise. With proper bench dogs you won't be putting as much pressure on the end of the bench as you might imagine and even in situations where a bit more pressure than usual is needed the spax lags are solid as a rock. If you install the one closest to the vise in a dead on sized holed and then install the ones in the middle and toward the back of the bench with a oversized hole in the end cap you should be fine. I cut a tenon on the end of the bench that fits into a slot mortise in the end cap. This keeps the top in alignment with the end cap and allows the top to expand and contract with the seasons. After fitting everything I ground the recessed area off the head of the Spax screws and then applied cold gun bluing to turn them black making them look like stove bolts.

You're gonna love that vise. As you work everything is quarter turn tight and quarter turn loose. You can position your work piece and be back to work in just a few seconds. I also have the leg vise and it works in a similar way. When you relieve yourself from any doubt that you can hold your work quickly and effortlessly then you can concentrate on your work.

Ron

[Jeff Bartley]

Thanks Ron,
That was exactly the info I was looking for! In fact I just sent Jameel an email asking about your bench! I'm so excited to get this bench finished; I currently use the TS outfeed table and the whole thing shakes when planing. I can't wait to see the new version of Jameels wagon-vise. I was thrilled to find out I'd be getting the new one!
Pics to follow! Jeff

[Richard Magbanua]

The Benchcrafted vise is saweet! Be sure to post pics for us jealous ones!

I used Spax screws also and agree that they should be fine. I used the brass-looking ones with matching washers and thought it looked nice. The large washers hide the fact that I made the holes in the endcap oversized to allow for wood movement.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3205/3112295868_9830a41d06_o.jpg

[Paul Davis]

I made the long tenon on the end of the bench just like Ron Brese described, then used 4 5" 5/16 hex bolts engaging square nuts mortised in from the bottom of the benchtop. I enlarged the holes in the end cap toward the back, so the top could move. I think lags would have worked just fine, but I guessed I would be taking the end cap on and off several times during construction, and I didn't want to take the chance of overdriving one of those lags when going into endgrain.

The first time I test assembled it, with the top upside down, I half filled the nut mortise with caulk so I wouldn't have to relocate the nut each time. I let it set overnight and then removed the bolt. It backed out and could be reinserted just fine. If I ever need to remove the nut, the caulk can be cleaned out easily.

[harry strasil]

FWIW,

I used a 3/4 tongue on the ends of my bench top planks, and a groove in the endcaps of my Nubench. 3 shop made captive nuts of brass round stock and 3/8" machine bolts on each end with the center bolt hole a 32nd oversize and the two end ones 1/8" oversize and heavy flat washers under the bolt heads to allow for expansion/contraction.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/nu%20bench/bnchendbttnnutsandbolts.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/nu%20bench/nubenchtogether001.jpg

[John Stan]

Jeff,
For my end cap, I followed the directions on Jameel's web page with a few differences. I did not want to see the bolts on the end cap so I use threaded rod with bolds at both ends. From the bottom of the bench I bored matching holes in the endcap and bench. The hole in the endcap was fom the inside and wend 3/4 of the way through the endcap. I then mortised from the bottom of the endcap and bench to the holes. I placed the rod in the bench and installed the bolts. The end result is all hardware is hidden from view. You can view the end result via the following SMC thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1186940#poststop

Good luck,
-John

[Jeff Bartley]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Great info! Harry--I really like those brass inserts, that's exactly how I was thinking I'd use oak dowels (with lags). And I guess if I did go that route and experienced trouble later I could always switch to brass and machine nuts. But where you've really gotten me into trouble is with your 'coffin-makers' bench---it's a perfect portable bench for taking to a jobsite---now I have to make another bench!
John, I sure am glad I didn't see your bench earlier in my bench build!! That walnut is beautiful, and I love the pairing of walnut and maple. I came close to using some walnut for the endcaps but decided to stick with maple....it's maple from a tree that I climbed as a kid.
Ron and Richard--were you able to find spax lags locally or did you have to order them? HD has something similar (timberlocks) but they're smaller in diameter (only 1/4").
Thanks again! Jeff