Steve Reich
04-08-2019, 2:51 PM
With Virginia winning on Saturday night and Michigan State losing, I'm the last one standing in my bracket pool, which will net me about $450. So, I'm thinking of some shop upgrades. My work bench needs some enhancements. I don't have a vice or any system of bench dogs and hold fasts. My current bench is 72" long, 33" wide, and 33" high and modeled after the Cecil Braeden's "Rock-Solid Plywood Bench" featured in FWW in 2006. But I've long grown frustrated with no good method for securing pieces of various sizes for sanding, handplaning, etc.
What would you recommend for an end vise (and what should I be looking for in an end vice) and what source do you recommend for bench dogs and hold fasts (some users complained that the blue paint on those from Rockler rubs off onto work pieces).
I also do not have any decent straightedge or level. These things come in a variety of price points, and it's very difficult to discern what one is getting for the money. I'm looking for a high-quality 4-foot ruled straight edge (and it would be a bonus if it doubled as a level). Thoughts or recommendations?
What would you recommend for an end vise (and what should I be looking for in an end vice) and what source do you recommend for bench dogs and hold fasts (some users complained that the blue paint on those from Rockler rubs off onto work pieces).
I also do not have any decent straightedge or level. These things come in a variety of price points, and it's very difficult to discern what one is getting for the money. I'm looking for a high-quality 4-foot ruled straight edge (and it would be a bonus if it doubled as a level). Thoughts or recommendations?