John Keeton
05-02-2020, 2:14 PM
First, thanks to all of you that have commented in prior threads about the utility of a leg vise and the quality of the Benchcrafted hardware. It was invaluable in making the decision to install a leg vise and to choose Benchcrafted.
Keep in mind that my shop is a mixed breed - lot of woodturning, presently building a Windsor chair, and a history of furniture making. My bench was built just prior to building the home we live in and was done as a utility bench mostly for construction related applications. It is rough SYP construction, but has served me well.
I still use handtools, and I have always wanted a nice vise setup. My Record 52 1/2 has served me well and I will probably miss it, but it has always been installed in the wrong place at the middle of the bench. My bench is mounted to the wall of my shop, so I can only use one side and can make very little use of the ends. This will be much handier.
The body of the vise and the leg are walnut, which I have had many years. It was stickered in the barn when green, but apparently at some point borers got into it, so it has tracks in it. I filled the ones in the chop, though in hindsight I wish I hadn't. Instead of laminating more walnut on the chop to gain thickness, I applied a piece of curly maple and chamfered the edges of the walnut and maple. The logo was done by cutting (with a die cutter) a negative stencil in adhesive vinyl, and spray painting flat black on the maple. The stencil was then removed.
Keep in mind that my shop is a mixed breed - lot of woodturning, presently building a Windsor chair, and a history of furniture making. My bench was built just prior to building the home we live in and was done as a utility bench mostly for construction related applications. It is rough SYP construction, but has served me well.
I still use handtools, and I have always wanted a nice vise setup. My Record 52 1/2 has served me well and I will probably miss it, but it has always been installed in the wrong place at the middle of the bench. My bench is mounted to the wall of my shop, so I can only use one side and can make very little use of the ends. This will be much handier.
The body of the vise and the leg are walnut, which I have had many years. It was stickered in the barn when green, but apparently at some point borers got into it, so it has tracks in it. I filled the ones in the chop, though in hindsight I wish I hadn't. Instead of laminating more walnut on the chop to gain thickness, I applied a piece of curly maple and chamfered the edges of the walnut and maple. The logo was done by cutting (with a die cutter) a negative stencil in adhesive vinyl, and spray painting flat black on the maple. The stencil was then removed.