Workbench and vise placement

[Bruce Delaney]

So I have an Adjust-A-Bench legset and casters, a front vise (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=31137&cat=1,41659,41661&ap=1) but not a benchtop yet.

Now here my ignorant question. Given the vise's screw and guidebars, which places the vise below the benchtop itself, is a skirt around the benchtop more or less required? I'm thinking of buying a pre-made benchtop of 2-3/8" with the intention of not making a skirt for it because it's pretty thick as it is but unless I were to make a very tall wooden vise block (basically, 2-3/8" + distance of vise screw/rods to underside of bench + some extra), I can't see how the vise block and front side of the bench can meet up well enough to make a good clamping surface.

Maybe the wooden vise block really needs to be that high, or perhaps a skirt is in order no matter how thick the benchtop is?

[Jim Becker]

I didn't use a skirt around the top on my Adjust-A-Bench...well, there is a short one that is part of the front vice setup. (Lee Valley vice that uses wood faces) I notched the benchtop (also from Geoffrey as I bought a show bench) to accomodate the fixed vice face.

Otherwise, I don't prefer an apron as the 2" thick top is very nice to be able to edge clamp material and jigs to.

[Bruce Delaney]

Thanks Jim, I think I will forego the skirt and simply screw/glue a piece of maple underneath the benchtop where the vise will be mounted and thereby creating a taller vise jaw.

Another, but bench related, question....what method do you recommend to make the bench dog holes? Plunge router? Hand drill with spade bit or sawtooth bit? How do you keep the drill bit at the right angle?

[Jim Becker]

I used a brand new Irwin spade bit with the little "wings" that provide a clean edge. The tops of the holes are crisp and the bottoms would have been had I clamped a sacrificial board underneath while drilling. BTW, this is a corded drill job...only a few of these 3/4" holes in 2" thick hard maple will use up a battery.

[Gary Keedwell]

I purchased a carbide drill just for that purpose. You can drill at a straight 90 degrees because the angle is built into the dog.

Gary K. PS. I have heard that a plunge router works great, too.

[Rob Blaustein]

I purchased a carbide drill just for that purpose. You can drill at a straight 90 degrees because the angle is built into the dog.

Gary K. PS. I have heard that a plunge router works great, too.

Will a router bit get you all the way through a 2" top, or just get you part way? If the latter, the plunge router would at least be a nice way to ensure a 90 deg hole that you could finish off with the spade bit. You could also make a quick jig by making a hole in a 2" thick piece of wood on the drill press and using that block to get you started with a 90 deg angle.

[glenn bradley]

What Rob said.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

In da middle
Right smack dab in da middle