The "Next" Workbench - Part 1

[glenn bradley]

Well finally time to post about the “next” workbench. I call it the “next” workbench because it’s better than what I had but not as nice as I will probably build one day.

Using ShopNotes Vol. 15 Issue 89 as a guide I went with layered MDF for the top. I laid waxed paper on my TS deck (as it is the flattest thing in my shop) and went at it:

First two layers are full size; dry fit here with screws to allow flush routing:

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First two glued up (I used whatever was at hand for weights):

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Second two layers are in parts to save material. This approach turned out to be useless for me as I decided on multiple rows of dog holes and had to increase the size of the “parts” to where four full size layers would have been less work:

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After deciding on the vise positions and drilling the mounting holes I flipped it onto a temporary platform to add the trim. Here’s the old extend-o pipe clamp trick:


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Can you ever have enough clamps?

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I'll continue in Part 2 . . .

[glenn bradley]

I clamped some scrap to the frame pieces for router support. After free-handing the original pocket to a depth of 1/4" I used a dado clean out bit to finish to required depth.

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Here's a shot of one of the vises mounted and in the pocket. The last piece of trim is not on yet (or should I 'Norm-out' and say "removed for clarity"?).

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I'll post more here once the top is done. I'll post the base after construction begins.

[Jim Becker]

Very kewel...and it's certainly not going to get up and walk away by itself! That's going to be one "massive" bench!

[glenn bradley]

OK, top is pretty much ready to BLO. It's on a temporary stand for finish application.

Hand plane brought the trim flush to the top.

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Front vise face is beech.

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Tail vise ditto.

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Ready to BLO and start the stand.

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[John Schreiber]

Looks sweet. That should last you for a good long time.

[Al Killian]

That is going to weigh a ton. Can't wait to see the base for it.

[Vic Damone]

More clamps than dumb bells, that's a good sign!

Vic

[glenn bradley]

More clamps than dumb bells, that's a good sign!

Vic

There's always at least one dumb bell in my shop. :D

[Aaron Hamilton]

Glenn,
Great bench....do you have a scanner? I'd love to take a look at the plan you used as a guide.

Also, what kind of vises did you use? I need some ad-vice (no pun..well yeah...pun intended) on what to use, and how much to spend. Did you used 7", 9" jaws? This is a lingering question I'd love to have answered.

[Charles Jackson III]

Very nice start.

[glenn bradley]

I knew I was slow but, man . . . .

The top is BLO'd and waxed. Vise faces are on and here come the dogs:

A dog-hole size bit to drill the vise faces:

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Clamp a guide jig to the bench:

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And we have dog holes:

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Just the long row for the other vise to go and I can continue on the base. That is, after the two-by lumber you see in the background of the last pic dries out some more. Two or three more weeks and I can machine it down into something usable (or abusable).

[glenn bradley]

Okay, probably getting boring by now but, I finished the dog holes. Original plan was for three rows each way. I went for three in the vise faces and a single row front to back and left to right. I'll play with that for awhile and see. The dogs in the first pic haven't had the shoulders cut yet.

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I BLO'd the holes since the pic and made up a half dozen dogs.

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I really do plan to get to the base once the wood I plan to use dries out a bit.

[John Schreiber]

Looking good. Did you do the dogs on a lathe or did you glue them up from dowels? I also wonder how you feel about the distance of the dog holes from the front of the bench? I keep thinking that it is better to have them as close as possible to the edge, but I don't know why.

[glenn bradley]

The dog holes are aligned with the centerline of the vise screw so vise width and placement determined that to some degree. The dogs are 7/8" oak dowel turned down on the TS except for the last 7/16" (I don't have a spinny thing). This leaves a tapered shoulder so I used an old CD for a lift and spun the dog perpendicular to the TS blade to cut the shoulder as it appears.

I realize re-reading this that if you haven't seen it done, my explanation stinks. The TS dowel spinning trick was shown on a short video on FWW if I remember right. I'll try to find the link, it's kinda neat for stuff like this or odd sized dowel requirements. If I can't find the link, I'll post a re-enactment.

[John Schreiber]

. . .I used an old CD for a lift and spun the dog perpendicular to the TS blade to cut the shoulder as it appears. . . .

I'm sure having a hard time visualizing that. I don't have one of those twirly things either, so I'm curious about your technique. If you find the link, that would be cool.

[glenn bradley]

I have not been able to find that video ;-\

The technique is something like this:

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/subscription/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesArticle.aspx?id=3116

but they didn't use the guide block (although this looks safer), they just held the dowel against the table and fence intersection. The result is the same but you can see where the radius of the blade fails to leave a square shoulder. I turned the 'now shaped' dowel perpendicular to the blade which is raised just enough to cut the shoulder. Hold the dowel against table (and CD riser) and miter gauge. Slide over blade and rotate the dowel to cut the shoulder.

This still sounds confusing; here's a pic of how to square the shoulder:

[glenn bradley]

The base went a lot faster once I faced reality; its made of 2-by lumber and you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I re-mention that anyone thinking they'll save little money by buying BORG 2-by lumber and machining it down into something useful . . . it's a false economy.

I had to give up so much material to waste I could have bought some 'real' wood at the lumber yard. Just thought I'd save you all the pain of trying it.

The ends will have pegboard panels and at this point I'm still going with three shallow drawers under the top leaving an open space/shelf below for setting things down as I'm working. The 2-by stuff has been BLO'd and the levelers are on. The inside of the panels will get BLO as well.

P.s. Sorry about the poor pic. This one just wouldn't reduce very well.

[Pat Germain]

Thanks for a tip about not bothering with BORG lumber, Glenn. I probably would have been tempted to do just that. (I need to accept that wood is so twisty and cupped it looks like it came from Willy Wonka's workshop.)

So, what kind of wood did you end up using for the base?

[Bill Huber]

Well I am not sure I like the color of the border but the top looks good..... :D :D :D

It is really looking good, I have been watching it grow and thinking about rebuilding my bench. Right now I just have a normal bench but I would like to have more of a woodworking bench now.

[glenn bradley]

I used Douglas fir from Lowe's. Even after the long, painful and wasteful process of drying and machining, the end result was softer and poorer quality than the Doug-fir I could have picked up at the lumber yard.

The lumber yard product was just shy of double the price. It was also in much better shape having been stored and processed correctly. I probably would have gotten closer to 80% yield as opposed to the 45 -50% yield I got from the BORG stuff.

The color and consistency was much higher as well and it probably would have turned out looking no where near as "bunch-o-two by fours" looking as the base I have now. But, you know me; I'm a giver. Had to take one for the team so I could advise others away from my poor idea. ;-)

P.s. Don't let me steer you away from Doug-fir for the base. One advantage folks here have discussed made itself apparent to me. I banged a nice piece of beech that I used for the vise jaws into the frame by accident. The frame dented and the beech looked fine.

[glenn bradley]

I found the need for drawers near the workbench to outweigh other things I'm working on so . . .back to the bench. BB ply is still going for silly prices and the top and side panels are MDF so . . . MDF it is for shelf and drawers.

Here's the bottom shelf parts getting BLO'd.

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And the supports.

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The bottom is in two parts, the seam is over a support.

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Looks like this.

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On to more pics . . .

[glenn bradley]

Here's the carcase parts cut to size and rabbeted.

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Here's an odd glue up as I was compelled to use a different sequence than I usually use. Don't know why, must have been bored ;-)

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And it goes down here to wait. The carcase will have a recessed solid back and full overlay drawers. The gap on top is to allow shavings and such to get blown out after they drop down through the dog holes. The shelf area to the right is just a place to put what-nots while I am working.

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[glenn bradley]

Drawers in. I'll build the false fronts after I sand and seal. The unit is modular so I can place it anywhere along the lower shelf or add another if desired. I used 22" glides and built 21" drawers to allow a little over-extension. This will let me to see the whole drawer contents (angle of view) when standing at the bench. I'm going to have to think about why it is that I always take pics on laundry day ;-) Is this some sort of bizarre pattern?

[Jim Becker]

Looking good, Glenn! This reminds me that my own tool cabinet needs have been sorely neglected...oy!

[glenn bradley]

Looking good, Glenn! This reminds me that my own tool cabinet needs have been sorely neglected...oy!

Thanks Jim. I figure if I keep up this pace, part of the bench will be due for some TLC about the time I put the last "in progess" parts on it :D .

[Ray Knight]

I am new here, slowly picking up on the abbreviation jargon, but can't figure out the BLO. A nod to the new guy please. Thanks Ray Knight

[Gary Keedwell]

BLO Boiled linseed oil;)
GK


Go Patriots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[glenn bradley]

I think I've beat this thread enough but wanted to at least complete the drawer unit before I felt the tale was done. Forgive the brief post but I really think this thread is done.

Here's the drawer unit. MDF as the BB ply price crisis is still alive and well in my area. Three coats of shellac and a quick paste wax (so the dust blows right off . . . yeah, right).

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Here's where he lives. It is a separate unit setting on a thin piece of rubber pad to keep it in place while the drawers are opened and closed. I didn't want to attach it in case I change my mind about which side it should go on.

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I had planned for the drawers to open in such a way that I could see into the entire drawer while standing at the bench; mission accomplished.

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Now to fill them with my measuring and marking stuff, chisels and other goodies that I am always reaching for when at the bench.

[Bill Huber]

It looks really go the only thing I don't is MDF, I hate MDF.

But it looks good there, the drawers are not MDF so that is good.
Now that I have found full extension slides I will never go back to 3/4..

So now you will fill them up and spend hours moving things around until you think you have it....:D :D

[glenn bradley]

I am new here, slowly picking up on the abbreviation jargon, but can't figure out the BLO. A nod to the new guy please. Thanks Ray Knight

Gary's got you covered on the BLO Ray. This thread will help as well:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=27040

The one that threw me for the longest time was DAMHIKT (don't ask me how I know this) generally used along with an explanation of something that should have been obvious like: "Those brand new jointer knives are sharp, DAMHIKT".

The one I still love the most is SWMBO, pronounced swim-bo and meaning "She Who Must Be Obeyed". :D

[Jim Becker]

That really turned out great, Glenn.

[Jon Lanier]

That is looking really good. Congrats on your work. You may never want to "buy" a work bench. After all you are a woodworker, build the better. If you build it, *it will come.

-Jon

*it = Satisfaction

[John Schreiber]

So what are your plans for the NEXT next workbench looking like?

[John Petsche]

great idea for bench dogs and a nice flat workbench. How heavy is it?

[glenn bradley]

great idea for bench dogs and a nice flat workbench. How heavy is it?

Wow, a call from the past :). The bench has, of course, continued to be morphed into my own way of doing things. With the base, 4 layer top and the drawer units (and figuring MDF is about 90lbs a sheet) I would say it is an easy 360lbs empty. I put adjustable feet on it as I was unsure where on my un-level gara . . . er, shop floor it would end up. I marked the leg positions as I was trying different spots. It has been in its current position as long as I can remember now. I just went and checked the old marks and it has never budged despite hand and power tool work almost daily for well over 3 years.

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

Glen, that bench is super cool and seems relatively simple to make - the top I mean. I need to do the same. I have a 3' x 6' old bench left by the previous owners that is just too big. I use it for mostly dirty work and need to get rid of it.

I was planning on gluing up plain old pine, but your idea for the top seems to be a little faster. (I plan to build a "proper" one in the future, but time now does not permit.) Looking at the pics it seems to have stood the test of time.

I will say thanks for sharing now because I was not aware of this website at the time of your build. Well... thanks.

[Andrew W. Thomas]

Glenn-
I have too considered a bench made similarly to yours. Yours looks great. Could I ask what glue you use between the layers of MDF? I would guess not typical wood glue. Also, does anyone know if drilling dog holes into the face of the frame and into the end of the vise would hold panels vertically very well? I worry the vise, depending on the quality, would rack with something being held at one end, and possibly not hold well.