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Outswing exterior doors can really be wind sails (in my old constructions sales days, one customer had a normal "man door" pulled completely off the hinges by a sudden gust). Not saying it's...

I'm not strictly following Chris's plans, nor am I strictly following Benchcrafted/Marc's... so my leg dimensions and rail dimensions are different than the book and written plans.

I'm going...

If I made the front rail a bit thicker/deeper at that end (by laminating another piece to it) I could barrel nut still... the bolt would just catch the barrel nut inside the original thickness of the...

Thanks Scott! If the front leg and cross rails aren't same dimensions as Benchcrafted's plans, you are indeed correct that front rail tenon interferes with Criss Cross mortise. This happens on...

To provide a contrasting point of view...

I have a single low-end (but insulated) Clopay garage door on one side of my shop. I can't remember, but definitely not high R value (about 1 inch of...

lol, thanks Jim!

I think the movement will be very minor in this small application and in this environment (humidity swings are very minor) - I would be surprised if it was able to move to the...

Ideally I would have done that but materials on hand made it impossible. The top 9” x 16” space has the inner hickory layer running opposite as a result. Do you think it’s a big enough issue (based...

Just a day later, and "past-tense Bob" is already hilariously out of touch.

I forgot that I didn't have enough material for the "chop" (the moving hunk of wood on a leg vise) so I had a busy...

Thanks Jim! I sure could have used my new workbench yesterday while building my new workbench... and especially some holdfasts. :-)


Instead, I did what I usually do and quick clamped parts to...

Thanks Thomas! I'm really truly giving this an honest attempt - trying to build something functional that I can be proud of (and that my future great grandkids will inherit).


Over the last...

Thanks Alan! I ended up going with the 3/4" and am starting out with just a few accessories. I bought two holdfasts from Grammercy, and two brass dogs with the side wires that keep them from...

I tend to tidy between big steps of a project, as well as in between projects. My reasons are that it is nicer (and safer) to spend so much time in a well-kept space... and, my brain feels...

Thanks Derek!

I feel like this project is many things for me... a learning opportunity, a proving ground (i.e. that I can tackle and accomplish it), and ideally a tool builder that will be...

Big milestone!!! I finished the top last night.

I carefully installed the vise making sure to follow all the instructions carefully (and Jameel sent me some email responses that were helpful too)...

A little late to this thread, but here's a story to prove what you all already know.. leather gloves (or similar) are a must when handing rough lumber.


Year ago when I was in the "barn saving"...

Got my "condor tails" (named by Benchcrafted / Jameel due to their large size) cut today. I've never done dovetails this big before, never used a chisel before, never free handed a router before,...

:-) No worries about me becoming a know-it-all... I think, in life, literally the most important thing I ever learned is that there's no end to the learning. Pick any topic, and I find that's true....

It's funny because over the years, just about everything I have ever learned has come from finding other good examples to (at least initially) mimic. "Imitation being the most sincere form of...

Well after my confession-of-mistakes post, I had a more positive outing today. Thank goodness. :)

I had prepared the dog hole strip of lumber previously (three pieces of black walnut, from a...

Bob's confessions of mistakes so far (all of which are able to be "saved" and workbench will still be beautiful and functional.. just won't be as nice as, say, Jim's :-)


Mistake 1: Almost, but...

Thanks Aaron!


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I was dreading trimming the top laminations... my circular saw sucks for precision work... I don't own a great hand saw, nor am I proficient at freehand cutting for a joint...

I also built a drill table like this awhile back (and I think it was after reading Derek's post)... although my versions are always a bit rougher around the edges than the nice examples I see here...

Very helpful, thank you! Mine will net out almost exactly around 24" and it's a BEAST (sooooo heavy).

I will have several other surfaces to choose from during assembly too, so I think you're...

Good data point, thank you!!!

I ended up picking the "both" option :-) The Benchcrafted Leg Vise and their Tail Vise. Important to note that the Tail Vise is what Chris S. calls a "Wagon Vise"...

For the upcoming projects that you listed, a miter saw might be a more useful first purchase. I did many of those same projects, and after a few months of cutting everything with my circular saw...