Few questions on Ulmia OTT bench

[Alex Kapl]

Hello All. Recently picked up Ulmia OTT workbench from craigslist. It was an estate liquidation company that was selling it so no info. Came disassembled for transport. I assembled the base and put the top on top but haven't secured it yet. It came with 4" 1/4 lag screws , 2 on each leg. Trying to figure out how to reattach it, as holes don't align now. I think whoever used it before had the legs backwards not sure. There are no dowel holes and If i understand correctly its not a good idea to use lag screws as that might cause issues with wood movement of the top?


Here is an album of the pictures

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YGn5PwUAW6cZSDG27

Also trying to figure out how to allign the top to the legs correctly. how much overhang should there be? Should i make the front face of the top flush with the leg front?

Thank you

[Jim Koepke]

Any movement of the wood can be handled by making a slot in the support so the lag screw can move if the top expands or contracts.

For me having the legs flush to the top of the bench and the back jaw of the vise makes sense. This allows for vertical clamping if needed. A dog hole or two in the legs also can be used to help support long work.

Also having the leg to the right of the vise works well for working with assembled pieces like drawers and chairs at the end of the bench.

jtk

[Tom Bender]

Nice bench. Just a question about the side vise, is it a twin screw with the chain buried in the chop? That would be a novel approach.

[Alex Kapl]

Nice bench. Just a question about the side vise, is it a twin screw with the chain buried in the chop? That would be a novel approach.

Nope. Single screw. Here are few pictures. There is a label but unfortunately I don't read German

Screen Shot 2022-07-05 at 10.10.19 AM.jpg

Screen Shot 2022-07-05 at 10.12.43 AM.jpg

[Tom Bender]

Ok.
So that back part looks to be clamped to the sliding bar and connected to the screw with a bushing. It will stabilize the two to minimize racking and wear on the screw. Also something novel. How well does it work re racking?

[Keith Pitman]

I have an Ulmia bench. Mine has a wooden pin about an inch or so in diameter in each side of the base. Each pin fits into a hole in the bottom of the top. The top uses gravity to hold it in place: no fasteners. Perhaps the lag bolts were added by a previous owner.

[Alex Kapl]

I have an Ulmia bench. Mine has a wooden pin about an inch or so in diameter in each side of the base. Each pin fits into a hole in the bottom of the top. The top uses gravity to hold it in place: no fasteners. Perhaps the lag bolts were added by a previous owner.

I didn't have any holes or wooden pins. It seems that there was a design change at some point. Looking at the vise sticker it has a date of 98 so i'm guessing this one is from 1998. I checked with one Ulmia delaer and he said that 4 screws are used to secure top to the base. 2 on each leg. I ended up doing a domino on front and single Spax screw with leather washer on each leg.

IMG_7189.jpg

[William Fretwell]

One bolt may be all you need. It should be at the front to support any alignment with the front leg. The end of the top stretcher and the leg front don’t line up so that impedes any proper alignment. The old countersunk bolts make no sense, a washer, (steel) makes more sense flush with the underside. Any second bolt or pin should have a slotted hole as previously mentioned.

[Halgeir Wold]

The label is just instructions on how to readjust a sort of pre tension to the sliding bolt in order to prevent racking, - if this happens after some time in use..