Hope I dont regret building a pretty workbench

[Carl Beckett]

Some time ago I picked up an Emmert clone off facebook. It has been sitting under the bench. In true ADD fashion, right in the middle of another project I took a left turn and decided to build a bench to mount the vise on.

I had a small cheapo bench that fit a spot in my small shop. It gets used a lot, so out it goes and in its place will be a replacement bench with the Emmert and also an end vise.

My main bench is Elm - cut from a tree in my mothers back yard. This one is cherry/maple because that is what I have a lot of.

Off to a good start - the top is together and the vise psuedo mounted. The hard part is hogging out clearances on the underside. TBD whether I inlay flush to the front - I will use it like this for a while before deciding (some have commented they prefer the range of motion having it offset). Still have to make a base and drawers (because I love drawers) and mount an end vise.

it will get used, but unlikely to get abused the way the previous bench did. There is something to be said for a bench that you are not hesitant to just plain abuse...

20231126_190601.jpg20231126_185057.jpg20231126_190021.jpg20231126_185738.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Great job...and I'm envious of that vice for sure!!

[Wes Grass]

Pretty workbench? Regret?

Never!

[Keith Pitman]

That old bench doesn’t look so bad; just give it a good plane! Great time of year to plane a bench; it will keep you warm. My bench needs another plane and I’m planning on April before it gets too warm. New bench looks great. Love the vise.

[Carl Beckett]

After digressing in multiple directions on 'side' projects, I was able to make some progress putting drawers in the cabinet. I happened to have a piece of figured maple that I sliced and veneered the fronts - just because. There was no up front design on this, just decided on a whim and using what I have laying around (I am prone to hoarding so it is always satisfying to use something for a project).

A coat of finish and next up will be some drawer pulls. Home stretch.

As always, I have been using the bench to build the bench ... (luckily I have a first workbench to use as well).

20240121_120012.jpg20240121_130836.jpg20240121_131046.jpg

[Rod Sheridan]

That looks very nice Carl.

Regards, Rod

[Carl Beckett]

Put on some drawer pulls.

Next to put some dog holes on top and cleanup the end vise and re mount the pattern vise. Then onto drawer organizers.

Home stretch.

We will see how it goes having tools in drawers under the bench, depending on what I have clamped it might get in the way of drawers opening. But I can always go back to my prior storage, or some combination there of.

20240124_193448.jpg20240124_193441.jpg20240124_193427.jpg20240124_193714.jpg20240124_193706.jpg

[mike stenson]

They got in the way for me. Many people, however, love them.

Beautiful work, and if they get in the way mount them elsewhere.

[Todd Zucker]

Really nice work. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

[Carl Beckett]

Finished enough for now. Although will make some trays for drawer organization. Will clean the vises up at a future date.

Look forward to using it.

20240203_144501.jpg20240203_144457.jpg20240203_144513.jpg20240203_144542.jpg

[Tom Bender]

Very nice. Many shallow drawers are so much better than a few deep ones.

Something looks familiar
Chisels in Drawer.jpg