Project 2 - a bench

[knappers]

Okay - another bench to add to the list...

It's a newby bench - and a bit of a compromise, with the bolt-together frame built from wood salvaged from pallets/packing cases and a top made from two pieces of 25mm MDF. I figure (hope) it will be more than enough to be going on with, but will undoubtedly be replaced at some point in the future.

First of all, the raw materials for the frame. All rescued from the skip at work.

Cut to length on a horizontal bandsaw, and cut to size on the Triton CS (I don't have a P/T)

All cross holes, grooves and dowel holes cut on a Bridgeport Knee Mill (just because I could).

The frame taking shape

Bolted together. I have set the two front rails flush with the front legs.

Set on feet to allow later height adjustment / levelling.

The plan is to reuse my dad's old Parkinson vice, set into a lip around the MDF top, and dog holes set in the front vice jaw and bench top.

Si.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I figure (hope) it will be more than enough to be going on with, but will undoubtedly be replaced at some point in the future.

Should be fine. A softwood base and thick MDF top should be durable and last for years. Here's mine, which has an MDF top and which I've been using for over 10 years and it's still as good as new

I would lip the edges of the MDF (softwood is fine) as it will make it far more durable. And arrange it so that you can fit a tail vice at some time in the future - they are so useful, I wouldn't be without mine.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[knappers]

Yes, I was going to put some lipping around the edge. The top will be 50mm thick MDF (2 x 25mm). I figured on lipping of 25x50mm. Would I be okay just gluing this on, or should I groove the boards with a tongue on the lip?
Re. the tail vice - might struggle with that. For the amount I would use it, I had thought a wonder dog or similar would suffice for holding along the length of the bench.

Thanks

Si.

 

[Chris Knight]

Si,
Is that the Joiner's bench from Sam Allen's book? I built mine along those lines 16 years ago and it has seen some hard use but is still earning its keep although I am on the verge of replacing it.

I used 3x18mm MDF plus 6mm tempered hardboard on mine and the surface has held up splendidly. The top has sagged a bit with time and I would recommend you put a cross rail into your base to support the centre of the top. I retrofitted my bench with some adjustment screws to push the centre up (a hell of a job!) and that worked but I definitely don't recommend that as a course of action.

(One problem with the design is the top rails aren't really deep enough, even with the studding there to tension things. They can bend, warp, twist or sag and their shape is less than ideal to do much about it. I use the space under my bench a lot and it would harm this potential but ideally those rails would be at least twice or thrice as deep! - one of the reasons I am slow about replacing my bench is that I am constantly thing about this sort of detail and that really holds things up!)

The holes in my top are on 6 inch centres and they work extremely well with Wonderdogs and the new Veritas surface vise. If you go this route, take great care to ensure the holes are placed exactly. Mine aren't quite right and as a result I have made up about four wooden fences of various kinds that only fit certain hole combinations and whilst I have got used to it, it is still a pain to remember what goes where.

Your point about a tailvice:- I fitted the twin screw Veritas tailvice - it has largely been a waste of time on my bench. For one, my shop is so small, it is difficult to get at and second, for most things, a wonderdog will work just as well. It can be handy for clamping stuff at 90 degrees to the possibilities inherent in a front vice but I have somehow managed for a long time without needing that facility very much and it has never stopped me from doing what had to be done.

If your leg material is at all like mine was (less than bone dry), you WILL need to tighten up those threaded rods quite a bit over time - check them periodically.

I applied hardboard to the front edge of my bench and that has been fine. You will not need a tongue/groove combo for an excellent joint with timber lipping or hardboard/MDF

I like your adjustable feet - where are they from?

 

[knappers]

It's largely based on the "easy" bench on Finewoodworking.com.

The legs especially were quite damp, so it will no doubt need some tweaking up.

The feet are some we used to use on our big FGC2 grinding machines at work, which weigh about 14,000Kg. Let's just say I doubt these feet will be splitting like the plastic ones can. I've then added some Screwfix felt to the bottoms for grip.

They are from WDS. http://www.wdsltd.co.uk/ Lots of interesting bits to be had from there.

Si.

 

[knappers]

Update time...

I got the two sheets of MDF glued and screwed up at 6 inch centres for the top, and spent tonight making up the spacer for attaching my Dad's old vice.

There are only three bolt holes, as one of the lugs is snapped off the vice. I figure with the 4" coach screws (again salvaged from pallets) I'm using, it really isn't going anywhere, and it's far too good to throw away.

Test fitted into place a treat. Next job is to make up some jaws and lipping for the top. Will probably have to wait until I get back from Le Mans in a couple of weeks, though.

Si.